I'm a slayer, ask me how.

OKAY! I'm sitting down right now and I'm posting this dangit! It's been over a week since this concert and I need to document the memories!

This was my first visit to The Wharf in D.C. and what a visit it was. It's a swanky part of town, right on the water. Honestly, if we hadn't of ridden the Metro to get there, I wouldn't not have known I was in D.C. - it did not feel like it at all.

We lucked out on weather, it was on the warm side but gorgeous otherwise. Blue skies and sun, bit of a breeze. The place was hopping due to some kind of fundraiser for the Humane Society and a Wiener Dog race LOL. So many good dogs all over the place, walking among the people.

( adventures downtown )

I didn't take a ton of photos, I wanted to enjoy the concert but I was at a pretty amazing angle to snap some pictures so I took a few you can see here.

It was a lovely night, I can't remember the last time I got home at 2am and still felt so wired I was up until 3am. Just a great concert. Everyone was awesome. The venue was great, seats were worth every penny.

If you have a chance to see Bastille live, I highly recommend them.

I just booked our hotel for our trip to Niagara Falls!

Gosh, that was nerve-wracking. I think it is because I have been a spoiled traveler for many years and tend to have friends or family living in the destinations I visit so I don't have to look at hotel prices and reviews.

Or, like when we went to Orlando, I knew I wanted to stay on-site for the park so that was an easier thing to pick. Also I think my friend picked the room the first time so I just did the same thing she did.

This was so much more since it was looking at Canadian prices, having to figure out what that would cost in U.S. currency, reading through all the reviews on TripAdvisor...I think that is the worst part. You look at the reviews and it is a top hotel, everything looks great and then you find a review from a couple weeks ago that is 1 star and they are ranting about how awful it was and you doubt everything.

Though reading reviews really shows you what different people value in their hotels. I think people that travel more for business will pick on a hotel room's TV and what not more. Me? I don't care about the TV. I'm going to be out and about all day, I just need a comfortable, clean bed and bathroom. Plus, it is 2018 people, use your damn phone and the free Wi-Fi to watch your porn tv shows or whatever!

I opted to go with a hotel. For some reason B&Bs just freak me out. I guess I prefer the privacy and anonymity of a hotel. I can't do hostels either. Tried one once in London and immediately moved the next day to a hotel. I think I'm just too private a person and my evening rituals for winding down require alone time. And my morning rituals too.

Anyway, now that is done, our leave requests are in so I can spend the next month thinking about what we will do for 3 days in Canada. I figure one day will be the "tourist" stuff around the Falls. Another might be going to find some hiking trails. Third day will be the wild card. I guess we can see how we feel but maybe something fun like a winery?

Just nice to have something to look forward to! We have a whirlwind family trip to Boston next week and I can't wait to just get away. But this Canada trip will just be Tim and myself and that will be nice too.

has anyone been to Costa Rica recently?

Brainstorming a "Girl's Trip" for February and this was my friend's suggestion (and it is for her - she is a Mom of two and I suggested we get away for a few days so she can just have some time to herself and leave the kiddos with Dad).

I mean, I've been practicing my Spanish for a few months now! Duolingo says I'm 50% fluent so that should at least be able to get us to a hotel and airport...and the library LOL (because every foreign language teaches you how to ask where the library is!)

Anyway, if you've been to Costa Rica and have any tips/tricks, let me know!

twissie -- saw this and thought of you LOL

Japan releases guide to etiquette for tourists

I like how the article notes that, while Japan has many visitors, the pamphlet is only currently published in English and Chinese.

guy guys GUYS!!!!!!!!! - FUNKO POP has released photos of the Firefly set. OMG I NEED THEM ALL!

Also, OUR FLIGHT LEAVES IN 8 HOURS!!!!!!! Which means we need to be to the airport in 7 HOURS! HOW AM I GOING TO SLEEP?!?!

Okay, I've been mentally planning this post for awhile now and I figured I better write it before we're not even in the same damn MONTH as the trip!!!! I'll try to keep it from getting too long, but I was there a week!

Tuesday/Wednesday:

Got to the airport nice and early, went through security with no problems. My friend had warned me that the UK was using Chip & Pin credit cards so in a moment of panic, I went to the currency place and not only got sound pounds but also one of the cards. (In the end, I shouldn't have bothered - London is too much of a tourist town to not take our old magnetic cards...plus I could never remember the damn PIN!) My flight left with no problems at all. Had a yummy chicken curry dinner on the plane and watched episodes 6 & 7 of 'Game of Thrones' on my iPhone, then passed out for a little while.

