Layover Taipei

It's been 7 hours at Taipei International Airport. Ever seen The Terminal, starring the brilliant Tom Hanks? It's starting to feel very familiar. We've spent our time watching movies at the transfer lounge, napping, eating, walking around, and more eating. I see lots of people rushing through from terminal to terminal and I wonder where they are headed. The possibilities are endless.

Everything was fine and dandy as we exited the plane. We were so happy to walk around after the 14 hour flight. Soon enough though, I was hit with news that made my heart sink. My family had been trying to reach out to me because of the 7.0 earthquake that occured on the boarder of Thailand and China, earlier today. It's 500 miles north of Bangkok, but its impact was still felt in the city. It's hard for me to enjoy my time with this in the back of my mind and with my family and friends worried. My heart goes out to those people affected by the earthquake and still to those suffering in Japan. I can only hope and pray that another one doesn't occur...especially near the coast of Thailand. We'll be flying down to Southern Thailand on Tuesday...staying in Krabi.

Things like this could happen anywhere, anytime. You could be driving home from school or work and get into an accident and possibly lose your life. You risk losing your life everyday the moment you step out into the world. What is different from going somewhere further...like Thailand? To live a life of fear is no way to live at all.

Testing...1...2..3...

It's quiet in the house...I'm in my usual spot at this time of night. On the edge of my bed, laptop on lap, and Pandora blasting in the background. Tonight's flavor is The Fray.

I had a bit of time to rest and while my body did that, my mind continued to work and wander in all sorts of directions. I've realized I haven't made an entry in a very long time. So hello...is this thing on? Here we go...

I'm not too sure why I've taken a break from blogging. Perhaps I've lost inspiration. But I have a feeling that it's all coming back to me now. So what's REALLY changed? Well, for one thing, I turned a year older. And the other significant thing I can share is that I feel like a stronger person. Mentally and emotionally. That's a whole other topic of its own.

Anyway...

2 years ago, I had left on my first foreign country exploration. While traveling solo, I fell in love with the unknown and the thrill of cross cultural experiences. I told myself I would visit a new country every year. I've kept that up.

I recently booked a Thailand trip with a bunch of random friends. We're set to take off in 2 weeks. Mind that I bought a plane ticket just a week ago. It was a spontaneous splurge that started off with just a friend. Our group of 2 turned out to be a group of 6. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to making new friends and becoming closer to acquaintances. Our friendships will undergo good times and bad times, I'm sure. But as I always say, if you ever want to know the true colors of someone, travel with them!

Vaca wrap up

Well...it's been quite some time since I've made an entry. The last few days of summer have meshed together. Blurred nights of partying and food excursions. Nothing spectacular to bring up. I just got back from a vacation in Florida. Not so much a vacation when you come back drained though huh? It was good times and bad times. Disneyworld, Orlando: CHECK! (Next on the list, Disneyland in Paris and then in Hong Kong). My quest to visit all the Disneylands in the world will be complete. No rush for that...I have the rest of my life to do so. For the time being, I've had all the Disney I can take for the next couple of years. Florida...So hot and humid that it made me appreciate our cool summer here in the Bay Area. A tan that I got in Florida made up for the tan I didn't get all summer in SJ. Nevertheless, I used protection...and lots of it. 50-85+ SPF all over my skin to be exact. I was obsessed with the sunscreen. USE SUNSCREEN puhleeeeze. Your body will thank you one day.

Anyway, this trip was exactly what I needed. I got it out of my system!! It was more than just tourism and beach time. As with every trip I take, I learn something new and I'm looking forward to the next challenge. It was a good way to end the summer and to initiate new beginnings. Cheers to that!

The Heat

Came too late and left too fast. What a tease...

Food Excursions

Some ridiculous things I've consumed this past weekend, in LA and OC:

Grasshopper Ice cream sandwich...

Red velvet ice cream bar...

Blue velvet cake, all from Milk, Hollywood.

Mixed fruit shaved ice from Guppy House.

Deep fried oreos...
1.5 foot Cowabunga corn dog, from the OC Fair.

Bacon wrapped hot dog, corner of Highland and Hollywood Blvd.

Vegas withdrawals

How do I put in words...

Basically, we partied when the sunset and stayed out all night until the sunrise. 1st time ever to see a sunrise and sunset in one day. Needless to say...it was beautiful.

6th annual Vegas trip!!

Some epic moments:
- Powered thru 3 clubs the first night.
- Partied @ XS for 5 hours straight & our fearless party of 5 killed 2 bottles of Goose.
- Blackjack tables in the pool @ Caesars
- Crazy bitch fight on stiletto heels involving a bat at 6am in the morning on Las Vegas Blvd.
- Broke my all time record and was still standing after some 7 shots shots shots!
- Stephen Curry on the same plane heading home to SFO.
- Leaving with more $$ than I came with. For once!!

Happy Birthday Bestie!!

She's the bestest friend a girl could ever have and today, she turns 25!! I've waited for this moment since February and now I don't feel too old! Catch us in Vegas tomorrow night...as we keep up our tradition. 6 years and going... I got my sunblock and stilettos packed...I'm good to go ;)

Unthinkable

There's just something about this song...

I can never get tired of it.

Damn the roaring 20s

Change happens quickly and during these years…I’m talking early to late 20s, a whole lot of change occurs! Think about it…it’s the time frame where one is asked to declare a field of study that would be applied to one’s career. What? Like it’s easy to know what you want to do for the rest of your life? The government grants us rights to booze and we take great advantage of that and have the time of our lives! We make bad decisions and discover the truth behind our friends and foes. Graduation from college and the search of a career, only to discover that work life in America is not what it’s hyped up to be. So…back to school it is! In the midst of that, one becomes an adult and moves out of mom’s house, finds a lifelong partner and joins the institution of marriage. You know what they say…first comes love, then comes marriage then comes a baby in a baby carriage. Next thing you know, you’re 30 and you’ve gone through a roller coaster ride of growth, drastic changes, and major decision making within a span of 10 years. That of which has flown by way too fast. Time is slipping through my fingers as we speak…like grains of sand through an hour glass.

Continuum

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how things have turned out and how life has come to be. I think of this moment right now and recall back to last year and think about what I was doing, where I was, and who I was surrounded by… exactly a year ago. And all of a sudden, it feels like a dream. Did that really happen? It’s so different now. It meant everything and now it's nothing. It’s good to reflect and see the changes that have happened. I want to make sure that my life is heading in the direction I want it to. This time last year, I know I was enjoying my summer a lot! I wasn't worried about working...and was looking forward to new adventures. I found myself just thinking about what fun I could get myself into. I did what I wanted to do and not what was expected of me. No regrets. What were you up to around this time last year?

Have a Happy 4th of July weekend kiddos. Don't light your asses on fire.

Viva Vegas
<3 lynn