Williamsburg, VA

Woke up feeling sick again today. Had the heavy head thing going on and it took a lot to drag me out of bed. Of course I realized that being in a tiny little two block down wasn't going to do too much to help me get better. So I got up, got in the car, and continued what had become a painfully boring drive down a painfully boring stretch of road. Flat, straight, and very little to look at, but it seemed to go on forever.

Finally, I made it to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, which had been yesterday's attempted destination. What I hadn't realized last night is that the thing is almost 20 miles long, so it's a good thing I waited 'till lots of daylight! It's pretty cool...it's this giant bridge across the Chesapeake Bay, but rather than include draw bridges it tunnels under water in two different spots for the boats to get across. At the end of the second bridge there's a place where you can park and get a better view (and of course buy snacks and tacky souveniers). Actually, there's a whole little diner there. I walked around outside and put a quarter in one of those binocular things. It was pretty cool to see where I had just driven. Long bridges that seem to just disappear as the road goes underwater.

As cool as this bridge-tunnel thing was, driving it terrified me! I knew I was claustrophobic but holy moley this took it to a whole new level! Narrow tunnels under water were a bit too much for my overactive imagination to handle. I kept seeing horrible visions of something collapsing and water coming rushing in. I've tried again and again on this trip to convince myself that I'm a water person, but I'm not. It really scares me to be around it too much. I did really enjoy the bridge though, and I'm really glad I did it. I'm just glad it's not something I have to do every day! :)

When I got across the bridge/tunnel thing I was in Virginia Beach. It was at that point that I realized that I had no idea where I was going next. I had planned to get some "business" stuff taken care of, but had no idea where to go to get internet. I followed the coast and ended up along an entire street of hotels. I'm sure I could've "borrowed" from any one of their lobbies, but I was hungry so I was searching for somewhere with internet and food. I learned yesterday that Arby's has wireless, so that's mainly what I was looking for. Well, there wasn't an Arby's where I was, and I ended up in a very residential part of town. But, after a nice little self-guided tour I found my way back to the business area, and to an Arby's. Though it turns out only the Arby's by the gas station I went to yesterday has internet. This one did not. Thankfully it just so happened to be in a plaza with a bunch of other places that did. I settled on Qdoba, got my burrito, and started making my plans of what to do next.

I still haven't made much progress answering that question, but I was able to do a bit of research, check a few maps, and find an urgent care (actually I found a couple during my self-guided tour). In the meantime, I was really really hoping to get an email from my friend Julie, since I was as close to her house as I had been in many years. As I was about to put away the computer and head out, I got a text from Julie. Yay! She's in Williamsburg, so we decided I would head her way after I went to the doctor. She even offered to let me stay with her for the night. Yay!

Julie and her family are absolutely amazing and wonderful, and I'm so so lucky to have gotten to know them. It's been 7 years since I saw them last and yet they welcomed me in with open arms and not a second thought. I was really nervous at first since it had been so long, but after seeing them and getting hugs I felt at ease right away. They had a very yummy dinner ready when I got there, and it was so so nice to not have to figure out where to get food or what I was going to attempt to cook on my camp stove. After that we just hung out and talked (and watched The Office) and had a nice, relaxing evening. Good times. I still have no idea where I'm headed tomorrow but I've had a great night tonight! :)

(By the way the doctor threw all sorts of meds at me, even though I was feeling much better by the time I saw him. In all he prescribed a decongestant, a nasal spray, cough syrup, and antibiotics, as well as my regular daily med that thankfully he was willing to prescribe as well...though only for two weeks instead of a month).