Bye, Bye Bachelorhood

Unless something goes completely kooky, this will be my last post until after I return from my honeymoon. It’s coming down to the final 36 hours or so, and after a week of non-stop mayhem and stress, I am finally relaxing enough to get re-excited. Almost everything that needs to be done is done, and what hasn’t been done is, at this point, such a lost cause that I’ve given up worrying about it. So I’m finally able to focus on what really matters to me and what really brings me joy—beginning my life with Melanie. It’s a welcome change, as school has been nothing but a frustration yet again. Unfortunately, I’ll be coming back from my honeymoon to two tests with only about a day to prepare for them. I know I’ll be hating it at that point, but, in the meantime, I’m more than happy to have put my academic concerns on hiatus.

Speaking of my honeymoon, I originally promised to give more details about it, which I never did. From time to time, I’ve made brief asides that allude to my honeymoon plans, but I’ve yet to give details ... until now. Despite the delay, I’m quite enthusiastic to share them. If the honeymoon plans are executed with the same finesse and quality of service with which they were setup, it’s going to be an awesome trip. I’ve been nothing but impressed with the companies I’ve dealt with, and, at the risk of jinxing everything, I’ll go ahead and start promoting them now. Should the honeymoon turn out to be a disaster, I’m sure you’ll hear about it soon enough.

Day one: Melanie and I will be staying locally, but luxuriously. We’ll be staying downtown at The Grand America Hotel, arguably the fanciest hotel in Salt Lake City. We’ll be staying in a suite, complete with a private balcony, bathrobes and slippers, and an Italian marble bathroom. Should we be so inclined, room service will be available 24-hours-a-day. There’s also two separate swimming pools, one indoor and one outdoor. The outdoor pool is probably closed for the season, but it exists. Fancy, eh?

Day two: Melanie and I fly to Seattle where, compliments of my father’s hotel club bonus points, we’ll be staying in a downtown hotel for absolutely free!

Day three: Melanie and I catch a ferry to Victoria, Canada. We’ll probably freeze—it’ll be a particularly wet time of the year, even for the Pacific Northwest—but it should be a beautiful trip. And Victoria, according to those who have been there, is absolutely gorgeous. We have to get to the pier first thing in the morning, which won’t be fun. But it’s one of our favorite areas on the continent, and we’re willing to put up with some heavy-duty cuddling to keep warm. We’re newlyweds, after all!

In Victoria, we’ll be staying at the Laurel Point Inn. We’ll be right on the water, in a suite with a (supposedly) spectacular view. Again, we’ll have a private balcony, a marble bathroom, and, in lieu of bathrobes, kimonos. Should we wish to further broaden our cultural experience, there’s also a Japanese garden onsite!

Day four: At our own leisure, Melanie and I catch one of the many daily ferries going from Victoria to Vancouver. Upon arrival in Vancouver, we’ll check in at the Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Downtown. Given that this will be the most casual hotel of our trip, we’re quite blessed. Yet again, we’re promised a room with a view of the water.

Day five: Our vacation package (purchased through the fine folks at Clipper Vacations) includes tickets to the Vancouver Aquarium. Aside from that, we’ll be living spontaneously. We don’t depart Vancouver until 9pm, when we catch a train back to Seattle. Sadly, the sun will probably have set, obscuring what would otherwise be an awe-inspiring view as we travel back into the States. We’ll get to Seattle fairly late, spending our final night in the hip and contemporary Hotel Ändra. Our suite once again offers complimentary robes, but we’re getting a large, flat-screen television instead of a water view. Given our late arrival time, neither would get much use, so that’s fine by us. The unique decor promises to be charming enough. It’ll be a fun place for the honeymoon to conclude.

As stated, our vacation package was purchased through Clipper Vacations, and it includes not only hotels and the Vancouver Aquarium, but the ferries, train, and several taxis as well. Melanie and I definitely feel we got a good deal, and the customer service representative I spoke with was phenomenal. He asked us where we were staying on nights that weren’t part of the package and freely offered suggestions for getting to and from such places. He also said to call him if a concierge is ever less-than-helpful, or if we simply want dining suggestions, etc. In short, he offered as much information as he could, even when it wasn’t part of what he was selling me. He put me completely at ease, and I appreciate that.

Naturally, I’ll be telling you all about it when I return. And, if all goes well, I should have ample pictures of the hotels, the scenery, and anything else worth noting. I’ll do my best to make you jealous. But until then, it’s on with the wedding. The next time you hear from me, I’ll be a married man. There’ll be a Mrs. K in my life. Our new apartment will give birth to most of my blogs of the future. It will be a new life. Crazy. So until I’m a husband, take care....