I Told You Driving Was Bad For Your Health! *2/2* NEW TRIP REPORT LINK P102

[TarzansKat]

I'm so sorry for your loss, my friend.

My mom was a Mimi. And actually, my dad is Papa. So looking at those wine glasses is poignant for me.

I'll keep your family in my prayers.

 

[GoofyFan1515]

Rosie - I'm glad to hear I have the pronunciation correct. Denny and I were cracking up the last time we where there as we were watching the morning news. We looked at each other and said, "Did he just say what we THOUGHT he said?"

Reminds me of the old joke about the cheer at the local high school football games.............

We don't drink,
We don't smoke,
Nor-folk, Nor-folk!

 

[marDgreen88]

So sorry to hear about your father! Keeping you and your family on my prayers.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[MEK]

I'm so sorry for your loss, my friend.

Thank you! I really appreciate your condolences!

My mom was a Mimi. And actually, my dad is Papa. So looking at those wine glasses is poignant for me.

Really? Ahhh - that's neat. I like that name "mimi". It's cute. Hugs

I'll keep your family in my prayers.

Thank you!

Reminds me of the old joke about the cheer at the local high school football games.............

We don't drink,
We don't smoke,
Nor-folk, Nor-folk!

You know - I had to read that twice before I got it.

Thanks for the chuckle. Pretty funny actually!

So sorry to hear about your father! Keeping you and your family on my prayers.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Thank you Marissa! I really appreciate your condolences!

 

[MEK]

HHI - The End

First, I would really like to thank everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and condolences. It really means a lot to me that so many of you left me a little notes about my dad. I appreciate that more than you know.

Edited to say: I was very proud of Brian and Nick at the funeral. They each did a reading and they did a wonderful job. Nick also did a little speech at the luncheon and it was beautiful. So proud of them!

Now let's get back to Beaufort, shall we? I took a ton of pictures and I have a few more to show you.

Like this one - simply because it reminded me of the partridge Family bus BEFORE it was painted.



Seriously - that is one old school bus.





Really not sure what one would do with this



Look - I think it's multiplying



Luther's bar & restaurant in the back. Luther's pharmacy in the front. Takes one stop shopping to a whole new level.



Maryland has blue crabs, but we don't have shirts like this.



Pictures of pictures







Pretty gardens





Orb alert? You guys know I totally believe in the spirits and supernatural.



Beaufort side street







The plan was to walk the town and swing back around to the waterfront area for sunset



Look - there's another orb!



I guess it could be sun glare, but I'm sticking with orb



Convinced yet?







That orb is in almost every picture



The sun kept getting lower but I could tell it wasn't going to be a great sunset. Bummer.



Not to be left out, the orb is back




Continued In Next Post.....

 

[MEK]

Continued From Previous Post

Crazy, right? What else could it be?





























That orb is still there



Even after the sun set with very little fan fare, it was hard for me to drag myself away. Believe me, I took three times more pictures than what I just posted.



We decided it was probably a good time to head back to HHI. But not before taking a picture of the monster truck in the parking lot


'
Across the street I noticed that start of a tour. A ghost tour perhaps?





I was in the car when I noticed this old church









Another church






Continued In Next Post...

 

[MEK]

Continued From Previous Post





The ghost tour lady was over here, so that's part of the reason we decided to get out and nose around





Just like the cemetery in Savannah, this looked like it would be just as creepy after nightfall - probably more so.









Queue up the scary music



And with that, we headed back to HHI. I remember we stopped in a Walmart for something and I have no idea what. What could we have possibly needed since we were going home the next day?

The Last Day

We got up early on Sunday, our last morning. On our drive home from Beaufort we decided we would try to drive to Charleston as a via point on our way home. We knew it was going to be a long drive, but concluded that as long as we were home by midnight, it would be fine.

I tried to take a sunrise picture from the back porch





I realized I didn't take very many pictures of the villa, so here are a few. Some are harsh because I used a flash for a few.

MBR



flash











Master Bathroom





Yours truly



The not completely cleaned kitchen



We were in the midst of clearing out the refrigerator



The crazy pull-out that you slide off of



Eating area



More LR



Continued In Next Post...

 

[MEK]

Continued From Previous Post...

Entrance



The second bedroom





My favorite touch



Car packed it was time to head out





I wanted to get a picture of the main lodge building from a different vantage point, but I took the wrong lens and didn't feel like running back to the car for the right one.



I put the camera away until Charleston.

On the way to Charleston Denny started speculating on his recent hospitalization and near heart attack. Out of the clear blue he said, "you know - I wonder if that long drive down is what caused my blockage. I remember getting a leg cramp. Maybe a blood clot broke off and that's what caused my artery to be plugged".

Oh dear, I thought. Denny needs an anatomy lesson.

As gently as I could, I tried to explain that a blood clot in the leg would occur in the vein. (this is called a DVT - deep venous thrombosis). If that clot were to break off it would travel up the inferior vena cava to the right side of the heart. From the Right ventricle it would go to the lung and cause a PE (pulmonary embolism). It would be impossible for the same clot to make its way through the pulmonary circulation into the left side of the heart, go through the aortic valve and into his coronary artery. KWIM?

