So when the receptionist at the lodge suggested we go on a kayaking excursion after breakfast, I thought it A) Is there enough time? B) Am I friggin’ crazy? And C) This may be the end of my adventures. And then I hear myself go, “ok, why not.” Not only did we have to get back within 3hrs to check out and catch our tuk tuk to our next destination but I don’t swim and I’ve never kayaked in my life. She promised it was easy and would take less than 2hrs. Just follow the French couple (the only other people on this excursion).

Upstream we went. We transferred into out kayaks with a hand drawn map and left to row ourselves back to the lodge.

First I had to get use to the lingo of rowing and steering. Then it was a nice cruise around the mangrove, then…..we lost the frenchies. We lost them in the midst of tall mangrove. We tried to see if there was anything recognizable up above but everything looked the same and every corner we turned lead to nowhere. Freakin’ out a bit, hell yeah! Backed tracked and finally found the rickety bridge we had passed in the beginning, then the main downstream river that leads back to the lodge. I was wet, tired and exhausted after that ordeal but we lived to tell. Phew!

Would I kayak again? Maybe but not my first choice.

Its been a while since I’ve been in Asia. I’ve been here for just a little over a week and I can say its been hard on my body but lovely at the same time. In my experience, age does come to factor. I get achey and tired faster. With the right attitude and open mind, I’m going to savor every bit of it. More to come.

as 2011 comes to a near close, this year has gone by so fast i can barely get a stable footing to tell you what had happened.

Jan: i escaped midwest cold for some sunny san diego weather

Feb: Snow-meggedon!! took me almost a week to slowly dig way out to throw the trash.

Mar: snow was an after thought. no snow in sight!

April: panama city, panama

May: new york new york, happy to have witnessed alexander mcqueen’s amazing collection at the MET + also became an auntie

June: gardening + sweltering in a few days of 100 degree weather

July: enjoying the summer

Aug: michigan wedding + nyc #2

Sept: discovering the golfing range and loving it!

Oct: in the midst of finishing a huge project but finding some wee moments to reconnect with friends over tea & dessert

Nov/Dec: birthdays & holidaze

i wouldn’t say 2011 was good or bad, but i’m hoping 2012 will bring out some great surprises.

Happy New Year!!

its been a busy couple of months. i really don’t know what happened to the time. what i do know is all the random things happening overall.

i’ve pulled out the heavy sweaters and the heat is on full time. i have not brought in all my plants from the outside and i have yet to winterize the yard. we had 2 thanksgiving gathering this year (one impromptu & one usual). i still do not own a car. the test is, do i really need one? finishing up a project before i get the x’mas decorations on. unfortunately, the project may last till mid-Dec.

anyhoo, thanks for stopping by if your still reading this.