Part 4- School Vacation Week- California, Arizona, and Prison, Oh my!

February 19, 2011-Vacation- All I Ever Wanted

Well, one of the most wonderful times of year has finally arrived.  It's school vacation week!  After a long and exam-packed week at school, I really need a break. Due to my many travels, I had so much work to make up!  Now I'm all caught up and ready to run with the wind!

February 20, 2011-California Dreamin'

The first place I headed was California to visit Cooper's sister Kimber in Los Angeles.  Did you know that L.A. is our country's second largest city?  I couldn't wait to see it.  I was one of Kimber's first guests in her new apartment.  I helped her out by planting some flowers on the patio.  Since I really enjoy gardening, I have to tell you that, back at home, I buy my flowers by the flat.  A flat is a large container of plants which are sold in an array, like 4 x 6 or other combinations.  We also planted some very flat sunflower seeds. In the California sunshine, they should grow tall very quickly.

Kimber also let me help out with the cooking.  Check out the chocolate chip pancakes that we made together.  They were delicious.

I really enjoyed spending time with her, and loved her new home.  We could even see some snowy mountains in the distance.

Did you know that California is our state with the largest population? It is also the third largest in land area.

[image from http://www.fmppath/]
Here is a postcard of the state.  The city of Los Angeles is in the south.  Sacramento, the capital, is in the north central region, and is marked with a star.


When it was time to say goodbye, she took me to the Post Office. This time, my trip would be short, and I was headed to visit teacher friend Ms. B., who was visiting Arizona.  I had no idea that teachers took vacations, too!

February 22, 2011- Arizona-Travels With A Teacher
I arrived in Scottsdale, Arizona after a quick journey.  The weather was warm and the sky was bright.

This map shows where Arizona is located. [Image from http://www.vulcan.wr.usmaps.gov/]
Ms. B took me hiking in the mountains, and the view was incredible.  I also got to see some interesting varieties of cacti.  Remembering what happened when I got too close to a cactus on my visit to Abigail's aunt in New Mexico, I kept my distance.

Ms. B. was such a good sport and took me everywhere with her.  I never realized that Arizona had so many types of cactus plants and so much to do on vacation.

Here I am as we played hide and seek on our hike.  I tried to blend in with the scenery.  Speaking of scenery, check out this beautiful view of Sedona

While I really enjoyed my visit with Ms. B., I knew that I'd see her when we both returned to school next week.  She brought me to the Post Office, stuffed a new SSR book, Cactus Hotel,  into my envelope, and mailed me home to my family.   Ms. B. and I both knew that I needed to keep up with my daily reading.  It was actually a great idea since I had a long flight ahead of me.  When I got home, I was really hoping to do some cross country skiing with my dad while the snow lasted.  Thanks for the book and all of the sightseeing, Ms. B.!

February 25, 2011-An American Boy's Prison
I awoke to the sound of the rain drumming on the roof and beating at the window.  I didn't even remember arriving home in the middle of the night.  It's vacation week.  It's not supposed to rain, I sadly thought.  Slowly and hungrily, I slid out of bed and headed downstairs for breakfast.  Arthur was already sprawled on the couch with the remote in his hand and his eyes glued to his favorite cartoon.  Great, I thought.  "Stanley, we are out of pancakes and your favorite cereals," my mother said.  "You can have some Cocoa Puffs or some Kix if you'd like." Visions of  Frosted Flakes and Cinnamon Toast Crunch were crushed in seconds.  "But mom, those other cereals are so.....spherical" I protested.  "Don't we have anything else?", I begged.  "How about a muffin?," she suggested.  I could already tell that this was not going to be such a wonderful day.  Little did I know that it would only get worse... much worse.

After breakfast, my mother told me that Arthur would soon be leaving on a play date.  At least I'll have the tv to  myself, I thought.  Then, she told me that we had to drive to the mall on an errand.  My cousin, Penny Porkchop, was having a birthday that weekend, and we had to pick up a gift.  Well, I really don't like shopping, but sometimes a trip to the mall includes a detour to the arcarde.  I hurriedly changed my clothes and got ready to go.

As my mother headed east, I watched a DVD from the back seat of the car.  "So which store are we going to, ToysRUs or the Lego Store?," I asked her.

