Last weeks of school and Summer 2024 US Visit

The last couple of weeks of school went well.  There were some leadership changes that happened at the last minute as the principal resigned with two weeks left but everything still went smoothly.  On the 17th of June I enjoyed a run/walk to and in Guiwan Park.

On the last day of work we had a staff dinner and afterward I joined my friends (and colleagues) Ali and Soroush for some Turkish coffee, turkish delights, and fortune reading.  The shop owner's wife read my coffee grounds and my face/palm and she said that my family would be growing soon,  She told me that I have very stable finances and that I am good with saving and planning.  She also said that I am intelligent but sometimes too smart for my own good.  Her description of me as a either a yes or no person (implying an unwillingness to compromise) was the only part I that thought was a bit off.  The other two did not find their fortunes to be as accurate as I had mine.  I still found it fun even without the scientific backing. 

On the 20th I arranged to have my friends' (and now former colleagues') bed moved to my place.  There was some difficulty with the mattress and I ended up having to hire a second mover for the mattress.  At least it gave me more time to chat with the Erasmuses and hang with their tiny pupper, Bubbles. Now we have a new bed and it is very comfortable.

The rest of the week was pretty laid back. I prepared for my trip and ran some last minute errands.  My flight out of HKIA was early on the 24th.  Since I did not want to rush there early on Monday morning I got a hotel by the airport.  So, on the 22nd Faye and I took a van to HK where I stayed two nights and Faye stayed one (since she had to work).  On the 22nd Faye and I had a highly consequential, and very heated, conversation about our relationship.  It started as a fight over shopping which was entirely my fault.  I had been harboring some doubts about our relationship.  These doubts, combined with my bitterness over the events of our trip to Koh Larn, were stewing in my mind over the two weeks since our last argument.  They came out angrily after three hours of waiting for her to buy a pair of hiking boots.  It was an asshole and fully admit to this. We argued for a bit.  Then went through some silent treatment toward each other.  Then we started to share our feelings. I shared my concerns and feelings.  She shared hers.  After many tears, much talking, and a bit of snuggles we ended up resolving the matter.  The next day she departed on the bus back to Shenzhen and I stayed one more night in the hotel as I mentally prepared for the 16hr flight ahead.   

Sixteen hours is a long time to go without sleeping.  Since the flight left in the early morning, and I had already slept a full night, I could not sleep at all on the flight.  Instead I watched movies and TV inflight. 

My mom picked me up at arrivals and drove us to my sister's place. 

I stayed there for two weeks on an air mattress.  While it was not the most comfortable of accommodations it was very good to be with my family.

On the 25th I took a run to the park and then played with my nephews almost all day.  We jumped on the trampoline, played tag, and played hide-and-seek. 

On the 26th my friends Ashlyn, her husband (and also my friend) Chris, and Cory and I went hiking in Marsh Creek State Park where we found this awesome bloom of golden oyster mushrooms.  We did not pick or eat any because none of us were confident enough in our fungal identification skills and we did not want to take the risk.  We got lunch after the hike. 

I got a rare photo of Gretchen.  Rare because she hates having her photo taken.  She stormed off in a huff after these photos were taken.

I took time on June 27th to handle some important matters.  I had to change my US address since my dad is planning to sell the house in Saylorsburg.  I took the morning to ensure that the government and all my important accounts were up-to-date with the address change.   That evening I went hashing with the Ben Franklin Mob Hash House Harriers (BFMH3).  I had run with them in the past when I lived in Philly, but none of the members I knew from that time were there.  I was planning to take a train into the city but the train never came so I took an uber there and back. 

This video is not my train.

Even in South Philadelphia you cannot escape the old Chinese ladies dancing in the park.

On the 28th I woke up mildly hungover.  I spent the day playing with my nephews and relaxing watching TV.  In the evening my mom and I went to Lancaster to get Ethiopian food, which I had not eaten in two years and was craving.  It was good.  Just a bit over priced. 

On the way home we saw lots of Amish.  We were in Lancaster after all.  

My older brother Kyle and sister-in-law Aidette recently had a new baby, making me a triple uncle.  On the 29th they brought little Keanu to meet his uncle.

Hallie, a good friend from my days in Kutztown, came to visit on June 30th.  I had not seen her in a long time so it was good to catch up with her.  We had discussed going to a museum because the weather called for rain but when it did not rain we went to White Clay Creek State Park in Delaware instead.  Then we got lunch. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of that hike. 

On July 1st I took care of some more official business and had a renewal telehealth appointment for my PA medical card.   The rest of the day was spent chillin and playing with my nephews Austin and Evan. 

With my intention to rent cars for future international trips I had to get an international driving permit.  I picked it up at AAA on July 2nd and it was only $20 for the permit and $18 for the photo. My mom drove me there since I had not yet picked up the rental car. Now I can legally rent a car and drive in many places where previously I would have had to hire a driver.   

Mind you I still cannot use this permit in China but I can use it in all the countries listed in the photo below. 

We returned to my sister's place and I played with the kids for a while.  The neighbor's dog, Duke (AKA DOOKIE) came to play too.

