BUCKETLIST: I got my US Roadtrip!

[forever_wandering]

A few months back, I joined up with my parents for a road trip across the US. We departed from Sitka, Alaska by boat, then drove from Bellingham, Washington to Tampa, Florida. It was a two week trip, but well worth it! Having lived abroad or on small islands all my life, I never got the chance to experience life in the actual US. This trip allowed me to see so many different things I learned just how beautiful America actually is! 

   While on the boat along Canada, en route to Washington, there was an earthquake! We didn't know it at the time though. The boat was rocking ferociously and we thought the boat would flip over. We were told to stay in our cabins. It lasted about 30 minutes. When the rocking stopped, I turned on the radio and the news station was talking about an earthquake off the coast of Canada..which was where we had been! Our poor dogs had been alone below deck in the car (They weren't allowed up to the cabins) during an earthquake! >.< 

   As soon as we hit dry land, we got some food I went to Dunkin Donuts for the first time in 12 years, planned our route and took off. Because I didn't have a legal US license at the time, my parents handled the driving while I sat back and captured the sights. =D I felt like I was in a foreign country, finally seeing things I had seen in books, with my own eyes. 

Being together for so long, naturally, we had moments where we wanted to rip each other's hair out, but in the end, I'm glad I got to spend this time with my parents. 

In Montana, my mom and dad bought some food from a local BBQ, and the burgers were massive. I'm pretty sure there was an entire cow between those two pieces of bread. We found this rather humorous since on the way to the hotel, there were several fields full of cows... Whenever someone would pick up a burger, one of us would go "Mooooooooooo!" before the other could take a bite =D. I'm sorry cow. RIP. 

We went to our first truck-stop! Of course, we kept an eye out for any overly-friendly men wearing cowboy hats and chewing tobacco. We've seen enough sci-fi movies to know that the acceptance of a single kind gesture from one of these men means sudden death. And of course, we all know TV doesn't lie...

Every time we crossed a state, my mom would stop at a gift shop and buy a shot glass for her collection. Jokingly, I told my mom I hoped we wouldn't get pulled over because the cops would see all the shot glasses and take us for alcoholics. Mom looks at me and goes: Those are for drinking?! I only wanted them because they're cute and little....THEY'RE FOR DRINKING?!?! 

My mom has been collecting shot glasses from around the world for 5 years, but now that she knows they are for drinking, she's decided to collect bells. 

Comments

[moldypotatochip.livejournal.com]

Lol are you serious about your mom and shot glasses?! XD

I went on a roadtrip once just with my mom, from MI through Chicago area, over to Iowa and down to Missouri, then back again. It was a lot of fun. I think and even longer trip would be more fun but I can also see how it could put you on each others' nerves.

I've experienced a lot of earthquakes here in Japan but never by sea! Sounds like it was scary.

[kurikuribebi]

Haha, yes, I'm serious! My mom is like that.

Yeah, I've been through the earthquake or two in Japan. Most of them I didn't realize were earthquakes until after I checked my phone for the warning announcment though. Usually, I assumed it was the train since we lived so close to the station then.

Being on a boat during an earthquake though was insane. When the boat rocked, I felt like if I stuck my hand out the window, I could literally stick my fingers in to the water.

[moldypotatochip.livejournal.com]

At New Years I was in Tokyo and I was on a bridge during an earthquake. It was not too crazy but my boyfriend pointed out that you could see bubbles rising to the surface of the river during and afterward. So I can imagine that in the sea the same kind of thing might happen... not to mention waves!! That does seem unnerving.

[kurikuribebi]

You know, I don't recall seeing bubbles...but then again, I wasn't really paying attention to the water itself. I was paying more attention to how close we'd get to it every time the boat rocked.

I imagine though, that the bubbles would take longer to rise in an ocean compared to in a river.

[kurikuribebi]

Yeah, and it annoys the heck out of me that the captain or crew didn't think to tell everyone it was an earthquake. Theres a chance that they didn't know themselves but I thought boats had machines to tell them about changes in the water and such?

Krispy Kreme! I've only eaten there once! We made the line for two hours to get in! lol. I don't remember the taste though. It's been over powered by Dunkin.

She probably wont throw them away. She just won't buy anymore.

[jimjamjenny.livejournal.com]

That sounds awesome! :)

It's so cute that your mum didn't realise that she was collecting shot glasses. I can imagine my mum doing something similar!!

[kurikuribebi]

Too cute right? When I was younger, I would have been so embarrassed by my mom saying something like this...but now I'm older and when she says something like that, I have no choice but to go...awww...

[esperity.livejournal.com]

Roadtrips are great fun! You went to Canada but on the west coast. ;w; I'm near the east coast and I'm glad that when you went you didn't get harmed during the earthquake.

[kurikuribebi]

We never got a chance to actually set foot in Canada, but we did joke about jumping overboard and making a swim for it though =) My mom can't swim though...

[esperity.livejournal.com]

;w; You're mom has some morbid humour.

[kurikuribebi]

I totally ignored your actual comment because I was too busy staring at your icon going, "Simbaaaaa, one day, this will all be yours."

Lion king. Love that movie.

But yea, mom does, lol.

[esperity.livejournal.com]

I agree. Lion King is also one of my favourites. I remember crying when Mufasa died to Scar. ;w;

[kurikuribebi]

Oh man! Me too! For some reason, I still expect him to live. No matter how many times I watch, at that part I'm like "He's gonna be ok! He's gonna be ok!!"

[sunnyjes.livejournal.com]

That sounds like so much fun! I've actually been to a majority of the states in the US and it is a beautiful country despite political and economical disasters that are going on daily.

But it's great you go to experience it and especially with family <3 Although that earthquake did sound a little scary ><''

[kurikuribebi]

This trip was my first chance to actually see the US. I was born in New York, but after leaving NY a few days after being born, we moved off to an island.

I agree! It really is quite beautiful! It was amazing to see how the colors of different landscapes changed from state to state. It was like looking at a series of paintings.

Yeah. The earthquake I could do without!

[warriorofdream.livejournal.com]

wow it is awesome, I've always been wishing to take trip through America.. different people, things, scenery.. wooooow
you so so lucky <3

[kurikuribebi]

I'm lucky my parents invited me along for the ride!

[minkybinky.livejournal.com]

I love the shot glass comment... too cute! (What is it with moms and shot glasses, btw? lol My mom loves to collect those, salt & pepper shakers and snowglobes)

My friends and I are hoping to plan a road trip during the summer - We want to go to the States and visit some of those weird roadside attractions :P Anyways, that road trip sounded like it was so much fun :)

[kurikuribebi]

Most moms collect those things for the same reason: They're small and cute. It's definitely a mom thing. The minute you give birth, you'll have the urge to shop for them, I'm sure.

If you do go on that road trip, make sure you blog about it! =D