On January 16, Wednesday, Ajo & I flew on Jet Blue to the Capital City of Texas. The reason behind the trip to Austin was to attend my cousin's wedding. Our flight was early morning on Wednesday and we arrived in Austin, TX approximately 12 noon Central Time.We had a light lunch from The Salt Lick place inside the terminal. The brisket melted in my mouth. We picked up our rental car from Hertz and headed to Hilton Airport. We were exhausted from the 4.5 hr flight. After a power nap we headed over for an early dinner at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. Ajo had Gumbo and I had crab cakes with craw fish.
http://pappadeaux.com/home/
Thursday morning around 8 am we headed downtown for a walking tour. We waited on the capital grounds and met with our tour guide who narrated pertinent Austin history and walked us through historic downtown Austin. The temperatures were in the mid 40's, a little chilly for a walking tour but we enjoyed the 1 hour exploration of the city. We ate lunch at Whataburger and headed back downtown to explore the interiors of the State Capitol. Afterwards we drove to UT Austin where we strolled through the campus and ate at a Pita pit, perhaps my highlight of the day. http://www.pitapitusa.com/home.php
When Ajo & I lived in Reno, NV, we would go to Pita pit every other Sunday after church. It ended up being our comfort food on Sundays. We drove to Round Rock area of TX to take a photo of the Dell HQ since Ajo wanted to add the Dell HQ to his collection of Head Quarters. It was almost dusk when we headed over for dinner at Ajo's cousins place. We had delicious Indian food made by his cousin's wife. The hospitality and the warmth you felt in that home was incredible.
Friday morning we checked out of our hotel. We had to return our rental car and pick up a new rental car from Alamo with a car seat for my 2 year old nephew. My brother and family was expected to arrive Friday night. We headed over to The Salt Lick BBQ place in Driftwood, TX. The drive was about 30 minutes from the airport area. We had some incredible barbecue. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Austin, TX. Also, I would recommend their blackberry cobbler. After my brother and family arrived we went to the pre wedding festivities and dinner.
Saturday morning all the family members gathered at the Marriott at 8am for prayer prior to leaving for the church ceremony. The bride looked absolutely gorgeous.There are no words sometimes to describe a bride. They fill the room with a lot of happiness. The church service was beautiful with some bittersweet moments for both my cousin and her close family. If I had to describe this person in 3 words I would say: compassionate, genuine, and truthful. May the good and gracious Lord continue to help the married couple grow together to love the one true God.
After lunch, we all headed back to the hotel to change and returned for the reception around 5PM. The banquet hall was exquisite. The food was delicious. It was beautifully planned wedding and reception.
Sunday morning Ajo & I along with our cousins worshiped at Austin Stone Church. It was a joy to worship the Lord. We ate Brunch at a Crepe place in downtown Austin. We spend the rest of the afternoon in Austin Zoo along with my nephew and his parents. He was truly excited to see all the animals. We wrapped our Austin trip on Sunday night with Tex-Mex dinner at Chuy's. We said our goodbyes to Ajo's cousins and headed back to the hotel to pack for our 7am flight back to NY.
Austin trip is one of the memorable trips Ajo & I have done together.
There are a couple of reasons:
1) Despite Ajo's fear of flying, he wanted to attend the wedding in Austin and the Lord calmed him during the flights.
2) Ajo & I had some good times together - talking, laughing, and the least amount of arguments
3) We witnessed my cousins wedding, a long awaited end of day especially for her.
4) We experienced fellowship with Ajo's cousins. At times in life, people humble you and I experienced that when I met them.
5) Our first trip with my one and only nephew. He is not always going to stay in his terrible two's and therefore Ajo & I cherished his tantrums and his cuteness.
With the top 5 reasons I end this blog post.
One more thing, if you are ever in Austin, try Tex Mex, & Barbecue.
Showing posts with label Trips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trips. Show all posts
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Until we meet again!
Ajo read from the following passage from Ephesians before we said goodbye to LK.
It was definitely bitter sweet to end our vacation in Canada and head back to NY.
A cherished story - Meeting LK
We met LK for the first time in September of 2010. Wait a second! LK is from Canada and you may be wondering how we met. Summer of 2008, Ajo and I moved to Reno. In October of 2009, a really close and dear person to us in Reno passed away. We met LK's mom at the funeral and happened to talk briefly at a prayer meeting. Meanwhile a year ago LK started her application process and planning phases to move to NY to do her Masters. LK's mom mentions this to us knowing that we will be moving back to NY in the summer of 2010 which was about the same time LK would be moving to NY to settle in.
I shoot LK an email a few weeks later which I never got a response to; only to find out later that she never received my email. End of August, 2010 we moved back to NY. One morning in September, I get a call from LK's mom from LK's NYC apartment stating that she is in town from Canada. At that time, I told her I will contact her and we will try to meet. Things got busy and I never called her back. Exactly a day before she was to head back to Canada, I literally got woken up from sleep at 8 in the morning and was just drawn to call LK's mom and call them over to dinner. Dinner happened that night with LK and her mom with our family. What a great beginning!. Talk about God ordained friendships. We feel so blessed to have experienced it.
The moments we spent with LK became memorable and a blessing to us. We will always remember worshiping together on Sundays, the late night fellowships after Chicken n' Rice, visiting NYC hot spots, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and many more other memorable meetings we had.
We hope to meet with LK every few years. At least that's the desire of our hearts. We pray that God will bring it to pass.
May our friendship stay strong, our families grow, and more over our love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grow deeper.
Until we see each other again
May God be with us always!
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3: 14-21
It was definitely bitter sweet to end our vacation in Canada and head back to NY.
A cherished story - Meeting LK
We met LK for the first time in September of 2010. Wait a second! LK is from Canada and you may be wondering how we met. Summer of 2008, Ajo and I moved to Reno. In October of 2009, a really close and dear person to us in Reno passed away. We met LK's mom at the funeral and happened to talk briefly at a prayer meeting. Meanwhile a year ago LK started her application process and planning phases to move to NY to do her Masters. LK's mom mentions this to us knowing that we will be moving back to NY in the summer of 2010 which was about the same time LK would be moving to NY to settle in.
I shoot LK an email a few weeks later which I never got a response to; only to find out later that she never received my email. End of August, 2010 we moved back to NY. One morning in September, I get a call from LK's mom from LK's NYC apartment stating that she is in town from Canada. At that time, I told her I will contact her and we will try to meet. Things got busy and I never called her back. Exactly a day before she was to head back to Canada, I literally got woken up from sleep at 8 in the morning and was just drawn to call LK's mom and call them over to dinner. Dinner happened that night with LK and her mom with our family. What a great beginning!. Talk about God ordained friendships. We feel so blessed to have experienced it.
The moments we spent with LK became memorable and a blessing to us. We will always remember worshiping together on Sundays, the late night fellowships after Chicken n' Rice, visiting NYC hot spots, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and many more other memorable meetings we had.
We hope to meet with LK every few years. At least that's the desire of our hearts. We pray that God will bring it to pass.
May our friendship stay strong, our families grow, and more over our love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grow deeper.
Until we see each other again
May God be with us always!
 |
| To our friendship - Alberta, Canada - May 2012 |
Friday, June 8, 2012
Good bye to Western Canada - Day 6
Sunday morning, we headed to the airport at 8 AM. We were flying on West Jet back to Newark. We thought the staff and the service was much better than Air Canada. Ajo sat next to a 30 year old guy who was visiting NY for the first time. They talked almost the entire time. Meanwhile, I tried to get some sleep. The landing was a bit bumpy but otherwise it was quite a good flight.
We were back in NY in our home around 7PM.
A few things in Canada that was different:
1) Long daylight hours till about 10PM
2) Metric system - km/hr and Celsius
3) Seat belt law for the back passengers
We were back in NY in our home around 7PM.
A few things in Canada that was different:
1) Long daylight hours till about 10PM
2) Metric system - km/hr and Celsius
3) Seat belt law for the back passengers
Downtown Edmonton and Drive to Calgary - Day 5
We had quite a busy Saturday. LK took us on a quick tour of downtown Edmonton. Ajo took some shots of the skyline and we walked around the heart of downtown Edmonton for 1/2 hour or so. Downtown was pretty quiet, perhaps because it was Saturday. We drove around Whyte Ave and the University area afterwards.
