The Outdoor Ed. Class set out for a backpacking trip at 9:00 A.M. on April 27th, 2011. We packed our gear and set out to the RC-17 trail via truck. Once we arrived we took our bearings and began the 6 hour hike. Though challenging especially because of the heavy load we all carried we made it to camp approximately 10 km down the trail.
I found that the hike was challenging both physically and mentally. The physical challenge was caused by the softness of the snow that made it willing to give way at every step and the heaviness of the backpack. The mental strain on this hike was the encouragement and willingness to keep on going. At one point or another all of us had to dig deep for that extra push to make it to camp. We made it through pacing ourselves, motivating others, and eating food for energy.
Once we got to camp, new tasks where made such as cutting wood, setting up the tent, cooking and cleaning. Every cooking group was responsible for cooking meals and cleaning dishes. These tasks also come in with time management. The group must be able to finish cleaning and packing dishes away before it gets dark. Once it is dark, it makes everything much more difficult to do.
One problem that occurred in many different cases was cramps and blisters. Though in all cases they were treated right away, they can become serious if they are not. Our class treated these problems by taking regular brakes when necessary, wearing proper footwear and treating any hot spots on feet immediately before they became problems.
The values learned in this hike apply to my life in a few ways. The steps we took to complete the hike went smoother when thought out first. Sometimes tasks must be completed one step at a time. If you let tasks be done at a natural pace, you can avoid mistakes, stress, and sometimes incompletion. This can relate to the way I do homework. Sometimes when work seems to pile up and become cumbersome I just sit back and do it one step at a time without worrying about how fast it needs to be completed. Using this technique actually helps me do things faster and more efficiently.
This excursion was enjoyable and quite useful. I learned some life lessons as well as certain skills that can be used on the field. Although the weather could have been nicer on the first day, the trip was very successful. It was pleasant being around the nature and the scenery as it seemed to relieve a lot of stress. I would defiantly do this trip again although with more careful planning on how the hike is executed.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Backpacking Camp Reflection
On April 27th, 2011 the Outdoor Ed. class took off at approximately 9 o'clock A.M. for yet another camping trip! Even though we had a minor set back, from the snow that had fallen the night before, nothing was able to stop us! We walked down the RC-17 trail for about 6 hours, approximately 10 km down the trail. We were all so relieved when we arrived at the campsite, the walk was a tough one! We all pushed through it, and motivated each other to keep going!
I found that while snowshoeing or hiking in a big group like the one we had, it is very important to walk your own pace. If you don't it will cause you to become tired faster, from trying to keep up with other people in the group. By walking your own pace, you aren't tired or sore, and you have more energy to continue to walk, which is good in the long run! You don't want to be pushing yourself too hard to keep up, because this can cause other things aswell, such as dedyration, from pushing yourself too hard. Walk as fast or slow as you need to, to stay comfortable. When the class was walking, there was a group far up ahead, some in the middle, and a group of people in the far back. Everyone was walking their preffered speed, and everyone always had someone to walk with.
Another thing is completing tasks in a timely fashion. This includes making supper, cleaning up, preparing anything, etc. You need to make sure you are on the ball when making the meals, because if you wait too long, it will become dark and you wont be able to see what you are doing. That also ties in with doing the dishes. It's difficult doing things in the dark, so manage your time so that everything is completed in a productive way.
You are expected to do everything as well as you can. Certain tasks that must be completed with attention are setting up your tent, or setting up your stove or fire, to cook with. If you are not attentive with your stove while cooking, someone may become injured, which is something you would want to avoid when you are 6 hours from town.
When you come face-to-face with a tough challenge, take it one step at a time! Nothing needs to be rushed. A tough challenge you might encounter could be the walk going to the camp. Many classmates found the hike in to be very challenging, and physically difficult. Legs were cramping up, people were sweating, blisters were forming, etc. With this situation, all you need to do is not worry about getting there quickly, but just walking a comfortable pace, and evetually you will get there. If breaks are needed, then take one. This is the way to approach your challenges. Don't worry about getting it done right away, just worry about completing it in a way that you can work with.
