Let's Take a Trip

These past few weeks have been really wierd. My mind keeps coming back to traveling, which isn't abnormal for myself, but traveling to these three places and they keep popping up everywhere!

FIRST

New York City

Even though I've been there plenty of times, who can really get enough of the Big Apple? Recently my friends have been going there to see all the holiday shows and sales and I just watched a special about The Big Apple Circus and how Lincoln Center is its crowning jewel while on tour. I haven't been there since early August and I have to say that NYC in the winter is just amazing. So it's only a matter of time until my next visit...

SECOND

Cal-i-four-nay-a

I've only been to CA once, and I was in 2nd grade going to see a taping of Wheel of Fortune because my mom was on it! It was a really cool spur of the moment sorta thing but I only got to experience a little bit of the Golden State. Besides a tour of Universal studios, a meal at one of LA's Cheesecake Factories and the pool of the Raddison hotel, I really didn't see much! With both World of Jenks and The Buried Life having episodes shot in California recently, it's only been fueling my desire to go there.

THIRD

Alaska

Maybe I've been watching too much TLC and the ads for Sarah Palin's Alaska are now etched in my mind, but I keep coming back to this northern retreat. Everything about Alaska screams beautiful, like it's another world up there. I can not wait to experience everything it has to offer. I happen to have relatives up there too so why not have a family reunion?!

Song stuck in my head: "California" by Metro Station

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison

Crazy Crazy Chocolate

So, as most of you know I went to Hershey, PA at the end of June for a few days. I thought I'd tell you all about my trip- maybe some of you guys will want to go there now!


My family and I didn't stay at any of the Hershey hotels because their rates were a little too high and most of their rooms were booked. We ended up staying at a nearby hotel, and the drive to the park wasn't too long. We went there the night we arrived in Lancaster county to visit the Chocolate World and get a good price on the tickets, because if you purchase them a couple hours before the park closes, they're good for the next day! The Chocolate World was fun, they have a free tour that takes you through the process of making chocolate which I really liked because I thought it was going to being some boring walk through thing but the tour was actually a mini ride-plus you get a free mini Hershey's bar at the end! There's lots of things to do at the Chocolate World- if you've got cash. There's a really cool create your own candy bar experience, a 3-D show, trolley tours, and of course an extensive food court and gift shop. I didn't do anything except buy some things at the gift shop because we had to make our way over to the amusement park!


If you love roller coasters, Hershey Park is going to be amazing for you. But the thing is, I don't. What I do love though, is water rides. And I was surprised to see that the Hershey Park had quite a few of those in their "Boardwalk". The rides I went on were great and you can't beat greasy amusement park food. ;) Of course the park was dotted with gift shops, just to make sure you didn't leave with anything in your wallet! And while some prices are expected for tourist shops, my sister and I managed to find some good prices on certain candy. Hershey Park also offers shows at their small theater in the center of all the rides. My mom and I watched a good part of a tap show (cleverly titled Tap!), which was a good way to keep yourself entertained for a half hour, but definitely not any longer.


After spending a good day and a half at Hershey, we visited some of the tourist stops throughout the Dutch country. We stopped at a Farmer's market, Antique stores, and drove around looking at the farmland and covered bridges. It's truly gorgeous up there, and I asked my sister if she could picture me as a farmer because I was dying to own acres of rolling hills and live in a barn, and she just laughed.

My sister and I coming off of one of the water rides at Hershey

Overall it was an awesome little trip, and hopefully I'll get the chance to visit there again! It still amazes me though how such a huge establishment filled with stadiums, theme parks, and gardens is centered over chocolate!



Song stuck in my head today: "The Best Day" by Taylor Swift


Keep on keepin' on,


Madison

Another Quick Memo...

I know. I know. Just when I make a comeback I gotta leave twice?! Sorry guys! This time I'll be gone for a WEEK. In ICELAND. Iceland, I know. I know. Haha, alright here's the low down. My best friend in the universe lives there and it's about time I'm giving her a visit because in the past five years since she's moved, I've only gone over there once. I'm super stoked, but here's the thing: (well obviously I'll miss blogging! But here's a major frightening factor) I'm flying there alone. If you've known me for my whole life, at some point or another you would have realized that I have some sort of anxiety issues. I can get myself really worked up about things. I was so scared when I booked the flight, but my nervous feelings went into hiding the months coming up to the trip, and I kept thinking about the posistives! How this would be an adventure, how it would help me with my fears... but now I woke up at five o'clock this morning after having a dream about flying, and I couldn't fall back to sleep! I finally realized, I'm going on a plane. Alone. It's been sorta freaking me out the whole day! Like having a lingering bad taste in your mouth, being stuck in an extremely awkward situtaion, it was just nagging at me in the back of my mind the whole day.


I've been on tons of planes before though, and I LOVE traveling. My mom had worked for American Airlines for the longest time, so I was exposed to a lot at a younger age. I'm just hoping all the butterflies will go away once the plane takes off, because there's no turning back now! Yikes!

Me and my best friend, Svana, in 2005(?) in front of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland!

Thanks again for putting up with me! Maybe I can do short posts while I'm away?! Hope so! ♥


Song stuck in my head today: "So Yesterday" by Hilary Duff :P


Keep on keepin' on,


Madison