Costa Rica: Day 1 and 2

So for those of you who follow my instagram account you have seen that I spent the last week and a half in the beautiful land known as Costa Rica. It was kind of crazy finally embarking on this adventure seeing as I had signed up for the trip last October. I went with the same program I went to Europe with (EF College Break) only this time I decided to go alone.

The first day consisted of flying to Costa Rica, and dinner with the group to get to know each other. I arrived by myself after the majority of the people had already arrived and been taken to the hotel. I got to ride to the hotel with just my tour guide, which was actually quite cool. I was impressed with how much he knew about his country, and I knew that we were going to have a blast with this guy. Good ol' Walter!

We arrived at the hotel to find that all the other group members were out exploring the city, so I went up to my room and relaxed for an hour before everyone came back. It was there that things really started to sink in. I was actually in Costa Rica! Not only was I there, but I had made the trek alone. I just stared out the window at all the locals passing by on the busy streets, and smiled to myself that I was able to have that moment alone to really let everything soak in.

The view outside our hotel window. Not the best photograph, but you get the idea. 

This was my morning view at breakfast on day two.

Day two started off with a bang! We backed up all are stuff in the bus and headed over to INBioparque. This place was unbelievable. It had areas of all the different types of forests found in Costa Rica. I swear not two minutes in we found a baby sloth hanging in a tree! The amount of wildlife I saw on this trip is unreal you guys. UNREAL!

I had a battle with myself about taking crappy and blurry animal photos, sooo I didn't. I am sorry fellow humans, I just couldn't do it. You are just going to have to take my word for it.

Now I will just show you all the wonderful photos, because no words can do it justice. Here is day two everyone!

Alright, so I have one picture of an animal. Haha enjoy! Iguanas were everywhere! You know how we have deer crossing signs? Well over in Costa Rica, they have iguana crossing signs. Haha It was pretty hysterical. 

Isn't this just the prettiest duck you ever did see? At least I think it's a duck.... doesn't it look like a duck??

This is Neon the butterfly. This little guy hung out on my backpack for a good 15 minutes. Long story short, we are best friends. 

Oh I forgot to explain the reason for the crummy iphone photos. I brought my beautiful Nikon with me all the way to Costa Rica only to find out I left the handy dandy memory card back home in Utah... *palm to face*

After exploring the wonderful park we were on our way to Poas to see the Poas Volcano! This volcano apparently has one of the biggest craters in the world! Can't you tell...

Yeah, that's it. Haha luckily there were a few times when the fog moved so we could actually see the crater, and it was definitely worth the wait. 

Did I mention there were two other Shelbys on this trip? Yeah, it was very confusing. In order from left to right. 

Shelby "Queso", Shelby Black, Shelby "Utah"

After hiking back down the crazy volcano (which we later found out erupted the next day) we headed by bus (our form of transportation) to the Arenal Region were we would spend the next day. That is pretty much it for day one and two my lovelies! Oh yeah, we stopped to see this one the way to Arenal. 

Until next time humans!

Camping Suggestions?

This one here is for all of you in Utah (or those who have been to Utah). Zachary and I are trying to make a list of camping spots to go to this summer, and upcoming fall. We are looking for suggestions! It could be anywhere in Utah! Please let us know! Thanks all you wonderful humans.

P.s- Zachary and I have started a new blog together (yeah, I know), and you lovelies should check it out here!

TFIOS

To be quite honest, I have been thinking a lot about whether or not I would right about this. First off, this book was one of the only books that had me sobbing so much that I actually had to put it down and come back to it later. I can't tell you why that is. I guess it just happened that way. I wasn't one of those cool kids that read it forever ago, and can say they read it before everyone else. No, I read it one day a year and a half ago and to this day I haven't read a book that moved me as much as this did. John Green just has a way with words like no other author I have read, and he just makes you fall in love with his characters.

Enough about this, back to the real point of this post.... the movie.

It is 12:52am on Friday, which means I spent the last two hours watching the movie based on this book that changed the way I view all other books. Just so you know, yes! I loved it. Everything about it. It was just perfect, and I felt like I saw the story I loved so dearly truly come to life. However, this isn't a post about that. This is a post about the people behind us.

I was sitting here in bed trying to fall asleep, but I just couldn't get this anger and frustration out of my head. I have decided instead that I need to vent. So I apologize, but this just needs to happen and you are free to stop reading here. I am sorry if you thought this was going to be a cute post about how much I loved the movie, but I can't think about that right now. So in order to get to that state here is a letter to those moviegoers behind us. Warning: THE BELOW CONTENT HAS SPOILERS!