These lessons apply to my life, because I am constantly faced with challenges. One good example would be homework. Completing all my homework is a big challenge for me, especially when you feel there is so much, and other things are going on in your life. All you need to do, is approach that challenge in steps. Take a breath, and do it in a way that you will have it completed. If it requires you to go outside, then do that. Another lesson would be paying attention when you're doing things. My saying is, if you're going to do something, do it right! By paying attention to your task, you will have it done possibly faster, and it will be done properly.
I had lots of fun on the camping trip. It's too bad it wasn't a little nicer, and we couldn't stay a few nights longer. It was nice to just get out and enjoy being around nature. I felt calm when we were there, because I didn't have any distractions to stress me out. I would do it again, although I'm not sure if I would go as far! It was a great workout, although my body payed for it the next day! I had lots of fun, and plan on going back to RC-17 this summer.
I found that while snowshoeing or hiking in a big group like the one we had, it is very important to walk your own pace. If you don't it will cause you to become tired faster, from trying to keep up with other people in the group. By walking your own pace, you aren't tired or sore, and you have more energy to continue to walk, which is good in the long run! You don't want to be pushing yourself too hard to keep up, because this can cause other things aswell, such as dedyration, from pushing yourself too hard. Walk as fast or slow as you need to, to stay comfortable. When the class was walking, there was a group far up ahead, some in the middle, and a group of people in the far back. Everyone was walking their preffered speed, and everyone always had someone to walk with.
Another thing is completing tasks in a timely fashion. This includes making supper, cleaning up, preparing anything, etc. You need to make sure you are on the ball when making the meals, because if you wait too long, it will become dark and you wont be able to see what you are doing. That also ties in with doing the dishes. It's difficult doing things in the dark, so manage your time so that everything is completed in a productive way.
You are expected to do everything as well as you can. Certain tasks that must be completed with attention are setting up your tent, or setting up your stove or fire, to cook with. If you are not attentive with your stove while cooking, someone may become injured, which is something you would want to avoid when you are 6 hours from town.
When you come face-to-face with a tough challenge, take it one step at a time! Nothing needs to be rushed. A tough challenge you might encounter could be the walk going to the camp. Many classmates found the hike in to be very challenging, and physically difficult. Legs were cramping up, people were sweating, blisters were forming, etc. With this situation, all you need to do is not worry about getting there quickly, but just walking a comfortable pace, and evetually you will get there. If breaks are needed, then take one. This is the way to approach your challenges. Don't worry about getting it done right away, just worry about completing it in a way that you can work with.
These lessons apply to my life, because I am constantly faced with challenges. One good example would be homework. Completing all my homework is a big challenge for me, especially when you feel there is so much, and other things are going on in your life. All you need to do, is approach that challenge in steps. Take a breath, and do it in a way that you will have it completed. If it requires you to go outside, then do that. Another lesson would be paying attention when you're doing things. My saying is, if you're going to do something, do it right! By paying attention to your task, you will have it done possibly faster, and it will be done properly.
I had lots of fun on the camping trip. It's too bad it wasn't a little nicer, and we couldn't stay a few nights longer. It was nice to just get out and enjoy being around nature. I felt calm when we were there, because I didn't have any distractions to stress me out. I would do it again, although I'm not sure if I would go as far! It was a great workout, although my body payed for it the next day! I had lots of fun, and plan on going back to RC-17 this summer.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Spring Backpacking; A Reminder Of Winter and A Taste Of Days To Come
This past Wednesday, Manitouwadge was hit with a spring storm of rain, snow and freezing rain. Less than ideal conditions to introdroduce the Northern Studies class to backpacking. The students however, had the skills and gear to deal with the conditions even if they may have had doubts about what they were getting into.
The outdoor skills we have learned up to this point have dealt with providing for our basic needs while in the bush; safe and comfortable shelter, food and water, warmth, and social/emotional well being. This trip would introduce the students to environmental ethics and minimum impact camping skills.
The chosen campsite was RC17 rapids, a popular summer destination outside Manitouwadge where people often spend the day swimming, tubing down the rapids and camping. The site is also on the Black River canoe route from Manitouwdge to Lake Superior. This site has a beautiful section of cascades surrounded by mature jackpine forest and sandy level areas for camping.