We headed home after stopping by Don's photo to pick up something. We had lunch with a family we met while we were in Reno, Nevada. They were hospitable and we enjoyed our time with them. We came back to LK's home to do last minute packing and left Edmonton to Calgary around 3:30PM. Leaving Edmonton and LK's home was sad for us. We felt like in 4 days we became part of the family. We had a great vacation in Canada. We couldn't have asked for anything better.
In Calgary, we met with LK's cousin and went out to have dinner with them. We spent the night at LK's cousin's house.
We headed home after stopping by Don's photo to pick up something. We had lunch with a family we met while we were in Reno, Nevada. They were hospitable and we enjoyed our time with them. We came back to LK's home to do last minute packing and left Edmonton to Calgary around 3:30PM. Leaving Edmonton and LK's home was sad for us. We felt like in 4 days we became part of the family. We had a great vacation in Canada. We couldn't have asked for anything better.
In Calgary, we met with LK's cousin and went out to have dinner with them. We spent the night at LK's cousin's house.
West Edmonton Mall - Day 4
Friday (June 1st) morning we slept a little late to catch up on some sleep. For breakfast, LK introduced us to peanut butter and honey sandwich. It was a great combo. Thanks to LK!. After breakfast we headed over to the West Ed mall, the largest mall in North America.
We had Brunch at Earl's. LK was right, their chicken wings are delicious. Ajo & LK had some interesting theological discussion I was sandwiched in between. I saw each of their passion and their individual convictions which may not be similar but regardless they both loved God. That is what matters!. Perhaps these kind of conversations are meant to challenge your walk, sharpen your boundaries, or perhaps even redefine, reassess, or refine your christian experience. I know they are meant to be a blessing.
We walked around the mall with LK. The mall had an indoor amusement park, an indoor water park (the largest in the world), skating ring, indoor lake with sea lion/dolphin shows, mini-golf, a hotel, and you name it, they had it. They had almost all the stores that you could ask for and a great variety of restaurants. I can see how Ajo and I could have got lost very easily in there if LK wasn't with us.
We toured and walked around the mall for a good few hours and still felt like we needed more time. We had to cut our time short since we had some shopping to do for friends and family. We stopped by a toy store, christian store, and souvenir store. It took longer than expected. We had just enough time to have "Poutine" in the food court and headed back home. Poutine is a French-Canadian dish of french fries served with cheese curds and brown gravy. We enjoyed it but felt like it was an acquired taste.
We headed home around 6PM since Ajo's 2nd cousin and his family were invited to come over to the house and have dinner with us. LK and her mom opened their home and we cannot appreciate their hospitality enough. Two other families joined us for dinner. We met and connected with Ajo's cousin and his family. It was a fun evening/night. After everyone left, Ajo & I along with LK and her mom stayed up past 12 AM just talking, laughing, and sharing some memorable stories. Since it was past 12 am, we wished LK' s mom Happy Birthday and then headed to our rooms.
We had Brunch at Earl's. LK was right, their chicken wings are delicious. Ajo & LK had some interesting theological discussion I was sandwiched in between. I saw each of their passion and their individual convictions which may not be similar but regardless they both loved God. That is what matters!. Perhaps these kind of conversations are meant to challenge your walk, sharpen your boundaries, or perhaps even redefine, reassess, or refine your christian experience. I know they are meant to be a blessing.
We walked around the mall with LK. The mall had an indoor amusement park, an indoor water park (the largest in the world), skating ring, indoor lake with sea lion/dolphin shows, mini-golf, a hotel, and you name it, they had it. They had almost all the stores that you could ask for and a great variety of restaurants. I can see how Ajo and I could have got lost very easily in there if LK wasn't with us.
We toured and walked around the mall for a good few hours and still felt like we needed more time. We had to cut our time short since we had some shopping to do for friends and family. We stopped by a toy store, christian store, and souvenir store. It took longer than expected. We had just enough time to have "Poutine" in the food court and headed back home. Poutine is a French-Canadian dish of french fries served with cheese curds and brown gravy. We enjoyed it but felt like it was an acquired taste.
We headed home around 6PM since Ajo's 2nd cousin and his family were invited to come over to the house and have dinner with us. LK and her mom opened their home and we cannot appreciate their hospitality enough. Two other families joined us for dinner. We met and connected with Ajo's cousin and his family. It was a fun evening/night. After everyone left, Ajo & I along with LK and her mom stayed up past 12 AM just talking, laughing, and sharing some memorable stories. Since it was past 12 am, we wished LK' s mom Happy Birthday and then headed to our rooms.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Road Trip to Jasper - Day 3
On Thursday morning, around 8:30am Ajo & I headed to Jasper National Park. The drive to Jasper was unexpectedly long. We stopped at Hinton for gas and lunch. It was past 1 PM when we got to the town of Jasper. Jasper felt much smaller than the town of Banff with less traffic, and people on the roads. We stopped by the visitor center to get some more detailed park information. Our goal was to do the Jasper tram and the Columbia Icefields. However, after chatting with the lady at the information desk, we came to the conclusion that we had time for only one and we decided to visit the Icefields.
The drive to Columbia Icefields through the Icefields parkway was very scenic. We got to the Icefield center before 4PM and hence we were able to catch the 4PM tour. The tour took about 90 minutes and it was worth every minute. We were transported from the Icefields center in a regular sized bus to the inner parking area. The tour guide gave a brief history about the glaciers. Upon arrival at the inside parking area, we were picked up by a snow coach which was specially designed for ice and snowy hills with tires that cost 15,000 each. We traveled through the road carved out through the glaciers. It was an amazing ride. We had a 20 minute stop to step out on to the glacier and explore this ancient ice. When you stand on the glacier it feels no different than standing on top of hardened snow but to think that this ancient piece of ice is the size of Eiffel tower is just phenomenal. It was a little windy and cool but the skies were clear and blue. Definitely, Columbia Icefields is a must-see attraction in the park and we consider ourselves blessed for the amazing opportunity.
After our expedition, since it was nearing 6PM, we headed back to Edmonton. On the way back, we saw a mountain goat, few big horn sheep, elks, and surprisingly enough 3 black bears and 1 grizzly bear with a baby. It was quite a day. We enjoyed our return trip tremendously. Other than some brief stops to capture some photos and grab dinner, we drove straight through to avoid getting back to Edmonton too late. We got back around midnight and crawled in to bed to catch some sleep.
The drive to Columbia Icefields through the Icefields parkway was very scenic. We got to the Icefield center before 4PM and hence we were able to catch the 4PM tour. The tour took about 90 minutes and it was worth every minute. We were transported from the Icefields center in a regular sized bus to the inner parking area. The tour guide gave a brief history about the glaciers. Upon arrival at the inside parking area, we were picked up by a snow coach which was specially designed for ice and snowy hills with tires that cost 15,000 each. We traveled through the road carved out through the glaciers. It was an amazing ride. We had a 20 minute stop to step out on to the glacier and explore this ancient ice. When you stand on the glacier it feels no different than standing on top of hardened snow but to think that this ancient piece of ice is the size of Eiffel tower is just phenomenal. It was a little windy and cool but the skies were clear and blue. Definitely, Columbia Icefields is a must-see attraction in the park and we consider ourselves blessed for the amazing opportunity.
After our expedition, since it was nearing 6PM, we headed back to Edmonton. On the way back, we saw a mountain goat, few big horn sheep, elks, and surprisingly enough 3 black bears and 1 grizzly bear with a baby. It was quite a day. We enjoyed our return trip tremendously. Other than some brief stops to capture some photos and grab dinner, we drove straight through to avoid getting back to Edmonton too late. We got back around midnight and crawled in to bed to catch some sleep.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Lake Louise and more - Day 2
Wednesday morning (May 30th), we woke up around 7 am, got ready, grabbed breakfast to-go and checked out of our hotel, Lake Louise Inn. We all slept really well and craved more sleep.
We headed to the picturesque Lake Louise. The place was incredibly beautiful. I guess the only downside of going in May was that the Lake was still frozen. However, the normal tourist rush had not yet started which was certainly to our advantage. The frozen lake had a unique charm to it and Ajo & LK took some amazing photos. Drive to Moraine Lake, our next stop was spectacular. The view was magnificent snow covered mountains and jagged peaks beautifully carved out to perfection.
After lunch, we drove via a so called "scenic" Bow Valley parkway. The drive and a few pull outs were recommended to us at the visitor center. The drive was definitely not the most stunning route and with speed limits of 50 km/hr the drive felt long. Needless to say, this was the least favorite part of the trip for a few reasons which will remain unmentioned in this blog.
