Back in the Worldwide Surf

It's around 2 in the morning here in Long Island, NY. We're staying at the Marriott Residence Inn, and we got here after a long drive from the Penn Station at New York City, where our 13-hr train ride from Charlotte, North Carolina ended, and after a dinner of fried chicken, fried fish cake, and choco chip cookies w/ tita Susan and tito Jaffy at their home just 10 mins away. It was a long day of cross-state travel but I still feel like making up for my absence in the past four days that we spent in Charlotte.

Charlotte. Charlotte. Where do I start?

Well, when we mentioned back home in the Philippines that North Carolina was to be a part of our US trip itinerary, we got these responses: 1) "What's there to see in North Carolina?" Or worst 2) "Where's that?"

It's my pleasure to be able to tell the doubtful Thomases now that our stay in Charlotte was, to say the least, delightful. On our official first day there, October 27, I stole a few moments of internet time at an Apple store in one posh mall and tweeted a quick 140-lettered message, "We are in Charlotte, N Carolina at its most gorgeous time of the year. Autumn. I never thought Id gush so much just be looking at trees."

That's an understatement. We went on a roadtrip the next day, October 28, to the inner recesses of the vibrantly quiet state that is North Carolina and passed through long roads bounded by lush spread of trees in different deep shades of autumn colors. It always gets prettier. We stayed in a mansion w/ all the modern facilities you can imagine but (and a major BUT) Wifi, so I did not have access to the internet at all. I made two offline posts however that I will publish shortly after this, and maybe photos if my patience and my salty eyes will allow.

We're halfway through our travel and I'm already a bit weary. Yet, I don't want to go home. I find it very healthy to be exposed to all the beauty and energy and wonder of the world outside my comfort zone. It keeps my desires alive. Keeps me and my dreams alive. To borrow from The Arcade Fire, "Keep the car running."

***

We want to say thank you to the most gracious hosts, tito Miking and tita Tammy who showed their piece of North Carolina to us so generously we got to see, experience and enjoy beauty and nature like we never had before.

Thank you to Katie and Kris for sharing their rooms with us. Good luck Kris, on your college application and Katie, on your competitions. Kris wants to take up Aero Engineering at Virginia Tech. He is a nerd. Katie is part of her high school's marching band. She is a sweetie.

We also got to meet other relatives over there: tita Elena, her friendly son Kevin (who wants to be a fashion designer), lovely daughter Kaye (who, like me, believes single ladies shouldn't hurry to cross the line over to marriage), and to our cousin, the bubbly Kim.

So delightful.