beach house day two and counting
Monday-
I got up early, 4am. Had a V8 so something was in my stomach. Leah drove me to the airport in the cold, dark, rainy morning through roads in construction. She was not happy, but it was still sad to see her go. I had trouble getting my boarding pass printed, but it all worked out once I got some help. I forgot to take off my belt when I passed through the magnetometer, and thus it went off.
I dozed on the plane, read my book, and drank apple juice. Sat next to a man who borrowed my seat's headphones, and slept the whole time. I was in the aisle seat. Only two hours, so it was no problem. Chicago was a bit cold, just like Minneapolis. I had two hours until boarding my next plane, so I walked to my gate. It wasn't far, but I didn't have a rolling suitcase, and my bag was a bit heavy. Stopped at a sandwich place and picked up a egg-cheese-sausage-toast sandwich for my real breakfast, now that it was about 8:30.
The second plane was a small one, so I had to check my carry-on luggage. Sat next to a woman who read some girl-magazine and slept most of the time. I was in the aisle seat. Read a bit, played my DS, and slept. Two hours on the plane, but with a time zone switch made it three. Stepping out of the plane in Charleston was like walking into a blanket of humidity. I was immediately too warm in my jeans and t-shirt.
Had trouble with baggage, since I had never done the "checked-carry-on" before. Soon resolved, although a bit embarrassed about the mistake (you pick up the luggage right outside the plane). Saw Mike first, then met up with Stan and Bikkle. A short car ride later and we were at their apartment.
Pat, Niel, and Laura were there, sitting around, playing video games, taking showers. Finished up, grabbed some food, and soon we were off to the beach house. The place is big, a duplex. We have top and bottom. Well furnished, luckily has wireless internet. We got set up. (Hundreds of dollars worth of booze, quite ridiculous. One fridge entirely filled with beer and bottles.) Others went to get some dinner, I took a nap, much needed. That night, had some drinks, danced like we used to dance. All the classic songs, quite riotous. As loud as we wanted, since the house was ours. Went to bed late.
Tuesday-
Got up early, as the sun was rising. Went back to bed. Woke up again later, at the more reasonable time of 11am. Didn't have anything for breakfast, since we had little in the way of food. Took a quick shower and was off to the grocery store (Piggly Wiggly) to grab some food. Made a sandwich, plus chocolate milk. Chilled out while the rest woke up and took showers. Eventually, we got ready for the beach. Put on sunscreen, and we were off.
The beach was about a two minute walk away. The Atlantic Ocean. Started overcast, with some drizzles, but cleared up soon. Sunny and warm, and the water wasn't too cold. I was used to swimming in natural bodies of water like Lake Superior, bitter cold and fresh. The ocean was very different, warm and salty. Stung my eyes and my throat. The waves were beautiful. We came at low tide. Sunscreen was applied every 30-60 minutes. We wanted some drinks, so we went back and grabbed a cooler full of beers. Corona and limes. I grabbed my glasses so I could actually see. Beach wasn't too busy. A few families, couples, kids. Some nice-looking ladies. Many were very tan; our group must have been the palest.
The low tide left some pools of standing water in the sand. They were very warm, like a bath. Wonderful to relax in, and watch the waves. Pat joined me. The tide was slowly coming in as I laid there. Eventually, everyone joined me, lying in the pools, although they weren't pools anymore; the tide had filled up the distance. After enough relaxing, we played some 4-square. I did pretty good, overall. Stepped on a shell a bit sharply; no permanent damage.
Back from the beach, we all rinsed off the salt. Chilled out, then went to dinner. Sushi/habachi. The place was empty. I got sushi: yellowtail, spicy tuna, and salmon. Waitress tells us that one of the sushi chefs is gone. I get my yellowtail and tuna eventually, but they give me eel nagiri instead of the salmon. The habachi guy was amusing but not that great. The food was tasty, but more orders were slow or screwed up. The waitress implied she had morning sickness ("sick with baby"). Stan's parents payed for it all.
Off to walmart for some supplies, then to Stan's apartment for some more. Back home, we chilled out, I used my computer. We watched some Firefly, had a drink, then to bed, since I fell asleep through a third of Mrs. Reynolds.
