The Annual Pilgramage

I've been in Singapore for about a year, and during that time I haven't made a trip home to visit family. Well, it was about time to leave the equator and head for the colder northern reaches. A few weeks ago, I boarded a flight from Changi International Airport to Idaho.

And it was a great trip. I stayed with my grandma for most of the time, and she made sure that I was well-fed. I think I gained about 10 pounds in two weeks...

First, I spent some time on the farm.

All the crops are planted, so most of my time on the farm was just accompanying my dad to repair irrigation equipment. The scenery was quite nice.

I enjoyed riding our all terrain vehicles. Here's Cookie. She's dumb as rocks, but she's happy.

We also branded and vaccinated cattle. It's not my favorite job in the world, but the family always seems to save it for when I'm home.

While among the mountains, I needed to see some of the sights.

First, my mom, sister, and I hiked up the North Menan Butte. Here I am conquering the Butte. Yes, I'm awesome.

My sister and I also hiked up toward the Wind Caves near the Idaho-Wyoming border.

I say toward because we got caught in deep snow and were unable to complete the hike. It was fun to play in the snow a bit.

I also visited Palisades Reservoir.

Which includes the obligatory stop at the Rainey Creek convenience store for square ice cream. The lemon pie flavor was my favorite. I'll have to remember that for next time.

My dad, brother, and I took a day drive up the Pahsimeroi Valley, including a stop at the Barney Hot Springs.

The hot springs hover at a temperature of 91 degrees Fahrenheit, and they are home to a number of tropical fish. Fish that leave the hot spring die in the colder Idaho climate, but within the spring they thrive.

Our drive took us up through Salmon, which is also beautiful. I highly recommend the trip for those of you who have the chance.

The next valley over from Pahsimeroi is where my grandfather lives.

While there I was reminded of Grandma. During some of her struggle with Alzheimer's, she kept this doll around and treated it like a baby. I had to smile when I saw it sitting in the chair.

Overall, my two weeks in Idaho was a wonderful trip. It was delightful to be outdoors in the sun without sweating profusely. As you can probably tell from the pictures, I wore a jacket most days. It was chilly. That didn't keep me inside, though. I even got a tan! That's not something you hear from most people, "I went to Idaho and got a tan."

Well, I'm back in Singapore, but I look forward to another Idaho trip in the future. I'll leave you with another pretty Rocky Mountains scene: