Back to Mass

Saturday night I arrived home from Mexico to Dhana's home who had chosen to travel with me up north for the next week. She watched as I unpacked and repacked all of the needed clothing/supplies into the correct bags and then packed Samantha ready for our trip. I had a little trouble moving the top lugage rack to place the canvas top carrier but as well all know, Dhana does not possess any tools. We had to wait until 7am until her mother brought the needle nosed pliers for us to place and load the top carrier. As Dhana's mom, Hilda, left us she did not have wishes for safe travel or a plea to keep her daughter safe. She left me with these words, "Becky, do not leave this house until you make sure that Dhana makes her bed!" Ok that sums up the women in the south, so moving onto the north!

About an hour into our travels I realized that I had put the top carrier on upside down and Dhana had to use the restroom already, so we stopped against my will to repack the carrier and allow Dhana to relieve herself. I had planned the trip for the week to travel part way north about 9hrs to Baltimore, MD and stay with my friend Ally who has been in MD since Feb. Thanks to traffic jams and Dhana's small bladder, we ended up in Baltimore about 10hrs after departure! Ally lives right downtown Baltimore which only got me more excited to see my apartment in Boston! We quickly changed and with Dhana's ADHD we had to quickly flee the apartment for a dinner location. After a great meal we went out to a few bar establishments where Ally and I caught up from the past 3months while Dhana proceeded to give all of her cash to homeless people!

Monday we were left to our own adventures while Ally went to work unfortunately. Dhana and I ran around town, or walked being that I still had my faithful and handy boot on my foot. We did some shopping to apease Dhana and then had lunch on the inner harbor of Baltimore with the boat taxis coming in and out as people hustled around us. Ally met us after work for dinner and some more Baltimore adventures as we taught Dhana taxi etiquite and the northern culture. We ended up staying out way too late for our early morning departure for Maine.

At 8am we left Baltimore and drove up around Phili, through NYC, around Boston and up into Maine. We stopped at my favorite spot, Kennebunk and checked into our hotel with ease. Come to find out, Bartley's restaurant, the one I have spent much time at in the off season, is now closed for dinner during the seasosn on the week days! What the heck is going on??? Well we did manage to have some fun with my friend Jake meeting us for dinner and a mean game of trivia. Wednesday was Cinco de Mayo, so wisely spent hanging out in Maine with friends and some cervezas.

Thursday morning we awoke with a sprint and packed up our tornado striken hotel room to head back down to Boston. Short trip thank goodness, or Dhana would have jumped out of a moving vehicle, about 1.5hrs to Boston. Quickly found my apartment and got my keys to ride up to the 27th floor and let our jaws hit the floor when we saw the view that I will have for the next 13wks. We managed to unpack and park Samantha safely int the garage while we regrouped and entertained one of Dhana's friends that has lived here in Boston for 3yrs as part of the cost guard team. He was very impressed with the view, stating that there is not a hotel in Boston that you could pay enough money for a view like the one I have!! Yay me:) Dhana and I found our way with little direction to the North End for a great Italian meal and a little shopping. Headed home early and slept for 13hrs, maybe we were a little tired?

Friday was a fantastic day getting around Boston. Went directly to Dunkin Donuts and then quickly walked to Massachucetts General Hospital where I will be working. About an 8min walk from my apartment, awesome. We got groceries at Whole Foods really close to my apartment, mindful of course that you have to carry what you purchase! Went back to the apartment to unpack a little and regroup for our next adventures. We then set out on foot across Boston. I will say that my dad did leave me with a little of his directional sense in which I am very thankful. I have been to Boston twice before previously but with little touring or orientation thanks to weather or events of the weekend. This Friday I managed to steer us directly to everything that we would ever want to see in Boston, or that I know of at this point! Traveled to the Holocaust Monument, into Quincy Market and then to stop for lunch at the long wharf. We had a fabulous day with adventures, touring, shopping, balloon hats and dancing.