"No, Stanley, it's mumble mumble mumble." I adjusted the volume of my DVD.
 "I can't hear you.  What store are we going to?" "Well, Stanley, this will be quick.  We are running into the American Girl Store to pick up one of the new dolls".  "WHAT?" I screamed at the top of my lungs.  This was every boy's worst nightmare.  The American Girl Store!! This was just not right.  This was NOT happening to me.   This was a GIRL store, and I wanted no part of it.  What if somebody saw me? 

"Now Stanley, you know that we use our indoor voices in the car," my mother said sternly.  "Why don't I just wait in the car while you go in?," I suggested timidly.  "Of course you can't . That is just not safe. We'll be in and out of the store in a jiffy," she said. I slid just as far down as my seat belt allowed, and saw my dreams of the arcade and the toy store float out the window. How much worse can this get?, I thought anxiously.

Due to the weather, the parking lot was jammed.  We circled around until we found a spot for the car.  My mother and I tried to dodge the raindrops and puddles as we sprinted into the store.  As we entered, I pushed the brim of my cap down in an effort to hide my face.  "Now Stanley, you know that I don't like you to wear hats indoors.  Please take it off."   Reluctantly, I did.  My daytime nightmare was closing in all around me.  Get me out of here! I screamed silently.

The store was as packed as the parking lot. But instead of overflowing with cars, this place was bursting  with...gulp...girls.  Help me!, I thought.

 It took forever to choose the doll, pay for it, and escape from that poofy pink prison.  I thought I recognized a girl from my school, so I flattened myself up against  my mother in the store so the girl wouldn't see me.  "Stanley, please give me some space," my mother requested with an annoyed look on her face.  I made a break for the door as soon as I could.  I had escaped! Free at last, we raced back to the car in the rain. 

I couldn't say farewell to these dolls quickly enough!

My mother asked me to hold the bulky American Girl shopping bag while she fumbled for the keys in her purse. As I held it, I heard someone calling name from just a few cars away in the parking lot.  It WAS the girl from my class!  She smirked at me as I catapulted into the car and quickly closed the door.  "Let's stop for ice cream", my mother suggested cheerfully.  Somehow I knew that even the delicious flavor of my favorite ice cream would never erase the horrible taste of the day.

Later that evening over dinner, my father sympathized with  me over the afternoon's events.  Since I had no appetite, I was sadly pushing the mashed potatoes around on my plate with my fork.  "Your mother and I are sorry about how your day turned out, Stanley.  It just couldn't be helped.  But we do have some good news for you.  You were just invited to visit Emma's family in the United Kingdom, and you leave tomorrow morning."  This was the first good news I'd heard in a long time.  It sounded exciting! "Since this is such a last minute change, Stanley," my mother added, "you will have to miss Penny's birthday party tomorrow.  But I've already called her mother, and she said that they'd love to have Arthur take your place.  It's back at that American Girl Store at the mall.  I wonder how he will feel about being the only boy at the party."  Suddenly starving, I scooped up a heaping forkful of mashed potatoes and opened my mouth.      

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Well, I sure  love ya, tomorrow! Check back in a week for an update on my European vacation and much more! Your traveling friend, Stanley

Part 3 - Oh Canada!, Germany, and An Unusual Visit From Cupid

February 1, 2011 Oh Canada!

Well, here I am on another Canadian journey!  Have you read about my first thrilling trip in the book Flat Stanley and the Intrepid Canadian Experience? Well, this time, instead of BEING a snowboard, I decided to experience the Canadian snow on a new and recycled green version.  It was sweet! I went to one of Mrs. H's favorite places to ski, Quebec, and had  the snowboarding adventure of a lifetime. It's a good thing I wore my helmet because I came pretty close to some of those gigantic pine trees in the middle of the slopes. "Better safe than sorry", my mother, Mrs. Lambchop, always says.  I think that's her second favorite expression, after "Hay is for horses".  Here I am posing in my last photo opp.  Check out the snowboard.

The reason I'm in Canada is because  my friend, Justin, sent me to visit his cousin. Canada is our North American neighbor, and is an amazing place.  Did you know that it has ten provinces and three territories?  It doesn't have states like we do in the USA.  Here is a map of the country.

[image from http://www.historiann.com/]

Canada's flag features a red maple leaf, which is shown at the bottom left.  Some of the most popular sports here are lacrosse and hockey, so you know why I love this country.  Eventually, I finished with my boarding adventure, recycled my snowboard, and made my way to meet my next new friend.