We stopped by the town of Jasper at the Enterprise car rental to add me as an addition driver to the records since Ajo & I will be driving the Edmonton to Jasper leg of the trip the next morning. We then headed to Calgary. On the way, LK wanted us to try a popular ice cream place in Cochrane, Alberta. We changed our route to accommodate this stop. En route, we stumbled upon a beautiful isolated church in an open field with beautiful mountainous backdrop. We stopped to take pictures- the best decision ever. This was one on my favorite stops during our trip. There was something solemn about this historic church. Built in the 1870's, this church stands today as a reminder of missionary work of Rev. George McDougall among the natives and the early settlers/workers. It was inspiring to all of us. We took few of our best and memorable photos of the trip here.
After ice cream, we headed straight via highway 2 towards Edmonton. Drive from Calgary to Edmonton felt similar to the drive from Reno to Las Vegas. The only difference was the desert in Reno/LV was replaced with some green terrain. Two and half hours felt longer for some reason. We snacked on chocolates and homemade vadas. Let me you something, sharing a wonder bar by breaking it off inside a car is not a good idea. We learned it the hard way.
One thing that was revealed to us during the drive was the magnitude of God's awesome and powerful miracles. They are reminders of His Grace and His love. We thank God for circumstances like such to remind us that He is totally in control. During our missteps, God graciously intervenes.
We arrived at Edmonton close to 9PM. The sun was still bright. LK was truly not exaggerating when she told me that Alberta had sunlight till 10PM. I just did not believe her at first. That is such a funny story we can talk about years from now. We had dinner with the LK and her mom. The hospitality and warmth in that home was sweeter than honey. It filled our hearts. Sleep once again felt great after another long day.
We headed to the picturesque Lake Louise. The place was incredibly beautiful. I guess the only downside of going in May was that the Lake was still frozen. However, the normal tourist rush had not yet started which was certainly to our advantage. The frozen lake had a unique charm to it and Ajo & LK took some amazing photos. Drive to Moraine Lake, our next stop was spectacular. The view was magnificent snow covered mountains and jagged peaks beautifully carved out to perfection.
After lunch, we drove via a so called "scenic" Bow Valley parkway. The drive and a few pull outs were recommended to us at the visitor center. The drive was definitely not the most stunning route and with speed limits of 50 km/hr the drive felt long. Needless to say, this was the least favorite part of the trip for a few reasons which will remain unmentioned in this blog.
We stopped by the town of Jasper at the Enterprise car rental to add me as an addition driver to the records since Ajo & I will be driving the Edmonton to Jasper leg of the trip the next morning. We then headed to Calgary. On the way, LK wanted us to try a popular ice cream place in Cochrane, Alberta. We changed our route to accommodate this stop. En route, we stumbled upon a beautiful isolated church in an open field with beautiful mountainous backdrop. We stopped to take pictures- the best decision ever. This was one on my favorite stops during our trip. There was something solemn about this historic church. Built in the 1870's, this church stands today as a reminder of missionary work of Rev. George McDougall among the natives and the early settlers/workers. It was inspiring to all of us. We took few of our best and memorable photos of the trip here.
After ice cream, we headed straight via highway 2 towards Edmonton. Drive from Calgary to Edmonton felt similar to the drive from Reno to Las Vegas. The only difference was the desert in Reno/LV was replaced with some green terrain. Two and half hours felt longer for some reason. We snacked on chocolates and homemade vadas. Let me you something, sharing a wonder bar by breaking it off inside a car is not a good idea. We learned it the hard way.
One thing that was revealed to us during the drive was the magnitude of God's awesome and powerful miracles. They are reminders of His Grace and His love. We thank God for circumstances like such to remind us that He is totally in control. During our missteps, God graciously intervenes.
We arrived at Edmonton close to 9PM. The sun was still bright. LK was truly not exaggerating when she told me that Alberta had sunlight till 10PM. I just did not believe her at first. That is such a funny story we can talk about years from now. We had dinner with the LK and her mom. The hospitality and warmth in that home was sweeter than honey. It filled our hearts. Sleep once again felt great after another long day.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
A Visit to Canada - Day 1
I have to say that visiting Alberta, Canada was not in our list of places until about 2 years ago. It was about 2 years ago, we met LK, a special person who over the months became a really dear friend to both of us. LK, a Canadian born Indian who moved to NY to pursue her studies became a God given blessing in our lives soon after our first meeting. There is a lot more to write about LK but I will leave it short and sweet.
Though we love traveling, I have to admit that air travel is our least favorite. LK is precisely the reason why we decided to visit Canada. Ajo & I booked tickets about a month ago and was extremely excited about the trip to the Canadian Rockies. It was approximately two years ago, we moved back from Reno, Nevada, our epitome of the West.
We packed our bags and loaded our camera gear for an unforgettable trip. Ajo's brother dropped us to the airport Tuesday morning. Our Air Canada flight from Newark airport had no delays and took off at 8:30AM. Our ETA was approximately 11AM. The flight felt long especially since we were tired from packing the night before. We did get drinks in the flight but nothing more. I remember how the Lord's grace and protection was continuously with us during the entire flight from take off to landing. What an amazing God who answers every prayer made in dire need, who comforts every fear from beginning to end, and who constantly amazes me with His love.
There were two things that awed me during the flight. One was the fact that Ajo and I had seats next to the wing of the plane. There was something protective about flying under the shadow of the wings.
Here it is in Psalms:
Customs and baggage claim were uneventful. We met LK at the airport around 11:15am. It felt surreal to be in Calgary, Canada. We were on Mountain Time and hence our day was just beginning in Calgary.
We headed to Banff National Park in our rental Ford SUV. Calgary to us felt a lot like Reno with the rolling hills, the open spaces, and the snow capped mountains. Weather was decent with a few occasional rain showers. We arrived at the town of Banff around 1:30 PM. We spent some time in the Banff visitor museum, and had lunch at Boston Pizza (very mediocre). The majestic mountains at Banff was awe inspiring and just beautiful. We drove around and took some incredible photos at different scenic areas in the park. Banff Gondola ride was the highlight of the day with incredible 360 degree view of the mountains.
It got dark around 10 that day. What an incredibly long day for us. We saw daylight for about 18 hours in total.
We headed to Lake Louise area where we spent the night at the Lake Louise Inn.
Though we love traveling, I have to admit that air travel is our least favorite. LK is precisely the reason why we decided to visit Canada. Ajo & I booked tickets about a month ago and was extremely excited about the trip to the Canadian Rockies. It was approximately two years ago, we moved back from Reno, Nevada, our epitome of the West.
We packed our bags and loaded our camera gear for an unforgettable trip. Ajo's brother dropped us to the airport Tuesday morning. Our Air Canada flight from Newark airport had no delays and took off at 8:30AM. Our ETA was approximately 11AM. The flight felt long especially since we were tired from packing the night before. We did get drinks in the flight but nothing more. I remember how the Lord's grace and protection was continuously with us during the entire flight from take off to landing. What an amazing God who answers every prayer made in dire need, who comforts every fear from beginning to end, and who constantly amazes me with His love.
There were two things that awed me during the flight. One was the fact that Ajo and I had seats next to the wing of the plane. There was something protective about flying under the shadow of the wings.
Here it is in Psalms:
How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7Secondly, during the flight for the first time in my life I noticed something incredible. On my way back from the bathroom, I was stranded in the back of the flight for about 5 minutes since the flight attendants were serving drinks and were blocking the aisle. I think that was an incredible 5 minutes in the air where I was able to see the flight in a different perspective. My eyes gazed through the small tiny windows of the flight, and I suddenly realized that I was flying above the clouds. I realized that by flying I am experiencing God's mercy and his immense love. I was so far away from ground. It dawned on me that I was so blessed to have this breathtaking experience. I wished it lasted long but I rushed back to the seat to my loving husband, clenched my husband's hand and tried to contain my emotions.
Customs and baggage claim were uneventful. We met LK at the airport around 11:15am. It felt surreal to be in Calgary, Canada. We were on Mountain Time and hence our day was just beginning in Calgary.
We headed to Banff National Park in our rental Ford SUV. Calgary to us felt a lot like Reno with the rolling hills, the open spaces, and the snow capped mountains. Weather was decent with a few occasional rain showers. We arrived at the town of Banff around 1:30 PM. We spent some time in the Banff visitor museum, and had lunch at Boston Pizza (very mediocre). The majestic mountains at Banff was awe inspiring and just beautiful. We drove around and took some incredible photos at different scenic areas in the park. Banff Gondola ride was the highlight of the day with incredible 360 degree view of the mountains.
It got dark around 10 that day. What an incredibly long day for us. We saw daylight for about 18 hours in total.
We headed to Lake Louise area where we spent the night at the Lake Louise Inn.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
A day in Boston
Weather in the East has not been cooperating with us for the past 2 weeks. North East has not settled for summer time weather as of yet.
Our 1 day trip to DC to visit the US Capitol had to be moved for the very reason of unpredictable weather forecast in the North East particularly in the DC area. Therefore we had to change our road trip direction to Boston, MA.
We left around 10 AM from Yonkers and got to Hartford, CT by around noon. After lunch, we headed to Boston. Since the Boston Bruins secured the title of Stanley Cup Champions, there was a "rolling rally" celebration which ended around the time we arrived at Boston. Roads were blocked off, litter was every where, streets were crowded with fans, and traffic was chaotic. Luckily we were able to find parking near the Capitol building. We took pictures of the Capitol building, walked around Boston Common which is the oldest park in the country.
Around 7PM we headed to Charles River to get a skyline shot of Boston. Ajo enjoyed taking a few skyline shots and it was there we got called "hindu" by a random guy stopped at a traffic light. Our response was silence. Let us leave that event there.
We drove back home that night and reached back in Yonkers past midnight.
Highlights of the Trip
Our 1 day trip to DC to visit the US Capitol had to be moved for the very reason of unpredictable weather forecast in the North East particularly in the DC area. Therefore we had to change our road trip direction to Boston, MA.
We left around 10 AM from Yonkers and got to Hartford, CT by around noon. After lunch, we headed to Boston. Since the Boston Bruins secured the title of Stanley Cup Champions, there was a "rolling rally" celebration which ended around the time we arrived at Boston. Roads were blocked off, litter was every where, streets were crowded with fans, and traffic was chaotic. Luckily we were able to find parking near the Capitol building. We took pictures of the Capitol building, walked around Boston Common which is the oldest park in the country.
Around 7PM we headed to Charles River to get a skyline shot of Boston. Ajo enjoyed taking a few skyline shots and it was there we got called "hindu" by a random guy stopped at a traffic light. Our response was silence. Let us leave that event there.
We drove back home that night and reached back in Yonkers past midnight.
Highlights of the Trip
- MA State Capitol
- Boston Common Park
- Charles River Skyline
Weekend in Philadelphia AKA Cheese Steaks Tour
I had no idea what I was getting into when I signed up to spend the weekend in Philadelphia along with my husband and brother in-law. No offense, I had a wonderful time but let me explain why my blog is titled this way.
Contrary to our original plan to visit Harrisburg & Gettysburg on the weekend of June 11, we headed out to Philadelphia due to a storm moving in to the North East which was likely to cause severe thunder storms in Mid Pennsylvania. We did get a few showers while we were in Philadelphia but overall the weather was pretty good.
We reached Philadelphia around mid day and headed to Steve's Cheese Steak place and had lunch there. It was a tad bit pricey but the food was pretty savory. After lunch we headed to Independence Park and spent the entire afternoon and evening exploring a part of Philadelphia we never knew existed. We visited the independence hall, the liberty bell, and walked around the park and the vicinity. We even so a Junior Ranger getting sworn in to the National Park Systems. Ajo did say Congrats to the girl and I am not quite sure if she was happy about a stranger shaking her hands.
I was pondering what to eat for dinner but apparently it was cheese steak again. We headed to Pat's King of Steak's. Located next to their competitor Gino's, and in the corner of a busy single lane intersection, the lines ended up in the road. Not the safest situation but we did decide to stay in line and finally came to the counter after about a hour of wait. By dinner time, I was not a fan of cheese steaks anymore but I did have a taste. Ajo and Justin loved what they ate but had a few criticisms. By this time, it was about 10PM and we headed to the hotel we had booked through hotels.com only to realize when we got there that they had overbooked that particular hotel. Hence, we had to go to another hotel nearby. Tired and a little annoyed we drove some more miles to the hotel. We were lucky to receive the room since it was raining pretty hard by the time we reached the hotel.
We woke up the next morning to another day and as previously planned we headed out to the 7 mile road church pastor-ed by Ajay Thomas. We had a great time in worship and we met some old friends, made some new friends, and chatted with church members. We pray that God raise up that church to be a beacon of light in that area and already He has started a good work and will surely make His plans to come to pass.
After Church, lunch was again at another cheese steak place called Tony Luke's. By now this was the 3rd consecutive cheese steak meal, and hence I was tired of it and did not even want to hear the word "cheese steak". After lunch,we decided to head home early and the drive was smooth with minimal traffic and we had no major weather issues as predicted. Thus ended our "Phily Cheese Steak" Tour...
Highlights of the trip
Contrary to our original plan to visit Harrisburg & Gettysburg on the weekend of June 11, we headed out to Philadelphia due to a storm moving in to the North East which was likely to cause severe thunder storms in Mid Pennsylvania. We did get a few showers while we were in Philadelphia but overall the weather was pretty good.
We reached Philadelphia around mid day and headed to Steve's Cheese Steak place and had lunch there. It was a tad bit pricey but the food was pretty savory. After lunch we headed to Independence Park and spent the entire afternoon and evening exploring a part of Philadelphia we never knew existed. We visited the independence hall, the liberty bell, and walked around the park and the vicinity. We even so a Junior Ranger getting sworn in to the National Park Systems. Ajo did say Congrats to the girl and I am not quite sure if she was happy about a stranger shaking her hands.
I was pondering what to eat for dinner but apparently it was cheese steak again. We headed to Pat's King of Steak's. Located next to their competitor Gino's, and in the corner of a busy single lane intersection, the lines ended up in the road. Not the safest situation but we did decide to stay in line and finally came to the counter after about a hour of wait. By dinner time, I was not a fan of cheese steaks anymore but I did have a taste. Ajo and Justin loved what they ate but had a few criticisms. By this time, it was about 10PM and we headed to the hotel we had booked through hotels.com only to realize when we got there that they had overbooked that particular hotel. Hence, we had to go to another hotel nearby. Tired and a little annoyed we drove some more miles to the hotel. We were lucky to receive the room since it was raining pretty hard by the time we reached the hotel.
We woke up the next morning to another day and as previously planned we headed out to the 7 mile road church pastor-ed by Ajay Thomas. We had a great time in worship and we met some old friends, made some new friends, and chatted with church members. We pray that God raise up that church to be a beacon of light in that area and already He has started a good work and will surely make His plans to come to pass.
After Church, lunch was again at another cheese steak place called Tony Luke's. By now this was the 3rd consecutive cheese steak meal, and hence I was tired of it and did not even want to hear the word "cheese steak". After lunch,we decided to head home early and the drive was smooth with minimal traffic and we had no major weather issues as predicted. Thus ended our "Phily Cheese Steak" Tour...
Highlights of the trip
- Independence Park
- The Phily Cheese Steaks
- 7 Mile Road Church
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Days in Maine
Driving to Maine was a dream of ours since we got back from our road trip last August. We have been planning for this 4 day trip for over 3 months. See the previous post about Day 1.
After that intense night in Bangor, Maine, we woke up to clear skies. Surprisingly not a drop of water touched the ground in Bangor, Maine. Just another witness of God's mercy towards us.
Thurday June 2, 2011
We headed to Lubec, Maine which is the eastern most point in the contiguous US, about 2 hours away from Bangor, ME. We drove to the US/Canada security check point area where you enter Canada at New Brunswick. Then, we drove to the West Quoddy Head light house, a few miles away from downtown Lubec. I think we were all in consensus that it was the most aesthetic light house that we have seen so far. The bright red and white stripes, combined with the contrast of the blue skies, the green grass, and the brilliant hue of the water made the light house stand out like one of a kind. We captured some phenomenal shots while we enjoyed the serenity of the place. We drove to Bar Harbor that evening and had a Maine lobster dinner at the West Street Cafe, a place which was recommended by our hotel owner. The prices were decent and we got some first time experience cracking lobsters. I have to admit that it was a lot of work. They do work you for your lobster. The meal was satiating ending with a Maine blueberry pie. We slept in Arorra Inn which was located near downtown Bar Harbor. The prices where very reasonable and the service was great.