Saturday was pretty much a wash, watching 4 movies, heading out for food in between naps and Becky unpacking some more of my apartment. Saturday night we were asleep by about 9pm and slept for another 12hours. We are old I guess:) Sunday was Dhana's day to return to Sumter, SC so we began walking to the South Station in order to catch the silver line to the airport. Thank goodness we gave up part way and called a cab because the transit system is more sporadic on Sunday's and we would have missed her flight. After heading to the wrong airline then traipsing across 2 terminals to get to the right one, I gladly handed over my 7day travel buddy to US airways! Then came the fun part of realizing that Logan airport is on an island and I had not too good of idea as to how to return to my apartment. Swimming was not an option so I found where the silver line picked up and how to purchase a ticket.

Followed the crowd getting off the silver line at south station but then upon ascending from the subway realized that my apartment was not the tallest building in the financial district area. Most parts of Boston I had been too, I could see my apartment towering above all else, so I would just walk in that direction until something was familiar. Well I was lost for sure! I walked around until I hit a bridge and realized that was not correct, but as I turned to go back I saw a sign that directed me on my path. Ran through Quincy Market to grab a Gyro, stopped to call my mom on mother's day and made it back to my apartment about 1.5hrs after leaving Dhana! Don't think it is a world record on foot, but it will be a goal to beat next visitor delivery to the airport.

So this week Monday, Tuesday, and most of Wednesday was orientation to the hospital. I am on the Neurology unit at Mass General (MGH), where I'm quite comfortable thus far. I am still getting used to walking everywhere, to work, to the store, to eat, to get mail, etc. I do visit Samantha in the parking garage every other day. She is doing great resting in her new home and making lots of friends! Great city, awesome view, unmatchable career opportunity and countless possibilities for memories to cherish!

Viva la Mexico otra vez

The ending of my time in SC came with a great reward.....back to Mexico, Cancun. A few gals from KC had wanted to go "sometime" this year, I had no clue it was as close to my previous visit in October until they called me to tell me that I was in fact going with them! So Friday I ended my stint at Toumey Hospital in Sumter, SC and began packing the apartment to leave the state. I have my new buddy the walking boot on my right foot which was to protect my supposed stress fracture or tendinitis from further demise! The entire weekend was spent packing, resting, elevating, cleaning, taking meds, resting, packing, carrying, and taking the boot on and off about 8times a day so that I can drive Samantha for errands as well as to move some items to Dhana's home for the week. I thank my mother for my organizational skills that I have to possess at this particular time in my life. I had bags for Mexico, bags for the following week to travel to Boston, items that can sit in my truck for the week at the airport, and more valuable items that needed to be stored at Dhana's! Are you tired yet?

So here I am sleeping on my couch in my sleeping bag in my clean and empty apartment realizing that I am a complete crazy person!! Woke up at 5:30am to finish packing and such, turned in my apartment keys and headed to Charleston to board the plan for Mexico. Arriving in Mexico about 1hr earlier than my friends coming from KC, I had no choice but to stand outside at the bar and catch some sun. After the arrival of the friends we successfully made our way to our gorgeous resort in Cancun. Great hotel, bluest waters ever witnessed and a perfect sunset. The week was set up to be very relaxing even before I injured my paw. Angela had assured me that she had no intentions of doing anything beyond sitting at the pool/beach, and she did not disappoint.

Day one was spent at the pool or beach or swim-up bar, having fun and laughs all day with some sun as well. This night we went to the "oriental" restaurant at the resort which was fabulous. We ended up singing a little karaoke and partaking in the hot tub experience. The next day was cloudy and windy with hints of rain, but this did not stop Angela and I from sitting at the pool most of the day. The other 2 girls had made arrangements to go swim with the dolphins, but as Angela had promised, her, I and the boot stayed behind for some R&R. After the other gals returned we tried out the "Italian" restaurant which was not as horrible as everyone had warned, but not awesome. We had planned after dinner to go out with the activities crew from the resort however with a twist of fate we missed the boat on that one and ended up back in the hot tub.