Justin's cousin Lori lives in eastern Canada near the Atlantic Ocean. She first took me to Halifax harbor to check out the city.  Much of Halifax was destroyed by a fire about 100 years ago.  Now, it has been  rebuilt and is beautiful.

We continued our tour, and she surprised me with a visit to see Theodore Tugboat, who was anchored right in the harbor. In Canada, he is the star of his own tv show, but I remember seeing him in back my rounder and younger days on the Thomas The Tank Engine show.    "Hey!", I mean "Hi Theodore!"

The Elephant Walk

Later in the visit, Lori and I visited Mastodon Ridge, which was a very cool place in Nova Scotia.  Mastodons are hairy herbivores who are relatives of today's elephants and cousins of the wooly mammoths of yesteryear.  They became extinct about 10,000 years ago.  I really thought it was awesome to see this giant model. Even though I usually prefer flat animals like snakes, I was imagining how cool it would be to be so enormous and round.   My mind started to wander as I daydreamed about what my life would be as a mastodon.

We were a part of a large group exploring the park on that cold wintry day.  It's a good thing I was wearing a warm and shaggy sweater!  The sky quickly started to darken, so the park rangers herded our group to the parking lot.  We slowly and clumsily lumbered over the slippery ice and snow toward our car. Lori was going to deliver me to the Canadian post office.  "Can I ride in the trunk?" I begged her.  "Why?" She asked, with a strange look on her face.  I couldn't explain it, but for some reason, the the word trunk kept popping into my head.  My mind cleared a little, and somehow I knew that I would soon be safely buckled into the back seat.  So I slowly got into the car, buckled up,  and fell asleep in my envelope.

February 2, 2011-Groundhog Day-Is It Spring Yet?

I awoke when I was halfway across the Atlantic Ocean in the cargo hold of a Lufthansa airplane.  Why is there all of this grass in my envelope? I wondered.  Where are all of the snacks I like to eat, like Wheat Thins and Slim Jims?  I was very confused. So I pulled out my new flat cellphone, and checked the date.  It was  February 2, Groundhog Day.  Curious about Punxsutawney Phil's prediction, I texted Arthur to get the answer.  It was so great that Jake had taught me how to text when we were in New Hampshire.  "No Shadow" he texted back.  I had to think quickly.  Not seeing his shadow means an early spring.  I guess that means that I'll have to get in all of the skiing, tubing, and boarding that I can as soon as I return to the USA.   Does that mean no more snow days? I wondered hopefully.  Slowly, I fell back asleep in my envelope.       

February 3, 2011- European Vacation

"Guten tag," I heard faintly.  Was I still dreaming?  "Guten tag," I heard again.  What on earth does that mean?  Now, it was all coming back to me.  I was in Germany, and these strangers smiling down on my must be Conor's family.  "Hello,"  I responded.     I quickly slid out of my grassy envelope and was ready to begin a new adventure. 

Germany is Central Europe most populous nation.  Check out the map below to see where it is located.

[image from http://www.strategypage.com/]

My friends told me that we were actually in southern Germany, and that in a few days we would be visiting the city of Munich.    As I warmed up in the kitchen, we had a fantastic breakfast of blintzes, which were a lot like pancakes.  I relaxed, and thought about how wonderful it was to have the chance to slowly tour the beautiful countryside and just take it easy for a few days.  I looked outside the window, and noticed that there was just a bit of snow on the ground.    

My hosts treated me just like family over the next few days.  To help them out, I even offered to help with a household chore. For each meal, I had to set the table and put out the dishes, flatware, and napkins. We often had spaetzle noodles and bratwurst sausage to eat.  I always cut the sausage in half lengthwise to make it flatter. My favorite dessert was the deliciously horizontal apple strudel.  Here I am, chilling in the back yard after a big meal. 

February 5, 2011-Smart Traveling

After a few days of getting to know my new German friends, we left to tour the city of Munich. We got onto the famous Autobahn highway, and traveled for several hours by Smart Car.  I've always wanted to ride in one of these cars, for obvious reasons.  Everyone moves very quickly on the Autobahn.  With the window open, I had to do my best to hold on tightly so I wouldn't fly away!  

[image from http://travel.webshots.com/]

This is what a Smart Car looks like when traveling in Germany.  Even the license plate is different.  At least with our small car, we didn't have any trouble finding a parking spot in Munich. 

