I didn't think that we would, but we did, and we managed. :D
It makes me think of how fun it would've been to do that at a con; ... drinking included. >D
(Yeah. None of us would've thought that before. But shows that people are capable of change, yes?)
So we got up around seven (I'm constantly glancing at what I wrote while listening to a mixtape, so forgive me if things sound a little all over the place) rather than six-- some of the girls had to make it back before noon or so because they had class or tests, and though only four of us were registered for the room, we somehow managed to smuggle in breakast for the "refugees." XD
I really enjoyed hanging out with all of them, and only wondered what the next days would hold.
Me, two boys, and camping. Hooo boy.
That, and a lot of driving.
But I knew that somehow we'd all make it out alive, and that was part of the excitement and enjoyment of the trip.
We stopped in Columbia, SC to eat at a Subway-- definitely should have eaten at "Lizard's Thicket." >D
Who knows, maybe somehow we'll mysteriously find that exit again... Snerk.
Ah. So it seems here is where I started writing about how I can be ridiculous in a traditional sense.
Sigh.
(In the back of my mind floats this ridiculous thing about,
"Oh, you belong with a traditionalist..." -_-).
... Anyway.
I'm going to quote what I'd written, then explain further.
"So. I may be old-fashioned. A traditionalist. Doesn't mean I have to be with one ... There would need be variance, after all. We're allegedly interested in the qualities of others that we may not have. So..."
Yes. You'll be seeing a lot of introspection in this trip. It's only necessary.
But here, one of my little quirks, and I know where it comes from.
Basically, I think that if you're on a vacation, you shouldn't be constantly online or something. I know, it's ridiculous.
That belief is there because of my family, and though I know I don't have to agree with it, I know where they're coming from.
You see, if you were just online during a vacation, then what was the point of ever leaving your house?
And of course, I expect arguments to this and they're all very valid, and hell, I would probably agree with some of those points.
However, it's also nice to not have to be entirely connected all the time and just savor what you have, right there, at the present moment.
I'm not saying that having the technology to be connected at all times is a bad thing. If anything, it's an improvement in some ways for society. Say, during emergencies, or keeping up with current news, people, friends, family, what have you.
However, as you've all seen with my rants on LJ, sometimes I think that technology can help us be more connected yet also disconnected at the same time. I won't go further, if only because I'm not sure if anyone else would understand, and I'm not sure how to put it in words. I'm trying, though.
(That and if it weren't for technology that we'd encounter along the way, I wouldn't have been able to see what was going on with the Iran Election on CNN at that Subway, nor would L.A. have received a text about MJ later... Etc.).
And oh, not to mention, that without technology, we wouldn't have gotten anywhere. T___T;
Hooray with Allen and his G1 phone...
Okay, so I think I just defeated my own argument. Sigh. This is why I never start. @__@
So back to what on earth happened that day, because that's the point of all this... Sorry about that...
So more and more driving, and at one point I got to ride shotgun so that Allen could get some sleep. L.A. was driving, and I got to finagle that Google Phone thing for once.
"Woah."
"What?"
"Mountains."
Indeed, mountains started to emerge, and I took far too many photos. As we continued our drive, the cabin (...) pressure continued to fluctuate, and it was pretty much like that for me for the rest of the trip. Continuing to swallow and even it all out (that's what she said).
And oh... "ANAL PROBE." Hahaha, you'll understand later...
So then! We reached Smoky Mountains, TN. Rather, we stopped at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it had started to rain. Luckily, the rain let up and we were able to drive a bit through Pigeon Forge and have a glimpse of Gatlinburg. Allen advised us to look for places we might be interested in eating at for the next day, etc.
The mountains were just so beautiful. Majestic. Yet frightening all at once.
We went up, down, over, and around them. Through them, even.
Luckily I was riding behind the driver's seat so I didn't have an over-the-edge view that Lawrence did (YES I CALLED YOU BY YOUR NAME) but it's funny because we're both scared of heights/scared of falling. T_T
I tried looking once and it was so eerie. I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt like we would just somehow careen over the edge. Thankfully, Allen has driven these roads many, many times, and so I trusted him.
