Dozing polar bear, Indianapolis Zoo

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

My triumpant return to the internet

No more will I haunt the local Borders to catch a few minutes of internet time. I am hooked up now, friends. And I have the following observations to share with you that I've saved up over the past couple of weeks:

1. To the influx of new readers from Europe brought here by Sancho: You are wonderful people! I've heard from folks in the Netherlands, France, Austria, all parts of the United Kingdom, and Belgium. And I have been uniformly delighted by your friendliness, your impeccable manners and your deep concern for a giant otter and his human. This makes me want to travel to Europe as soon as possible so I can spend some time with such lovely people. (Of course, this also applies to the one reader from Thailand who was brought here as well by Sancho!) I love how the internet has made the world such a very small place, and I have so enjoyed talking with all of you. I hope at least some of you keep reading and participating.

2. Mr. T and I seem to have a penchant for moving from one state to another in snowstorms. We moved from Florida (yes, Florida! In the winter!) to North Carolina in early January of 1996. We had been told that North Carolina hadn't had significant snow in ten years. The first thing I saw when I turned onto our new street was a snow plow that had become stuck -- in the snow. People in Idaho and eastern Washington seem less concerned about this sort of thing, but one does tend to wonder whether the snow will ever stop.

3. Finally, I am taking a trip this weekend. Mr. T goes to a trade show every year in the winter. Last year it was in Florida, and I happily attended that one, of course. Every other year -- this year included -- the show has been in Las Vegas.

I've always avoided the Las Vegas trips. But this year, since Mr. T is working at a different company, going to Vegas offers the only opportunity we'll have for some time to see old friends from Portland (yes, that means you, Tony) and friends from Asia.

While I know some of my blogging colleagues have enjoyed Vegas, I've always been viscerally repulsed by the prospect of it. (For what it's worth, Rose's descriptions of her trip there were the first crack in my resolve never to step foot in the place.) And really, it goes against my liberal nature to condemn something without ever partaking of it. That's a little too book burn-ish for me.

So off I go to Vegas until Tuesday. But please don't laugh at the idea of me in my jeans, men's sweater and hiking boots, hair yanked back into a sloppy ponytail with five-year old in tow, on the streets of Sin City. Because as they say, what happens in Vegas -- ah, never mind. I can't even bring myself to finish that.

But perhaps there will be pictures.

6 comments:

A Lewis said...

Nothing wrong with going to Border's, is there? Tempting, for sure. Have fun in LV.....

Trailhead said...

No, nothing wrong with Borders. And I did become quite fond of their hot chocolate. But I like being connected constantly, like any proper addict.

Pernicious Panda said...

Congratulations on getting a vacation. Go. Enjoy! They'll still be plenty of snow when you get back.

By the way, W. really liked the idea of auctioning off her folded crane/book cover. I plan to see if she posts something on the scheme before calling in the troops...

Rose said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rose said...

TH,
Have fun in Vegas!

Will you be hiring/borrowing a babysitter? If so, try to catch a Cirque du Soleil show ("O" was a feast for the senses, and I'm dying to see "Love" that's set to the music of of the Beatles).

Also, make sure you go up to the top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel. It's got a killer view and if you time it right, you can watch the Bellagio water fountain show from up above. Magnificent.

And then there's the arboretum in the Bellagio Hotel that's beautiful and free.

And you already read on my blog about Circus Circus (it's a dump of a hotel at the end of the strip but it has free circus performances every 15-20 minutes and a midway and arcade for kids). Excalibur also has a midway for kids. TK might enjoy the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay.

http://babyastrid.blogspot.com/2007/10/shark-reef-at-mandalay-bay.html

-Rose

Trailhead said...

Excellent recommendations, thanks! I fear Mr. T and I will have little kid-free time, though. But the Shark Reef looks awesome, as do your other ideas. You're the best!