Managing expectations...

When I was growing up my Dad's family used to talk about a place near my Grandparent's house in the country called The Bluff Hole.

It actually doesn't deserve capitalization because I'm pretty sure it's not a proper noun but I'm making it one. 

So, there. 

Take that grammar police!

It was a spot surrounded by big rock bluffs that you could crawl onto and then jump off of into the water. 

It was only accessible through a long and arduous hike.

My Grandmom used to do it. 

She wore overalls when she did it because they didn't have the money to buy a bathing suit. 

It's strange to think about that now. 

My Grandmother climbing over rocks and the like. 

Anyway...

When I was five all the cousins took a hike to the Bluff Hole but I was deemed too young. 

"See this fork in my hand? I'm a gonna poke you with it if you don't let me go on the Bluff Hole Hike!"

Alas, too young. 

Two years ago at our annual Cousin's camp everyone went on the Bluff Hole Hike again but this was weeks away from happening:

Again, I wasn't able to go.

This year though...

Nothing was stopping me from going. 

Here some of us are at the beginning of the hike. 

The oldest minion was ready too. 

It was also his first time. 

I call this a face paint fail. 

He calls it an accurate representation of a Cyborg.

Or he would if he knew what the words accurate and representation meant. 

The hike was great. 

I got to spend time with these guys:

And, of course, I got to see the Bluff Hole.

Here it is:

Apparently the water part used to be a lot deeper.

I gotta say I was kinda...

Disappointed. 

It's just that my expectations were SO high. 

When I got back to camp I told my husband about my disappointment. 

His response?

"What were you expecting? That Glacier National was waiting for you in an unexplored hiking trail in Cullman County, Alabama?"

Well...yeah.

I mean, I kinda was expecting something like that. 

Dang. 

Foiled by expectations that were too high. 

I mean, it's not like I was expecting Shangri-la, or anything. 

Blast! I actually was expecting Shangri-la.

It's strange because, with the exception of Christmas,  I usually like to keep my expectations nice and low.

That way I'm rarely disappointed.

This time though the nostalgia of my childhood just got the best of me. 

I gotta work on managing my expectations. 

So, dear readers, what places have you visited that lived up to your expectations?

What places didn't?