He was having a hard time with this and seemed convinced that the long ride had to be the reason for his cardiac misfortune.

Oh brother.

Sure - Denny could have ruptured plague in his coronary artery which set him up for the chest pain and near heart attack. But it wasn't caused by the car drive.

He couldn't let that go.

So, I decided to work with his misconception, as you'll see when we get to the WDW part of this trip.

But I digress...

Once in Charleston we parked at the Visitor Center and took a bus which dropped us off in an area near Rainbow Row.













We walked down to the battery park area



The houses in both areas are so gorgeous





I wanted to tour one of the historical houses in that area, but as luck would have it, it didn't open until 12:30 or 1pm. We didn't have time to wait.





I toured this house with my GF's and I absolutely loved it. I knew that Denny, C, & C would be quite impressed with it as well. Even though Charleston has the "no inside pictures" rule, they are nearly as uptight as the guides in Savannah.













We started our walk back to the Visitor center



Continued In Next Post...

 

[MEK]

Continued From Previous Post













Doesn't this remind you of a dog on a Disney ride?















Another cool old grave yard







I think this church is stunning



Our Next stop was here - Kaminsky's



OMG - best bakery EVER!

Plus - an added bonus



But guess what - it didn't open until 12:30. Really? It was only open from l2:30 - 2:30pm. Seriously?

I was SO bummed.

We walked on towards the Visitor Center. See - the thing was - we really hadn't eaten, so if Kaminsky's couldn't serve us decadent baked goods for "brunch", we needed to find some real lunch.



Jackie (Charleston Princess) says this place is really good, but we didn't get to try it. Boo!



Clearly I was starting to get hungry



C wanted to stop here - Sticky Fingers. The people at the Visitor Center told him to try it.



Now its my theory that the Visitor Centers push the tourist trap type restaurants. But honestly, we were pressed for time and this looked like it would be quick .

C and I outside



Plus it was empty





Continued In Next Post...

 

[MEK]

Continued From Previous Post

I actually ended up buying the sauces for Nick & Brian because they like that kind of stuff



I didn't take a picture of my sandwich because it was a bit under-whelming. C and I had the pulled chicken while the boys had the pulled pork. My sandwich was served on a hamburger roll. There was a smattering of chicken in there. It was like a child's portion. I should have ordered something a little more substantial but after a week of vacation eating I was trying to put the breaks on a bit. My sammie was just meh. I know Sheree really liked this place. I think I just made a bad menu choice. I couldn't help comparing everyone's food to the restaurant I had eaten at with my GF's on my last HHI trip. The pulled pork there was amazing. This didn't compare.

After lunch we only had a short walk back to the Visitor's Center.



It was just after Easter





College of Charleston Cougar Club?









Thanks Y'all



Back inside the Visitor's Center



I loved this picture



A view of the Visitor's Center from the parking garage



So it was about 12:30 when we hit 95 for our LONG drive home.

Denny drove through SC and we made a pit stop here.

Are you ready? You naysayers who thought I would skip this "eh hum" historic landmark.



The one and only, never replicated







Home to Pedro



While everyone else hit the little boys and girls room, I decided I had to see the fireworks








It was definitely a sensory overloaded experience





The 'ol heavy hitter



And who doesn't need a hissey fit once in a while?



What better way to celebrate but with fireworks



Continued In Next Post...

 

[MEK]

Continued From Previous PostA salesperson tried their best to persuade me to purchase something, anything, but I politely declined.

Back outside I met up with some of Pedro's friends



I was tempted by Pedro's cappuccino, but then I remembered the cup of coffee I bought there on my girls trip, and decided against it.



And for my final picture, I leave you with this oddity



The end.

Well, almost.

I drove NC and then I don't remember who did what or where we stopped. I know we got home around 11pm and I had to get up for work the next day.

Final Thoughts

The highlights:

An uneventful drive down and back.
Perfect warm sunny spring weather
Beach Walk
Movies under the Live Oaks
The Vine dinner
Vic's lunch
Touring Savannah, Tybee Island, Beaufort, and Bluffton
Friendly, competent staff at HHI Medical Center
Extending our stay by two nights

The lowlights:

Denny's hospitalization
Missing the Kayak Tour
Missing Shadow all week
Missing the Marsh Tour
Losing my Tybee Island Sticker


Bottom line - Ellen (podsnel) once said to me "Hilton Head is a special place" and I know exactly what she means. It's really unique in atmosphere and geography. It's a friendly place with beautiful weather and good restaurants. The resort has just the right Disney touch to make any Disney lover feel at home. If you are ever inclined to visit, do it! You will not regret it.

Up Next WDW Here's we come!

 

[MeMom]

This would be the kind of souvenir my guys would like, too.

The pictures around the water are so pretty!

I'd love to tour some of those homes, too.

