June 2024
NYC 6/1/24 🇺🇸
It was fun being in the bustling subways, the loud streets and the tall buildings yet very chaotic ; the buildings tower over me as if I was an ant and the car headlights were so bright that they lit up our fourth story hotel if we left the window open. When we were getting food in downtown New York at a food truck it started to rain a little, but still we saw Times Square in a light trickle of rain. Then we walked into a pizza shop because my dad and I wanted New York pizza. The rain increased until it was raining cats and dogs in a full on thunderstorm so my family decided to sprint to the hotel and when we got in carrying 12 & 50 pound bags and being drenched in water the hotel said that they had umbrellas to use next time it rains. 😅 I even saw starry night at the MOMA (Museum of modern Art)
Madeira 6/3/24 🇵🇹
My first hike on sabbatical was a rough yet beautiful awakening. We hiked two miles to our campsite then the next day hiked seven point five miles yet they were going up and down. We hiked in a very intense heat and we would rest anywhere there was shade.
We stopped to eat lunch half way through the hike and I got a cheese pizza. I know I should have tried Portuguese food but an entire year of trying new food would be too intense for me.
I practiced basic Portuguese and said hello (bom día) to everyone on the trail that I walked by. Then they told my mom and dad that I was being cute and even some people spoke back in Portuguese and I sadly had to try and explain that I don’t speak Portuguese.
So far in Madeira I saw some crazy roads on the mountain side looping steeply down the cliffs. I also felt like Madeira was a mix of Hawaii (because it’s an island) and Norway (because of the cliffs/fjords) . I have so far loved Madeira.
Madeira 6/5/24 🇵🇹
I did not know what to expect when I heard that we were going to a 500 year old forest. That seemed misty and mysterious all the time but when I got there there was no fog at all until the 2d day we camped there when there was a light coat of fog. There were also many cows that intimated me. I even saw a guy go 3 feet in the air when he touched it.
Madeira 6/5/24 🇵🇹
The fire festival that has many similarities to a 16th century market or a renaissance fair was very cool. There were loud drums that shook the ground and realistic models of torture devices 🫣. The fair also had many signs about Madeiran history like 7 years of fire “making the island” or the gasoline that a guy was drinking and exhaling fire in the parade. In all I loved the fire festival.
First entry in Morocco 6/7/24 🇲🇦
We accidentally flew first class because It was cheaper to fly in first class than economy because of our large amount of bags. We were in such a rush getting through customs that we did not have time to lounge in the first class lounge (again not our family’s thing like ever). When we landed we took a very long train ride that was very eye opening seeing people live in not that safe houses that would be abandoned in the US. After the train ride we took a taxi to our Riad (which is a hotel with a common room) and asked for food recommendations they said “moms touch” I completely loved the staff who shared their open world view in a positive way like our waiter who wanted to help the stray cats with a food upsicleing system or a YouTube channel that passively made income for the single moms who needed it. In all I love Morocco.
6/15/24 Morocco 🇲🇦
Facts!
1.Camels can go up to 45 miles per hour twice as fast as the fastest human to ever exist.
2.Camels routinely carry half their body weight in hot desert Sun as hot as 120 degrees.
3.My Camel boulder is the best camel to ever walk the face of this planet.
Same day
Yes I rode camels and it was so amazing seeing the vast desert ever and seeing the history and culture there. Trying the food and the environment and the experience was so touching and cool. I named my camel boulder. I was going to name him Pebble after the best axolotl ever. But he was way too big and chunky so I named him boulder this is my final entry in Morocco so goodbye.
Montenegro 🇲🇪
This country is butiyfull and a big change from Morocco we started yesterday flying red eye at 1 am and having a layover at 3 am. When we got to the car dealership at 7am we were all very tired and then they tried to scam us 3 times in different ways we tried to record the guy saying the falling off bumper wouldn’t fall off but he didn’t say a word. Then we looked around and this old car was covered in scratches we argued for 2 hours until they just gave up and said leave or take the car. (Note to people who don’t like being scammed do not use budget car rental) so then we started a 5 hour drive and had hummus lemonade and pretzels 😋 very tasty! And soon enough we got to a almost folklore and evermore looking cabin and we are staying 5 days in it!
Chapter 2 of Montenegro June 20 🇲🇪
The Mafia
At our pizza resurant that we love we noticed there are only 2 tables and 1 of them is taken up by men in tracksuits that were there 3 days in a row or as my dad would say tracksuit enthusiasts my mom gave me 2 euros to buy cookies after we bought the cookies my mom forgot to close her wallet. So when we got up a lot of money spilled out of her pockets and the men in tracksuits looked very interested in her money. For clarification the main type of crime in Montenagro is organized crime like the Mafia. They smuggle tobacco and other drugs from South America and Montenagro. They were smoking and sitting there. My dad said Sonya “what are you thinking” and you are “blowing our cover” which did not make the situation any better. So we can not go to the city anymore because the Mafia, my dad says there is a 85% chance that they were part of the mafia so…
I did not sleep for 48 hours and I cried and cried because my parents said that the Mafia is now after us and in my 11 year old brain that sounds like we are all going to die. After not sleeping for a while and after doing a hard hike I understand that the Mafia has bigger fish to fry. But still I can now say I encountered the Mafia and my mom flashed 500 dollars in front of them 👍👌.
Mon June 24 Albania 🇦🇱
I loved the hike in the beautiful environment and how the hike challenged me in a lot of different ways. I’m currently in the hotel room during a thunderstorm and it is awesome. We took a very crowded ferry and 2 150 degree buses so laying down is nice every once and a while. So far Albania is cool and we also saw a lot of bomb shelters. The history is very crazy so instead of explaining a 10 day history lesson I will just say listen to the We-are-History podcast called communism, capitalism and chaos.
June 28 Bosnia 🇧🇦
We are currently in our tent at 10:55 pm resting after the long day near the kravica waterfalls. It is very touristy but very enjoyable. I ran off a 2 meter clif 30 times and jumped into the freezing cold water for fun. And also tried to catch tiny guppy’s in the water 🐟
Montenegro 🇲🇪 June 30
I just jumped into warm waters off a concrete platform and am now laying in bed eating watermelon that my mom surprised me with. I love Montenegro and the cold water after a long hard hike just feels so good and relaxing to be in. Goodbye Montenegro 🇲🇪 I will miss you so very much. Ps I did a very cool hike climbing up the castle walls of Kotor 10/10 would recommend. 🏰
Eight Boots Abroad 