My sister has a trampoline in the yard but it just isn't enough for Austin.  He needed more bounce.  Fortunately our plans for the 3rd involved lots of bouncing at Urban Air trampoline park. 

After a couple hours of playing and bouncing we went to pick up my rental car. 

Usually the 4th of July involves fireworks, cookouts, barbecues, etc. This time, in lieu of the custom, we went to the Rose Bridge Farm Animal Sanctuary.

My friend Kris, who I met a festival many years back, recently had opened the South Street Cannabis Museum.  I went to visit on the 5th.  While I knew it was a museum, I did not expect a dispensary using legal loopholes to sell recreational cannabis. While I had already acquired a large amount of my favorite plant and its extracts at a medical dispensary, and I only went to go see my friend, I still bought some edibles and a vape pen while I was there. 

I did very little on the 6th.  Mostly just relaxing.  I started playing Duolingo with my nephew Evan.  He saw me playing and he wanted to try it too.  Instead of learning a foreign language however, he decided to use it to improve his English.  Kara hopes it will help him to improve his communication.  

On the 7th my friend Samantha (Sam), whom I had met in Israel on my birthright trip in 2021, and I met up for a bite and walk around Kennett Square.  Once again I forgot to take pictures.  Afterward I drove to Saylorsburg a day earlier than I had originally planned so that I could prepare for my road trip up north.

On the 8th the road trip began.  I drove to Crater Lake NJ and swam across before heading to Stokes State Forest to use one of their first-come-first-serve sites. 

On the drive there I spotted a mama bear and three cubs as well as lots of deer. 

I stopped to pick up supplies to cook dinner and decided on kebabs. 

That evening, while the sun was setting and I was cooking, a black bear, attracted by the smell of my food approached my campsite. It must have been a male because it was huge.  I wish I had taken a picture but I was too busy scaring it away.  I waved my arms around and shouted "YO BEAR, GET OUTTA HERE" in a low voice.  It was deterred but just for good measure I set off my car alarm and sent it running.  Later that evening my campsite was also visited by a raccoon.  The raccoon was less scared of me than the bear was.  

The next day I went to Crater Lake again and spent most of the day there.  I swam across again. Then I went to Long Pine Pond.  I was thinking of swimming there.  It is a beautiful lake and it has few visitors.  The lake has a lot of abandoned buildings because it used to be a boy scout campsite.  I got a weird feeling there and instead of swimming like I had planned I just decided to head on out. 

On my way back to my campsite I stopped for supplies again.  Since I did not have a cooler I would have to purchase and consume all of my food day-by-day.  I had a stock pile of dry foods like cereal, oatmeal, and the like but for perishables they would need to be eaten right away to avoid spoilage in the summer heat.  Each day I bought milk and ingredients for a meal. 

For my second night at Stokes I cooked some cheeseburgers over the fire. 

I was up early the next day.  I packed up and set off for Kenneth L. Wilson Campground near Woodstock NY.  My drive included a bobcat spotting and another mama bear crossing the road with cubs.  On the way I stopped a few times for a break from driving but the coolest stop was easily Buttermilk Falls in the Peekamoose Area. Near this waterfall is a very cool swimming hole, but a permit is needed to swim there, so I only went to check out the waterfall. 

I was soon on my way again and in what felt like no time I was at my next campsite. 

I ate a dinner of smoked rainbow trout and cream cheese sandwiches with honey and olives beside the lake near my campsite. Afterward I drove into town and stopped at a bar called "Early Terrible" for a quick drink then walked around a bit before stopping at a place called Colony Taproom for a second drink and some live music.  

I returned to my campsite and got the fire going before bed.  The next morning I woke up, called Faye (we had spoken every day on the phone whenever I could find service), walked around town, and got a stuffed bagel and coffee at moonrise bagels.  Then I set off for my campground in Vermont. 

The drive to Chittenden Brook Campground took about 3-4 hours.  I stopped periodically for a break.  When I arrived it was about 4pm and my pre-reserved campsite was occupied by vehicles and some large tents.  I was not happy but there was nothing I could do about this.  The squatters were away from the site and there was no telling how long it would take for them to return.  I spoke with the campsite host, she had no authority.  I considered driving to the ranger station but checked out the first-come-first-serve sites first.  As I was checking out the sites I ran into some park staff and among them was a ranger.  He confirmed that there was nothing that could be done about the site squatters because they were not there to be asked to leave. I ultimately decided to take an alternative spot but not before getting the ranger's contact info.  It was less than ideal as the trees were not spaced properly to set up my tarp and hammock, and considering the forecast called for rain I wanted to have my tarp set up.  I finally found two trees that were evenly spaced right next to my car.  Had the spot I reserved not been stolen I would have had an abundance of trees in my campsite.  It was not all bad.  The site I chose was closer to Chittenden Brook, which was my water source.  That night I took a nude dip in the water to rinse the sweat and dirt off before bed.  I was sure to get the license plate numbers and make and model of the car that the site thieves were driving.  I plan to follow up with an email to the ranger about how to properly ensure that campers without reservations use do not squat on reserved spaces. 

