Phoenix and Atlanta - wee bit of a long one...

Haven't updated for ages, so here is up until New York...

Phoenix was such fun spending my only full day with Jana, and going out that night with Will as well. Will had to work so couldn't come on our shopping expedition, but we went to an outlet mall type place  (definitely better then dressmart!) and then a bit of a fancier mall type place, Scottsdale I think. Three story type shopping action. Said to Jana that I'm gong to go back to NZ and have all our lame shopping places to go - America really knows how to build a mall! And I have no doubt that there are bigger and better ones here and other countries, but they sure kick our buts at any rate. So, purchases on this day were: 

- Dress shirt for Stephanie's wedding from Banana Republic.
- Dress shoes for Stephanie's wedding from Kenneth Cole.
- x2 T-shirts for like $10, from Aeropostale.
- T-shirt and track pants from Abercrombie and Fitch  (this is in an endeavor to have an American track look, think I achieved that...!). Also got some bright pink shorts from here. Could be my best purchase, either these or my bright underwear that I got in Vegas (yellow, orange, pink - all three fluro). 
- bracelet that's like a bike chain, just saw it and liked it so got it! Have worn.. wasn't like a bad impulse buy! From Guess.
- black hoody from Hollister
- pair shorts from Hurley.

And I think that was the lot! A good day of shopping! I still haven't maxed my baggage allowance either... so more room for more shopping :-).

Me and Jana also went to a resort, which according to her was open to the public.... we weren't asked any questions so none were answered. Was pretty nice, laxing by the pool and had a bit of a swim. Was nice. 

Went and got Will and then on the way to dinner went to a batting cage close by. Quite a cool area/complex . Has a gym, the cages, skate area, ponds which Will was saying you can pay to go fishing in (they chuck fish in it for this purpose... quite a cool idea I thought). Considering I used to play softball I was pretty mud, but I remembered how long it took me to adjust from that to cricket so I tried using my baseball bat as a cricket bat and had better results! Was quite funny actually. Was missing it for ages, then the first one I changed stance I hit for a cover drive. Chopped and changed after that....

Dinner was good, though sitting outside was all good but pretty darn warm! Had some sort of steak burger, was good. After that we went to Rawhide, which was totally awesome. Cowboy city right there. Like full on! Walked in and it was actually a street straight out of the west. Watched a bit of a show which was hilarious for its horrid acting, and also kinda funny in general. Gun blasts were some sort of blank. Had a ride on the mechanical bull, owned it. Actually tore the glove that I was wearing, and the operator was stoked cause he'd wanted a new one for ages. Wasted my knuckles on the second time round without the glove though... he was like yea I thought you're knuckles were going to get hurt. Thanks mate. Cowboy.

So yea, all in all a good time in Phoenix. Will took me out to the Air force base to see if we could see some sweet planes before my flight. We parked up and they were taking off on the complete opposite side of the airport, and going in that direction too! But we went round and got to see one before having to head to my flight, so that was good.

Atlanta. Well met Stephanie happily at the airport, and she had planned to take me to a place in downtown Atlanta for dinner. However for some reason fire trucks were out and blocking all the parking area off so meant we couldn't park! Then change of plans headed somewhere else, and got out (absolutely starving - had had breakfast about 7 and was now about that in the pm, though 3 hours ahead) to find that this place had some sort of alarm going off and everyone was exiting! Was quite funny, but not really cause we were very hungry! Got somewhere eventually, and through my accent/tiredness/hunger took about 10min to work out between myself and the cashier what I wanted off the special combo menu.... she appreciated me. In a special kind of way. And out m name as Fintz on the order, so they were yelling out "order for Fintz is ready" over the loud speaker. Haha was quite humorous. Food was good too. 

We then went to where I was staying, but they weren't home yet so we let ourselves in and chilled. Filled each other in on our lives etc. Was great. Laura and Nic soon came home and were really cool and easy to talk to and all that. Thanks again for having me Laura, if you read this! Following day she dropped me to where the wedding was to be, and I just helped set up etc. Apparently the boys had been laying out chairs for over two hours, and lengths of string all over the show trying to get everything straight. I used to lay chairs out for a job so jumped in and without too much ado got them sorted happily! Won't take all the credit, but you know... so yea. Was a pretty chilled day. Went and got Chick-fill-A with Stephanie on her way to get changed for the rehearsal dinner. Everyone was talking about how it was a must have so I had to have it! Was pretty good. They have Polynesian sauce. Not even kidding. That's what they call it! Was sort of a spicy sweet and sour. Went well with the waffle fries. After that went to hers and met her brother Eric. Nice guy, just very much a little brother haha. Says the little brother. But hey, I'm younger then him and it's a long time since I did any purposeful winding up of my siblings... well come to think of it they more wound me up! But hey, he was cool. Sat with him while Stephanie got ready and watched some football. No one over here knows anything about rugby, but they were kind of interested... cricket was a funny conversation. 

Rehearsal dinner was that night, was good. Met quite a few people and had some good chats. Not too much lost in translation... but was good. By the time clean up etc was done, got home and went to bed exhausted. Then couldn't sleep for like three hours! 

Next day was Stephanie's wedding of course! Beforehand went to Vortex (which Laura has put a photo up on Facebook of me standing out the front). Was a pretty cool place, had a real good  burger there, and was great hanging out with Laura and Nic. They said the place can have a two hour wait at nights and weekend etc, so obviously the place to go! I think I said to them that if I were to describe it to someone back home, I would say it was very westy, but I of curse knew they wouldn't know the reference. 

Anyway, wedding! Very cool. Loved it actually. Stephanie looked amazing, truly, and the whole ceremony and reception was real good. Lovely day for it, they both said I do, what more do you want to know!? It was fast, that was good! Started at 3 and all done by about 6 I think - as in both ceremony and reception. Meeting up with Jase (Smith) was very cool too, great to have another friend and kiwi around! We had good chats with people, several being instigated from them hearing our conversations in a very non southern accent! The cake was nice, five tier I think. All square if I remember, and as it went up one on the other, was slightly off set from the last one. Looked cool. Yea. Hope I've satisfied your craving for a description of her wedding, should you have had one in the first place.

Last thing to mention.... Laura was heading off on a family vacation so foe mg last night I was staying with friends of Jason's - Mike and Amy. Both very cool people, had a beautiful home - really. They took us to a drive in movie theater, where having ignored predictions from Amy that it was going to be freezing we watched Looper freezing, and then squished in the car for The Campaign... was cool fun though. And they dropped both me and Jase off to the airport in the morning. So a huge thank you to them for that!

And now I am in New York! So much more to write about but so little time! Have met so many people, some only briefly bit everyone I have thought something of I have written their name down to write something. So that will be soon, with all about New York. Also maybe a seperatte one on where I'm at personally. If I can be bothered. But I am good, just lots of processing and thoughts and chats with God. Yesterday and today the first thing I did was go to Central park for a quiet time, and hope to do tomorrow and Sunday too - has been good way to start my day.

Anyway, all that later. Need to get ready for Broadway! Woohoo!

Much love to you all, and thank you for your emails/notes/prayers.