At the site the students participated in discussions about what ethics are and how some activities people did in the past are no longer acceptable to society today. We also discussed how our undisturbed natural areas are disappearing and the remaining ones are under increased pressure because more people are attracted to fewer areas. This concentration of people to an area can quickly degrade an area unless we use skills that minimize our impact on these areas when we use them recreationally if we want to keep them in a natural state. In this respect, human actions that were acceptable in the bush in the past are no longer acceptable today.
With this in mind, we spent the remainder of the time learning and practicing minimum impact camping skills. The students built an minimum impact fire, cooked lunch and cleaned up the fire site so no trace was left to see. They also learned the proper methods of handling wastes in camp to reduce the risk of disease transmission and attracting animals to the site.
As a teacher, I was very pleased with the level of participation and positve attitudes diplayed throughout the lessons.
Our last day we were rewarded with a warm sunny day and good trail conditions to walk out on. In all it was a great trip.
The outdoor skills we have learned up to this point have dealt with providing for our basic needs while in the bush; safe and comfortable shelter, food and water, warmth, and social/emotional well being. This trip would introduce the students to environmental ethics and minimum impact camping skills.
The chosen campsite was RC17 rapids, a popular summer destination outside Manitouwadge where people often spend the day swimming, tubing down the rapids and camping. The site is also on the Black River canoe route from Manitouwdge to Lake Superior. This site has a beautiful section of cascades surrounded by mature jackpine forest and sandy level areas for camping.
At the site the students participated in discussions about what ethics are and how some activities people did in the past are no longer acceptable to society today. We also discussed how our undisturbed natural areas are disappearing and the remaining ones are under increased pressure because more people are attracted to fewer areas. This concentration of people to an area can quickly degrade an area unless we use skills that minimize our impact on these areas when we use them recreationally if we want to keep them in a natural state. In this respect, human actions that were acceptable in the bush in the past are no longer acceptable today.
As a teacher, I was very pleased with the level of participation and positve attitudes diplayed throughout the lessons.
Our last day we were rewarded with a warm sunny day and good trail conditions to walk out on. In all it was a great trip.
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Benefits of Outdoor Recreation on Human Health
Video by Ronnie Fogarty
Video by Emilio Knee
A Healthy Environment Means a Healthy You !
By: Sierra Martin
March 11, 2011
Clean water, and air are two very important aspects a human needs to live a healthy life, so why not understand to a better extent why we should work to keep these parts of our lives clean, and how we can do it. In the words of University of Michigan psychologist Rachel Kaplan “Nature matters to people. Big tees and small trees, glistening water, chirping birds. Budding bushes, colourful flowers—these are important ingredients in a good life.” (23, Kaplan)
Conserving Land
When we protect land, we protect the public’s health. In the human life, wilderness is more than just a place to look at but it’s a necessity. People may take a walk through a Provincial or National park but they do not realize that these protected areas are here for a reason. They are here so that people can understand that the wilderness is not just present in our society as a job for many of our communities (mining industries/forestry industries) but it is here as a foundation of life. People benefit so much from contact with nature that land conservation can now be viewed as a public health strategy .
The Impact on the Human Life
Although adults are greatly affected by a clean or “green” environment children are even more affected by it. Most children in today’s society are physically inactive, this is the greatest reason for chronic conditions such as childhood obesity, asthma, ADD or ADHD and many more. If children continue an inactive lifestyle, they could find themselves with a pulmonary or cardiovascular problem as they enter adulthood. All children seem to want to do is sit in front of a computer, play a video game, text there friend, or just stay in the house, but it is very important that they get out into nature because they are missing out on opportunities for physical activity, stress reduction, attention restoration, and a healthy development.
It is proven that a person who jogs through a park after a long day of stressful work is much less angry and stressed than a person who heads to an indoor gym after a long hard day of work. People have always used some aspects of nature for therapeutic reasons but there has been evidence that shows that people can recover from a surgery or cope with pain in a much better way when they are exposed to a natural environment.
Even if you are a healthy, fit person you can still benefit from nature, for example many inner-city children show a higher amount of self esteem and happiness after spending time in a rural environment.