When we arrived, one of the first spots that we visited was City Hall.  The enormous building looked like a beautiful castle.  

The next day, we visited a famous War Memorial.  From a distance, it looks like it's just the right size for me, doesn't it?

At the end of the tour, I had a chance to rest in the sun.  This tower reminds me of the Space Needle in Seattle, but it is called the Olympic Tower.  It stands at the site of the 1972 Olympics.

The winter sun warmed my face but the breeze chilled my body.  I started thinking about how I really could use a vacation.   All of this travelling and table setting can really tire a boy out!  I smiled as I realized that I would soon be heading to the Caribbean Sea to take a cruise with some friends.  So, I stocked up on some sunscreen, packed my towel and swimsuit, and was on my way! Danke, Conor's family. The visit to Deutschland was wunderbar! 

February 9, 2011-Heading Home

As my plane again flew over the Atlantic Ocean, I started to think about my own family.  Valentine's Day was just around the corner.  I decided to stop  in and visit them when my cruise was over.  I knew that they'd be glad to see me, and I was even looking forward to seeing Arthur again.

February 10, 2011-Cruisin'

I arrived in Miami, and had to find my cruise ship.  How would I know which one my friends are on?  I know that they told me that it had dozens of balconies, several pools, and a large deck, but so do all of the ships here.  I took out my cell phone and texted my friend Robert.  Where R U?  I texted. He answered quickly, and in no time flat, I was climbing the gangplank.   "Do you have any luggage?", asked the steward.  "No sir, it's just me and my envelope," I stated. "Well, you are staying on the Promenade Deck, room 111. Watch your step, please." 

 I headed quickly to find my friends.  Since I knew that the safety drill was starting soon, I wanted to locate them and find a life jacket that would fit me. Due to my size and lamination , I was pretty sure that I could float in an emergency, but rules are rules.   The ship's horn blasted and I covered my ears. When the safety drill ended, Robert and I checked out the Kids' Club and the wave pool.  "Cowabunga!" was all I could say.  I hoped there were boogie boards on the ship. We played and splashed in the pool all afternoon, and I could barely feel the ship moving.  Dinner that night was a Hawaiian luau.  Guess who won the Limbo contest?  I admit that I have an unfair advantage due to my size, but the judges placed a special lei around my neck and awarded me the grand prize of my own limbo set to take home.   Aloha, Arthur!, I thought mischievously.  Later that night, Robert and I climbed into our bunk beds and said good night.  The ocean waves gently rocked us to sleep.   

February 11, 2011-More Cruisin'

As the ship cruised the sea, we cruised the ship.  Robert and I checked out every corner, and we still found time to swim and play all of the video games in the Kids' Club. 

I had so much to eat at the buffet table, that I was starting to  lose my 2-D shape.    One night, we had dinner with the Captain, and he almost sat on me!  To apologize, he let me wear his Captain's cap for the night, and even let me steer the ship.  With a boat of that size, I wasn't able to move it off course too much, to the relief of the other passengers.

The next day, we left the ship and visited a beach on a tropical island.  I climbed a tree and picked a coconut. Did you know that the coconut is one of the world's largest seeds?  Robert's mom and dad rented mopeds, and we climbed on back.  What a great way to spend a day at the beach, I thought as we zoomed around.  But soon, our cruise was over, and they sent me on my way.  I was homeward bound!

February 14, 2011- Valentine's Day

It was so great to be home!  We were all very happy to see each other.  While my mother, Mrs. Lambchop, prepared my favorite dinner of flat crust pizza with extra pepperoni, my father, Mr. Lambchop, challenged me to a game of checkers.   I could see several easy jumps ahead of me, but I just couldn't bring myself to force my dad to king me.   I like playing with just single flat checkers. So, in the true spirit of the day, I generously let him win.  After the fun was over, Arthur called me into the dining room.  "Stanley, you got a special Valentine from a secret admirer," he told me.  I panicked.  I had no idea who it could have been from.  Could it be a girl from my class?  Could it be Calamity Jane from The  Mount Rushmore Adventure? What about that girl I rescued  from the crumbling building?  I was really kind of embarrassed, because the card said that I was her hero.  There were also WAY too many hearts on it.  I started blushing and turning valentine red.  It was quickly spiraling into a terrible day!