Friday June 3, 2011
We woke up at 3:30 or so to drive up to Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park to see a sunrise. Unfortunately, the temperature was about 40 degrees and with the wind factor and elevation, it probably felt like the 30's. Winter weather in June. We were definitely not prepared for it. Ajo had a half sleeves shirt on and Justin had what he called a "fleece". It was not enough. I was almost bundled up but still it was not worth the pain and agony to watch a cloudy sunrise. We rushed back to the car and to make a long story short, we learned a great deal from this experience.
We drove around the park till about 8AM and returned to the Bar Harbor to have breakfast. We spent the remainder of the park enjoying scenic pull outs at Thunder Hole, Otter Cove and Sand beach. Later that afternoon we hiked up to the bubble rock around 4PM. It was such an awesome experience. The hike was about 1 mile but it felt longer and the rocky trail made coming down more challenging than climbing up. We ended our day back at the Cadillac Mountain enjoying the view and watching a brilliant sunset. We had pizza that night from a local place which we enjoyed as usual.
Saturday June 4, 2011
We woke up once again early at 4AM to enjoy the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain but this time we were bundled up with the resources we had available. Lot more people were already bundled up and waiting for the sunrise than the previous day. It was a phenomenal sunrise that morning. It was definitely worth the agony of waking up early.
After the sun rose, we visited Jordan pond and drove to the Bass Harbor Head light house. We left Bar Harbor around 12 noon and drove through Augusta and stopped by the capitol building for a quick visit. We headed back home through Portland, ME where we enjoyed some lobster rolls and calm chowder. We got home past midnight. God's amazing love and protection was visible the entire road to Maine and back. How amazing are the roads less traveled!
Highlights of the trip:
After that intense night in Bangor, Maine, we woke up to clear skies. Surprisingly not a drop of water touched the ground in Bangor, Maine. Just another witness of God's mercy towards us.
Thurday June 2, 2011
We headed to Lubec, Maine which is the eastern most point in the contiguous US, about 2 hours away from Bangor, ME. We drove to the US/Canada security check point area where you enter Canada at New Brunswick. Then, we drove to the West Quoddy Head light house, a few miles away from downtown Lubec. I think we were all in consensus that it was the most aesthetic light house that we have seen so far. The bright red and white stripes, combined with the contrast of the blue skies, the green grass, and the brilliant hue of the water made the light house stand out like one of a kind. We captured some phenomenal shots while we enjoyed the serenity of the place. We drove to Bar Harbor that evening and had a Maine lobster dinner at the West Street Cafe, a place which was recommended by our hotel owner. The prices were decent and we got some first time experience cracking lobsters. I have to admit that it was a lot of work. They do work you for your lobster. The meal was satiating ending with a Maine blueberry pie. We slept in Arorra Inn which was located near downtown Bar Harbor. The prices where very reasonable and the service was great.
Friday June 3, 2011
We woke up at 3:30 or so to drive up to Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park to see a sunrise. Unfortunately, the temperature was about 40 degrees and with the wind factor and elevation, it probably felt like the 30's. Winter weather in June. We were definitely not prepared for it. Ajo had a half sleeves shirt on and Justin had what he called a "fleece". It was not enough. I was almost bundled up but still it was not worth the pain and agony to watch a cloudy sunrise. We rushed back to the car and to make a long story short, we learned a great deal from this experience.
We drove around the park till about 8AM and returned to the Bar Harbor to have breakfast. We spent the remainder of the park enjoying scenic pull outs at Thunder Hole, Otter Cove and Sand beach. Later that afternoon we hiked up to the bubble rock around 4PM. It was such an awesome experience. The hike was about 1 mile but it felt longer and the rocky trail made coming down more challenging than climbing up. We ended our day back at the Cadillac Mountain enjoying the view and watching a brilliant sunset. We had pizza that night from a local place which we enjoyed as usual.
Saturday June 4, 2011
We woke up once again early at 4AM to enjoy the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain but this time we were bundled up with the resources we had available. Lot more people were already bundled up and waiting for the sunrise than the previous day. It was a phenomenal sunrise that morning. It was definitely worth the agony of waking up early.
After the sun rose, we visited Jordan pond and drove to the Bass Harbor Head light house. We left Bar Harbor around 12 noon and drove through Augusta and stopped by the capitol building for a quick visit. We headed back home through Portland, ME where we enjoyed some lobster rolls and calm chowder. We got home past midnight. God's amazing love and protection was visible the entire road to Maine and back. How amazing are the roads less traveled!
Highlights of the trip:
- Lubec, Maine
- Acadia National Park
- Capitol building at Augusta
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Warning or Watch
Thoughts from Bangor, Maine
About a week and a half ago, parts of Joplin, MO was demolished by a powerful tornado which caused the lives of 134 people. Today, we are in our hotel room in Bangor, ME, tracking tornadoes in the North East which has already touched Springfield, MA causing fatalities, injuries and a great amount of damage. Other parts of the New England area are witnessing damaging winds, hail, and severe thunder storms. MA is in a State of Emergency and the storm has been under keen radar tracking on the News Channels.
Are we under a watch or warning?
Much of New England is either under a tornado warning or tornado watch. Warning is more of a threat for impending tornado. At present, Bangor is under a watch until 11 PM.
Not just the North East!
This weather is not just affecting the North East area but tornadoes has been spotted in the West Coast in California, and Mid-West in Kansas - Nebraska area.
Are we safe?
We worry about severe storms in life but ultimately we have a Sovereign God who is the ultimate Storm Watcher who controls everything and holds everything in the palm of His hand. God sometimes permits storms to pass above and below us but it never touches us. Even in the midst of the storm He is with us. He will wake up and calm the storm for sure. We just need to call on Him just as the disciples did.
As I sit here and pen these words, I cannot say I am not worried but the calm sky outside our hotel room is definitely helping me to stay calm. Regardless whether we are going through a warning or a watch, the lesson is to wake up and be alert. Today, I pray for Renewal, Rebuilding and Restoration in the affected areas as well as in our personal relationships with God.
About a week and a half ago, parts of Joplin, MO was demolished by a powerful tornado which caused the lives of 134 people. Today, we are in our hotel room in Bangor, ME, tracking tornadoes in the North East which has already touched Springfield, MA causing fatalities, injuries and a great amount of damage. Other parts of the New England area are witnessing damaging winds, hail, and severe thunder storms. MA is in a State of Emergency and the storm has been under keen radar tracking on the News Channels.
Are we under a watch or warning?
Much of New England is either under a tornado warning or tornado watch. Warning is more of a threat for impending tornado. At present, Bangor is under a watch until 11 PM.
Not just the North East!
This weather is not just affecting the North East area but tornadoes has been spotted in the West Coast in California, and Mid-West in Kansas - Nebraska area.
Are we safe?
We worry about severe storms in life but ultimately we have a Sovereign God who is the ultimate Storm Watcher who controls everything and holds everything in the palm of His hand. God sometimes permits storms to pass above and below us but it never touches us. Even in the midst of the storm He is with us. He will wake up and calm the storm for sure. We just need to call on Him just as the disciples did.
As I sit here and pen these words, I cannot say I am not worried but the calm sky outside our hotel room is definitely helping me to stay calm. Regardless whether we are going through a warning or a watch, the lesson is to wake up and be alert. Today, I pray for Renewal, Rebuilding and Restoration in the affected areas as well as in our personal relationships with God.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Memorial Weekend in Virginia
May 27, Friday
We left our home at 7PM and headed to Baltimore, MD. Half asleep and tired we walked into Waffle House at 12 midnight for a really late dinner. I have to say that the meal was really sumptuous. We got to our hotel room around 1AM at Homewood Suites near the Baltimore area tired but yet excited for the days ahead.
May 28, Saturday
I have to say that it was pretty difficult to wake up Saturday morning and to start moving. To add to it, I had terrible allergies and could not breathe easy. I remember feeling so lousy and really sick. I remember asking God for healing so I would have some relief from the allergies. I immediately felt it. God's touch was amazing and His healing was instantaneous. I felt better that morning and started breathing so much more easier after about a week of nasal congestion. God is so great that when you really cry out to Him, He comes through like a gentle breeze and gives strength and relief. Going through that moment was so awesome that truly I cannot put them in words.
