…we’re going on a Road Trip!! (and NO, MSSC, you can’t drive!!)
Some of the best conversations I’ve had, have been in a car on the way to wherever. So today, we’re going on a virtual road trip. I’ve got a cooler full of soft drinks and snacks, and a map that only tells me where the rest stops are (hey, you have that many soft drinks, you need a good rest stop). So pick a spot, drop off your tunes, kick back and enjoy the ride. And tell us your favorite spot to Road Trip.
Us Girls..Our Views 
Hmm, I don’t know if I’m up to a road trip right now. I just got home from a Caribbean cruise – with my kids and my business partners. You can imagine what that was like.
I have to say that a cruise is the way to go if you can swing it. This is the first time I’ve been on one that involved multiple days. It isn’t cheap, but when you consider all that it includes, it’s really worth it, especially if you have little realistic opportunity to do a fun, low-cost vacation (a la primitive camping like we did when I was a kid). I think we paid like $1,000 per adult but it included 7 nights’ good accommodations, a flat amount for unlimited food / snacks / nonalcoholic drinks available 24/7, swimming, hot tubs, family movies on the big screen, shows and other entertainment, and transportation to 7 different island destinations. The service was good and we didn’t have to keep packing and unpacking at each destination. I think that if we tried to do as many things on a shoestring budget, we’d still spend a similar amount and have a lot more hassle. Also, there are cheaper packages for parties of 4 or fewer people; we were kinda stuck with the fancy package because there are 5 of us.
So anyhoo, we had a pretty good time. The kids loved the swimming and other general putzing that they don’t normally get to do. They weren’t that thrilled with the “old lady” tours, but they tolerated them fairly well. They discovered beaches and other ocean-oriented stuff, as well as planes and ships. They got thoroughly spoiled, especially since Miss E’s birthday was in the mix. They are now officially in detox until further notice. As for me, I did have to work some and I spent a lot of the time sleep-deprived (having had zero sleep the night before we flew south). I got a sunburn and then a heat rash, so I was uncomfortable half of the time, but that was really my own fault. Somehow I always let that happen despite knowing better. I am not really a lover of food, so that part of it was not so fun, and the movies were lame for me (I’m picky), but I sat through several of them anyway. I do like to see how people live in different parts of the world, so that part of it was fun. I think my favorite part of the trip was this morning (Sunday), when I was sitting by myself just staring out at the boats while the others were doing stuff elsewhere. Aah, the luxury of just sitting and doing nothing by myself – guilt-free.
Of course I am supposed to be delivering a fairly involved analysis for a project by tomorrow (Monday), so I have to get back into the swing of things. I already washed all the clothes we used on the trip and unpacked my bags and cleared away most evidence of our travels. The kids’ homework is packed in their school bags for tomorrow morning. So ready or not, here we go into the first serious week of 2012.
But back to road trips. Sometime I would love to do a road trip toward the West and just stop at whatever natural “wonders” there happen to be over the course of a long drive. So far, I haven’t done much of this kind of travel. We have done stuff like fly out to a given state (Utah, Alaska, Montana, whatever) and rent a car to go see the main places. Or, a car trip to visit friends or for work purposes. But never just got in a car and drove away for a do-it-yourself vacation.
Well, I hope everyone has a great week, traveling or not!
Oh – one tidbit that I filed away for later commenting. Today I bought the movie package for my kids for the 4-hour flight home. They wanted to watch the rated-G “kids” channel. A little while into it, they told me, “Mom, that man just said ‘shit.'” Awesome. Who decides that kind of language is appropriate for kids of all ages?
As sad as it is, shit, damn and son of a bitch are on tv sitcoms at 7 pm! I hate it.
They also say bitch on tv during the day. They say it on The View all the time. Why do people have to have such filthy mouths is what I’d like to know. Isn’t it possible to talk properly without dropping the F bomb or constantly cursing? I CAN’T STAND IT when kids are around most of all.
My favorite place to road trip would be from here to Montana. I did a lot of traveling when I was younger. I’ve made the trip from here to California more times than I’d like to remember. We’ll be making that trek again this summer. It should be fun though, this time with Bailey. We’ll go to Montana, and then down to California. Just me, my mom and Bailey. Good bonding time. 🙂 My brother and his daughter are suppose to come also, but I doubt they will.
Our weekend was nice. Quiet, but it’s been quiet around here since the holidays. We’ve been cleaning out closets, and organizing. It’s amazing how they can fill up so fast.
Have a good week, everyone!
I’m not really a big road trip person. Actually I’m not a traveling person at all. I really like being at my own home. Even back in the day, I’ve never been much of a traveler. Maybe it’s because we had a cabin that we went to every weekend so I fed the “travel” need going there. But I did have a fun trip when my brother and I drove to WA to see Eric. We had a blast and I have memories I’ll never forget.
We’ve been working out pretty consistently and I’m starting to feel good again. I’ve started walking a little taller again. It’s funny how your mind set can make you feel. Paul and I went swimming last night before supper and that felt great. Swimming always seems to rejuvenate me and always makes me feel better. I can sure feel it this morning.
My Tahoe broke down so that sucks. Paul took it in this morning and didn’t even make it to the garage. I’m almost thinking of getting rid of it. It’s beginning to nickle and dime us.
On the up side, I won the football King Of The Hill I told you about.
I have a haircut tomorrow and then I’ll go in and spend some time with my mom and take her shopping. I’m starting to feel bad for her sitting in there all alone all the time so I’ve tried going in and taking her places that she does’t HAVE to go. Just for fun stuff. Paul takes her shopping but those trips aren’t the same as fun stuff. I got her to get her toenails done last week and she felt so much better. We’re also thinking about moving her closer to us. We’ll see what happens. If only the housing market would pick up. I hate to take a loss on her condo.
I got to see Trinity play basketball on Sat and I had so much fun. It’s getting more exciting now watching the girls now that they’re REALLY playing. We just have to get her to be a “mean girl” for these games. She’s not naturally aggressive. LOL. She did so well and played really well and it warmed my heart watching them.
So, have a good week all.
I ask her all the time if she wants to go out, and she always says no-she has you and Paul. Not sure what more I can do.
I know. It shouldn’t be up to you. Her situation has changed in the last year. She’s not doing well and she gets very tired super fast and she’s almost blind. She feels like a burden so she just says no and has Paul take her for the stuff she “needs” but she needs to be around other people for her own good. I’m looking into it. I haven’t talked to her about it yet but I know it would make her happy but I hate to take a loss on that condo so we have a lot to look into. When I called her last week I just told her we’d go out for fun and I made her do her toenails and then we went to Walgreen’s but it was so bright in there she couldn’t see anything and then we went to Subway and I took her home. She needs more fun and I think she needs to be around other people her own age.