Summer 2025 Part 1: Visiting Family in PA and Camping in NJ
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The last day of the school year was June 13th. It was a half day and in the afternoon the staff had an end-of-year celebration in the cafeteria. I left after eating and drinking my fill because I had to go to Hong Kong earlier than I had initially planned.
My flight on the 14th coincided with a tsunami warning. Although I had originally booked ferry tickets to get to Hong Kong Airport I ended up canceling the ferry tickets and instead booked a hotel near the airport that night so I could simply take the hotel shuttle to the airport the next day.
I was sad to be leaving a day earlier than planned because it meant not saying proper goodbyes to Faye but it ended up being the right call as the next day all ferry services were suspended due to the weather.
I stayed in the Regala SkyCity Hotel for the night. I enjoyed a nice dinner of fried oysters and crab noodles. The next morning I had breakfast and and went up to the rooftop for the view.
Then I went to the airport.
My flight to NY JFK was a little under 16hrs. Upon arrival I took a taxi to Herbarium where I picked up some vapes and flower. Then I went to Nova Hotel Brooklyn to sleep for the night. My mom would come to pick me up the next day.
My mom picked me up the next day after checkout. On our way to my sister's house we stopped for a sim card.
I stayed at my sister's house for a night. It was nice seeing the family again after so long.
The next day my mom took me to Kyle's house and then he took me to get the rental car. I stayed at his place from the 16th until the 19th. While I was there we visited Lake Tobias Wildlife Park and went for a short hike at a Trexler Park. I got to spend time with my brother and my new nephew, Keanu, which was lovely.
On the 19th I visited my dad and step-mother at a vacation rental they had booked in the Jim Thorpe area. The place was secluded and quiet. It was very peaceful there. My brother and his wife Andrea also came to visit and on the 20th we all went to Mauch Chunk Lake for a swim in during the day and in the evening my brothers and Andrea went to Bear Rock Junction to play some miniature golf.
On the 21st we went to the Palmerton pool, where I had spent a lot of my youth, and enjoyed the lovely weather and a nice swim. Afterward I went on a sunset hike at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. My brother and Andrea left that day to head back to Maine.
On Sunday June 22nd I met with Ashlyn, my long time friend from KU, and we went for a hike at Mauch Chunk Lake before going to Jim Thorpe. Afterward we returned to my dad's vacation rental. She crashed in the empty guestroom so that we could head out early the next day to the Delaware Water Gap and Crater Lake.
So, the next morning we set off early for Crater Lake. We swam across and back and then hiked to Hemlock Pond where I took another quick dip. Then we hiked back and Ashlyn set off while I stayed behind to decide my game plan for the evening.
I had originally planned to camp at one of the Appalachian Trail shelters within an hour of the lake. I drove for an hour to the Kirkridge Shelter parking site. Along the way I had to slow down many times to avoid hitting deer and even a bear.
I arrived as the sun was setting and discovered I had forgotten to charge my headlamp. So I plugged it into my car and decided to roll some joints while it charged. While I sat there preparing for my night, another person pulled up beside my car. They did not get out or start preparing to camp. They just sat there. This made me paranoid and I decided to leave. Something was off and my gut feeling was telling me me to leave, so I drove back to my dad's vacation rental and stayed the night there. I went back to Crater Lake the next day for some more swimming and booked a campsite at Stokes State Forest to ensure I had a secure place to sleep that night.
On the 25th I returned to my sister's place. I played with my nephews and we went out and about having fun. We celebrated Keanu's 1st birthday on the 28th. My cousins Lori and JT came to visit with my Aunt Kay. It would be the last time I saw my aunt before she passed away from injuries due to a fall.
I had planned to stay there until the 2nd but because my nephews' sleep schedules had them waking up early each morning, and (according to my sister) it was rude for me to even ask them to be more quiet in the morning. I decided to book a hotel room for the rest of my stay in PA. I would still drive out to spend time with my nephews each day but was no longer sleep deprived.
On the 29th we went to the local community pool and then afterward I booked a stay in Home2Stay by Hilton until July 1st.
On the 30th my mom and I got Ethiopian food.
Then on the 1st I drove to my sister's one last time to drop some things off and say goodbye before checking into the Swarthmore Hotel, which was closer to the airport.
On July 2nd I flew to Toronto, and so ended my visit to the US for 2025.
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