After breakfast, we headed to Richmond, Virginia to visit the State Capitol building. The architecture was beautiful and the Capitol grounds was well manicured. That evening we headed to Harrisonburg through Charlottesville, VA.
May 29, Sunday
We drove to the Southern entrance of Shenondoah National Park in the morning. Skyline drive, the 105 mile single road that goes from South to North was an amazing scenic drive.
The park was not that crowded due to the time of the year and the weather was gorgeous with blue skies with temperatures in the low 80's. The bugs and flies hovered the park. Justin got attacked by mosquitoes, Ajo ate a bug, and a bug went into my eye and came out dead. Yes.. it was that bad. We definitely had a chuckle from these experiences.
What is a visit to a National Park without a hike? We did go on a 1.5 mile hike to the the Dark Hollow Falls. It was a great experience and Ajo was able to take some shots of the waterfall. The walk back was hilly and tiring and by the time we got up we were totally wiped out. My brother in-law said that he spotted a deer, and a millipede on the hike and almost got a ranger badge.
We drove to the Northern end of the park just in time to watch a sunset.
Sunday night we stayed in Winchester, VA.
May 30, Monday
Monday morning we work up at 4:30AM to catch a 5: 40 AM sunrise. It was truly an adventure. We did leave a little late and since we were not going to get to our destination prior to the sunrise time, Ajo got dropped off on the side of a beautiful meadow on Skyline Drive while I parked the car and joined him. We spent the rest of the morning enjoying the breeze, and the serenity of the park. It almost felt surreal to be in tune with nature and God's creation. We couldn't contain the joy so we sang some songs and prayed in wide-open. Though no camera captured that moment, our minds took mental images that no man can erase. It was truly awesome.
After brunch, we headed back on our drive back home. We took turns driving while we talked, laughed, and listened to soulful songs and messages. Even though, our vacation was short, it felt that it lasted a life time. Moreover, we did not feel tired when we got home, but felt energized, refreshed, and really content with the short break from normalcy of life. Amazing!
Highlights of the trip
We left our home at 7PM and headed to Baltimore, MD. Half asleep and tired we walked into Waffle House at 12 midnight for a really late dinner. I have to say that the meal was really sumptuous. We got to our hotel room around 1AM at Homewood Suites near the Baltimore area tired but yet excited for the days ahead.
May 28, Saturday
I have to say that it was pretty difficult to wake up Saturday morning and to start moving. To add to it, I had terrible allergies and could not breathe easy. I remember feeling so lousy and really sick. I remember asking God for healing so I would have some relief from the allergies. I immediately felt it. God's touch was amazing and His healing was instantaneous. I felt better that morning and started breathing so much more easier after about a week of nasal congestion. God is so great that when you really cry out to Him, He comes through like a gentle breeze and gives strength and relief. Going through that moment was so awesome that truly I cannot put them in words.
After breakfast, we headed to Richmond, Virginia to visit the State Capitol building. The architecture was beautiful and the Capitol grounds was well manicured. That evening we headed to Harrisonburg through Charlottesville, VA.
May 29, Sunday
We drove to the Southern entrance of Shenondoah National Park in the morning. Skyline drive, the 105 mile single road that goes from South to North was an amazing scenic drive.
The park was not that crowded due to the time of the year and the weather was gorgeous with blue skies with temperatures in the low 80's. The bugs and flies hovered the park. Justin got attacked by mosquitoes, Ajo ate a bug, and a bug went into my eye and came out dead. Yes.. it was that bad. We definitely had a chuckle from these experiences.
What is a visit to a National Park without a hike? We did go on a 1.5 mile hike to the the Dark Hollow Falls. It was a great experience and Ajo was able to take some shots of the waterfall. The walk back was hilly and tiring and by the time we got up we were totally wiped out. My brother in-law said that he spotted a deer, and a millipede on the hike and almost got a ranger badge.
We drove to the Northern end of the park just in time to watch a sunset.
Sunday night we stayed in Winchester, VA.
May 30, Monday
Monday morning we work up at 4:30AM to catch a 5: 40 AM sunrise. It was truly an adventure. We did leave a little late and since we were not going to get to our destination prior to the sunrise time, Ajo got dropped off on the side of a beautiful meadow on Skyline Drive while I parked the car and joined him. We spent the rest of the morning enjoying the breeze, and the serenity of the park. It almost felt surreal to be in tune with nature and God's creation. We couldn't contain the joy so we sang some songs and prayed in wide-open. Though no camera captured that moment, our minds took mental images that no man can erase. It was truly awesome.
After brunch, we headed back on our drive back home. We took turns driving while we talked, laughed, and listened to soulful songs and messages. Even though, our vacation was short, it felt that it lasted a life time. Moreover, we did not feel tired when we got home, but felt energized, refreshed, and really content with the short break from normalcy of life. Amazing!
Highlights of the trip
- State Capitol
- Shenondoah National Park
Monday, May 23, 2011
Roadtrip to Maryland
After a period of hibernation we took a road trip to Maryland this past weekend. It was tiresome but it was truly an amazing time. The weather was beautiful all weekend.
We left our home at about 7AM in the morning. We drove through NJ and Delaware to our destination Annapolis, Maryland. We visited the State Capital building and headed to Baltimore, MD. We spent the evening at the historic Mt. Vernon district in MD.
Saturday evening, we drove to Rockville, MD to spent the night there. The next morning we attended Covenant Life Church in Gaithersbug. It was an awesome time of worship and praise. We headed home after lunch and reached back home around 11PM.
Highlights of the trip
We left our home at about 7AM in the morning. We drove through NJ and Delaware to our destination Annapolis, Maryland. We visited the State Capital building and headed to Baltimore, MD. We spent the evening at the historic Mt. Vernon district in MD.
Saturday evening, we drove to Rockville, MD to spent the night there. The next morning we attended Covenant Life Church in Gaithersbug. It was an awesome time of worship and praise. We headed home after lunch and reached back home around 11PM.
Highlights of the trip
- State Capitol Building
- Worship at Covenant Life
Thursday, May 27, 2010
West Coast Escapade
We are back in Reno from a great west coast tour with our families. It was quite the adventure and I enjoyed every bit of it.
May 13, Thurday - Our parents and brother landed in Reno airport about 5pm PST. We picked them from the airport with our rental 2011 Toyota, Sienna.
May 14, Friday - After shopping at Walmart together, we went to Grand Sierra Resort and ate the buffet. Friday evening, Ajo graduated from the MSIS program at UNR. It was blessed ceremony and a really proud moment.
May 15, Saturday - We attended our prayer fellowship and headed to Lake Tahoe and then to Sacramento.
May 16, Sunday - We drove to San Francisco. We stopped at the popular tourist attraction like the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, and the Painted Ladies.
May 17, Monday - We started our longed drive from Hayward, CA to Los Angeles. We were able to see the Hollywood sign and the city skyline before it got dark.
May 18, Tuesday - We drove to Vegas and spent the afternoon strolling down the Las Vegas Strip and enjoying the so called "Entertainment Capital of the World."
May 19, Wednesday - We drove to the Grand Canyon. On the road we stopped at Hoover Dam on the Nevada- Arizona border. A glimpse of Grand Canyon brings awe and wonder. The grandiosity of God is what Grand Canyon reminded me off.
May 20, Thurday - We spend the morning till late afternoon exploring Vegas. Our families boarded the plane to JFK at 11:00 PM. Ajo & I drove to Stratosphere to experience the night time view of Vegas. It was windy but stunning and worth the long wait.
May 21, Friday - We started our drive back to Reno. We drove to LA and visited Griffith Observatory on Friday evening.
May 22, Saturday - A long drive though 395 -North got us home to Reno about 9:15PM.
Here ends the long escapade of a great road trip. God's grace empowered us, strengthened us, and protected us till we got home Saturday night.
May 13, Thurday - Our parents and brother landed in Reno airport about 5pm PST. We picked them from the airport with our rental 2011 Toyota, Sienna.
May 14, Friday - After shopping at Walmart together, we went to Grand Sierra Resort and ate the buffet. Friday evening, Ajo graduated from the MSIS program at UNR. It was blessed ceremony and a really proud moment.
May 15, Saturday - We attended our prayer fellowship and headed to Lake Tahoe and then to Sacramento.
May 16, Sunday - We drove to San Francisco. We stopped at the popular tourist attraction like the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, and the Painted Ladies.
