A little over a year ago, my husband came home from a trip full of smiles and an extra bounce in his step. This was extremely odd behavior because he normally returns from trips exhausted and stressed. He couldn't stop talking of this beautiful place he had visited and the exceptionally kind and generous people he had met. He went on and on, which is very out of his character. Then he said four little words that always seem to spring instant glee into my little world, “let’s go on va-ca-tion.” Honestly, he had me at “let’s” and before he even finished the first syllable in vacation I was already in la la land. I was mindfully arranging a trip to Vermont so I, of course I mean WE, could see covered bridges (the simplest things captivate me). I was rudely interrupted in my fantasy when my husband said the word “Kentucky”. All I could think was “does he want chicken at this hour?” I quickly realized the man was NOT talking about chicken but he wanted to take his family to Kentucky for vacation. WHAT? Who goes on vacation to Kentucky? Then he just about floored me when he said he wanted to vacation in “rural Kentucky”. I couldn't believe my ears; my city boy, my beach loving Asian man wanted to vacation in rural Kentucky. I was totally confused. I kept telling him “he was star struck by these people”.
I thought he seriously lost it when he said we could stay in the basement of some of the people he JUST met. “Are you kidding?” I told him. You barely know these people and you want my children to stay in their house. He assured me he had never met people like this before. CRAZY!!! He eventually won me over when he reminded me that some of our close military family, Tami and Dave, lived close by and we could visit them as well. He also promised me that I could meet these people who had star struck him. Many of them were coming to D.C. and I could meet them and then decide whether or not I wanted to see Kentucky.
Well, it turned out his friends were as incredible as he described. I’m pretty sure I received a hairline fracture in one of my ribs when I was bear hugged by one gentleman name Big Mike; he totally caught me off guard. I remember him telling me “we hug where I come from”. :)
As always, the first day of our vacation, the Nuntavongs left D.C. later then planned. We would be entering Kentucky later than I had hoped, but it didn't matter. I fell in love with Kentucky in the dark. Once we got off the interstate and away from artificial lights I saw stars. I hadn't seen so many stars in the sky since my childhood (I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley of California). As we drove deeper into central Kentucky rolling hills began to appear and rock formations protruded from the side of mountains as we drove down the Cumberland Parkway. We were warmly welcomed by our hosts (who stayed up late to welcome us). These wild people were talking about training for an Iron Man at 11 o’clock at night. I knew I was in good company. :) I slowly started feeling the comfort and excitement my husband spoke about. I immediately sensed their love for Kentucky, their family and life. I couldn't help but giggle at their accent and odd words. Their children wanted to show us their “crek” (creek) in the “mornin”.
I woke early the next day and snuck outside to breathe in the cool crisp air. It was clean air. I had forgotten what that smelled like. There were no sounds of cars to invade my quiet. The only noise my world were chirping birds and mooing cows. I glanced out to our friends’ property and saw rolling hills, pristine blue-gray clouds (a storm was rolling in) and trees. I felt an unexpected sense of peacefulness and thought to myself “I could live in a place like this”. The rest, my dear friends, was history (sometimes clichés just fit perfectly)!
--The ThaiMex Kentuckian
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