Overall, contact with nature is a very important of a healthy life. There are still many things scientists need to research such as what kinds of nature are most beneficial to healthy, and how much contact is needed for an effect to take place. But the most important part is that we know enough to understand that it is extremely important to preserve land so that humans can continue to live a healthy lifestyle.
The Future
We need to promote land conservation to today’s society not only for ourselves but for the people of the future. Since the society seems to have an increasing to urban areas, we need to start to envision and plan “green” cities, where the habitants have nearby parks and green space to enjoy. Conservation of land is important to this idea because these “green” spaces will promote our health, enhance out well-being and nourish our spirits.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Winter Camp Reflection: Robin
For our PAD30/40 class this was our first overnight trip and a test for most of us. I don’t know about everyone else but this was my first camping trip in February, and definitely my first time to sleep in a quinzhee. But before we did that we had a lovely 6 kilometre walk.
Six kilometres seems like a lot when you think about it but when you start walking it’s easier than you I thought it would be. Time flew by with the amazingly good weather and the good company to speed up the walk. I wasn’t rushing, I was treating the journey as a leisurely hike more than a class assignment. Arriving at Gaug Lake was the worst, when you’re at one end and you can see the distance for your destination, it makes the walk seem much longer than it was.
During our preparation for this camp we went to Gaug Lake earlier in the week and dug out a common area for a fire place, as well, our teacher, Mr. Martin, and a few students cut fire wood over the weekend making it much easier to quickly get a fire going for lunch. Lunch was very good, nothing like roasting a good smokie over a fire and having a good break from the work too. We had lunch after we piled up snow for our quinzhees, making it a nice break with time for us to cool down from our work and to allow for the quinzhees to settle.
Apparently 2 of the groups didn’t let theirs settle enough, because their quinahees collapsed, luckily it was when they were hollowing it out and not while sleeping. One of my friends was underneath the snow when it fell on him, the sound and sight of the snow falling made me and a couple others start to laugh but then we realized that he might need help and quickly went to help him. When we checked he was fine, we continued on laughing, this greatly lightened the mood making the work more fun.
For supper we had Sheppard’s pie, with gravy and cheese, I’ve never had this before, the cheese on top anyway, so it was great, so good in fact I had 2 servings. After dinner we all went to sit around the fire until it got dark. I was tired and full so I went to bed fairly early.
Just as I was getting comfortable in my sleeping bag I realized I forgot to bring a pillow, this was the beginning of an almost sleepless night. I must have a curse because anytime there is an inflatable mattress that I am sleeping on it will deflate, and mine did just that leaving me to sleep on the hard packed and uneven snow. The cold wasn’t that bad; with the sleeping bags, long johns, and the shelter it was warm enough. I think I drank too much water before bed because I had to pee something bad, but I didn’t want to wake anyone else up so I bid my time and waited and waited. This was a bad idea; it just kept me up, by around 5 in the morning I could take it no longer and went to the area designated for urinating but in the process the dogs started barking. So much for not trying to wake anyone up!
For breakfast we had oatmeal, which was a very simple and good breakfast that also allowed us to eat it quickly and pack up for the walk back. The walk back seemed much longer than the one going to Gaug Lake but when I saw the school I knew the trip was over.
Other than probably the worst sleep of my life, this trip was awesome and I think it was like a dry run for the other longer trips in this class. I would do this trip again anytime but next time I’ll remember to bring a pillow.
Six kilometres seems like a lot when you think about it but when you start walking it’s easier than you I thought it would be. Time flew by with the amazingly good weather and the good company to speed up the walk. I wasn’t rushing, I was treating the journey as a leisurely hike more than a class assignment. Arriving at Gaug Lake was the worst, when you’re at one end and you can see the distance for your destination, it makes the walk seem much longer than it was.
During our preparation for this camp we went to Gaug Lake earlier in the week and dug out a common area for a fire place, as well, our teacher, Mr. Martin, and a few students cut fire wood over the weekend making it much easier to quickly get a fire going for lunch. Lunch was very good, nothing like roasting a good smokie over a fire and having a good break from the work too. We had lunch after we piled up snow for our quinzhees, making it a nice break with time for us to cool down from our work and to allow for the quinzhees to settle.