We drove with the windows down a lot-- I didn't really care that it was messing with my hair. It felt nice, actually.
I have always enjoyed driving with the windows down-- I feel more in touch with the world, rather than being cooped up in a shell. Bleh.
Oh. I apparently also have written in here, "I'm definitely coming back here with my husband one day."
... Hahahahahahahaha. ... :\
I was also charging my camera battery with an external battery pack thing that Kuya had brought-- thank goodness.
There was a lot of that, actually. Leeching of power from random places, whenever possible.
I guess I'm lucky that no one calls me, because I had my phone off for most of the time, unless we were in an area that had signal. Sigh. ._.
So we stayed at a KoA-- basically, Kampground of America, and it was actually my first time at one of those, surprisingly.
I've gone camping a lot in my life (a lot more than any of you would know or expect, I'm sure) and the last time I'd gone camping was in high school and I said it'd be my last time. Oddly enough I don't think any of us have gone camping since then.
Our lot was a really nice one-- I felt bad because it was only three of us and we wouldn't even be using the campsite to its full potential. We had a lovely view, with the river constantly rushing quite near us. I miss it a lot, actually.
(I wanted to make s'mores...).
Ah. I love this next thing that I wrote.
"If I had a boyfriend and we went camping, we'd be in such trouble. XD Won't lie."
Seriously.
... Seriously.
Ahem. Anyway.
Even though we'd just arrived, Allen had already planned for us to go hiking somewhere, and we were ready to do so.
We stopped by the border of NC and TN, took some photos, it was a nice little rest stop. More pictures...
I also managed to call my family at some point, it seems...
Afterwards, we visited Clingman's Dome.
... Oh, wow.
First of all, Kuya and I are in terrible shape. Allen was ahead of us like it was nothing, whereas we were like "huff, puff, wheeeze...."
You see, it was more of an incline than we expected, and at that height... Well.
But we managed, and it was funny, I tried to text but already the walking and lack of oxygen (in a way, in that climber's way) were already affecting me. It also made me sad once again that somehow at this height I had signal yet no one had called.
(Kuya was somehow yammering at Don, I found it funny).
But yes, CLINGMAN'S DOME.
6,643 ft. in the air. Hahaha.
[ ~an interlude due to some random unnecessary drama. Then to my cat licking my face XD ~ ]
Okay, so somehow it's almost 4:30... Where were we.
So we climbed to what is basically the highest point in Tennessee, and while up there, we were joking about being in the City of the Clouds, seeing Lando Calrissian, all that good stuff. :)
It was so high up you could see anything from the top, because of all the mist and fog. I tried to take a video, it's amusing.
At least Kuya's goggles came in handy then. :P
Once again we stopped by the border between states, to take a few more pictures, maybe watch the sun go down.
For dinner, we gave in to BOJANGLE'S... XD
You see, we grew very ... what, vulnerable, to the ads in the place. Clearly, their advertising techniques worked well on us.
Hahaha... You'll see this come into effect later on.
Anyway, I'll go upload some more pictures, my apologies for this not being too much of a day, but the next day is full of more fun-filled adventures. :P
Bridge!
This! IS! SPARTAAAAAAAnburg.
... s'truth.
Mountains!
Anal Probe. XD
Twists and turns...
... We found him!
(I like this one. :) My hand doesn't look scary this way...).
View from the border, I believe.
The trio. :D
Border!
Home. :P
Ze river. Little River, I think...
One of my favorite pictures, actually.
Driving, driving, driving, driving!
View prior to hiking up to Clingman's Dome
Getting there!
From way high up!
Express yourself.
... Wish we'd read this beforehand. :P
Oh, Bojangle's. XD
All right, hopefully I'll have Day 3 up tomorrow, we'll see. :)
(I'm trying to recover, it's quite a hike in and of itself, I just didn't know I'd be inadvertently tripped up... Ah, life. It's interrelated, in a way, almost... Barely).
Feel free to comment here or there. :)
amazing pictures :D
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