The next morning I found that it had indeed rained as was predicted.  It was only a light rain but it was enough to cause a significant temperature drop so I woke up shivering and had to move from my hammock to the car to stay warm.  I turned the car on and blasted the heat until the shaking and chattering teeth stopped.  Then I turned the car off, ate a light breakfast, and then packed up my site. I set out for Maine.  While crossing through New Hampshire I stopped at the Purple Pit Cafe in Bristol for some coffee and a grilled cheese.  The grilled cheese was fantastic. 

 I continued my drive and arrived at my brother's place in Bridgton Maine. He was practicing some songs for his gig later.  After catching up we went for a swim at Salmon Point Beach in Long Lake. I forgot to take pictures of the lake but that is ok it was just a quick swim.  Afterward we went home so he could prep for his gig.  We drove separately to the venue but I helped him unload his car.  Then I got dinner at Ancora Italian restaurant while he set up for his show at the Sundown Lounge next door. 

His show was great.  They performed mostly covers, including a great cover of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem.  He introduced me to his friends and I had the same conversation about 20 times answering the same questions about China and living there. 

Aaron's fiancé, Andrea, arrived later after her work shift.  We chatted a bit and caught up.  

I had a few drinks but spaced them out so as to avoid intoxication.  After the show we all went back to his house and shortly thereafter went to bed.  

The next day Aaron and Andrea were both busy in the morning so I set off on a run and swim.  I ran to Highland Lake and swam to an island about half a mile from the beach.   Then swam back and walked back to his house.   The total distance for the run, swim, and walk was about 4.16 miles.

That afternoon we went to two waterfalls, Screw Auger Falls and Step Falls.  Screw Auger Falls are a great demonstration of the erosive power of moving water.  Step falls was neat because we could slide down some of the falls and take dips in some of the pools.  We had planned to meet some of their friends at Step Falls but they did not show up until we were back at the parking lot.  Since their friends had just arrived, and we had dinner plans after the hike with them, we did half of the hike again and stayed a little longer.  

The next morning of the 14th I set off at about 10ish.  I drove through Pondicherry park in Bridgeton and stopped for a couple photos before continuing on.  

At around noon I stopped in Concord NH to get some coffee but found all the cafes were closed so had to get a coffee to-go from Tandy's Pub and Grill.  They were not used to this. 

Between NH and VT I was behind this truck towing a plane thingy. 

I was feeling peckish as I drove through Vermont.  Also I needed to pee.  So I stopped at Hogback Mountain Country Store where I ate some Vermont made cheese, crackers, and bourbon barrel aged maple syrup while looking out over the landscape. 

Then I continued my drive to my next stop, Saratoga Springs.  I was not going there for any real reason other than the fact that it was about halfway between Bridgton Maine and Saylorsburg PA.  After checking in I got dinner at Panera Bread and then took a short walk before going to the hotel pool.  

The hotel breakfast the next morning was basic but pretty good. 

On the morning of July 15th I visited Saratoga Lake Waterfront Park just because I wanted to have seen something besides the inside of my hotel room and restaurant.  While there I had a light snack of Cattail stem.  

My last stop on this road trip was back at Crater Lake in NJ.  I swam around the left edge until about the halfway point, then swam to the right side and swam around that edge.  It was really cool seeing the ecosystem under the lily pads.  This is by far my favorite place to visit.  

Upon arrival in Saylorsburg the rest of my US trip was mostly attending to important matters.  I had to pack all my belongings and organize them into sell, donate, toss, and store piles.  I had a storage pile for Dad, Kyle, and Kara.  I got $135 at a pawn shop for my Xbox360, Xbox One (both with cables and controllers), a stack of games, and a telescope I had since I was 13.  I donated most of my clothes.  I tossed some things.  My older brother came to pick some things up and I stored some other thing's at my sisters.  I have a nice bed in the US that I wasn't sure what to do with, so that is going to be sold with the house.  When all was said and done I managed to reduce my belongings down to fit into the backseat of a car.  That was how I spent the 15-18th.  The only exception was on the 17th when Dad, Lisa, and I went to Mauch Chunk Lake for swim.   

As I drove to the airport on the 19th I called all the friends I had seen to wish them farewell.  I called my mom, dad, and sister as well. 

In an amazing coincidence I ran into two of my students and to of my colleagues/their parents at the airport.  They were taking the same flight as me and were even seated in the same section (one in the same row and three of them behind me).  They offered me a ride back to Shenzhen from Hong Kong and I accepted.  I arrived back in Shenzhen to a warm reunion with Faye at around midnight on the 20th.  

The last couple of days have been spent simultaneously lazily lounging around and hectically planning for a backpacking trip in Georgia (the country). Faye and I will be traveling there from July 27th through August 4th.  We have long layovers in Urumqi on the way there and back.  We land in Tbilisi, then I will drive us to Mestia. We will be hiking the caucus mountains for 4 days from Mestia to Ushguli.  Then driving to Kutaisi and staying one night before driving back to Tbilisi and flying out. Fortunately, we will be staying in guesthouses and hotels so we don't need to carry camping gear or lots of food.  Also, we will have a car in which to leave our excess stuff.  This will be Faye's first backpacking trip and my third.  

We are both excited.