Life of Excess and Gigantic Proportions

Long trips from one place to another - California, Nevada and Arizona are definitely driving destinations. America is huge!

I was glad I decided to stick around in the West Coast. Spending most of my time travelling from one place to another, from West to East and back, just didnt appeal to me. I enjoyed having plenty of down time to just be a temporary local and to spent more time meeting and re-acquainting with people I visited.

... I was gonna write many postings, this has been in draft form more than a week now. Just not a priority at the moment, but trying to keep in touch. So, i'll just do it all here in dot points.

• Hollywood etc was great to see straight away, but it was all too much. Since I dont get a kick out of all the glitz and glamour, I didnt walk around with stars in my eyes. I didnt even wait nor "snapped" stars like Jessica Alba walking on the red carpet when they arrived for their movie premiere. She/They arrived next to where I was standing, but I was outside the red carpet of course. Paparazzis and tourists were going off with their cameras, we walked away.

• I've put on so much weight constantly eating yummy "good and bad" foods and drinking rootbeer! The loose fitting pants I mentioned in previous post, that were almost falling off me I had to use a belt, it's snug now. No belt required. My ass is already big. Thankfully the weight's decided not to go to my huge breasts coz I dont want any more up there. But dang it, does it have to go to the side, outwards, on my hips!!!? Why wont it go somewhere more proportioned to my body like... my feet, my wrists, or the back of my head??!! ;-P


• Most meals bought were huge servings, definitely enough for 2 people. It's normal here. You'll love it, get sick of it after a while, then miss it.


• Not a generalisation, this only happened 3-4 times, but I was called "Oriental" and "Castillian" for the first time. Ahem, not all of Asia is in the Orient, some are even considered 'Islanders'. Are all Spanish from Europe and South/Latin America, whom are not from Mexico, Castillian? Just like blacks are AFRICAN American?? This is one of the quirks I noticed about America. I found it very funny because when I questioned the validity of the term, some people couldnt comprehend. I had to control myself from stirring up those who couldnt understand. It would have been quite rude of me to do so, when most of those strangers were kind enough to make light conversations with me. I put it down to facts like they are not well-travelled, or set in their thinking - following what they heard/learned without question.


• I loooooove love love Chipotle, but I still prefer Chapalas. I miss Chapalas and the Chowder Bread Bowl!


• In N Out Burgers


• San Bernardino National Park - Lake Gregory and Lake Arrowhead


• I just realised I didnt buy any pretzels and hotdogs from the street stands....!!!!


• Eating lotsa American, Mexican and Filipino foods


• Plays, chats, hugs and swimming with my godchild's big brother


• Letting a young black girl play with my hair while we were at the pool, and vice versa.


• Teaching my godchild to stick her tongue out :-P heheheh. She got me with one look. I was glad I was there to see her at her age now, instead of older. She gave me lotsa memories about her - diarrhoea/health scare, sleep, cries, laughs, talking, playful screaming, jumping (strong legs), teething, etc.


• My godchild also made me remember everything I know about infant first aid/CPR while we were eating at Chipotle!! She was sick a few days ago and rushed to a hospital, and given an all clear. In the restaurant though she vomited her milk twice, then while I was holding her up so her mom could change her clothing for the 2nd time, I felt her heaving strongly, stomach crunching hard, like it was doubling over!!! I asked her mom if it was normal (I really didnt know! Im not a mom!!), but mom didnt feel what I was talking about and I was vague so we left it alone. I carried my godchild and she immediately rested her head on my shoulder for the first time and I felt like flying!! I loved it coz she's never done it before. But in the midst of my happiness, I was concerned because it felt like she was slumping more than sleeping. I wasnt used to babies so I didnt want to overreact. A couple of minutes later, she vomited again!!! Vomiting 3 times in 15minutes I thought was traumatic for the child!! It was then my heart was jumped out of my skin, but I kept a calm voice and demeanor, trying not to worry my friend. Still, I kept asking if it was normal. We both didnt know what to do, but I was aware the hospitals were far, and I didnt want my friend to drive feeling panic. I assessed my godchild, she wasnt heaving anymore, just looked tired. Plus we didnt have a cellphone to let her husband know what was happening. So I suggested we go where we were meeting her family, at the children's dental clinic close by. Acting all calm but continuously assessing my godchild, wondering if I made the right suggestion, we headed there. My godchild fell quickly to sleep and I worried she fainted!! Mom was in front driving! I was in the back next to the baby seat! I felt like crying!! I checked her heartbeat, breathing, behaviour, doing it repeatedly to make sure I was reading the signs right, told her mom she was fine. Poor baby was so tired from vomiting she decided to sleep peacefully. But her auntie kept bumping her trying to suss out if she would react!!! :-) By the time we got to the dental clinic I was more convinced (but still panic) that she was fine, and I knew the staff would be able to help if there was an emergency. It was there I took a breath of relief, when the baby looked recuperated from her ordeal about 10minutes later. I dont ever want to be as freaked out as I was then... ever!!! Definitely not looking forward to when my own baby will do it! But I was proud of the fact that I knew how to deal with a worse situation, which thankfully was not the case then.


• Vegas was 120+ Fahrenheit by 10am!!! Walked around Viva Las Vegas for 2 nights, on route to and back from Grand Canyon. Didnt gamble, fell in line but missed out on "O" (oh well), walked a lot in intense night heat, eventually caught the super-cold Deuce buses to cope. No one working in Las Vegas could remember or point me out to where the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign was located. There was so much glitter and lights I forgot about the other thing Vegas was famous for - weddings!!! - until the last night when I passed the chapels heading to the Old Strip.


• Route 66


• Twinkies and SnowBalls (pink and white ones)!!


• Arizona Green Tea


• Sunset at Grand Canyon. Very nice.... Huge! The next day I did the 7am Cedar Ridge Hike - South Kaibab Trailhead. With a ranger we descended 1,140 feet (347m) below the rim on the unpaved South Kaibab Trail to Cedar Ridge. The steep and strenous 3-mile (5km) hike was not recommended for people with heart or respiratory problems or difficulty walking. Sturdy footwear and 1-2 litres of water per person was required. I was so thankful Kuya Nonoy dropped me off, even though he had to wake up very early in the morning, after driving all day, with the return trip still to worry about.


• My gorgeous godchild growing before my eyes, and her gorgeous big brother. I became unexpectedly very attached to them. I hated leaving the kids. The whole family is wonderful. Parents are kind hearted, perfect hosts. Thank you.


• I met their really nice friends too. I really enjoyed myself with them.