At the last minute, I managed to convince Perri, one of my bestest buds, to travel with me. She flew Virgin Atlantic and made it to Heathrow BEFORE me LOL! So she was waiting at the gate when I landed. We headed over to the hostel, Palmer's Lodge. This was my first hostel experience and, let me say, I do not think I'm cut out for hostel vacationing. I like my own space, even if it is just to sleep in. Had a little bit of a shock when we went into the room and found that it was twin-sized bunkbeds. And Perri & I had gotten a TOP bed. You can see how thrilled I am about this in the photo Perri took of me "settling in".

Even though we were running on fumes at this point, we decided we better keep moving so we didn't fall asleep! We wandered back out in to the city and ended up at St. Pancras station. Perri drooled over the Eurostar train for awhile, then we went outside and found an Irish pub for lunch. The food was okay, but the highlight of the meal was the little ol' Irishman sitting next to us. You could tell he was a regular by the amount of *eyeroll* he got from the young waitresses every time he ordered another Guiness. Perri got a Guiness with her meal and he took this as an opportunity to chat with us and tell us about all the great vitamins contained in Guiness beer and how pregnant women should be encouraged to drink it!

We ate our food (Perri got a Shepard's Pie, I went with an Irish burger) and then we realized we were right next to the British Library! We went inside and wandered around. It was being heavily used, lots of floors, though many of them were for special collections and studying so you couldn't just go walking. The "King's Collection" was in the middle of the building. We did manage to wander into the Science Fiction exhibit they had going on, though at this point, we were SO tired, we just sort of walked through and glanced at everything. It was pretty cool though. You forget that mankind has been fantasizing about going to space since before there were even rockets or cars or any technology that could make it seem possible.

At this point, we stumbled back to Palmer's Lodge (after getting ourselfs a week-long Oyster card for the Tube -- which means we bought a subway pass that would last us all week). I think it was only 6 or 7...but we were so tired. Perri was smart and brought along earplugs so we took quick shower (oh god, hostel showers, never again!) and passed OUT! We both woke up around 11pm because people were shuffling in and the bass beat from the bar below was thumping loud enough to penetrate our earplugs. Plus we were REALLY HUNGRY! Unfortunately, there were no places to eat at the lodge, but a little Deli was open down the street, so we walked down and got a yummy sub and a water and I picked up a Cadbury chocolate bar, which hit the spot. So then we passed back out again.

( Day 2 and BEYOND! )

Wonderful trip all around. I am so happy that Perri was crazy enough to hop on that plane and join me because a week alone in London would have been a LONG time. I don't know if I would have been brave enough to go to Cardiff by myself too. Definitely going to remember this one for a long time!

If you'd like to see all of my pictures from the trip - the set is on FLICKR here

Seriously this is getting ri-gosh-darn-diculous!

There must be a spider SOMEWHERE in my desk-area at home. Or maybe in my car. Anyway, it is living SOMEWHERE that it only ever bites ME! AD does not complain of bug bits, my co-workers do not mention it. Me??? I've got one on my leg, my back, my wrists, and now on the back of my arm.

W-T-F?????????

I'm behind 4 episodes on True Blood. This season did not grab me as much as previous and I've sort of stalled. I'll probably marathon them one of these weekends and catch up.

I'm slowly rewatching Doctor Who. I've only watched the first two of Season 2 but I'm enjoying them. Just watched 'Tooth and Claw' the other night. I need to go back and watch Season 1...probably after I've done Season 2-5.

Leaving for Maine on Wednesday morning. Should be quite the adventure - AD has to work, my brother is in Florida, and my Dad just got back from a trip so he wasn't in the mood to come along. So it's just me and my mom. In the car. For 10 hours. I don't think we've been alone together for 10 hours EVER. Well, at least in the past 10 years. Or even 21 years (since my brother showed up). Most likely we will solve all the world's problems and a few crossword puzzles and then forget everything when we arrive at my grandparent's house.

Amy, Vincent, and I are heading up to Boston tomorrow. It will be a long drive but a fun drive, I know it! We have iPods and PSPs fully charged, 2 crossword puzzle books, and lots of snacks, covering all the junk food groups (Doritos, Sun Chips, Sour Worms, fancy M&Ms, and yogurt covered raisins). None of my Maine relatives have seen my Mini Cooper yet, so its a chance to show it off. And, of course, get me some LOBSTER!

AD is going to stay home and watch the kitties and play with Amy's husband Joe. They are bachelors for a week. WORLD BEWARE!

Anyhoo, we will be home on Saturday. I might log on for a bit while we're in Boston to work on homework and such, and knowing my lack of willpower, I might log into LJ to check up on the flist, but more than likely I will be partying too hard to reply/post.

And as I don't have a "traveling" icon, I'm going to use this one by demonqueen666 which probably sums up your side of this post...