May 17, Monday - We started our longed drive from Hayward, CA to Los Angeles. We were able to see the Hollywood sign and the city skyline before it got dark.
May 18, Tuesday - We drove to Vegas and spent the afternoon strolling down the Las Vegas Strip and enjoying the so called "Entertainment Capital of the World."
May 19, Wednesday - We drove to the Grand Canyon. On the road we stopped at Hoover Dam on the Nevada- Arizona border. A glimpse of Grand Canyon brings awe and wonder. The grandiosity of God is what Grand Canyon reminded me off.
May 20, Thurday - We spend the morning till late afternoon exploring Vegas. Our families boarded the plane to JFK at 11:00 PM. Ajo & I drove to Stratosphere to experience the night time view of Vegas. It was windy but stunning and worth the long wait.
May 21, Friday - We started our drive back to Reno. We drove to LA and visited Griffith Observatory on Friday evening.
May 22, Saturday - A long drive though 395 -North got us home to Reno about 9:15PM.
Here ends the long escapade of a great road trip. God's grace empowered us, strengthened us, and protected us till we got home Saturday night.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Desert in its fullness Part 2
Here, I will continue my previous blog from yesterday. Friday evening we drove through the Panamint Mountain Range to get to Death Valley. The road was steep and curvy. The drive was scenic and serene. Our first stop was Stovepipe Wells visitor center followed by Sand Dunes where we watched an amazing sunset. We drove to our hotel at Amargosa Valley, NV. The Longstreet Inn and Casino is where we lodged for the following two nights. It was just by chance, Ajo found this Inn near Death Valley which was not publicized at many of the Death Valley visitor sites. God's guidance was the reason we were able to get their last available room that day.
Next morning we rented a Jeep from Farabee's Rentals opposite Furnace Creek Inn at Death Valley. First time ever in our life, we were going off road and it was quite exciting. We rented a silver Jeep, Wrangler which was equipped to do off roads in Death Valley. Our destination was "Racetrack Playa" where they have the moving rocks. Due to road constructions, our trip took little longer than expected. We had full tank of gas, our trusty GPS, and food in the car.
The true fun began at the start of Racetrack Valley Road and it was just 28 miles of true adventure. The road was long and bumpy but I would not go back in time to change anything about the trip. Our 28 miles was just a narrow dirt road with loose gravel, washboard and rocks. We were able to go 20 -30 mph most of the time. We took videos, laughed, and took pictures. At the same time, we kept ourselves hydrated. "Gatorade never tasted so good", Ajo said. I totally agree. At Tea Kettle Junction (6 miles from playa), we met Bill from CT, who rented a similar vehicle from Farabee's and was on his way as well to explore the racetrack playa all by himself. That is truly adventurous.
Racetrack playa did not captivate me from a distant but as I got closer and closer, I realized that it was truly a gem in the desert. We were actually standing on the floor of an ancient lake and it was vast and endless before our eyes. Then we moved on further down the road to see the moving rocks. The tracks which the rocks traveled are obviously apparent but how the rocks move is the unsolved mystery. It was a really windy day at racetrack playa and Bill humorously said, "It's obviously the wind". My hat blew off and as a good husband Ajo ran across the playa chasing my hat around and finally got a hold of it.
Our return was equally fun and exciting. We enjoying pink, purple, and yellow wild flowers in the desert on our way back. I remember the "shirtless" man on the road back who brushed against our Jeep's side view mirror and Ajo did a hand gesture saying "Thank you" or "That's OK" . Fun times!. We returned to stovepipe wells to pump gas and to take a small bathroom break.
We continued to see the pup fish at the salt creek. This pup fish is found only in the salt water creek at Death Valley and nowhere else on earth. What a gem in the desert!. On our way back Furnace Creek, we took a quick stop at Zabriski Point just after sunset. We dropped off the rental Jeep and returned back to the hotel. The sky was clear and stars furnished the skies that night. I parked off pavement to have Ajo watch the stars from outside while I gazed at them from the car.
We were exhausted and slept that night peacefully. More to follow.
Next morning we rented a Jeep from Farabee's Rentals opposite Furnace Creek Inn at Death Valley. First time ever in our life, we were going off road and it was quite exciting. We rented a silver Jeep, Wrangler which was equipped to do off roads in Death Valley. Our destination was "Racetrack Playa" where they have the moving rocks. Due to road constructions, our trip took little longer than expected. We had full tank of gas, our trusty GPS, and food in the car.
The true fun began at the start of Racetrack Valley Road and it was just 28 miles of true adventure. The road was long and bumpy but I would not go back in time to change anything about the trip. Our 28 miles was just a narrow dirt road with loose gravel, washboard and rocks. We were able to go 20 -30 mph most of the time. We took videos, laughed, and took pictures. At the same time, we kept ourselves hydrated. "Gatorade never tasted so good", Ajo said. I totally agree. At Tea Kettle Junction (6 miles from playa), we met Bill from CT, who rented a similar vehicle from Farabee's and was on his way as well to explore the racetrack playa all by himself. That is truly adventurous.
Racetrack playa did not captivate me from a distant but as I got closer and closer, I realized that it was truly a gem in the desert. We were actually standing on the floor of an ancient lake and it was vast and endless before our eyes. Then we moved on further down the road to see the moving rocks. The tracks which the rocks traveled are obviously apparent but how the rocks move is the unsolved mystery. It was a really windy day at racetrack playa and Bill humorously said, "It's obviously the wind". My hat blew off and as a good husband Ajo ran across the playa chasing my hat around and finally got a hold of it.
Our return was equally fun and exciting. We enjoying pink, purple, and yellow wild flowers in the desert on our way back. I remember the "shirtless" man on the road back who brushed against our Jeep's side view mirror and Ajo did a hand gesture saying "Thank you" or "That's OK" . Fun times!. We returned to stovepipe wells to pump gas and to take a small bathroom break.
We continued to see the pup fish at the salt creek. This pup fish is found only in the salt water creek at Death Valley and nowhere else on earth. What a gem in the desert!. On our way back Furnace Creek, we took a quick stop at Zabriski Point just after sunset. We dropped off the rental Jeep and returned back to the hotel. The sky was clear and stars furnished the skies that night. I parked off pavement to have Ajo watch the stars from outside while I gazed at them from the car.
We were exhausted and slept that night peacefully. More to follow.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Desert in its fullness Part 1
Last weekend, we were truly blessed to visit Death Valley National Park, a park shared by Nevada and California. True beauty in the dirt is what this park is about. When we started our journey on April 9th, 7:30am from Reno, NV, never in my wildest dream did I think that this would be one of the best trips we have made so far. Sometimes, big surprises come to us in the most unexpected places. Incredible experiences, memorable times, and unique adventures - that was Death Valley for me and I can say it was the same for Ajo as well.
Waking up April 9th, Friday morning was truly a challenge like it has been for all our trips in the past. It was harder to get going that particular Friday morning since I had work the previous two days, I went to bed about 1am or so and had absolutely no packing started. Ajo did not sleep that night since he had a homework assignment due the following day and after finishing his assignment, he lingered on till the morning researching about the trip and doing random things.
I woke up at 5am and we managed to leave by 7:30am. We carried ample amount of water, drinks, and snacks for the road since we weren't quite sure what the desert had to offer us. We started our trip on US 395 North and continued. After taking a short nap in the car while Ajo was driving, I took the wheels from him to let him rest and catch some sleep. After sleeping for 45 minutes or so, Ajo woke up energized. We drove through Bishop, Lone Pine and then made a quick stop at Mt Whitney area to revisit the stature of the highest mountain peak in the US outside of Alaska. It was incredible to see the snow capped rugged mountain peak from the start of Whitney Portal Rd and it brought back memories from our trip on August of 2009.
Since we were going to stop by Vegas for a night, we reserved our hotel room prior to entering Highway 90 to Death Valley. Highway 90 to Death Valley has no cell phone reception, no gas stations and no sign of life except for the rare oncoming traffic every 10 miles. We stopped on Highway 90 to find a popular U2 album iconic tree, "The Joshua Tree". As a kid, Ajo loved the songs in the album and years later he was truly excited to remember his childhood memories. The iconic tree had fallen over and died years ago but fans had retrieved the spot and placed tributes in the very exact spot. It was truly an adventure to find this place in the middle of nowhere.
