The Adventure Begins!

I feel about twenty times better than I did this morning. I’ve been using hand sanitizer and popping vitamin C/zinc pills like you wouldn’t believe, but the pills taste terrible and having one this morning on an empty stomach made me nauseated. All that is behind me though! I started the day with an amazing cup of hot chocolate at this place called Second Cup (or something very close to that). I also got a croissant sandwich for breakfast and while I ate I debated about what to do with my day. I didn’t want to spend a bunch of money on the bus, especially since they don’t seem to have transfer rates.

I decided I would go see the temple and then try to figure out how to get to the mall and just hang out there until the NaNo event started. As I was walking to the bus stop I suddenly changed plans and decided I would go straight to the mall. After all, I’ve still got to figure out what to do on my other days. Why check off all my plans now? So I headed over to the bus stop wearing my Wicked hoodie (PS why is everyone dressed like it’s snowing? it’s not that cold) and this guy laughed, thinking it was a statement about my personality and not an advertisement for a Broadway show. We got to talking and he’s a student at the University studying linguistics. He got his masters in Norway and now he’s going for his PhD. He lives right behind the gas station where I keep swearing I’m going to buy cigarettes before reminding myself I’m on a budget and I think we’re going to hang out on Saturday. Maybe. I haven’t decided. I kept cutting him off before he had the chance to ask me out. I’m not really interested in meeting anyone that’s after my heart (or my other womanly parts) and he definitely seemed interested. He even missed his bus so we could continue talking.

So after taking his digits (I compromised and took his instead of giving out mine) I hopped on the bus and headed out to the mall. On the way there we passed… THE LDS TEMPLE!!! I was ridiculously excited. I guess I don’t have to make an extra trip now! I would be glad to in a car, but round-trip it’ll cost me $7.50 and dammit I’m rapidly running out of money already with most of the week left to go. It was smaller than I’d anticipated. The only three I’ve seen in person are the LA temple, the San Diego temple (which is gorgeous beyond words) and the Salt Lake Temple and all three are very large. Oh wait, I’ve seen the Boston temple, too, but only from the freeway and I can’t recall its scale. Anyway, after taking a really crappy picture (a streetlight was blocking out the angel Moroni) the bus continued to the mall.

The largest mall in North America!! And guess what?!?!?! …it’s just a mall. -.- Walked around for an hour and decided I was sleepy and wanted to go back to the hostel for a nap. Then I walked for another half hour trying to find a damn exit!! Those sneaky bastards make it real easy to enter, but you can never find your way back out. I thought I was having a Hotel California moment.

I got back to the hostel and double-checked with the front desk about accommodations. It turns out that I could get a private room through the rest of my stay, it would just be a higher rate. Why didn’t the first girl tell me that?! Ugh. So yay, I have a place to stay. Which is particularly awesome since Patti hasn’t called me back yet.

Okay, now I’m off to continue my adventure. The NaNo event will begin shortly. Back to the mall for me!