I got a day off at the hotel since many guests arrived the day before and didn't need service! By 11 AM, my lazy self finally climbed down from the top bunk. I still haven't received my Social Security number, so checking the mail in the morning has become a habit. Everyone else was already gone (except for Sonya, whose lazy self was still lying in bed). In my pajamas and with half-closed eyes, I opened the door, peeked out, and... screamed!!!
Our landlady, Trish, had come to check the mail! Oh my god! I was so scared! What an awkward situation! I couldn't explain what happened in English. And I wouldn't have been able to anyway, being half-asleep and startled!
Trish warned us that it was about to rain. She showed me the weather forecast on her smartphone. The temperatures in Fahrenheit still didn't mean anything to me).
My letter from the tax office didn't arrive. We were planning to go to the beach, but then a downpour actually started! So our lazy day dragged on. We had breakfast and hung out on the internet. Not the most typical activity for America? Maybe, but sometimes you just want everyone to leave you alone. Personally, I was writing my blog and really enjoying it! It's so good to know how to enjoy life, no matter what you're doing (we're actively learning this!).
The rain stopped, and we went for a walk. I think this was the first time I felt like a real vacationer here. The plan was to visit a bookstore; there are some interesting shops here where even the atmosphere makes you want to enjoy books! We also wanted to visit the Dollar store on the boardwalk. It's something like our local fix price store.
We dressed for the beach and looked at souvenirs. We found a Christmas gift shop, and surprisingly, it was full of visitors! I ate some pizza, watched the seagulls, and picked out a beach bag! In short, I was enjoying life! For the first time, I was exploring the boardwalk not to look for job openings, but for shopping!
After the second amusement park, we turned toward the beach. The ocean was lost in the haze, and we walked through the steam. It's about 100 meters of sandy beach from the boardwalk to the water. The rain had created entire lakes, and they were actively evaporating under the sun that had just come out. Living on the coast is cool!
We swam, sunbathed, worked out, and even made it to the sports ground. Sonya does pull-ups like a true athlete to stay in shape, while I do crunches and back stretches for myself. The sports ground is on Atlantic Ave, opposite the Wildwood Convention Center, roughly at the intersection with Davis Ave. There's also a playground for kids there, super cool, with soft asphalt—we didn't have that in our childhood; we just had scrapes and scars on our knees! And I still have them).
On the way back, we passed a memorial alley. Crosses, names, brief information, and an American flag. Unlike our alleys of heroes, everything here is very tiny and neat. Without unnecessary pathos.
We didn't make it to the bookstore, but we definitely will, and I'll tell you what's so unusual about it! (According to last year's participants, it's magic there).
I worked at the restaurant in the evening, and everything went well. Tomorrow is Independence Day in the USA, something is bound to happen.