I got up early, 4am. Had a V8 so something was in my stomach. Leah drove me to the airport in the cold, dark, rainy morning through roads in construction. She was not happy, but it was still sad to see her go. I had trouble getting my boarding pass printed, but it all worked out once I got some help. I forgot to take off my belt when I passed through the magnetometer, and thus it went off.
I dozed on the plane, read my book, and drank apple juice. Sat next to a man who borrowed my seat's headphones, and slept the whole time. I was in the aisle seat. Only two hours, so it was no problem. Chicago was a bit cold, just like Minneapolis. I had two hours until boarding my next plane, so I walked to my gate. It wasn't far, but I didn't have a rolling suitcase, and my bag was a bit heavy. Stopped at a sandwich place and picked up a egg-cheese-sausage-toast sandwich for my real breakfast, now that it was about 8:30.
The second plane was a small one, so I had to check my carry-on luggage. Sat next to a woman who read some girl-magazine and slept most of the time. I was in the aisle seat. Read a bit, played my DS, and slept. Two hours on the plane, but with a time zone switch made it three. Stepping out of the plane in Charleston was like walking into a blanket of humidity. I was immediately too warm in my jeans and t-shirt.
Had trouble with baggage, since I had never done the "checked-carry-on" before. Soon resolved, although a bit embarrassed about the mistake (you pick up the luggage right outside the plane). Saw Mike first, then met up with Stan and Bikkle. A short car ride later and we were at their apartment.
Pat, Niel, and Laura were there, sitting around, playing video games, taking showers. Finished up, grabbed some food, and soon we were off to the beach house. The place is big, a duplex. We have top and bottom. Well furnished, luckily has wireless internet. We got set up. (Hundreds of dollars worth of booze, quite ridiculous. One fridge entirely filled with beer and bottles.) Others went to get some dinner, I took a nap, much needed. That night, had some drinks, danced like we used to dance. All the classic songs, quite riotous. As loud as we wanted, since the house was ours. Went to bed late.
Tuesday-
Got up early, as the sun was rising. Went back to bed. Woke up again later, at the more reasonable time of 11am. Didn't have anything for breakfast, since we had little in the way of food. Took a quick shower and was off to the grocery store (Piggly Wiggly) to grab some food. Made a sandwich, plus chocolate milk. Chilled out while the rest woke up and took showers. Eventually, we got ready for the beach. Put on sunscreen, and we were off.
The beach was about a two minute walk away. The Atlantic Ocean. Started overcast, with some drizzles, but cleared up soon. Sunny and warm, and the water wasn't too cold. I was used to swimming in natural bodies of water like Lake Superior, bitter cold and fresh. The ocean was very different, warm and salty. Stung my eyes and my throat. The waves were beautiful. We came at low tide. Sunscreen was applied every 30-60 minutes. We wanted some drinks, so we went back and grabbed a cooler full of beers. Corona and limes. I grabbed my glasses so I could actually see. Beach wasn't too busy. A few families, couples, kids. Some nice-looking ladies. Many were very tan; our group must have been the palest.
The low tide left some pools of standing water in the sand. They were very warm, like a bath. Wonderful to relax in, and watch the waves. Pat joined me. The tide was slowly coming in as I laid there. Eventually, everyone joined me, lying in the pools, although they weren't pools anymore; the tide had filled up the distance. After enough relaxing, we played some 4-square. I did pretty good, overall. Stepped on a shell a bit sharply; no permanent damage.
Back from the beach, we all rinsed off the salt. Chilled out, then went to dinner. Sushi/habachi. The place was empty. I got sushi: yellowtail, spicy tuna, and salmon. Waitress tells us that one of the sushi chefs is gone. I get my yellowtail and tuna eventually, but they give me eel nagiri instead of the salmon. The habachi guy was amusing but not that great. The food was tasty, but more orders were slow or screwed up. The waitress implied she had morning sickness ("sick with baby"). Stan's parents payed for it all.
Off to walmart for some supplies, then to Stan's apartment for some more. Back home, we chilled out, I used my computer. We watched some Firefly, had a drink, then to bed, since I fell asleep through a third of Mrs. Reynolds.