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1. Plano, TX, USA


2. Shanghai, China


3. Paris, France


4. Pompeii, Italy


5. Reno, NV, USA


6. Beijing, China


7. Riomaggiore, Italy

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back in the great state of Texas!

Welcome [back] to Texas! I made it back home in a record 9 hours mainly because I had an expired inspection sticker and didn't stop along the way. Five hours into the trip I started to get tired and decided to pull over to a Dairy Queen in a small town in Texas. Not even 20 seconds after I turn off my ignition, the sheriff pulls into the parking spot to my left (the side of the windshield that my inspection sticker's supposed to be on). I thought fast and threw my over-night bag over my windshield. The cop came over and asked if I was lost or needed any help. I said to him, while still hiding my non-existant sticker, "oh I'm just looking for my earring, but thanks for checking officer". He goes inside to get an ice cream, then plops himself at the table RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY CAR. OH. CRAP. I kept pretending like I was looking for a lost earring while peaking at him through the corner of my eye and trying to think of an escape plan. All the while, the only thing going through my mind is "oh god, oh crap, oh god, oh crap". Then suddenly, the heavens parted and he gets up to go inside. I see it as my window of opportunity, hurl all of my stuff back into my car, and HAUL ass out of there. WHEW. Disaster averted!

and JUST in case I forgot I was in Texas....


After 3 years in the desert, I forgot how beautifully green it is in Texas!


My little white jeep reaches a milestone :)


HOME! My little doggie is the first to greet me


and then she's bored with me


I can't even begin to explain how fun it was to drive with all my blind spots covered up. But who cares, I'M HOME!!!!

Albuquerque, NM

Elyse and I had entirely too much fun doing absolutely nothing today. Which is partially the reason why I've decided to stay in Albuquerque for one more day. Not to mention, she has internet and lives in a nice house with an even nicer spare bedroom :) :)

We went on a mini hike and I got attacked by this cactus. Which startled me and caused me to get attacked by a second cactus. I spent the rest of the day picking cactus needles out of my shirt


trying to break into the Air Force base. I'm sure Elyse is tired of my shenanigans, especially since she works for the government :P



Golden Pride is an ABQ staple. They're known for their "New Mexico" breakfast burritos and sweet rolls, which are apparently just cinnamon rolls bathing in butter.


Four paper towels later, we finally blotted off enough butter to make this thing edible


Old Town


getting my kicks on Route 66


Click the picture to enlarge and check out the names on the books


doing my best owl impression at the Owl Cafe


I met the world's most perfect couple, Stefani & Nathan, who own two Wii's and two giant 60 inch plasma TVs. If they have a spare bedroom, I may never make it to Texas...

Leaving Las Vegas

10:12am - woke up a little bit later than expected. I think the 8 hour drive yesterday knocked me out. Dinner was at the casino's buffet compliments of a certain someone :) I had a plate of fruit and was too tired to eat any more. This was the gorgeous view from my hotel room.

Heading out to Albuquerque it was only supposed to be an 8 hour drive. Traffic + getting lost + spending way too much time eating lunch turned that into a lovely 13 hour drive... Again, thank you google maps. I hate you.

1. The directions said to take the Nipton Rd. exit. OK cool, I'll do that...except the Nipton Rd. exit is closed for construction....on BOTH SIDES OF THE FREEWAY. WTF.

2. Next time you want me to turn onto Hwy 163, how about putting up a sign that says "P.S. the podunk dirt road to your left IS hwy 163."

3. A "Left Lane Closed Ahead" sign is not the appropriate one to use when all 3 lanes of the highway are shut down for "test runs". Try using a "Hurry Up & Get Your Ass Off the Freeway Before You Sit In Gridlock for 2 Hours" sign next time.

All frustrations aside, I was relieved to finally arrive in Albuquerque and see Elyse!!

I didn't stop at the Grand Canyon since I had been there already and didn't want to pay the park entrance fee


Welcome to Flagstaff! Google maps also failed to tell me that in order to continue on Hwy 40, you have to take a back-country route that led me to believe I was lost as all hell.


the deer in Flagstaff sure are plump & meaty



I met a girl in Flagstaff who was also driving from Vegas to Dallas (with a stop in Albuquerque) and had lunch with her at the Galaxy Diner off of Route 66. Since I was super lost, she let me follow her all the way to Albuquerque. WHAT A GODSEND. Where was this girl yesterday when I needed her???


I decided to be adventurous and try the "Route 66 Pile-up" which turned out to be a platter of every fried appetizer on the menu


Passing through Meteor City where there was a crater that was 10 miles in diameter!


There really isn't much to look at except a bunch of rocks


chasing shadows as the sun sets on another day

........and we're off!

7:28 am - hit the open road, but not before stopping by the poker chips and arch to take the last pictures I will ever take as a resident of Reno. Getting up was the roughest part....four hours of sleep will do that to a girl :\



What's the first thing I see outside of Reno?


nothing but me and the open road


Welcome to Death Valley. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it was to not have ANY cell phone reception.




who thought this would be a good idea in the middle of the hot Nevada desert?


driving past Area 51....I think? and passing a bunch of hummers


Vegas at last! Anyone who uses google maps, listen up: their directions are WRONG! I got lost trying to find my hotel because google told me to take exit 76A instead of 76B, then met a handful of people who also got lost using the same directions. Driving through Vegas traffic on a Friday at 5pm is not. fun. at. all.

I stayed at the Primm Valley Resort just outside of Vegas and rode their awesome rollercoaster.



the strip at night

friends never say goodbye

With just one more day left in Reno, I can't help but reflect on my time spent here. I've learned a lot about myself and the type of person I want to be in the future. I'm grateful for all the friends I have made over the past few years, as well as the people I've had a chance to reconnect with. Friends whom I cherish and will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you to everyone who had a part in this chapter of my life, but it's time for me to embark on a new journey. Please keep in touch.

Love,
Wendy

T-minus 2 days

I had a 2nd lovely farewell dinner at Santa Fe restaurant which is known for its family style Basque dining. I had no idea what Basque food was before moving to Reno, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorites!!






Thank you to everyone who came and wished me a safe trip!

T-Minus 3 days

Our poor living/dining room has been turned into a disaster zone :( I'm about 90% packed, waiting for Thursday to roll around so I can load my car. In the meantime I've resorted to creating some interesting concoctions with all of my left over food. Anyone up for cabbage and broccoli soup? MMM MMM good!

Goodbye Dinner #1

We need a Claim Jumper in Texas!!! We're known for "bigger is better" and what's bigger than a plate of Claim Jumper ribs or their massive chocolate cake?? It's only a matter of time...

Dinner was a fantastic success, although dancing probably should have been cut off a little earlier lol. Thanks to all the girls for coming out and bidding me farewell on Saturday. You are all precious friends who will be missed dearly.

Milan, Italy

The last stop on our trip! Milan is definitely not the right city to visit when you're traveling on a shoestring budget! All of the high-end stores are here, and they certainly live up to their "high-end" names.


Duomo Cathedral





And the sun sets on our journey. It was an incredible 2 months, but as the saying goes...there's no place like home!

Venice, Italy

Venice is unlike any other place I've been to. It's almost like you're on a different planet where the ground is replaced with water! We met 3 nice guys from Toronto on a "water taxi" and had a couple drinks and dinner with them. After dinner we wandered around the city and got so lost that we almost missed the last "water shuttle" back to our hotel!



I finally found a big enough gelato cone!!!


80 Euro to ride one of these for 30 mins?? No thanks!


This alleyway just seemed very Italian to me