Houston Zoo

Today B and I went to Houston Zoo, which compared to Honolulu Zoo is spectacular. If I had to rate it out of 10 it would probably get a 7 out of 10. It has been done up since the last time I was there about 6 years ago. We got lost trying to find it as the location it is in has changed over the past couple of years. They had 2 baby elephants, which were so cute (pics will be added later); they started playing with each other, which was so adorable.

They have this new African Safari section, which literally only had 3 animals! Three animals in the entire African part... the elephants were nowhere near that part. They had 2 monkeys, a handful of giraffes, and 3 rhinos. It was a complete let down.. they have huge billboards all the way to downtown Houston saying "Visit the African Safari", something along those lines; then you get there and Oh so boring!

The reptile house was pretty good. I do love looking at snakes! They had so many different kinds, mostly from the desert in America, but some from Africa and Asia. They had a huge albino alligator, which was pretty to look at it. It didn't move though which was a bit disappointing, but not completely unexpected.

After 2.5 hours at the Zoo it was time to leave. My feet were killing me. We went and had a very nice lunch... as opposed to the day before at the really crappy restaurant in Austin.

Austin, Texas

Well... Today B & I drove to Austin to go see the State Capital, which I have only ever driven by before about 8 years ago. So we drove down to Austin and we drove straight past it again. Literally 1 second of viewing time. I wanted to take pictures and a whole bunch of stuff, but then we got lost. So we eventually found our way back to the interstate/freeway and decided to not try and figure that out again! (I've decided I'll take a bus tour or something over to Austin at some point in time.)

So we ended up going to a strip mall type thing as B has been looking for some shoes, which we found. We also stumbled across a Borders which is closing down :-( . So B and I decided to go to the bookstore where I purchased a book by Bill Bryson called "A Walk In The Woods"; I just got done with the book "In a Sunburnt Country"; which Yes Mum was hilarious! I laughed so hard at the wheelbarrow bit. So I got a new book for 30% off which was pretty awesome.

Then after the book store we decide that we should eat lunch before driving back to Houston, so we go to some Italian restaurant which in my opinion was terrible. I ordered soup and a small main. The soup I ordered was Minestrone which they put lima beans in... Yes I said LIMA beans. It calls for kidney beans if I recall correctly. So I had a soup with the wrong beans in it... My small main was angel hair pasta with artichokes. It was OK. It really wasn't that great! It had no form of sauce on it. Shouldn't it have come with at least a garlic sauce?!

We finally made it back to Houston where we stopped at the grocery store to get some food for dinner. Tomorrow we are going to venture to the new and improved Houston Zoo. They apparently have some new African Safari part.

Texas ~ DAY 1

Well… I have arrived!!! What a long flight… that I didn't sleep on! I kept dozing off and then waking up thinking the plane was plummeting to the ground! How freakin' scary is that!!!

The guy picking me up to take me to the airport was 30 minutes late getting me, then I get into the airport and I had to sit outside of the terminal… They closed it off because they had someone in customs holding. So we are all sitting outside the gates and at the airport in Hawaii its not air conditioned throughout the whole building. So it was bloody HOT!!! Well hot for 6pm at night. Don't you just love when the airline workers say that "We're getting ready for boarding" and its like everyone stands up. You aren't going to be first people… only the people that spend a fortune on tickets get to go on first and so on. So the people are standing up to wait in line to sit back down. People take a chill pill and relax, the plane isn't going to leave without you!

I just love how 3+ years ago when they would come around with your meal (I was on a plane you didn't have to pay for it on) they use to give you a choice between chicken or fish, or something like that. Now they give you this nasty burger type thing… YUCK! Its not enough that you now have to pay for luggage, you now have to pay for headphones, drinks, and on some airlines food. I mean aren't the actual airline tickets covering everything?! I know, I know… RANT RANT RANT

Then when you land everyone stands up all at once because apparently the doors are going to open miraculously and you are going to get off as soon as the plane is done taxiing. Its not going to be that quick people!!! Then waiting for you luggage at the carousel, everyone stands in the same spot when there are perfectly good spots all around… No lets all stand in a congregation and get in everyones way when we actually try to take the bags off the thingy. Ugh… your bags aren't going to move any quicker, or necessarily be the first ones out.

Well I finally got out of the airport and had a very nice breaky with my MIL and SIL (mother/sister in law). Followed by a trip to the grocery store, where me naturally in my sleepless state stood in front of what was needed and stared at it thinking "what is it I needed to get?" I walked so slowly through the grocery store in a complete and utter daze!

Then home!!! My beautiful dog Bindi came running up and all crazy, getting in my face and wagging her tail non-stop. Luckily she didn't get me with the tail… that sucker hurts! I take a nice relaxing shower with plenty of HOT water! (I complained to my MIL she didn't have enough hot water the last time I was here) Got out and decided to take a nap… 2 hours later I heard a guitar being strummed and it wakes me up… I thought it was on the TV. Then here comes Bindi again wanting me to wake up and her tail must've hit the guitar and strummed it… all I could say was "Its good to know shes musically inclined".

Well day 1 is still in progress I am going shoe shopping and to visit some friends which I am looking forward to.

Texas

Well, I'm off to Texas in a little over 2 weeks which is exciting. I'm really looking forward to seeing my husband when he comes home for R&R. We are going to be going to the Rodeo which I LOVE!!! Gotta cheer for those cows to get away from the awful cowboys! I do love the broncos, and the bulls, especially when they throw off the rider... is that mean?! I think we are going to go up to Dallas to see a ice hockey game as well as a basketball game. Yay Mavericks... I would so prefer to see the Spurs but Lakers vs. Spurs tickets are so friggin' expensive!!! I hate the Lakers so that would be a preferable game to see.

I'll post pictures at some point of my journey in Texas. Maybe I'll go to the Alamo again. I think we are also going to hit up Six Flags Over Texas which is a theme park in Dallas! WOOHOO thrill rides!!!