Utah Survivor

State Route Sign - Utah

Epic drive today - Las Vegas to Grand Junction.  The majority of the day was spent in the lovely state of Utah where I only stopped once for gas/food as I feared some form of abduction was imminent.  Although I did encounter large families of blond-haired, fair-skinned Joseph Smith believers, I escaped unharmed and carried on at 80mph!  Never seen a speed limit that high before, although it was pretty much impossible to reach that speed with highway resurfacing projects popping up every 20 miles.  Note to self - do not trust trip duration provided by navigation or Google Maps when driving long-distance during the summer months (i.e., construction season).

The scenery was nothing short of breathtaking, sort of like seeing 100 mini Grand Canyons, or at least what I imagine the Grand Canyon would look like. Couldn't pay too much attention, however, as I was very busy trying to unravel the mystery behind the Utah State Route symbol. It looks like a cross between a beehive and a teepee. Anyone?

Lighting for Winos - Palazzo Hotel/Casino

Las Vegas was Las Vegas.  My mom and I did go to a great NY-style pizzeria called Grimaldi's where I snapped this photo of great recycled lighting.  Also had a chance to catch up with a friend/former coworker from Atkins (San Francisco) who is going through her own major life change...but not a midlife crisis because she is just a kitten.  Happy birthday Kelly!  Finally, last night I was treated to a complementary concert by FUN.  They were playing the Marquee rooftop last night at the Cosmopolitan, directly across from my hotel room at Paris.  That is a great band!

Ugh, must...stop...eating.  Maybe I'll join Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers while I'm in Eastern Europe.  Over there it's probably known as Yeni Craigovitch.  If I become a spokesmodel then maybe I can get my trip sponsored/paid for!

I recently learned about the 90-day limit in a six-month period for American tourists in Europe, more specifically, in the Schengen Zone.  This is the borderless area that encompasses most countries of the EU + a few others.  As you know, I am planning to spend more than 3 months in Eastern Europe, so this is an unforseen complication that requires a little bit of fancy footwork or law-breaking.  Countries NOT included in the Schengen Zone that are a part of my planned itinerary are England, Ukraine, and Israel.  Since I can't afford to stay too long in the UK, and am afraid/ill-equipped to stay too long in Ukraine, I am beginning to explore the possibility of an extended stay in Israel.  Kibbutz?