Even worst of all, she had sent me red roses!  I started to feel kind of sick.  Then I saw Arthur doubling over and holding his stomach.  Why, he was laughing!  Laughing at me!    After hearing the noise, my mother came in and wanted to know what was going on.  It turned out that Arthur had made the hand, and put my mother's flowers with it.  She insisted that he apologize to me, and suggested that we play a game together so we could patch things up.  So, with a smile on my face, I told him that I had just the right new game in mind...  

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Fast forward to a busy week at school.  I had a lot of work to catch up, especially since the next week would be vacation time again.    Check back in a week to see a few of the exciting places I traveled to!

Part 2- Staying Warm in New England and Keeping Cool in India

January 16, 2011- A Winter Wonderland in New England

On my next adventure, I headed to visit Vinny's grandpa in Massachusetts.  But where did all of this snow come from?  When my journey started several weeks ago, I think there were only a few inches on the ground. Sure hope some of it melts soon, or I'll be buried in some very frosty mailboxes for a LONG time before my friends find me.  Winter camping is fun, but I prefer an insulated tent to a metal mailbox. I'll have to remember to pack a warm blanket, along with some Wheat Thins and raisins in my envelope just in case I get stranded during my travels.

Here I am upon my arrival.    Can you believe that the snow is higher than this mailbox?  I think you've broken some records with all of the storms you've had.  Did you know that you've already had over 60 inches of snow fall?  That five feet of snow would be taller than you are, and almost as tall as your teacher.

After I defrosted, I really wanted to get back outside to enjoy the snow.  Usually, I prefer cross country skiing on flat land.  But part of being a traveling man involves trying new things.  So I went tubing with Vinny's grandpa, and boy was it fun!  He took me around his town  and showed me the sights. Later, as I snuggled up indoors near his dog Sophie, I enjoyed some hot chocolate.    Do you think I put Fluff on the top, or some big puffy marshmallows?   Well, "that was easy"!

After our rest, I couldn't wait to get back outside again.   I was really having fun in the snow.  Check out what type of sled I used by looking at the lower left side of the picture!  Next time, I'll remember to wear my coat.  BRRRR.  Now I know what it feels like to be an icicle.

January 18, 2011-Let It Snow- New England -Part 2 

Next, I traveled to visit Ryan's family.  We skiied in New Hampshire in North Conway, and in Massachusetts at  Wachusett Mountain.  My new friend Brook bought a big bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken for our fist dinner together.  I was so excited to see what was inside that I leaned over, and screamed "AHHHHH" as I tumbled in!  I didn't have too far to fall, so while I was in there, I looked for some flat pieces.  No luck.  All of a sudden, I had to dodge all of those hungry hands that were reaching in the bucket and grabbing at me.  I had to build a ladder of drumsticks and climb out quickly, since I was afraid that someone would choose me for dinner.  Relieved, I did a little chicken dance to celebrate my narrow escape.  Then I hopped back in to pose for this photo.  In case you didn't notice, I love to have my picture taken.

The next morning, Ryan, Jake, and Joel took me skiing.   I had another accident when I was hit by a runaway ski. I was lucky to escape again without injury. 

 So while I was flat on my back,  I made a few snow Stanleys by moving my arms and legs in the snow.  Then I got up and dusted myself off. Later on, I did try some downhill ski racing and loved it. The chairlift was terrific too, but I had to hold on tight so I wouldn't fall off. We went up and down the mountain over and over again.  

 It was great to feel the wind in my hair as I zoomed down the slopes.  I even caught some air when I went over a few moguls.  It reminded me of that time I acted as a sail and helped my friend win that race in the regatta.  It also made me think of the time that Arthur turned me into a kite and I flew in the wind.  I started to miss Arthur.  Then, I remembered that I got stuck in a tree and he left me there.  I started to not miss him as much.  Besides, Ryan and his relatives were treating me like family. 

I wanted to try riding on a skimobile, but there was no helmet small enough to fit me.  But I still had fun checking this machine out and posing for pictures.

We finally took a break after a long day of skiing and winter fun, and headed for the lodge.  I had a quick dinner of some peanut butter (creamy, of course) on pita bread, thinly sliced carrots, and some Orange Crush to drink. We had some fun indoors as my friends tried to teach the fast way to text. Love that enV2 flat phone!  

 Later,with Auntie Donna's help, they tried to copy me, but the light was too bright and hurt my eyes.

