Wonderful vacation in the States

I didn’t write a lot of posts during the vacation, so instead comes here a long one. The one about Norcal I wrote on my way from there, the rest once I got home. You can read the whole, jump between the parts or just look at the photos. Anyway, enjoy!

 

Content

  • Norcal
  • Santa Barbara
  • Las Vegas
  • The trip home
  • Rangers

 

Norcal

(Written Monday April 23, 2012)

 

I’m now once again sitting on the bus between LAX and Santa Barbara. It feels so good. So far I have had a wonderful weekend up north.

 

All flights went well Friday, and when Lauren came to meet me up at the airport, we saw the storm of emotions we had expected. So lovely it was to see her again.

 

Friday night was mostly some shopping and great food at the Cheesecake factory.

 

Saturday though was very fully scheduled. The first hours I spent on my own, while Lauren was getting her hair done and Kyle was working. So I wandered around in Williams, a town of 5,000 where they live. It was so incredibly hot. I had to stop many times to buy water. It was in the 90’s all day. After a while I came to the restaurant where Kyle and Lauren work, and I got a beer to ease the thirst.

 

 

Later we went to Lauren’s family’s farm and I got to ride, and also feed the horses. To do horseback riding at the Californian countryside feels very American.

 

Lauren and Kyle

 


Cowboy!


 

Something that is even more American is guns. We had a little shooting practice at Kyle’s parents’ land. I tried on a few pistols :)

 

After that we went to a bbq in Colusa, with many people, nice food and beers. Nice.

 

Everybody then went to the same bar from earlier that day. We waited for the clock to strike twelve, so that Lauren could become 21 and start drinking. Right after midnight she was given so many drinks, shots and champagne.

 

Sunday was here birthday, and we celebrated it in Chick, at the Sierra Nevada Brewery, that also is a restaurant. A lot of Lauren’s friends and family was there, and afterwards, us young people went to discovery Chico’s bar life.

 


A happy gang at a pub in Chico

 

 

After a well needed American breakfast at Denny’s this morning, Lauren drove me to the airport and I headed south. As I said, I’m now on the bus, awaiting to come home to the lovely Santa Barbara once again.

 

Santa Barbara

(Written May 9)

Finally home again! Almost one year after I left this heaven on Earth I got the opportunity to come back to see the places and people. Everything was good. Kinda.

 

During the days I was all by myself, since the people I lived with (Nima, dan and others) was in school. I spent every day wandering around in the town and visit all the places I’ve missed. So many emotions. Of course, a lot of happiness, but also a kind of sadness. When I walked around all thoughts came up, how I used to live here and have the perfect life, but that I don’t anymore. This is no longer my home. The wonderful life I had is no more. I have a great time nowadays, too, but not in the same way.

 

But of course most things was pure wonderful on my trip. It was so amazing to see everybody again. It was fun coming back to the Channels lab and see how they worked. They were doing the Commencement issue, and they were as stressed as they should be.

 

There was a whole lot of partying, as it should be when you’re living the college life. At the most I had nine nights in a row of partying, then a few days rest, and then on it again. Wonderful! Many games of beer pong, and Malibu pong once the beer was gone, nights out, and margarita nights. A whole lot of fun with great people.

 

The weather wasn’t that good all the time. Overcast many days. But since I was out walking and running during the days it was kinda nice that it wasn’t straight-on sun. But I got to have one day at the beach with tanning, and you get some color just by being outdoors.

 

I also have time to eat at a whole lot of food places I had missed. Many lovely lunches and dinners at Sandbar, the sushiplaces in the Harbor and Paseo Nuevo, Kahuna grill, Freebirds, Shoreline Café, ice cream at Yogurtland, cupcakes at Crushcakes, and many more. Some I didn’t have time to visit, like California Pizza Kitchen and Elephant bar. I’ll go there next time.

 

Went to the movies twice and saw to nice movies. Safe, an action with Jason Statham, and The Raven, a thriller about Edgar Allen Poe. Both well worth watching.

 

It was so nice to see my old friends again. Party with Nima and Dennis again, hang out with Gaby and the other people form The Channels. I saw Paige a whole lot, and we went kayaking on the ocean. So much fun, can’t believe I haven’t done that before in Santa Barbara. And finally Cecily showed up, oh how I’ve missed her. It wasn’t that many days we met, but it was fun while it lasted.

 

The school, and overcast

 

Paige and Cecily! <3

 

Las Vegas

 

Back in the desert, and the incredible fun city that has everything. It took a while to get there, the traffic was horrible all the way from Thousand Oaks, all through the greater Los Angeles Area, and a bit in to the I15. But me and Cecily got there, and met up with Lauren, Kyle and their friend Paul at the Tropicana.

 

We had an intense weekend, but so amazing. Party around different hotels and casinos, we went in the roller coaster at New York, New York, and relaxed by the pool at our hotel.

 

Saturday night we had birthday dinner for Lauren at Kokomo’s at Mirage and then went to see a show with Cirque du Solei at Treasure Island. So awesome.

 


Cecily and Lauren in Vegas!

 

 

 

The trip home

The others left on a flight at 7am, (Cecily drove) and I had my flight at 11am. It was bad weather in all of the Midwest, so the plane was a little late to Chicago, but I got there in time. But that didn’t matter. The bad weather continued, and the plane couldn’t leave until it was three hours too late. Therefore I missed my connecting flight in Frankfurt. They got a replacement flight, but I also missed the bus from Copenhagen. But there was a train I could take almost immediately at the station. Because of the construction work there was a change train/bus/train in Ängelholm and Laholm, and eventually I was back in Halmstad after a few weeks of amazing vacation in the beautiful California and Las Vegas. Friends, sun, bath, party and pure awesomeness.

 

I don’t know when I’ll be back. Haven’t planned anything, but hopefully it will happen again, one day or another.

 

Rangers

During the time in America I have had time to watch a lot of hockey. The games have been broadcast in early afternoon, when my friends was in school anyway. And it has gone well. Rangers plays better than never before, both in the regular season, but mostly in the playoff. For a long time this year I have had a good feeling about this, but now it feels that this is the real thing. This year might be the year. It’s time. And I believe.

 

The best games was last Wednesday against Washington, when the game went to third overtime period before Gaborik could score. The game was so nerve thrilling and exciting all way through. Both teams could have won, but Rangers did.

Also fun that Lundqvist is nominated for three awards. Two as MVP, and also goalie of the year. Also, Tortarella is nominated for best coach. But first there is another silver trophy that needs to be captured. Let’s Go Rangers!