Getting there…
I started with my usual short nap and 2:30am Wednesday alarm clock, headed for Lubbock, but this time gathering up my daughter’s family in the wee hours before checking in for the 5:50am departure. She and I both have Elite status with Delta and made the free First Class upgrades, so I asked: “Which two wants to ride up front today, and which two (takes a chance) on the return.” Trapper and I were fine sleeping in coach. Anyway - I like to go early when I travel and do as much as my energy will support, and we were in Tampa before noon.
With help from local friends, I had proposed plans and backup plans for meeting my sis at TPA international, and as soon as I turned my cell-phone on, there was her Voice Mail: “I’m here, waiting for my bags,” just a few minutes before. “John, go down that escalator, will ya’, see if you can find Nancy and her bags, and meet us down this other one where we’ll gather our bags. In no time we had all the people and a dozen or so bags with orange ribbons organized and headed for car rentals.
The gals stayed in the foyer with the kids and bags as John and I headed for the counters, and I handed him the reservation sheet with his name as I took mine to the other clerk. His sensed that he’d never rented a car before and tried to stick him with insurance we didn’t need, then tried to up his rate, but I watched as he learned OJT and interrupted only as needed to save him from her doubling his rental charges, and - we were on the road by noon. Wow, I love it when a plan works.
We’re there…!
We soon tired of the every three miles toll stations and headed coastward to explore, which probably cost us time, but we got to Homosassa Springs soon enough for a late lunch at a cute local place, and in Crystal River in time to set up camp at the Best Western and take in the free Kings Bay cruise. Okay, they did the boat; as I had to have another nap before dinner – something you learn from babies: never miss a good chance for a nap - at another local establishment. I do not like to eat at chains when I travel, and we made it until the last day…
Edited by DandyDon, 01 August 2004 - 05:15 PM.