MikeSpike.org

So once again I have let the time go and no new posts remain on my site. Now, the air is getting colder, the leaves are changing and the dreaded short days of sunlight have begun. It’s mid November and at the end of this week is the mass consumption of food, or as we call it Thanksgiving. As I reflect back on the months of 2007, I’ve had a lot to be thankful about. For one I’ve had the chance to travel to two different continents in the same year. South America, for one, will be an unforgettable trip. It’s funny to see what memories stick out when you look back at trips. Everybody has those times throughout their trips that they have unforgettable moments. I can never forget the times of feeling soo small traveling through South America trying to contemplate how far I was from home. I’m kinda a map lover (don’t ask) so I’m always trying to get my reference to things. Another time, I remember taking a 75 mile trip across the Chilean border which entailed riding in an old Buick tank car filled with four Hispanics and two Americans(me and Anna). Rest assure I felt comfortable after seeing a skeleton hanging from the rearview mirror. If my cuban mother could only see this to know her son was in safe hands.My trip wasn’t even complete after a 10 hour Bolivian bus ride equipped without bathrooms and puking my guts out three times. So much for my first real meal in the high altitude. Maybe the locals appreciated the little U.N. bag drops out the window. =) Needless to say I got use to bus rides from 8-14 hours, if you want to get around cheap this was the best way.On my European trip, things went great. I was fortunate enough to have friends to stay with which was a great plus when things were so expensive in Europe. Maybe I’m a penny pincher but staying with locals is the way to go for real life experiences.

Since my big travels I’ve been back to the weekly grind of working, making money and paying bills. The real life as they call it. But still I escape on the weekends to either side of my wonderful state that I’m proud to live in. Even though I’ve traveled thousands of miles away from home, I still find things in my own state that amaze me. One thing I can boast about is how spectacular the sunsets are. For some reason in this tarheel sky blue state, when the sun sets be prepared for a wonder sight.

I’ll have one more out-of-state trip for the year, New Orleans or the “big easy.” I have much to read about the city, I don’t know much besides the great devastation of the flooding year back. I’m looking forward to another family trip, it’s been long needed and I miss them. Those were the fun days of flying standby, my dad making it a game of seeing which flight we’d leave on. Dad had all the odds on a piece of paper, he’d always done his homework before our big family trips. Sometimes our trips were even altered at the last minute which I didn’t mind. It was great when we went to Chicago’s O’hare airport, the mecca for United Airlines. Looking at the grid of screens, there were a gazillion destinations for planes to fly to. Dad always joked about just picking any place on the screen, Tahiti, New Zealand or maybe Madagascar. Those days were the best.PS: I’ll try to post more often. =)