Affair

We travel to Hawaii at least once a year. We are planning on traveling to the Caribbean this year, currently browsing Aruba and Jamaica. Today I had given myself to housework and as a reward decided to spend the last few hours treating myself to one of my most favorite adventures, a trip to the bookstore.

I originally went to the bookstore to research a music theory book. (sidenote, I'm reviewing music theory so that I can teach myself guitar all over again) After looking through the music theory books, and deciding to purchase one from half.com, I decided it could not hurt to pop into the international travel section to further my research on the Caribbean. On my way, I noticed the large array of California activity, and adventure based books. I made a personal note of that section and proceeded to my paper daydream island getaway guides. The Jamaica books taught me alot in the forty or so minutes I spent browsing through them. Most of the information furthered my yearning to explore the island. I look for quality of dive beaches, quality of beaches to relax on, quality of resorts with swimming pools, quality and quantity of NATIVE and unique foods, and safety and quantity of non guided adventures including hiking, climbing, and exploring. I don't really care about guided tours, museums, shopping or nightlife, those things are NOT what Erik and I do on vacation. Anyhow Jamacia has a plethora of satisfactory oppurtunites to feed my desires.

On my way back out of the bookstore I stopped in the California section. There I discovered that there are many adventures in my own home towns that I have never even experienced. I was suddenly ashamed that I wished to spend money, time and resources traveling to other countries when I had not even got to know my own. I felt as if I was cheating on California! How could I? After spending an additional ninety minutes in the bookstore I had added a laundry list of places and adventures that I had not yet experienced all within sixty miles of home. This collection astonished me! My parents had traveled my brother and I all over the, U.S. and I thought all over CA as well, but appraently there was a lot that got missed. I did wind up purchasing one book which was 101 hikes in Southern California. In that book alone there are over 40 waterfalls that I have not hiked to in California, some much grander than the waterfalls that we have hiked to on the Hawaiian islands!

My dance with the California Information section of the bookstore had left me awestruck. Dare I say that I will not hold myself back from having an affair. I believe that my love with the state that I call "home" has just begin to blossom.

This Year I Plan Too:

Camp (again) at El Capitan
Hike to at least 10 Waterfalls
Visit the Huntington Library
Visit the Getty Museum
Do more SCUBA Diving
Visit the Channel Islands
Visit more Cultural Festivals in Nearby Cities
Camp in the Desert


As appealing as Jamacia might sound, I'm not sure if I will be able to get to it within the 2009 year. I love my tropical islands, my beaches, my fishes, and the warm sunshine but I believe that I have been neglecting something that I love more than anything...my home.