 

[natebenma]

Oh, my Charleston seems like a sleepy little town. I wouldn't mind keeping work hours like that place!

I love all of the wrought-iron fences- this picture is spectacular!

And for my final picture, I leave you with this oddity

Maybe someone saw your girlfriends' behavior on a certain secluded EPCOT path.


Thanks for sharing your report, with so many amazing beautiful pictures and experiences but way more drama than anyone needs!

.

 

[teekathepony]

That was a great wrap up of HHI, it really does look like a beautiful place. The pics of the villa look really comfy and homey, love the little Mickey and Minnie heart, so cute!
The unique shops and tours look really I interesting too.
Hmm too bad about the underwhelming sandwich.
All in all, what a beautiful trip. I'm so glad it had a good ending with Denny feeling better and you got to make the most of everything in spite of the hiccup!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[OhMari]

I liked your little orb in your pics.
A few years ago Disney had a discount code of 40% off to stay at HHI or The other one in Florida. I wish we would of used it, but we only had 2 days. We used the discount to stay at The Beach Club. Some day.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

The End

Seriously - that is one old school bus.

But did you buy it?

Really not sure what one would do with this

Target practice?

Queue up the scary music

There's always room for one more...

I realized I didn't take very many pictures of the villa, so here are a few.

I really like the rustic feel there.

Once in Charleston we parked at the Visitor Center and took a bus which dropped us off in an area near Rainbow Row.

Such a beautiful city! Great pictures.

C wanted to stop here - Sticky Fingers. The people at the Visitor Center told him to try it.

We had thought about stopping there but ended up at the Chucktown Tavern with the stuffed burgers instead. Sorry you weren't too high on your meal.

Are you ready? You naysayers who thought I would skip this "eh hum" historic landmark.

You never sausage a place!

Couldn't help but notice that you didn't have another meal there, though.

 

[MEK]

This would be the kind of souvenir my guys would like, too.

It has been fun to try the different sauces. And the price was decent too.

The pictures around the water are so pretty!

Thanks! So, do you think that was an orb? Nick told me it was just sun glare until I showed him how the position changed so many times.

I'd love to tour some of those homes, too.

The houses in Charleston are simply gorgeous. I really need to go back when I can have a proper visit.

Oh, my Charleston seems like a sleepy little town. I wouldn't mind keeping work hours like that place!

I definitely learned my lesson - don't visit on Sunday if you want to spend the morning touring. Nothing is opened until afternoon.

I love all of the wrought-iron fences- this picture is spectacular!

Thank you! I love the wrought iron too. Hence, so many pictures. But you just don't see stuff like that here, so I really enjoyed seeing all the different patterns.

Maybe someone saw your girlfriends' behavior on a certain secluded EPCOT path.

Haha! I hadn't thought of that. Good point!

Thanks for sharing your report, with so many amazing beautiful pictures and experiences but way more drama than anyone needs!

.

You are welcome! Yup - a little heavy on the drama. Fortunately my WDW trip was pretty much drama free, so stay tuned. That one is too follow and one single TR.

That was a great wrap up of HHI, it really does look like a beautiful place. The pics of the villa look really comfy and homey, love the little Mickey and Minnie heart, so cute!

Thanks!

The villa was wonderful. It felt so spacious. We felt miles away from C&C. The only negative is that pull-out which is shaped so weird that its hard to sit without falling off.

The unique shops and tours look really I interesting too.

There were a lot of cool antique stores in all the towns we visited. I'm so glad we ventured out into the surrounding areas.

Hmm too bad about the underwhelming sandwich.

I think it was just a bad pick on my part. Plus, I'm not a huge barbecue fan, so that probably clouded my judgement.

All in all, what a beautiful trip. I'm so glad it had a good ending with Denny feeling better and you got to make the most of everything in spite of the hiccup!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

It was a really nice trip and after two trips to HHI I learned that a week is really necessary. It works a lot better than 5 nights when there's a lot of driving involved.

 

[Pinkocto]

Despite the health scare I'm so glad you had a fantastic trip. Now I'm hoping you're working the car as a clot maker to your advantage

How sad that bakery was closed! I love love love freshly made baked goods. Too bad your lunch choice was lackluster. One mustn't start being good until the vacation is over, unless you're in your villa making something yourself. I hope you've learned your lesson

You've seriously gotten me rethinking my birthday trip next year. Thank you for the wonderful TR and gorgeous pictures

 

[annmarieda]

Thank you so much for sharing! I knew I wanted to go to HII, but now I know I MUST go to HHI!

Love the orb pics, btw... even if they freak me out just a tad.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

Loved all of the pictures, makes me want to do the same trip! Now my decision is going there or to the southwest next year!

I've seen lots of those bottle trees, I want my DH to make one for me. I think they are a cool way to recycle the colored wine bottles. I read an article in the newspaper a couple of days ago that the bottle tres were common in parts of the south. The trees are guards against witches, sort of like witches balls. The witches get trapped the balls or bottles & can't enter the house.