Apparently 2 of the groups didn’t let theirs settle enough, because their quinahees collapsed, luckily it was when they were hollowing it out and not while sleeping. One of my friends was underneath the snow when it fell on him, the sound and sight of the snow falling made me and a couple others start to laugh but then we realized that he might need help and quickly went to help him. When we checked he was fine, we continued on laughing, this greatly lightened the mood making the work more fun.
For supper we had Sheppard’s pie, with gravy and cheese, I’ve never had this before, the cheese on top anyway, so it was great, so good in fact I had 2 servings. After dinner we all went to sit around the fire until it got dark. I was tired and full so I went to bed fairly early.
Just as I was getting comfortable in my sleeping bag I realized I forgot to bring a pillow, this was the beginning of an almost sleepless night. I must have a curse because anytime there is an inflatable mattress that I am sleeping on it will deflate, and mine did just that leaving me to sleep on the hard packed and uneven snow. The cold wasn’t that bad; with the sleeping bags, long johns, and the shelter it was warm enough. I think I drank too much water before bed because I had to pee something bad, but I didn’t want to wake anyone else up so I bid my time and waited and waited. This was a bad idea; it just kept me up, by around 5 in the morning I could take it no longer and went to the area designated for urinating but in the process the dogs started barking. So much for not trying to wake anyone up!
For breakfast we had oatmeal, which was a very simple and good breakfast that also allowed us to eat it quickly and pack up for the walk back. The walk back seemed much longer than the one going to Gaug Lake but when I saw the school I knew the trip was over.
Other than probably the worst sleep of my life, this trip was awesome and I think it was like a dry run for the other longer trips in this class. I would do this trip again anytime but next time I’ll remember to bring a pillow.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Winter camp reflection-Josh
This week on Tuesday and Wednesday our Outdoor education class was finally able to make the trek out to Gaug Lake for our first camp, the winter camp. With supplies on our backs and snowshoes on our feet we began the approximately 2 hour hike out to the lake at 9:00 am on Tuesday. After a few breaks we made it to the lake as well as our camp site and began to set up for the night. After placing our gear off to the side we cleared the central area and began construction on our quinzhees. After pilling the snow we took a break for lunch. This 2 hour break would also provide enough time to let the snow for our quinzhees settle, making it much easier for when we began to dig them out. This digging out of our quinzhees proved not only to be the longest part of camp set up, but also one of the most enjoyable in my opinion. Once we moved our sleeping gear into the quinzhees we gathered around the fire and ate our dinner. When that was finished the only thing left to do was converse with our classmates until we got tired and went to bed. Waking up the next day we ate our breakfast, repacked our gear, had a blast breaking our quinzhees, and started the hike back to the school at about 1:00 pm. I found this hike to be easier than the first since I was now used to it.
By far my favourite part of this trip was the construction and subsequent destruction of our sleeping arrangements. It may not sound like it, but building quinzhees is actually rather fun to do. Another favourite of mine was the food. Until this week I never thought eating oatmeal at 20 below could be that enjoyable, until the oatmeal got cold that is. Another very great, and probably overlooked, part of this trip was just being able to sit, eat and talk with friends around the camp fire, definitely a good night. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that my clothing system worked great, I never got cold nor did I sweat, a definite victory for me.
Unfortunately, there were some aspects of this winter camp that I fount not to my liking. Sleeping was slightly uncomfortable in the quinzhees, the temperature in my sleeping bag was satisfactory but the sleeping platform we carved out was uneven in a lot of places. I think we could have avoided this if we waited just a bit longer for the snow to set before constructing our quinzhees. That would have made the snow more uniform and less likely to moving around when we were shaping the inside.
To conclude it all I thought this was a great experience. If I were ever offered the chance to do it again then I would not hesitate to take that chance. Even though the night was a rather sleepless one everything else that happened redeemed this experience by far. The ability for the class to work together so well during the construction of our quinzhees and the preparation/clean up of dinner also made our winter camp a great one.