 Then, it was time to go home for the night.   Before curling up in my sleeping bag, I scanned the room to make sure that there were no dangerous bulletin boards hanging nearby.  I tossed and turned for awhile, thinking about all I'd seen and done so far in my visit to the area. I decided that I really love New England, but can't make up my mind about which of the six states is my favorite.  Hmmm...Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.  Maine is the biggest, and Rhode Island the smallest.  They are all fairly flat, but Vermont has the Green Mountains, and New Hampshire has the White Mountains.  I'll definitely have to spend more time here so I can make up my mind. Hmmm.. Isn't Stephen sending me to visit Rhode Island?, I wondered.  Eventually, I drifted off to sleep, dreaming of them all . 

[image from http://www.rfwiz.com/]

Just a few hours later, sunlight streamed through the window, waking me up.  I dressed and had my favorite breakfast of pancakes.  Ryan's family took me to the post office and sent me on my way. Thanks for the fun-filled visit!  We did so much together, that I can't even begin to tell you everything.  But now, I was headed to two new states for adventures with Cameron's grandparents: The Sunshine State, and the Sunflower State.  I'm on the road again!

January 20, 2011- Sunshine On My Shoulders

I got a break from the cold weather in the Sunshine State, which is Florida.  Did you know that Florida is one of the flattest states?  Something tells me I'm going to like it here. Sometimes, it does snow in Florida, but usually the weather is usually pretty warm.  While I visited, I got a chance to pick grapefruit from this tree. 

 Later, I posed with this alligator as he basked in the sun.

  Good thing he's not alive, or I would never get this close!  I got a good look at those sharp teeth, and knew right away what a real alligator would like to eat:  Me!  We picked up a few postcards for friends at home, and we went to the beach.  I did some surfing on top of the waves with my boogie board, and searched for some of my favorite shells, razor clams and scallops, in the sand.   

Florida is a great place.  Thousands of people travel here each winter to escape from the colder weather up north.  Some people call them snowbirds. Florida is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world.  Did you know that it has the longest coastline in the lower 48 states? That's why it's so famous for its many beautiful beaches. Florida's land shape is a peninsula, which is surrounded on three sides by water: the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and the Carribean Sea and the Florida Straits to the south. To the north, it borders Alabama and Georgia. 

image from [ http://www.miamibeach411.com/  ]

Florida is also the state that produces most of the orange juice that you drink for breakfast. Its warm climate is perfect for growing fruits and vegetables, like strawberries, corn, and green beans, even year-round. But I knew that my visit, like all good things, must come to an end.  I was soon ready to get back in my envelope and fly to a new location.   This time, Cameron's family was coming with me.

January 22, 2011- The Sunflower State

Not only is Kansas known as The Sunflower State, because of the towering golden beauties grown here, it is located in a part of the US known as America's Breadbasket.  Its fertile and flat soil is ideal for growing all types of grains that are used to make breads.  

I was joining the family for this leg of the the trip where we headed to celebrate

Great Grandma's 95th birthday.  A 95th birthday is a pretty special event, so I was honored to be invited.  At the party, I even had a chance to sample one of my favorite desserts, a flat sheet cake.  For some reason, sheet cakes taste so much better than layer cakes do to me.  After I helped Great Grandma blow out all of those candles, I wished her a Happy Birthday.  She offered me a balloon, but since it was a windy day, I had to politely refuse.  You know that a windy day + me + balloon = trouble. 

So, when the celebration was over, we got in the car and drove on some of those long flat highways to do some sightseeing.  It seemed like we could see for miles ahead of us.  Check out the Kansas map below.

Notice that Topeka, which is near the bottom, has a star next to it.  That's how state capitals are marked on a map.  A capital is the city in which the state's government is based.  Sometimes, but not always, the capital  is also the state's largest city.  After we got a good look at Kansas, it was time to leave on a new adventure. This time, I was headed for a visit with Reilly's friends.   I hopped into my envelope and closed my eyes.         

January 24, 2011-We're Not in Kansas Anymore

After a long nap and many miles of travel, I drowsily slid out of my envelope and landed in an enormous soft white bed.  Was I still dreaming?  Was I on a cloud? Was I in the snow?  Something told me that I wasn't in Kansas anymore.  Suddenly, I started to feel a bit itchy, and I realized that I had landed in a bed of powdery sand.  I was surrounded by it!   I slowly came to my senses and woke up.  I rubbed my eyes, and there was that sandy stuff again.

