Texas 之旅

After 2 years of SIP and quarantine... we finally take our long planned, much delayed Texas trip.

Is this a place for us to migrate and escape the rat race?  Or is this a place for us to invest in and cash out for future college funds.  We don't know.  But at the 11th hour...we decided to take advantage of the kids' spring break and off we went.

Some highlights and first impressions of Texas...

1. First of all... our flight out of SFO was delayed.  And as we waited for our flight... I saw another flight boarding.  So I asked to get on their standby list and lo and behold... they had openings.  And I got an Exit Row seat too.  WIN!
2. Texas... everything is so darn big here.  The parking lots.  The stores.  The Whattaburgers!!
3. Texas... everyone is so nice here.  Everyone.
4. Cars really do slow down at the 20 mph school zones then speed back up to 45 when the signs say "Resume."  Back in California... fuggedaboutit!!
5. Gas prices are 50% cheaper
6. Staples (milk, bread, beer...) are not cheaper.
7. Sales tax... much cheaper
8. The roads are so confusing... I can't even begin to articulate or matriculate? 
9. So many brick homes.  Almost all brick homes.
10. We've seen maybe 7 or 8 houses.  They all look the same.  Welcome room. Same kitchen layout. Family room. 3 bedrooms with a master suite and walk in closet.  And yes... a 2000 square foot house is half the price of a 2000 square foot Silicon Valley house.  Imagine if we bought 3-4 years ago.
11. Ranch 99.  H-Mart. Wee. Yi-Fang. Haidilou. It's all here.  The only thing missing... is a Hong Kong Style Cafe.
12. Bummed - a whole day of doing NOTHING.  (see other post)
13. National Video Game Museum.  Yes - SW only cared about dominating the circuits. But also Yes... a trip down memory lane.  Including the original Gameboy Tetris. The personal arcade Pacman. The board game for Pac Man and Frogger. And ohhhhhh.... Super Mario Bros on the NES... to which I forgot where the Warp Zones are.  To this date... I still haven't flipped the game.
14. Tex Mex - ain't all that.  Chevy's really ruined it.
15. No Sushi... there's no ocean within a 200 mile radius.
16. Asians are rare.  Cantonese... even more rare.
17. No discrimination whatsoever. 
18. Streets are ohhhh sooo clean.
19. The weather was gentle to us.  Worse we had was a 70 deg day with 50% humidity.  I'm sure it gets worse.
20. Daniel and Kayi (see other post)
21. What are we giving up....? Family. Church. Familiarity. 

Can we call Texas home? We polled the family.  On a scale from 1 -10... 10 being the best... the results were 7, 7, 6, 7.  I think that's pretty telling.