By far my favourite part of this trip was the construction and subsequent destruction of our sleeping arrangements. It may not sound like it, but building quinzhees is actually rather fun to do. Another favourite of mine was the food. Until this week I never thought eating oatmeal at 20 below could be that enjoyable, until the oatmeal got cold that is. Another very great, and probably overlooked, part of this trip was just being able to sit, eat and talk with friends around the camp fire, definitely a good night. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that my clothing system worked great, I never got cold nor did I sweat, a definite victory for me.
Unfortunately, there were some aspects of this winter camp that I fount not to my liking. Sleeping was slightly uncomfortable in the quinzhees, the temperature in my sleeping bag was satisfactory but the sleeping platform we carved out was uneven in a lot of places. I think we could have avoided this if we waited just a bit longer for the snow to set before constructing our quinzhees. That would have made the snow more uniform and less likely to moving around when we were shaping the inside.
To conclude it all I thought this was a great experience. If I were ever offered the chance to do it again then I would not hesitate to take that chance. Even though the night was a rather sleepless one everything else that happened redeemed this experience by far. The ability for the class to work together so well during the construction of our quinzhees and the preparation/clean up of dinner also made our winter camp a great one.
Las Vegas Summary
After a year of waiting my trip to Las Vegas had finally come. I was amazed with all the flashing colourful lights and all of the glamerous places there were to see. Vegas gave me many opportunities and experiences, it brought me many pleasent and also many unpleasent memories. It was crazy and i felt like i belonged in a movie.
Three planes and many hours of waitng felt well worth it when i woke up the next morning in Vegas. It didn't matter where you looked there was always something to see. We started are adventure by touring all the different hotels. The Venetian had a river inside with gondolas and 3D celings , The Belagio was a ritzy palace with a water show every fifteen minutes. Every hotel had its own unique aspects and were created by Steven Wynn. I was told Stev Wynn strived to outdue himself with every design. These places were jaw dropping!
The next day was quite exciting however, not in the way you are probably thinking. My sisters and I decided to leave the restaurant that was located beside are hotel early to drop of a days worth of shopping bags. We were taking are time and joking around when i hear a knock at the door. I was going to open the door right away thinking it was my dad but for some reason i decided to peek in the eye hole. What i saw staring at me was an unfamiliar male . I immediately told him he had the wrong room. His response startled me when he said he figured i was going to say that in the harshest tone i have ever heard. Thats when hell broke loose. we never spoke a word after that. He screamed threats at us, called us names, said he was going to be in are room in two seconds and that he could hear us crying and that we better be scared and he repeatidly punched and kicked are door trying to get in. At one point he even tried to get a maid to let him in telling her it was his room. We were petrafied and are texts messages to are dad weren't going through so Mariah called the front desk in a panic. 20 minutes of this continuous behaviour and security finally came up, as did my dad. Lets just say things didn't go over so well and my dad wasn't impressed at all.
Day three turned out better for us my aunt and uncle joined us to a fancy meal and a terrific show by Circ De Selai. The show was called Le Reve which means The dream in english. I have never seen anything like it in my life! It consisted of acting, singing, had fire, water and smoke. All of the actors/actresses were acrobats and throughout the entire show they did flips, spins and jumps. It kept us entertained and is something we still talk about today.
The fourth day was my cousins wedding and it was very exciting especially because it was my first time being a bridesmaid. They made their wedding extra special by placing the date on my cousins husbands deceased brothers birthday. He was supposed to be the best man and they wanted to include him. After the ceremony we released baloons. I knew that Steven was with us and that he was just as happy for them as i was. At the reception there was many speeches, some made us laugh while others made us cry. I felt like i got to know them better when listening to stories there family and friends shared. We danced all night in the beautifully decorated hall and it turned into a wonderful cluster of memories i will never forget.
The following day after the wedding a gang of us went to Old Las Vegas Blvd to check out the light show and the zipline. Drama seemed to follow us there, outside of a souvenier shop a guy came up to us and started singing to the baby, he was pretty good and some of my group gave him a couple bucks to keep going. The store owner came outside and started freaking out telling the guy that he didnt want people like him outside his store " god knows what your going to do". The guy said he wasnt going to do anything and tried to ignore him but the store owner wouldnt give up and before we knew it the owner had wipped out pepper spray intending to get the guy but ending up getting all of us. Security and the Las Vegas police showed up we were witnesses/victims and had to write statements. Never thought i would have to deal with the police twice in one week! Do you belive me now when i say Vegas is crazy!?
