Vacations are Fabulous!!

This past week, Sangam and I took a trip to North Carolina. I loved not knowing exactly what we would be doing each day, but having so much fun just going with the flow!

Here was our first stop after landing in Charlotte, and driving west to the beautiful Smoky Mountains. It was foggy each morning, perfect for sipping a hot cup of coffee as we navigated in our spiffy rental car!

Sangam was totally in his element. We would pull off at a trailhead and just take short hikes, hearing the sounds of spring in flowing rivers and birds testing out their start of the season chirps.

There is something about hiking in a new place that makes you feel like a kid again, anxiously awaiting what is around each new corner. It was such a great feeling, to be just starting our break, and already being so relaxed and having such fun!!

We ended up walking a few miles to a beautiful waterfall, making friends with the families and fellow hikers along the way. There is something about being on vacation that makes people friendlier, and more apt to make small talk. Every trip, I say to myself, I wish people were this carefree all the time!!

Here is Sangam as we drive up to our next destination, near Asheville, NC. Asheville was a really fun town, with an Austin-like feel. Lots of good restaurants, awesome local music and a laid back feel. As you can tell by his expression, Sangam is anticipatory of our tour of The Biltmore.

The Biltmore is the largest, privately owned house in the United States. Unaware of what this place even was, Sangam and I were impressed by the sheer organization of the house, beautiful thought that went into each space of the 250 rooms and forward technology of a house built in 1895. Complete with dorky headseats, I soaked up all the info concerning the indoor pool, extensive laundry facilities, lavish suites for guests and even a bowling alley for the enthusiasts!

I love how new surroundings serve to help you know yourselves better. Sangam and I had such a blast just exploring all these new sights together. After the tour of the house, we walked out into the lavish gardens, beautifully manicured and laid out in symmetrical beauty!

Our next stop was Chapel Hill, NC to see Sangam's sister, Angel. She is a senior at UNC, and as you can see, we had so much fun, I apparently forgot to take any pictures!! Our gracious host brought us to 'Top of the Hill', the infamous place to go in this college town, showed us her sorority house, the college campus and even took her old brother and sister in law out for St.Patty's day :) Being on campus totally brought me back to my college days. Man, if only I had to worry about my next exam, those were the days! :)

With our busy schedule, we said goodbye and headed 3 1/2 hours east, to the coast of NC, near Willmington, or Shallotte to be exact! There we found one of my dearest friends and her family. We were so excited to see the new home and town of the Williams'! One of the first things we did was tour their beautiful home,(Maria is definately a creative and fun decorator!)

After settling in, we promptly headed all of 5 minutes to the beach!

Right off the bat, I couldn't help but remember all the Nicholas Sparks books Maria, I and our high school friends had read over the years. This beach definately fit the description of that place; I was instantly excited for such a great get-away for this sweet family!

Maeta and Soren were naturals on the surf board. They were so good, that Sangam was inspired to test the waters himself, surfing for the first time!!

Dustin was a great teacher, showing Sangam the ropes :) I can't believe how much fun we had with the Williams! There is something about a longtime friend that fits like an old shoe. I was reminded at how wonderful it is to just spend time relaxing and catching up, what a treat!!

Spring Break 2011 was a roaring success! Beautiful scenery, lovely family and friends and the freedom of the road, just letting the hustle and bustle of daily life be put on hold for awhile.