Day 20: (waterfalls and ground squirrels)

Well, I haven’t had internet in a good couple of days. So, I haven’t been able to update. So… That sucks. A lot.

Internet is a snailstorm. I know that’s not a word, but I’m still going to use it. I’m partially happy that it’s that way, but at the same time, I really wish that I could be update this every day without issues. There has been a LOT going on which I have to bring up. Nothing huge… (or is it?)

In all honesty, I am as exhausted right now as when I made Kayla write a few weeks ago, so this writing is going to be odd and nonsensical, in all probability. What I’ve been doing the last few days consists almost entirely of rickshaws (as we call them), Chinese, and complaints from my stomach about the food. Oh, and fun. Lots of fun. Can’t forget the fun.

On my day off a couple of days ago, Katherine, Cody and I decided to go on a hike past Grand Prismatic. Something as impressive as that is hard to put into words, even if it wasn’t entirely visible through the steam that was rising off of its surface in the temperature. The center is a deep iridescent blue that strikes your eyes, and the outer rims are the most incredible russet red that I’ve ever seen in nature. The colors are so incredible that something in me ticked another second. Although that doesn’t make all that much sense, that’s what it felt like. Spying the eye of the world as I did, steaming while I stood in the rain with two new friends, it is a changing experience. Afterward, we continued along the path toward Fairy Falls, and took many, many photos. It’s wonderful, I really feel like I’m making some good, genuine friends up here. I’ve only known them a few days, but they really are incredible. All of them are good people. In fact, 40 more came today. I don’t know how I feel about that yet, but I’m sure it will be for the better over the worse.

Since my day off, I’ve done nothing but work and realize how much being done with work is what I should be looking forward to. Today was hellish, to say the least. We, as a group, have finished most if not all of the rooms at Lake Lodge, so some of us were forced to go over and work in the Lake Hotel area to help out. There was so much work to be done, not to mention the fact that my TL (team leader) was completely anal-retentive and reacted to absolutely every small issue within a room that may not have been done up to her unimaginable par. A spot of water in the shower was enough to require a return and reclean. Hopefully I won’t have to work that sector all that often. I’m looking forward to my next day off (not until Tuesday) with gusto and aplomb.

There are few things that I miss, but I miss them well. I miss my family, and I can’t wait to see them when I do, but one person in particular is distressing me, because every day is difficult without her. Kayla Wardle, I miss you. So much. I love you like I didn’t know I could. The sooner I see you, the better.

Although it has rained every day since I’ve arrived, it’s a beautiful, cold place. Every day I see the mountains across Lake Yellowstone and the passion that I have for the world and the wilderness is reignited, and I feel a rising within me. I find myself being so gracious for the view that I get to see every day that I almost repeat it as a mantra; “Wow, I am damned lucky right now.” This, combined with the incredible population of my dorm, nay, the park (I did just do that), proves to be good evidence toward a predicable hypothesis. This summer has so much in store for me. I can’t wait to spend days out in the wilderness, traveling through the territories of Grizzly Bears and Bull Moose. the excitement spring ever forth. This is the place that I was looking for that might help settle my soul, because every time I get back from grueling work, whatever the level of difficulty (note to self: ALWAYS eat breakfast), I come back to warm people and smiles, and memories I won’t soon forget.