Comfort Inn Dubuque

... on the 13 take-offs and landings we'll have during the 21 days<br>*deliverance from any other health issues that could come up<br><br>Schedule and Safety<br>*the schedule is tight, but the Lord is in control. Pray that if it's His will we'd make it to all the places, flights, etc. we are scheduled for, and if that's not His plan that we'd have grace to be flexible<br>*if you've never ridden in a car in an Asian city, you can only imagine it. Let's just ...

... and off I went. Road Trip!<br><br>I headed to Knoxville, 45 minutes away from Des Moines and the home of sprintcar racing. Mum and Dad took me to the speedway in Bunbury a lot as a kid and as much as I hate oval racing I love sprintcars. The drive down was really nice and Knoxville was very quiet. I arrived at Knoxville Raceway and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum. It was dead quiet and I was the only person there. The guy behind the counter was very friendly and ...

... Catherine at Globeaware told me on my way to Machu Picchu they have a lot of pick pocketers. I know I will be ok, but it makes me think. I am really excited to see Jose - it has been almost 10 years. I am excited to spend time with the kids. I am excited. So I head to my last day of work. I also have a bunch to do. But tomorrow I go. Here I come Peru.<br>

... carrying and pictured me trying to hold down the flaps as the hail pelted me senseless. It would not be my call, this one was on mother nature.<br><br>Finally rolled into Dubuque and headed straight for the State park but when I got there the rangers questioned my shelter and pointed me in the direction of a Days Inn. Just as well , as I needed to do laundry and who couldn&#8217;t say no to air conditioning and a soft bed. <br><br>

LOCATION: Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, 3800 Arboretum Dr. | 6:30pm | No Admission<br><br><br>(Enter from the west on Hwy. 20. Go to stoplight with Olive Garden on right. Turn left on JFK Road. Proceed through town two miles. Turn right on 32nd Street, left on Arboretum Drive. Enter Arboretum to south side.)<br><br>RAIN SITE: Hempstead High School

... new person...a better person. Someone who is trying to live in the moment (even though it doesn't always work, but I am trying). Someone who can laugh while playing Go Fish or not be bored playing Hide-n-Seek in a bare room. Someone who takes an afternoon to lay on the hammock read a book and listen to the waves in the distance. Ok so I will have to do without the waves here in Iowa but I need to remember to ...

... bear going forward but looking back. The more I think about it I am looking back at the former life of Jill. What still confuses the heck out of me is what I am supposed to do now. How I am supposed to be. There has to be a way this new Jill can live in her old life. Many have done it before and will do it again.

... Eat, Pray, Love. I never have thought about Meditation and I spent a week with Federico and the part of the book I came home to was her trying to experience meditation and sitting with her thoughts. I probably need to sit with my thoughts. Become one with the feeling. But it is hard. The unknown. So I guess for now I am going to finish by asking God for guidance and Grace. Help me to udnerstand that I don't need to understand.

Tonight is my last night in Dubuque. I've spent the week with my nieces, nephew and little cousins seeing the sites, especially the parks. I head to Chicago in the morning to catch my flight. Hopefully, I'll have some great photos and exciting stories to share when I get to Hong Kong in a few days!

... without a little fun... Here's the plan: July 29th: fly to L.A. July 30: L.A. for Grant and Karla's wedding July 31: Fly to Australia August 1: (We don't have an August 1st) August 2: Arrive in Brisbane and head to the Gold Coast August 3-4: Gold Coast August 5: Brisbane August 6-9: Cairns and the Great Barrier Rief August 10-12: Into the Outback to Uluru (Ayer's Rock) August 13-15: Sydney August 16: Back home Visit Klenske, Ink.