Dear College Kids Behind Us At the Movie Theater, 

How are you? I hope life is treating you well. Well kind of. I would probably say otherwise, but I guess I am just too good of a person. Haha I would just like to let you know that I did not appreciate your behavior during my movie going experience. Yes, I knew full well going into this that I would be dealing with a lot of 14-year-olds freaking out every time Augustus waters came on screen, or anytime they recognized a reference to the book. I know there would be clapping, and screaming, and all sorts of oooing and aaaahhing. I however did not think that I would have to sit through fifteen minutes of you guys laughing at everyone crying in the theater during a eulogy for an 18-year-old who had just died of cancer. Not to mention continuing to laugh for the entire remainder of the movie. 
I get it. The whole theater consisted of those under the age of 14, and there were maybe four boys total. I get your need to feel masculine and proud to surrender your emotions to a movie that you would have to find in the Teen section of Barnes & Noble. I too found myself getting annoyed at all the screaming and obsessing, but I knew full well what I was getting into. Yeah, the majority of the humans there were much much younger than me, but in a way we were all united in this book that had touched us in some way to make us want to pay hard earned money to see it come to life on screen. Yeah, I couldn't help but giggle at the lady behind us that blew her nose WAY too loudly, but stuff happens. I was expecting so many things, but again I was not prepared for your horrendous behavior that really kind of ruined my experience of something that meant so much to me.
You may say, "Shelby, relax! It's just a book! It isn't real. The whole thing is fiction." Yes, this particular story may have been fiction, but the fundamentals of this story are not. There is literally someone every single day that has to go through this. Go through the pain that is known as cancer whether it be someone close to you, or you yourself. I am sorry, but fictional story or not, I do not see a time that it is EVER okay to laugh at those who have had to experience cancer. It seriously just makes me sick that your first response was to laugh. Yes, you could hear the sniffling around the theater like it was surround sound, but everyone has had their battles. There were points where your laughter was so loud I couldn't even hear what was being said. 
I know this is a pointless rant, but please college kids behind us, next time you decide to go to an early showing of a show (or any show for that matter) please do us all a favor and save your $10 until it comes out on Redbox, and you can laugh from the comfort of your own home. 

Your Fellow Moviegoer,

Shelby

Alright humans, the rant is officially over! Okay?

Okay.

6.5.14

Hello all you wonderful humans! It's been a little bit (again)! I hope all is well in the blogging world. I have missed this little blog of mine, and have officially (I think) decided it is time to give it a little more love.

I am currently sitting in my kitchen eating "healthy" pepperoni, and thinking about what I could share with all you lovelies. For some reason my brain keeps coming back to running... Yup, here we go.

So Zachary and I have been using the app 5K Runner to try and get into running. So far it has actually been great! We are about halfway through, and I can feel the runs getting a little bit easier each time. Everything was going great until I decided to suggest running the trail at Tanner Park.

WORST.DECISION.EVER.

Let me try and describe this trail accurately for you.... UP HILL DEATH TRAP!

Let me try to accurately describe what I looked like running up said up hill death trap.... Basically like someone running up an up hill death trap.

But seriously you guys, I can't remember the last time I ran uphill, and I don't think you can call what I was doing "running". It was more like a slow shuffle with the occasional hunching over because I thought I was going to puke. Of course I am sitting there BASICALLY DYING, and I see Zachary running with what looks like ease up this 1098932847 mile hill (he will tell you that he was dying as well, but obviously he is lying).

I don't really know what the point of this story was other than to tell you I almost died, and I guess we should be happy I am still here. What I can't seem to figure out is how my brain is okay with me thinking about doing it again tomorrow. Obviously I suffered some kind of brain damage due to lack of oxygen or something. Wish me luck this next time around!

Working On It

So my Moab pictures have been sitting on my computer for almost a month now, and I just can't seem to force myself to edit them. I tried today, but no matter what I did, I just wasn't satisfied. I just recently learned how to use Lightroom, and I am still trying to figure out everything. Before I used to edit them on my phone, but now I am trying to legit edit them. It's a mess haha

I got one photo I liked, so I will share that with you! I guess one is better than nothing!

I feel like this is too short of a post, so I guess I will add some random things that have been happening. I am currently sitting in my grandparents living room listening to two demolition guys talking. I can't really tell if they are yelling at each other, or if that is just how they normally talk. A couple days ago I came over to my grandparent's house to print some homework, to find the downstairs bathroom and hallway flooded. So that has been fun. My dad and I spent that day ripping up soaked carpet, and vacuuming up water until the insurance adjuster could come over the next day. Oh, did I mention that my grandparents are out of town? Yeah, so it's been an interesting week.

On a lighter note, Zachary found a new little house to move into. Like seriously you guys, I can't even handle this place. It is the cutest little tiny house tucked into the back corner of a larger house. The landlords are hysterical, and so nice. Also, he is now going to be a six minute car ride from my house instead of a whopping 30. Like you don't even understand how happy I am! Bringing on this weekend and the moving van (aka my dad's truck)!