Unfortunately, even though we were all longing to be thrust back into the teeming culture and life style of the land of the free, we couldn’t, at first. Our hotel was in the middle of a field, which in turn was surrounded by complicated freeways.
We ate Domino’s pizza for dinner, which was absolutely delicious after five months of rice and pasta. The first couple of days we lounged around our American hotel room (we could drink the tap water! People spoke English!) and just relaxed. Soon, though, we had to figure out a way to get to Wal-Mart, since we needed food and such frivolous things like that.
It was all very complicated to get to said Wal-Mart, since we were surrounded by complex freeways that had no sidewalks and expensive taxis (such a shock, coming from Lima, Peru, where taxis were the cheapest way of transport). It would take several buses and a mile of walking there and back.
In the end, we were able to get a ride from with our hotel peeps for ten dollars there and ten dollars back.
The first thing we did upon arriving was wander, awe struck, around Wal-Mart and gaze at everything.
Once we got over all the American things, we walked to Taco Bell, which had been missed dearly whilst in South America.
We went shopping, I got SweeTarts, and it was a good day.
We decided that we would fly from Dallas to Las Vegas, stay at the hotel/casino Circus Circus for a couple of days while we waited for Ryan and Dad got the van through customs, bought a trailer, and drove to where we were.
Vegas was a sweltering one hundred degrees and higher every day. I preferred to stay in the cool, dim interior of the casino but mother dearest insisted on exploring Vegas. I saw no point in this, since we had been there before, but oh well.
Jack and I explored Circus Circus to an extent, being social and making many friends.
Father and Ryan reached Vegas at midnight and we had to trek from our hotel room to the lobby to meet them.
We were all joyously reunited and Dad and Ryan went to Sam’s Town (the RV park we had stayed out on Big Trip l) and we slept at our hotel.
The next day everyone else took the bags to the new trailer whilst Jack and I stayed behind at the hotel and were social.
After they came back we walked to the Venetian. There were giant creepy masked dudes walking around and these really freaky tree ladies that scared me.
We took the car to the RV park, where it still hot, so we went to the pool. Of course, people there flocked to me and more friendships were made.
The next day we went to the buffet at the casino/hotel there. I ate a lot of donuts and stuff. It was good.
Annabelle really, really wanted to ride the New York, New York so we headed there after the buffet. Unfortunately, she wasn’t tall enough and was very sad.
We walked to the Aria and the Cosmopolitan, which were both very fancy in different ways. The Aria was swanky, with marble benches and air conditioners on the floor so your feet wouldn’t get hot. The Cosmopolitan had giant crystal chandeliers that stretched twenty feet and down three floors. Very pretty.
It was midnight when we got back, and since we were going to get up early and leave, we all went to sleep.
The next morning we left Vegas and a while down the highway turned around and went a different route.
Once we were going the right way, all was well.
We camped in Carson City, in a Wal-Mart parking lot (ah, memories) and disconnected so we could drive around. Carson City was quaint and charming. It was a nice town.
The next night we camped next to a salt lake that turned out to be caustic. Slightly disturbing, because the campground said we could swim in it. Hmm…
We arrived in Reno and Jack, Ryan and I toured the university. It was very nice, and if I didn’t want to go to Seattle I would consider going there.
Outside Nevada City, California, our friend Marian lived so we visited her. She lived in a little camp thing and we were able to stay at the top of a ridge there where the sunset was quite pretty.
The next morning Aunt Marian took us to a thrift store where I got some books and clothes and whatnot. Then we ate lunch, which was macaroni and cheese. There was a little pond with pink lotuses growing on it. Sylvia ventured into the water and picked one. Brave child.
We left around mid day and stayed somewhere of insignificant importance.
The next thing was Sisters, Oregon where we were seeing a rodeo.
It started at seven and it was nice. It felt kind of like a giant party.
I enjoyed the rodeo, though some of was sort of barbaric. There was bull riding and whatnot.
We stayed overnight at the rodeo and left early the next morning, making it into Washington.
We camped at a Wal-Mart parking lot and fully planned to leave today, but the car is having transmission problems so we’re staying another night.
-Jennah
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