Kayaking at Lake Quinault

I took a weekend and got out of town a few weeks ago to enjoy Lake Quinault with my Mom (in the middle) and sister Katie (on the left). We had a great time and had unusually hot dry weather (keep in mind this is in the Quinault Rainforest). We took the kayaks across the lake and got fried on the way back. Of course we forgot to put on sunscreen, and were in these weird kayaks that you sit on top of and as we came back across the lake, it got really sunny. It was super hard work to steer without rudders so we got a great workout. My grandparents used to own a cabin on the lake when I was young, and it was so good to get back out to the lake.

We drove around the North Shore of the lake, it is so beautiful! We passed by the newly remodeled Lake Quinault Resort and it was beautiful. And had very reasonable prices. On the last day we were there, we took a small hike and it was so different from all the other hike I have taken out at Lake Quinault. The trail went past a homestead from back at the turn of the century and then into the woods, but the wood were really open and spacious.

Austin, Texas

What a great city!!! I was in Austin a few weeks back for a friend's wedding, and had a blast. I had the worst time getting down there and found a great link to some great travel tips, but the city is as good as I have always heard. Just like my friend Scott said, the blue island in the red sea. And he wasn't joking!

We stayed in the coolest hotel in the city, Hotel San Jose, and were even thinking about how we could set up a hotel like it in Seattle. Any time you go to Austin, you have to stay here. And definitely order the room service breakfast, it is amazingly presented!

Oh yeah, and I also stayed at the Austin Motel for the first few days, it was ok, but I would definitely recommend the Hotel San Jose for a small splurge. I did a ton of shopping and ate too much bar-b-q and Mexican food - oh yeah and it was ridiculously hot and humid!!! And I even ran into a distant relative at the watering hole we went to to get some reprieve from the stifling heat.

I am back to blogging!

Ok, so I am finally back after an 11 month hiatus. Lots has happened since my last time posting, so forgive me for missing some things in the mean time. But I intend on keeping this updated in the near future and I look forward to hearing from my friends from near and far!

I took this photo when I was in Portland a few months ago and it kind of sums up tmy life as of the last few years. From Seattle, to Maryland for grad school, to Canada, to South Africa, back to Maryland, and then off to London and then back to Seattle. But now that I am back in Seattle, things are good, and I am finally settling in. Keep me posted on what you are up to when you have a chance and I hope you get a taste of what i am up to too!