The following day we all went on a wonderfully scary excursion! Angela has 2 major fears, flying and sharks. How she ended up in Cancun, I will never know but she had done really well. We went to the marina and loaded into little 2 seater boats that we were now blessed to operate with little to no demonstration. Our instructions were to follow the boat in front of you and not to pass, follow the hand signals and you will be all right. After about 5min of driving in the bay we entered the "jungle" area around topsy-turby turns, high winds which make big waves. It was about this time that Angela began to rethink her purchase of ticket. Then it was about this time that we were signaled to give it the gas out into the vast ocean. Now is when Angela's "fun" turned into pure panic! Here I am, a female that happens to like to fish, that has happened to land me behind the wheel of several boats and driving them into waves at Johnson Lake that sometimes get quite high.....now at the mercy of my friend that has driven a pontoon boat only.

We were not the last one in the boat parade followed by another couple and then one of the guides. However, at the time of the most panic, we found ourselves not only at the end of the line but pretty far from the last boat from what I could see of them. Angela was trying to keep it together between gagging and screaming, but every time a large wave came about.....she would slow up! I tried to remain calm, being that I work with panicked patients daily I knew that active listening would be key. Well then it turned into forceful suggestion....."Angela you have to gun it or you will drown us!" This could really be a life philosophy....When faced with a huge wave, just gun it!

Well much to my amazement and to Angela's dismay, we made it to our destination seemingly unharmed. The new problem being that our destination was not land, or even close to it. We were tying up to a booie in the middle of the ocean along a reef. Most of us jumped out of the boats and began our snorkeling adventures, Angela stayed in the boat and watched for sharks! The snorkeling was not the best but we did see a sea worm, lobster, large sea shell with urchin in it (very precise I know), and lots of beautiful fish. Obviously when we returned to the boats, it was my turn to drive. I will say that the ride back was much more calm and it had little to do with me. The wind had calmed and we were driving with the waves back to shore. Landing successfully on land we high tailed it back to the resort for all of us to relax our nerves! Who in their right mind would allow untrained females to drive a small dingy into the vast ocean and tie up to a small booie?

After a short recovery period we made our way to the room for a well needed and deserved nap. We awoke with a sprint to head back to the oriental restaurant when Becky realized that she did not fell well and eating was no longer an option. I was back in bed by 8:30pm never to get back up until morning light! Friday was our last full day in Mexico so Angela and I had a very busy day planned at the pools while the other two, Angie and Amanda, headed to the Mayan Ruins. I would like to make a side note that I was not being difficult or uninterested in the Mexican culture during this trip in any way. It was simply the fact that this was my 4th trip to Mexico in the past 10yrs and I had seen about all I needed and bought enough souvenirs to fill my and my families' homes. Now staying on this side of the coast line had proven to be quite windy. At some point during the day, while the whitecaps were filling the pool, Angela told me that wind in some cultures is used as a torture form. It was about 2hrs into the day that I believed her. The wind was so great that you couldn't even hear yourself talk, let alone your friends. Drinks had to remain in hand for fear of spilling and after every application of sunscreen came a dense coat of sand that was blowing up from the beach about 100ft away.

We braved the wind and managed to have a great day, planning to go out in Cancun and live it up for our last night there. After the girls' adventures and the torturing wind we decided to eat and go to bed early. We are definitely showing our age by this point in the trip. The next morning, Saturday, we packed up the rooms and headed for our homes in the states. The girls landed in KC and I made it back to Charleston around 8pm then to drive the 2hrs back to Sumter. I got to Dhana's about 10pm, caught up on the week with her then packed Samantha ready for our trip up north!!!! No plans of returning to Mexico despite my mom's idea to sell my home and move to Mexico, "since you love Mexico so much". I have seen how she has dealt with Steph moving to Texas and I think in an effort to save her sanity I will continue my travels within the USA!