Advertisement
Published: October 12th 2008
Edit Blog Post
With only 17 days left until my long awaited trip to Europe. I have understandably grown restless, each day goes by even slower than the last as the day of my departure draws nearer. When I woke up today I just couldn't take it any longer! I had to leave the house and go
somewhere and do
something! I had only recently bought and installed a GPS Navigation System for my moped, which I also intend to use in Europe as well. So at 8am I got dressed and plotted a course for Mackinaw City. Surprisingly the trip would only take me an hour and forty minutes from my moped. I dressed warmly, packed everything I would need, most importantly my camera, and hit the road!
Sure enough, I got there after an hour and forty five minutes! Gotta love TomTom! I parked my moped and locked it, then I decided to walk around and take some pictures. I didn't go far until my eyes fell upon the entrance to the Sheplers Mackinac Island Ferry. I couldn't stop the grin on my face. "Why not?" I asked myself. The round trip ticket cost me $25, the trip over was rather
windy and with wind out on the straits, that means waves. I managed to keep myself fairly dry, but the passengers a few rows ahead and next to me weren't so lucky. All this time I was taking lots of pictures.
The sun came out and it began to warm up nicely when I got off the boat onto the island. I knew I couldn't stay more than a few hours if I intended to make it back home before it started to get cold again. So I decided to go to all the really cool places and take many many more pictures. On my way back to the ferry I stopped suddenly as my eyes fixed on a sign in a shop window, May's Fudge Shop. You're probably wondering where I'm going with this so let me give you some backstory.
Last winter I was hired at Boyne Mt. Ski School as a front desk attendant. The one who hired me, my manager, was Carolyn May. During the winter working together we became good friends, having several things in common. Most importantly we both had relationships from overseas, she was dating a ski instructor from Austria. Anyway
I learned a while ago that she spent her summers working on Mackinac Island at her family's shop, but I never found out what kind of shop it was until today when I put the pieces together.
Sure enough, when I stepped inside the shop, there was my manager Carolyn behind the front desk taking orders. I stood in line and examined the various pieces of fudge. Now, to clarify things, there were two reasons I came into the shop to see Carolyn. The first was that I promised to bring Mom back some fudge, the second was to try again to contact one of the two people who control whether or not I'm hired again at Ski School for a second winter season.
I was surprised that she recognized me the moment I was next in line, for I had heavily tinted goggles on (I had forgotten my ordinary glasses at home, so I was stuck wearing my perscription goggles all day >.<). I bought Mom's fudge and then waited a few minutes for the shop to quiet down. Then we caught up with eachother on what's been going on. She was pleased that I told her
I wanted to work another winter season, so I'm happy to say that I
finally got that bit of my plans finished.
This trip to Mackinac Island was extremely spontaneous, many things could have gone wrong. Just like many things can still go wrong on my trip to Europe... Today I have proven to myself that I have the intelligence and maturity to travel alone, at least in places I am relatively familiar with. Today I have proven to myself that I am ready to take the next step, to step into the unknown, on my own. Everything in my life has led up to this point, being able to spread my wings and fly.
It's kind of scary to me, that pretty much everything that I have set up have all gone according to plan. It's hard to explain but, for a guy like me, that's not normal. I guess what I'm trying to say is, apart of me is having trouble believing that I actually pulled all of this off. That I'm really getting exactly what I hoped and planned for, when before now, things never seemed to work out the way I wanted them to.
I most seriously doubt anything will happen to me over in Europe, but if it does. All of my friends and family reading this will know that I gave myself the courage to step out of the safety barriers I put around myself all my life, and experience life to the fullest of my abilities. I'd rather something happen to me on this trip, than nothing happening to me at home because I chose to let life pass me by. I know some of you will not like me saying this, but it needs to be said. I want all of you to know that this is who I choose to be, who I want to be, an
adventurer.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.107s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 12; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0294s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Ashly
non-member comment
Sounds like you had a great time on the Island...one short thing about May's Fudge Shop. I have a friend here at school, her name is Rachel May, I believe she is Carolyn's Sister. What a small world it is huh? She also has spent many summers working in that same fudge shop. =D On another note, I trust that you will be safe overseas, and I am so proud that you have stepped outside the safety of Boyne and are living life to the fullest! (don't tell mom, but once you leave, it's a whole other experience, you may not want to come back except to see Mom!) Love you bud!