It’s 7 am and we’re driving towards the national park to see the Cadillac mountain. It’s the final spot on the itinerary. A friend invited me to this trip. We’re four guys, two of them I met the first time at the rental car center. It’s a short weekend trip with people with very different personalities.
I have done such trips before but this one has been somewhat different. I see conversations that I would call aggressive to be commonplace. It got me thinking, is it me who’s just too polite and unassertive? I understand the need to convey things you want but I just don’t feel like the need to be assertive in such low stakes decisions. Like fine, I’ll eat at the place you like. It’s not important enough for me to put my foot down.
But over time it becomes toxic because I do want to eat at a place I like sometimes. I’m learning from folks around how to get what you want but still be normal. We’re all adults here but somehow, I just find it so hard to find the in between. Something to work on!
Coming back to Maine, it’s so beautiful out here in the fall. The colors are vivid, the hikes thrilling but not hard and the water is calm and cold. Driving around here, it’s the classic American suburban landscape. There are houses, cars and lawns but no humans. There’s no one walking on the streets, no one outside their house. I don’t understand how people live like that. You have such beautiful yards, why not use it?
So far, it’s all suburban except Bar Harbor and downtown Portland. I liked them both. Bar Harbor punches above its weight when it comes to touristy towns. It has good bars, live music and in general a fun vibe. I’m here at the last weekend before things close for the winter. Winters here are no joke and they’re coming!
Portland was similarly cool. Lot’s of shops, restaurants, bars and cafes, and Lobster! Lobster’s everywhere in Maine. The state should change its tag line from Vacationland to Lobsterland. I’m not gonna lie, I haven’t had the lobster yet. Partly because I’m scared that I’m allergic even though I tested myself a couple of months back and was fine, and partly because the idea of eating a lobster just doesn’t excite me.
A few hours later!
Okay, I had a Lobster roll at Bite into Maine. It’s famous. I learnt about it through Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix. The Lobster was good but I didn’t find anything extraordinary. And fun fact, I am allergic. Although the allergy was mild!? I suppose I can eat it and have an antiallergic for dessert. Overall, it was a fun trip. I am glad I got to see Maine before leaving the east coast. I am moving to San Francisco next week!