Now I remember.  I'm back in the enchanting state of New Mexico.  But where is everyone?  I called "Hello", but my voice echoed off the mountains in the distance.  "Hello, Hello, Hello", I heard.  Within a few minutes, I was greeted by Reilly's family. I was sure glad to see them!  They had just gone to pick up some snacks, because they knew I'd be hungry after my trip.  We munched on snow peas and sipped water (with crushed ice, of course) as I checked out the scenery. 

It looks like we are at the beach, but there is no ocean nearby.   We're actually in the desert.  I learned that all of this white stuff is a powdery mineral called gypsum, which eroded from the nearby San Andres mountains over the course of many thousands of years.  It's so bright that I'm glad I packed my sunglasses!  Here is a postcard from the park.  I also put a sample of the sand in a small bag to show my friends at home. 

We picked up another postcard to send our friends.  Take a look at some of the things in the picture below that New Mexico is famous for.

Later on, we traveled to the New Mexico Space Museum.  I posed for a picture near a rocket-propelled sled that travelled over 632 miles per hour.  The pilot, Col. John Paul Stapp earned the title "Fastest Man
Alive" after this trip over 50 years ago. [ Fastest Man Alive link  ] 

Wow!  Traveling 632 miles per hour is really amazing!  I don't think I got even close to that speed while I was skiing or tubing.  That's probably a good thing, because I don't think my mother, Mrs. Lambchop, would have approved. Soon it was time to say goodbye to my new friends.  I packed some extra snacks in my envelope, because this time, I was traveling to the continent of Asia with Fiona's dad.  This was going to be an amazing adventure.    My passport and I are ready to go!

January 27, 2011- Keeping Cool in India

Fiona's dad has offered to narrate this part of the story, so I get a chance to rest my writing hand and do more sightseeing.   This is a map of where we are headed.  

image from [http://www.mapsofindia.com ]

After a 14 hour flight from the United States to India, Flat Stanley and I got a few hours sleep in our hotel in Delhi – a large city in northern India and the country’s capital where it is warm this time of year (similar to the weather in Florida).  We woke early the next morning and, after a quick breakfast, Flat Stanley and I set out for a four hour trip by car to the city of Agra, which was the capital and home of the Mughal kings and queens who ruled all of South Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India) nearly 500 years ago.

Agra is home to one of the world’s most beautiful places in the world called the Taj Mahal.  Once there, Flat Stanley and I went to meet a local guide, who would show us the beautiful sites of India.  Since neither Flat Stanley nor I speak Hindi, Urdu or any of the many languages spoken in India, our guide was nice enough to speak to us in English.  He told us that the Mughal king Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.  Flat Stanley and I listened carefully to our guide, who told us how the king loved Mumtaz Mahal more than anything in the world.  When she died suddenly, the king decided to build something great in her memory to show his never ending love for his queen.    

As you can see, Stanley thinks that the Taj Mahal is very cool.

The Taj Mahal took 22 years and thousands of people to build.  It is made of marble that was found in India and dragged by elephants and camels to the city.  Both animals can still be found in India.  Covering the marble of the Taj Mahal are gemstones, including carnelian which glows bright orange when touched with a flashlight.  Flat Stanley and I both said “Oh, Cool” when we saw the carnelian light up.  The gemstones were used to create complex details and patterns on the walls and ceilings, making the entire Taj Mahal shine and glimmer in the daylight – a beautiful monument reminding us of the king’s devotion to his queen.

After leaving the Taj Mahal, Flat Stanley and I had lunch at a local restaurant, where we had chicken curry, rice and roti, which is toasted flat bread.  We finished lunch, thanked our guide for the tour and said goodbye.  Once back in Delhi that night, Flat Stanley and I were ready for a good night’s sleep!  I am so lucky to have seen one of the word's most famous landmarks. 
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Thanks, Fiona's dad!  You are a great story teller.  Let me know if I can join  you on your next trip to an exciting place!


Well, who knows where I'll be headed next?  First, I'll be traveling to Canada to visit with Justin's family.  Then, I might have a chance to play "Are You Smarter than a Groundhog?". Of course, I'll be watching the Super Bowl, too.  Soon after that, it will be Valentine's Day and school vacation week. 
I have many exciting things planned.      Check back in a week for an update. 
Sincerely, Stanley