Las Vegas was fun and an eye opener. I loved being there with my family, everyone really enjoyed themselves and it gave us a chance to catch up and reconnect.I loved my surroundings and the opportunities.We hit a rocky road but if it wasnt for those situations this summary wouldve been pretty boring and i wouldnt have come back with these unbeliveable stories! Would i go back to Vegas? Deffinitly but i think ill wait until im a little older.
Three planes and many hours of waitng felt well worth it when i woke up the next morning in Vegas. It didn't matter where you looked there was always something to see. We started are adventure by touring all the different hotels. The Venetian had a river inside with gondolas and 3D celings , The Belagio was a ritzy palace with a water show every fifteen minutes. Every hotel had its own unique aspects and were created by Steven Wynn. I was told Stev Wynn strived to outdue himself with every design. These places were jaw dropping!
The next day was quite exciting however, not in the way you are probably thinking. My sisters and I decided to leave the restaurant that was located beside are hotel early to drop of a days worth of shopping bags. We were taking are time and joking around when i hear a knock at the door. I was going to open the door right away thinking it was my dad but for some reason i decided to peek in the eye hole. What i saw staring at me was an unfamiliar male . I immediately told him he had the wrong room. His response startled me when he said he figured i was going to say that in the harshest tone i have ever heard. Thats when hell broke loose. we never spoke a word after that. He screamed threats at us, called us names, said he was going to be in are room in two seconds and that he could hear us crying and that we better be scared and he repeatidly punched and kicked are door trying to get in. At one point he even tried to get a maid to let him in telling her it was his room. We were petrafied and are texts messages to are dad weren't going through so Mariah called the front desk in a panic. 20 minutes of this continuous behaviour and security finally came up, as did my dad. Lets just say things didn't go over so well and my dad wasn't impressed at all.
Day three turned out better for us my aunt and uncle joined us to a fancy meal and a terrific show by Circ De Selai. The show was called Le Reve which means The dream in english. I have never seen anything like it in my life! It consisted of acting, singing, had fire, water and smoke. All of the actors/actresses were acrobats and throughout the entire show they did flips, spins and jumps. It kept us entertained and is something we still talk about today.
The fourth day was my cousins wedding and it was very exciting especially because it was my first time being a bridesmaid. They made their wedding extra special by placing the date on my cousins husbands deceased brothers birthday. He was supposed to be the best man and they wanted to include him. After the ceremony we released baloons. I knew that Steven was with us and that he was just as happy for them as i was. At the reception there was many speeches, some made us laugh while others made us cry. I felt like i got to know them better when listening to stories there family and friends shared. We danced all night in the beautifully decorated hall and it turned into a wonderful cluster of memories i will never forget.
The following day after the wedding a gang of us went to Old Las Vegas Blvd to check out the light show and the zipline. Drama seemed to follow us there, outside of a souvenier shop a guy came up to us and started singing to the baby, he was pretty good and some of my group gave him a couple bucks to keep going. The store owner came outside and started freaking out telling the guy that he didnt want people like him outside his store " god knows what your going to do". The guy said he wasnt going to do anything and tried to ignore him but the store owner wouldnt give up and before we knew it the owner had wipped out pepper spray intending to get the guy but ending up getting all of us. Security and the Las Vegas police showed up we were witnesses/victims and had to write statements. Never thought i would have to deal with the police twice in one week! Do you belive me now when i say Vegas is crazy!?
Las Vegas was fun and an eye opener. I loved being there with my family, everyone really enjoyed themselves and it gave us a chance to catch up and reconnect.I loved my surroundings and the opportunities.We hit a rocky road but if it wasnt for those situations this summary wouldve been pretty boring and i wouldnt have come back with these unbeliveable stories! Would i go back to Vegas? Deffinitly but i think ill wait until im a little older.
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