who says you can't go home again?

i was on my way back to the states October 17th to head home for my sister's wedding! it was a crazy long flight home (alas, i was on economy this time...) with scary turbulence and bad food, but some laughs along the way!

Some funny stuff on route to Taipei:
*I emerged my head from my slumber at one point on my flight to see only black hair on the tops of every single person in flight!! i was the only caucasian woman on the plane! it truly made me laugh outloud at the mere sight of it.

*and how could i forget the flight attendant who sounded drunk but really just had poor english pronounciation...it literally took me a second to register the "take oreo personal belongings off plane"!! hahaha seriously - it doesn't take much to make me laugh (no offense to those of asian ethinicities - it was truly cute)

*speaking of asian culture - i swear there's something about hawking up lugees or clearing throats or something...it's all the time - anywhere - church, planes, bathrooms, while eating. it's gross.

*got free wine with dinner - awesome.

*my first flight i had no neighbors - even more awesome...i'm kinda antisocial on flights.

*when i got into Taipei there was a huge sign that said "drug trafficking punishable by death in ROC" - scary stuff!

*i had a five hour layover in Taipei and managed to find myself a massage chair! i met a little old chinese couple trying to figure out how to work it! we started talking - they were from the US and they asked me where i was from and i said Thailand! hahaha role reversal at it's finest! :) they were funny - nit picking at eachother, until she said she had a bad back and he said "it's because she's fat"! and i said "you are NOT - don't listen to him". later they were going at it again and he said "you're stupid"! and i said "that's not nice - you shouldn't talk to her like that!" they just laughed and smiled and said this is normally how they interacted...strange days. i guess in a way, they accepted each other's warts and all! :)

*later the little old couple found me again and invited me for a snack! very cute.

*i also found my way to a salon where i got the BEST foot treatment ever! it was an hour and a half of scrubbing and buffing and massaging - she was great! my feet were never so smooth! and i really appreciated it because in Thailand you're always getting your feet really dirty from either walking around people's homes barefoot, or just getting muck from the street on you. it was expensive but worth it!

...so anyways, it was amazing flying into CT - i literally teared up when we flew in and i saw all the fall colors scanning across the open fields! i forgot how much i loved autumn!

i missed it so. i got alittle nostaligic the first few days - taking pictures of everything cheesy and cliche (as my college photography teacher told me) ie: ducks (ok, these are fake - the Make Way for Ducklings in Boston - but alas, 'cliche'!)

covered bridges...

etc, etc!


forget him - i love the beauty of a good cliche photograph! :) ENJOY!









So, like i was saying, i was on my way home, i was greeted at the airport by my very good friend amy and her niece - whom i adore! it was so great to spend time together, even if only for a moment. (thanx girls!) i had a nice lunch with the grandmothers (in their thai style hats, no less!! hahaha - you're good sports!)...and birthday celebrations for both the parents...had much catching up to do with my brother (still my best date ever!)...and wonderful times with my fabulous sister before her big day and some quality time spent with my soon to be brother in law! (i even cooked them an authentic Thai meal! *i think it was phenomenal! :)

i had coffee meetings, lunch outings, dinner dates and pub trivia with friends! what fun i had in a VERY short amount of time (that was just a couple days!)...i went to church and saw good supportive friends, spent time with my very special and beautiful 'little sister' and i was able to stop by and see my God-daughter and her new baby brother! (and yes, of course their beautiful mother! :) i even went trick or treating with my close friend and my 'adopted' babies!! all that and a wedding - crazy times! :) **i have tons of great photos, but i'm always nervous my friends/family won't want to see themselves, or their kids for that matter, on the web!? let me know if you don't care!! :) i promise they will not embarrass you!

more fun times to come - stay tuned!