We started our hike into the desert abyss with our trusty rental GPS, a backpack with water, and above all with our trust in God. After about 1/2 a mile, we found it, there it was lying flat on the ground proudly with a dead bark and dry roots. Around the tree lie memories and monuments created by fans all over the world which makes the tree alive even today. We had accomplished something at that moment and it was too surreal for me at least. We had taken up an adventure and followed though and it was our first time and perhaps it would be our last. Regardless, it felt great to be out in the desert on a late afternoon with our faith in God. At a distance I was able to spot the roof rack of our Toyota and I have to say that it did give me a sense of comfort. We walked back to the car and resumed our journey into more new discoveries. More to follow on my next post.
Waking up April 9th, Friday morning was truly a challenge like it has been for all our trips in the past. It was harder to get going that particular Friday morning since I had work the previous two days, I went to bed about 1am or so and had absolutely no packing started. Ajo did not sleep that night since he had a homework assignment due the following day and after finishing his assignment, he lingered on till the morning researching about the trip and doing random things.
I woke up at 5am and we managed to leave by 7:30am. We carried ample amount of water, drinks, and snacks for the road since we weren't quite sure what the desert had to offer us. We started our trip on US 395 North and continued. After taking a short nap in the car while Ajo was driving, I took the wheels from him to let him rest and catch some sleep. After sleeping for 45 minutes or so, Ajo woke up energized. We drove through Bishop, Lone Pine and then made a quick stop at Mt Whitney area to revisit the stature of the highest mountain peak in the US outside of Alaska. It was incredible to see the snow capped rugged mountain peak from the start of Whitney Portal Rd and it brought back memories from our trip on August of 2009.
Since we were going to stop by Vegas for a night, we reserved our hotel room prior to entering Highway 90 to Death Valley. Highway 90 to Death Valley has no cell phone reception, no gas stations and no sign of life except for the rare oncoming traffic every 10 miles. We stopped on Highway 90 to find a popular U2 album iconic tree, "The Joshua Tree". As a kid, Ajo loved the songs in the album and years later he was truly excited to remember his childhood memories. The iconic tree had fallen over and died years ago but fans had retrieved the spot and placed tributes in the very exact spot. It was truly an adventure to find this place in the middle of nowhere.
We started our hike into the desert abyss with our trusty rental GPS, a backpack with water, and above all with our trust in God. After about 1/2 a mile, we found it, there it was lying flat on the ground proudly with a dead bark and dry roots. Around the tree lie memories and monuments created by fans all over the world which makes the tree alive even today. We had accomplished something at that moment and it was too surreal for me at least. We had taken up an adventure and followed though and it was our first time and perhaps it would be our last. Regardless, it felt great to be out in the desert on a late afternoon with our faith in God. At a distance I was able to spot the roof rack of our Toyota and I have to say that it did give me a sense of comfort. We walked back to the car and resumed our journey into more new discoveries. More to follow on my next post.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Aloha...Aloha...Aloha...
After taking more than a month of separation from "My Notebook", I am back to write more. I am not sure why I stopped. I had lots to write about, and I had the time to do it. Yet, I did not. I visited my blog many times over the past one and a half month wishing that a post would magically appear on the blog page.
My previous post was from Hawaii. I have been back since the 12th of January, hence I am going to start with our trip itself. Hawaii was beautiful and absolutely the perfect vacation spot in the winter.
As every other tourists we tried to do the most touristy things in Oahu.
We were doubtful, fearful, and indecisive about our trip. God works in great ways. A step forward with prayer is a step into paradise where doubt and fear is replaced by faith.
Aloha, a word is Hawaii which means hello, goodbye, and love.
Aloha to all!
My previous post was from Hawaii. I have been back since the 12th of January, hence I am going to start with our trip itself. Hawaii was beautiful and absolutely the perfect vacation spot in the winter.
As every other tourists we tried to do the most touristy things in Oahu.
- 1/8/2010 - Visited the Pearl Harbor site. History becomes vibrant during times like these. It reminded me of 9/11, a day our generation will never forget.
- 1/9/2010- We went on a city tour of Oahu- Waikiki area. I am a huge fan of city tours. We visited major city attractions, major beaches, and the popular north shore where waves get as high as 40 feet during winter months. We did see some big waves but no where close to 40 feet.
- 1/10/2010 - We picked Calvary Chapel to worship on Sunday. After church, we stayed indoors most of the day due to light rain and random showers.
- 1/11/2010 - Woke up early and hiked up to Diamond Head, a world famous volcanic crater. The hike up is definitely worthwhile for the great scenic view of Waikiki area from the top. We drove to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) after the hike. It was a busy Monday. We had a guided tour of PCC, attended a luau, had an authentic Hawaiian buffet at the luau, and watched a stage show enacted on stage.
We were doubtful, fearful, and indecisive about our trip. God works in great ways. A step forward with prayer is a step into paradise where doubt and fear is replaced by faith.
Aloha, a word is Hawaii which means hello, goodbye, and love.
Aloha to all!
Monday, November 30, 2009
What is the mystery?
A question that visitors try to answer after their experience at Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz, CA. What is the mystery?. But, Is there a mystery?. Mystery Spot is an area of land encompassing a mini cabin and its surroundings. Here is where you wonder, question, and practically drive yourself crazy due to various obscurities and anomalies you observe and none whatsoever makes sense or even gives you a vague representation of reality.
We attended a 45 minute guided tour to see/solve the mystery spot on August 18, 2009. We were alarmed watching a ball roll upward, astounded by pendulum that defies gravity, and baffled by variations in height. Many theories and interpretations exist to solve the puzzle behind the mystery spot but fail to unravel the ambiguity conclusively.
Once again, my question revert back to this; Is there a mystery? or Is it just a fluke or perhaps even a illusion due to the brilliant construction of the cabin on a steep hill?. The answer still remains a mystery.
We attended a 45 minute guided tour to see/solve the mystery spot on August 18, 2009. We were alarmed watching a ball roll upward, astounded by pendulum that defies gravity, and baffled by variations in height. Many theories and interpretations exist to solve the puzzle behind the mystery spot but fail to unravel the ambiguity conclusively.
Once again, my question revert back to this; Is there a mystery? or Is it just a fluke or perhaps even a illusion due to the brilliant construction of the cabin on a steep hill?. The answer still remains a mystery.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Big Picture
I haven't blogged for awhile. Past month has brought its share of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and faith and doubt. Through it all I was not alone - burden seemed too heavy to bear but He carried it for me, tears poured down but He wiped every single drop of them, doubt overwhelmed my heart but He planted verses of faith in me.
Life is unpredictable and most often taken for granted by people who realize its fragility. Am I thankful for each and every moment in my life? No. I want to be thankful and therein lies the great challenge.The reason it is a challenge is because I have to be equally thankful for the ups and downs, failures and successes, joys and sorrow etc. Tough! Isn't it?.
This past July, we visited Yosemite National Park in California. I was stunned by the picturesque view. There is no words and one has to see it to fully grasp the reality of its depth, width and height. Pictures and videos do not do justice regardless of how professional it is. Pictures and videos grasp only a frame of what real eyes can perceive.
It is impossible for our human eyes to comprehend the big picture of what God is doing in our life. We are unaware even about our next moment but God has our entire life with its depth, width and height in front of Him. We are mere mechanical cameras and camcorders which sees only one frame at a time. Though I do not see the big picture, my prayer is that I have little faith as a mustard seed to believe that God sees the big picture and it is more stunning than the "Tunnel View" at Yosemite.
Life is unpredictable and most often taken for granted by people who realize its fragility. Am I thankful for each and every moment in my life? No. I want to be thankful and therein lies the great challenge.The reason it is a challenge is because I have to be equally thankful for the ups and downs, failures and successes, joys and sorrow etc. Tough! Isn't it?.
This past July, we visited Yosemite National Park in California. I was stunned by the picturesque view. There is no words and one has to see it to fully grasp the reality of its depth, width and height. Pictures and videos do not do justice regardless of how professional it is. Pictures and videos grasp only a frame of what real eyes can perceive.
It is impossible for our human eyes to comprehend the big picture of what God is doing in our life. We are unaware even about our next moment but God has our entire life with its depth, width and height in front of Him. We are mere mechanical cameras and camcorders which sees only one frame at a time. Though I do not see the big picture, my prayer is that I have little faith as a mustard seed to believe that God sees the big picture and it is more stunning than the "Tunnel View" at Yosemite.
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