Olympic National Park - We are coming back again and again.

The hubby said “lets go to Vancouver”. “Make the plan” he said. “Let’s call all our friends too” I said. 

Then thought for a while. Vancouver was an adventure trip with parents. And hardly any places to see. Most of all, I visited it recently. 

“How about Olympic National Park?” I exclaimed! “Ya sure” he said. Meanwhile friends on chat too said Olympic better! 

Then it went to & fro on the dates, checking on the weather, availability of all. Meanwhile I got the itinerary ready. Then looked for cabin options that would best fit our group full of kids. 

Then one week away from the trip - we planned and brought ahead all the groceries required for the trip. The girls went for shopping for clothes to wear on the trip. 

A day before, we planned what time we would start the next day, ferry timings, and specifics of the itinerary. 

Itinerary 

Friday night cabin 

Dinner on the route 

Saturday morning - girls go on a hike while guys take care of kids as well get breakfast ready for all 

Next guys go for hike and girls and kids home + make lunch ready 

Evening - ruby beach 

Night - bbq party ! 

Sunday - another hike if time permits and back home! 

Hikes - 

1. Marymere falls trail - 1.8 miles (10 min from our cabin) 
2. Hurricane ridge trail - 3 miles (1 hour east from the cabin) 
3. Hoh rainforest trails - 1 mile (1.5 hours west from cabin) 

Ruby beach is 1.5 hours west as well. And has a 0.5 mile trail to reach the magnificent beach. 

Okay, now back to the actual trip. We all caught up in one place. Started by 630 pm for 740 pm ferry. As we neared - a sign board read “90 mins delay”. We all reached the ferry wait lines. Parked our cars and stepped out, chit chatted, shared snacks and whiled away the time in the chill weather. We weren’t sure we would make it till we all got in the ferry. While in the line we all were getting hungry. There was an Indian restaurant across the street. The hubby went to check if he could some parcel. They didn’t have biriyani, so he got samosas for all. The chutney was yum. We waited for all and had it together in the ferry. 

Got off the ferry and headed towards the cabin. Then we stopped for dinner at a pizza place. Back on the road, we reached a bridge, a long line for it and the bridge was closed. We blinked “how long do we wait?”. It was super windy and dark outside. 10 minutes we waited, then restless we squeezed out of the line. A U-turn. Not too far, we realized they opened the bridge. Again another U-turn, squeezes back into the line. Soon we reached the cabin, within a gated community. Beautiful interior design and decorations. So tired but the kids were the opposite. 

Saturday morning, girls and guys who were interested for the hike were up 6-630 am. Got ready. And then we’re getting tea ready. Urghh ... let’s start folks I exclaimed. And that’s what I said the next one hour. Guys/ girls had discussions at that hour for places to go / visit, hike and who all are going. Finally all girls started at 830 am to Marymere falls. Beautiful trail. 

We were back in little over an hour. Guys and some kids were ready as well. But the little ones seeing their moms got back home. The remaining left. No breakfast for us. Just a bunch of excuses. We made breakfast for ourselves- bread, peanut butter, omelettes, maggi. Lol. Then soon began with lunch preparation. Soon I took 2 naughty kids down to the hot tub. Had a relaxing time. 

Guys back. Lunch done. Again discussion - beach or hurricane ridge ?! Then I said beach today, hurricane tomorrow if time permits. Then Girls started getting ready for beach. Guys took naps in between. Kids tumbled down the stairs. Lol. All busy , no supervision. 

3 hours to step out of the cabin for the beach. Drive was beautiful. Beach no words. From the parking lot - view was amazing. The trail pretty strenuous with kids. And then the beach... logs to cross to reach it! The beach was wow. A river met the ocean. Sand and water everywhere. Tides gushed in in any direction. Water ice cold. Still we got off our shoes and jackets. Crossed the river. Climbed the rocks. Clicked pictures. Ran around in the water. 

Beach was amazing. We all are ready to make another day trip just for the beach. Never have we all seen a beach as such. 

See you soon Ruby beach! And hurricane ridge and hoh rainforest. 

Sissy's grad walk- trip to chicago

12 days... no plans ... baby in hands.. so much packing... forgot the stroller.. stayed at sissy's place.. all roomies left but for one.. 

May 3- noon reached ORD airport.. 

 

rented a car.. drove to a relatives home... sis had her last exam that evening... we didn't wanna go to her place before that... so whiled the time at this relatives home... had a great time actually... we went over talking about our well knitted extended family... n I learned that there were soooo many distant relatives around the states... we all visited the lemonte Rama temple .. that night they persuaded us to stay back... but we promised we will come a couple days later... 

Night reached M's place... 

May 4- relaxed at home 

May 5- went to a near by beach.. Wihala beach lake front... weather looked good out the window .. but it was freezing cold outside and windy... such high tides... 

 

Evening R joined us.. spent time home.. 

May 6- was the day.. the reason we were here.. 

before I even woke up R was missing.. lol 

Her prof called her for something about her grades and so she left with the first train that morning .. lol .. she had come for M s grad walk ! Crazy girl! 

 

May 7- we all went to chicago.. navy pier.. met B there with his cousin and nephew.. oh B as usual traveling on work.. stopped by.. then after that we went to see the Magnificent Bean @ the Millennium Park. 

 

From there went to Uncle's home! 

Tvisha learnt the art of rolling with ease over there! 

May 8- went to pick R.. and then just rode around chi downtown... and then stopped for lunch @ Devons street.. then went to Aurora Balaji temple.. empty it was.. 

The next stop was home- Uncle's place.. and then night show we three girls went to Bahubali 2! 

May 9- R said she had some work at college. So we went to drop her home before we head back to M's place - Indiana (just at the border, soon after crossing Illinois). But as we approached her place .. she called her college to confirm the appointment and found out she could spend more time with us! And so we got back! 

May 10- relaxed max at home.. just went for a little walk around the apartments and to their university campus! 

May 11- morning R left. Afternoon we went to Indiana dunes state park. Took a trail.. not an ordinary simple one.. steep.. walking up heights .. in the sand.. beating the heat.. walking into the forest .. dad, M and me.. finally to see the view of the Lake Michigan.. the beach... so beautiful.. 

 

 

 

 

 

Then went to Michigan city - shopping and got back home! 

May 12- planned to visit Indianapolis.. but as usual woke up late and got ready late.. and was ready only after lunch.. plus nothing there at the city.. 

we went to starved rock state park.. walked a small trail.. that reached the French canyon.. a tiny shower like waterfalls is all I saw.. M alone walked a little up . Stepping over the water stream.. and she saw a better French falls! And then visited another overview point... lots of stairs ... oh the place had been affected by floods.. and so there were more stairs to the visitors center.. 

 

May 13- A friend said she will come by in the afternoon.. afternoon became evening.. R said she will join as well.. evening turned night... they finally came... 

May 14- morning all got ready... I said let's go to the nearby beach... but our lazy troop didn't get up.. so sissy M , friend M and me .. went to Walmart .. picked a cake for M- day! (Mother's Day). We had already got a gift for mom! (iPhone) 

 

Got home.. set the room with the cake and candles lite up.. the gift on the side .. called mom and dad.. had a lovely celebration. 

Night friend M left. R stayed back.. 

Mid night we all left..: dropped the rental car and took the shuttle to the airport.. girls said they will wake up... lol.. we of course said never mind ,, not required... it's so un-time ... 

Days we relaxed back home .. nights we watched movies ... along with roomie P.. also she played a lot with Tvisha everyday... 

We had a good time!