Day 12: Sioux Falls (continued)

This evening was the most fun I've had by myself since I was ... actually I can't remember when I've had this much fun by myself. After my last post, I went to dinner at Chevy's Fresh Mex in Sioux Falls and had the yummiest chicken fajita salad ever. Oh, I probably should've warned you that I'm about to say some favorable things about some national chains. Don't think that I've become a fan of chains. I'm not. But sometimes, when you don't know anything about where you are, it's nice to be able to rely on a couple of familiar places. After dinner, I noticed that there was a Walmart next door to the restaurant, so I went in. I totally forgot how awesome that place is! I felt like it was my freshman year at St. Mary's again :) I got rain coat, which I needed desperately, for $10! And I got some cereal, milk, and fruit - and ice cream :) - for my kitchenette. Score. I refrained from purchasing anything I didn't need, which is no small feat at a place like Walmart. Oh, and for those of you who were skeptical that Walmart sells guns, here's proof:

Then I went back to my hotel, changed into my swimsuit, and went to the water park. I became good friends with all of the elementary-aged guests who, despite my repeated statements to the contrary, were convinced that I was the lifeguard, and thus continuously asked my permission to do things. As a teacher, I'm used to little kids asking my permission to do things, so they probably confused the ease with which I responded to their questions with actual authority. I was sure to remind them to get their parents' permission if they wanted to do something, such as go down the water slide. Check it out:

I think I went on it approximately 40 times. And no, that's not an exaggeration.

Right now, I'm going to go read the last two chapters of this book that I've been reading FOREVER, The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet. I've been quite distracted by travel guides, this blog, and traveling itself, but I'm committed to finishing it tonight. In the morning, I'm planning to go for a bike ride, then go swimming and lie out in the sun for a while before heading to the Badlands. I'll write about Minnesota while I'm getting a tan tomorrow.

Good night!