Newbie

     I love posting about new things that are happening to me that relate to college. It usually pumps me up and makes me excited about the future. So that being said, this post will be about my first trip to Gatlinburg with the college and career group from my church. :)
     Once again, I had to get up early in the morning. I survived. We loaded up into a van and a small bus and took off. About an hour in I realized I was going to like this trip for at least one reason. We were stopping to go to the bathroom. That may sound weird to some people so let me explain. I'm ALWAYS the one that has to go to the bathroom when we would go on youth trips. It never failed. I knew on this trip that if we were stopping an hour into the trip that we would be stopping a lot more, and that my friend, made me a happy traveler.
     We traveled all day and made it to our cabin without getting lost or falling off the mountain. The cabin and the scenery were both absolutely beautiful. I could totally live in that cabin...if it was closer to my actual home. ;)


From the balcony



The girls floor

      On the next day, we had a mystery outing, which everyone figured out or was told what it was. So, since it was no longer a mystery, we all loaded up and headed to Dollywood. I'm not a fan of roller coasters or anything like that so I quickly volunteered to be the purse, backpack, cell phone, sunglasses holder for the day. I had no problem with that. Sometimes people watching is way more fun than actually riding rides. Ok, well maybe not fun, but it's defiantly more entertaining. We ate lunch at Red's Diner I believe it was called. It looked like a scene out of Grease. However, I don't think hamburgers cost $9 in the 50's....  I ordered a kids meal and got a souvenir plate.   :) And of course I took a picture of it.

     After leaving Dollywood and resting at the cabin and eating dinner, it was time for worship. It was good, as I knew it would be.
     The next day was just a cabin day. We could do just about whatever we wanted, which for me included sleeping until about 11am. :) Once I was up and awake I was asked to go on a hike. I accepted. On the way back, it started to rain just a little bit. Enough to make us walk faster. As we were walking we had to go around a fence which was basically on the edge of the mountain. I managed it with ease the first time, but the second time there was a bug on the tree I had to hold on to. I'm not afraid of most bugs, and I wasn't this one either, but it was all big and black and looked mean. So in order to avoid it I decided not to touch the tree. I did fine until my foot slipped on the wet grass and I almost fell down the mountain. Good thing I have arms so I could slide them down the tree to stop myself... I've learned along time ago to laugh at myself when things like that happen so it was no big deal, except my arms were really red. We made it back to the cabin with no other incidents. 
     Once back to the cabin we played games. One card game consisted of making animal sounds. I can't even explain it. Just one of those things that you had to be there to understand. Worship that night was wonderful too.
     Thursday after breakfast we went white water rafting. I enjoyed it and now have another story to tell when people talk about rafting. :) At the cabin that night we played more games. I learned how to play Rook, well for the most part. We played another game that I was really bad at and I lost many times. But I learned to play, that's all that matters right?

     Friday we went to Downtown Gatlinburg. It was VERY touristy.

 After that we ate at the Apple Barn. It was good. I still want an outfit like the waitresses wore. Sadly, I didn't take a picture of one. :(  Next on our to do list was shopping at Tanger Outlets. If you read my post about Louisiana you know that I didn't get the shoes I wanted. Well Tanger had an Adidas outlet store. :) I did buy some tennis shoes, however, they were not the ones I wanted, but they will suffice.  Before Bible Study that night at the cabin most of us watched the sunset from the balcony. The calm moment was short though. It was interrupted by seeing how far one could spit off the balcony. Or how close they could spit without it touching the floors below us. I did get a picture of the sunset instead of spit.

     Then on Saturday morning we headed back home. All in all, after a little adjusting, it was a fun trip. Even if I was the newbie.