Seeing as this blog still seems to be receiving traffic, I thought it would be worth an update to say that I, Alicia, am about to embark on a journey to Australia, and would like to invite y’all to head over to my adventure’s accompanying new blog. Stay tuned for more hilarity, more entertainment, but considerably less sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

Saucestralia: Dingo, Dingoing, Dingone...

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We made it back to Seattle around 10pm Friday night after 14 hours of driving. I still haven't unpacked (in fact, Levi had to move this weekend I'm actually sitting in an airport waiting to fly to Santa Clara for a work conference) and the memories are still fresh in my mind. Look to see a Smilebox on here soon, but for now, some stats from our trip...

• 3,458 miles
• 10 tanks of gas
• 6 sleeves of whole wheat Ritz crackers
• 2 packages of Goldfish
• 2 bottles of wine
• 2 cans of Four Loko
• Countless cups of coffee
• 2 uncomfortable stops in Oregon to get gas

All in all, a good trip. I kind of learned how to drive stick shift, we got to visit one of the coolest people you will ever meet, and snow camp in a gorgeous national park....

Let's go again!!

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We started driving at 8 this morning with a 75% full tank of gas. Levi drove until we ran out of gas. Refilled the tank in Reding, I drove until we ran out of gas just now in Salem. If you haven't already guessed, the call of 90 gallons of homebrew awaiting in Seattle is just too strong, and we shall press northward!

Our trip today has been surprisingly not miserable... Well, it may have been a tad miserable for Levi somewhere in the middle when I burst into an uncontrollable giggle fit for several miles. To be perfectly fair, this was right around the time he decided to put on that stupid helmet you see in the picture below so that he could rest his head against the window to nap. How could I NOT laugh at that?

As I'm typing, we're just outside of Portland, so we should make it home well before 10. Then I'll probably take a nap. Then go out and, you know. YOU KNOW!!!!

Think I'm a little kooky from being in the car too long.

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Last night we we're treated to some delicious Japanese food and tasty red wine by Levi's hospitable aunt and uncle. Levi also got in some good cousin bonding with Glyn and Miles, and I was treated to some entertaining "when Levi was younger" stories.

This morning, Gina took us out to breakfast with the kids, and we bid farewell to them just in time to hit the road right in the middle of the morning commute. Our solution? Drive round the city looking for "shortcuts," as Levi calls them. Not really sure how far we plan to go today, or where we hope to end up, or how we plan to get there... Cool.

Currently listening to Cloud Cult

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Couldn't get the baby to face me. Just imagine preciousness personified.

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We's here!

(By the way, I have been instructed by my mother to take a picture of Levi where he does not look like a crabby pants. I would just like to take this opportunity to reassure you that his scowls are not a reflection of any unhappiness, but rather a small, and frankly warranted, protest to my incessant picture taking. Regardless, will work on getting him to flash those pearly whites. Stay tuned.)

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We're eight hours into our drive from Phoenix to San Francisco and Levi and I both agree that it's going swimmingly. For whatever reason, this has been the easiest drive of our trip thus far, which is kind of weird. Levi drove the first three hours, I took the second three, and Levi is currently behind the wheel.

According to his phone, we're looking at an ETA of 5:30, putting us almost exactly eleven hours and thirty minutes of driving today. That comes at the cost of Joshua Tree National Park (boy was that a rough exit to drive past), but I think we're both pretty stoked to be in SFO before sunset.

When we get to SFO, we've got a home-cooked meal waiting for us care of Levi's family, plus I may be able to squeeze in some friend time with my bay area homies.

Currently listening to Gwar

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Apparently Levi's car doesn't count higher than 2,000 miles on the trip odometer. Lame.

Currently listening to Hanson

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Levi and I got up at the buttcrack of dawn (what is up with me and the word "butt" today?) so we could leave Peoria when Christian left for work and still have plenty of time for our incredibly long haul today... Did I forget to mention that we're driving all the way to San Francisco today? Good thing we spent two days waffling on our plans, only to settle on the drive-twelve-hours-to-northern-California-in-one-day option. If we're smart, we will alternate driving every few hours, though in my current dehydrated state, that plan is still pending.

Picture taken at gas station along I-10.

Currently listening to The Postal Service

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1. Whiskey and tequila I can handle
2. Caffeinated alcoholic sorority girl shit, however, is a whole different beast
3. I wish we had In-n-Out in Washington
4. There are a lot of really good places to take a date in the greater Phoenix area
5. Desert = pretty alright I guess

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On the way back to Christian's, I fell asleep in the car and proceeded to pass out as soon as we got home. Oops. Now we're sitting around playing with our Blackberrys and watching TV. EXCITING!

We still really need to go to the grocery store and plan our route home. Eh, we've got a few hours yet. I'm sure it'll all work out.

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Boy this city really lights up on a Tuesday night!

After visiting some of Levi's family last night, Christian took us out to Casey Moore's with his friend Lauren (who is pretty rad, by the way), and we spent most of the evening waffling between ordering another and trying to stay classy. You can probably guess which won out.

Priorities for today include determining a route back to Seattle, seeking out some rocks to climb, and perhaps tossing a disc around. Oh yeah, and packing the car. And saying goodbye to Christian. And showering. Must remember to shower...

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I love having a designated driver.

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Tonight, Christian took us up to the top of South Mountain Park, which sits at the south end of Phoenix and overlooks the city, and I think I get it now.

WARNING: Things are about to get all gushy, please forgive.

There are times in your life when single moments seem to capture what happiness is to you. When I stand on top of a mountain with two of my best friends and look down over miles of city lights like a blanket of ice in the middle of the desert, it's like I start to fall in love with life itself.

Phew. Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I think it's time to go listen to obscene rap music and take in what the Phoenix night life has to offer (get drunk).

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Bear with my stupid narration, I swear it's worth it.

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We made it to Peoria, and poor Levi only had to suffer through approximately 1 hour or so of my complete inability to drive a stick shift. Although really, what was he thinking, bringing along a female Asian passenger? He had this coming.

I was able to take a quick shower at Christian's before we grabbed a bite to eat at In-N-Out and taking a scenic tour through the city, including a brief walk through northern Peoria where this cool solar system scupture thingy was located. I'll tell you, some words get less funny with time - "Uranus" is not one of them.

Levi is already asleep (no picture ladies, sorry!) and I'll follow as soon as I check my work email (GROSS I KNOW). Priorities for tomorrow include going climbing, doing some laundry, figuring out the rest of our week, and for god's sake get Levi to bathe. Our room smells like feet right now.

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