The Poconos

Actually, the real title should be...

Poconos Reunion 2008 (with a touch of class)

Our "official" UD reunion for the class of 2007 finally occurred this past weekend in the mountains of Pennsylvania. For the most part, our busy lives kept us from getting together for over a year so seeing everyone was like a blast from the past. I really do miss the good ole days of undergraduate life...Racing to the dining halls, living in UD paraphernalia sweats, and drinking budget friendly Popav's .



Well, we're all grown up now (hence, "the touch of class" added into the title). Instead of bunk beds from our Thompson dormitories, we stayed at Steve's lake side cabin (more like his uncle's cabin), traded in dining hall food for some "Food Network" inspired goodies, and of course, upgraded our drinks from cheapo Popav's to red wine. I, however, still wore my UD sweatpants for most of the trip just to keep the tradition going.

Chef du jour: Alan in his UD t-shirt

Being a major planner and working with Steve who is a planner king, I'm sure everyone knew that a lot was going to be done in just three days. One might have assumed that the activity's list was simple: eat, sleep, drink, and play. I mean, that's what college people do, right?

WRONG! Our schedule was much more refined, kind of old-fashioned but still really fun. We were able to fit in a nice "welcome back bbq (w/a touch of class)," a Champagne brunch, Canoe racing, a bonfire, two movies, a fiesta meal, a trip to Boulder field, deer sightings, and a mean game of Taboo.


Our attempt to have a canoe race started off a bit slow since the other boat was having trouble getting into the water...Until the yacht captain, fully dressed in the proper attire, finally arrived to the save the team!




These rocks at Boulder Field were moved by glaciers thousands of years ago. We look all excited about climbing over rocks but it was kinda scary after our 2 hour all-you-can-stuff-in-your-mouth champagne brunch.


Steve attempting to tan on the rocks

Beware: these rocks are a lot sharper than they look


Our bonfire and relaxation time in order to digest and prepare before dinner. S'mores, anyone?


The best shot of a sunset I could get. It's not all that, I know.



Three days of fresh "Poconos" air can really do a body good. If you haven't been to the Poconos during the fall, you should try and go during late September or October to see the tree leaves change color. We caught the beginning stages of the change but hey, this was the only weekend that could accommodate us!

So long and farewell to my mini fall vacation break somewhere in the mountains!


Note: This area is also a big vacation spot for the winter because of the ski slopes (Blue Mountain, Camelback, and Jack Frost). However, the activity's list is limited to those sports unless you want to ice skate on a frozen pond or try hunting?

My Top 5 Beaches

Island to island, coast to coast, these are my top 5 beaches.


5. Dauphin Island, Alabama


I know what you're thinking. ALABAMA?! The reason why I chose this location over Laguna beach, CA (the runner-up/honorable mention) is because it's so different. Who would've thought that there existed a very white sandy beach in Alabama? I just had to put this one the list to make people aware of the fact that this beach does exist and it's beautiful! The fact that it's a diamond in the rough makes me like it even more.




4. Goff's Cay Island, Belize


Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, is a country in Central America. In order to get to Goff's Cay Island, you would have to charter a boat. The ride is pretty amazing because you're surrounded by crystal clear, teal water. When I was there, our group encountered a tiny rain storm while riding towards the island and the waters got a bit choppy. After we all got sea sick and depressed, two rainbows appeared and we were immediately made happy again! This is one of my favorite pictures.



FYI: You can get your hair fully braided into cornrows for real cheap once you get onto the island. The locals really pressure you even if you say no...I almost got them done but I wasn't sure if I was feeling this particular look on me:



If you wanna spend an extra $2.00, you could get some beads braided in there too...

3. Coki Beach St. Thomas, Virgin Islands


St. Thomas is part of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). Coki Beach is one of my favorites because of the location right within the charming city of St. Thomas. Also, this beach is not as crowded as the other popular beach, Magen's Bay. You can snorkel here and get glimpses of some incredible colorful fish. I don't know if this is illegal in St. Thomas but if you bring some bread to feed the fish while you snorkel, they'll all swarm towards you. If it is illegal, I obviously didn't do it.

If you're a swim fan, you can swim laps around the beach and swim to another part of the island because the waves are light. Another great thing about this place is that there are tiny local restaurants along the beach. You can place orders while sitting on your beach chair since the servers walk back and forth. Just remember who your server is. Lauren and I were chastised for placing our orders with different people (one place had better smoothies!).

Don't forget to get a massage for a dollar a minute. Let me just warn you now that the "private massage area" is a sketchy wooden table lying underneath a coconut tree.

The only downfall is that if you don't bring your own chairs or umbrellas, you'll have to rent them. You may have to bargain down the prices because they can be outrageous sometimes. Who would've thought that renting one chair and one umbrella would could cost $15USD???




2. Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

So much can be said about this beach. It's probably the most popular and famous beach in all of Australia. In my eyes, it's better than the ones near the Great Barrier Reef because there aren't as many jellyfish (emphasis on the "aren't as many"). There will always be jellyfish in Australia. Jellyfish and sharks. The good thing about Sydney is that they put up an underwater shark net that connects with the other beaches. So no worries, mate!

Random facts:
-In 2000, this beach was used for the Olympic beach volleyball tournament.
-The lifeguards here are the best in the world. If you ever plan on drowning, drown down under here.
-It's topless.
-It can get very, very crowded in the summer (1000+ people).
-Nicole Kidman lives 10 mins away.
-If you don't wear sunscreen and then you accidentally fall asleep on the beach, you could wake up with sun blisters. Don't know what sun blisters are? Google image it.
-In 2007, it held the Guinness World Record for the largest swimsuit photo shoot, with 1,010 women wearing bikinis taking part.
-A shark once attacked a swimming kangaroo (sources are still being verified on that one).




1. Hanauma Bay Park, Oahu, Hawaii


ALOHA HAWAII! Hanauma Bay was created within a volcanic crater, thus, making this area even cooler than the other places I've listed. In case you didn't know, the Hawaiian islands were basically formed by volcanoes. With the Hanauma being within the volcanic crater and declared a protective site, the marine life is very diverse.

A lot of people would say that they like Waikiki beach in Oahu. Unlike Waikiki, Hanauma has more to offer than just the surf and tanning: snorkeling, scuba diving, and exploration of the nearby hiking trails.

Before visitors even step foot onto the sand, EVERYONE has to watch this educational video about the Hanauma Bay. The summary goes like this:

1. Don't touch the coral reef
2. Don't touch the fish
3. Don't touch the sea turtles
4. Don't touch, feed, or step on the fish, sea turtles, or coral reef
5. How about you just make life easier for the conservationists and stay out of the water

Someone I know, who shall remain anonymous, actually saw a huge green sea turtle and tried to ride on it's back, thereby breaking rules 3 and 5.