7/23: Billings

Sorry for the out of order posts...

Awoke in a hotel room in Billings, MT. The bed was a welcome change, but we definitely got our pillows from the car so that we would be capable of sleeping. Theirs were a little lacking. 

Billings seems to be a real town, not so small as to practically not exist nor so touristy that you want to leave immediately to escape all the Tourists. Billings also has the added benefit of containing my father! We went to lunch with him at a locally owned bagel place. I had a tasty ordinary bagel so as not to repeat my mistake at the last bagel place at which we ate. (I got a fancy bagel sandwich and it was horrible.) There was good conversation had by all, including the nice old guy sitting behind us. 

Robert and I went off to take care of town business and Dad went off to do adult things (work). We went to the grocery store and bought some craving food: chips, salsa, sour cream, and beer! We were going to do all sorts of things in town, but then...the hotel room seemed so nice. It had Internet, electricity, squishy beds, and tv! What more can you ask for in a room? We lounged all afternoon and it was great. 

Eventually it became time to meet Dad for Thai dinner. We picked him up from his place and just managed to all fit in one car to get to the restaurant. (I had to sit gingerly on top of the shot gun. Fun times.) Dinner was less than spectacular. Robert got Tom Kha Gai and I tried some of the broth. It was terrible, quiite a disaster indeed - way too sweet and way too much chicken! Robert got green curry surprisingly and I made a snap decision for pad Thai. Dad got some sweet and sour chicken thing. The curry sauce was good, but the veggies in it were piss poor. The noodles in my pad Thai were great and got scooped up quickly with my chopsticks that came already unwrapped...odd. I don't know how dad's dish was...it was too meaty for my delicate taste. 

After dinner we went on a wild goose chase, trying to find the Rim Trail that over looks the city. After much map turning and GPS fiddling, we found a park that overlooked the city that may or may not have been the one that Dad wanted to find. We gazed out for a while, got cold and went back into town. We dropped Dad off at his place and said goodbye for now. It was a quick visit.