TimNDansMom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2000
- Messages
- 3,093
August 1 - 3
It was our last morning and I couldnt talk DH and the kids into staying any longer at WDW. DH had only just returned from a two-week business trip the day before we left and felt like he hadnt been home in a month. I knew he was also itching to play golf at the club where he is a member, before his vacation time was over. The kids, of course, missed the computer. So, sadly I packed everything up and headed down to Mara for a last breakfast with DH. The kids had already gone down. I snapped a few last photos, even one of the mural in the food court, which I hoped would turn out (it did!) I called for Bell Services to come and get our luggage and before I knew it, we were in the van heading out. I had DH pause while I snapped one last photo of the AKL sign and then we were off!
At breakfast, I had told DH that I was not coming all this way without seeing the ocean, so we decided to head over to Daytona Beach and take I-95 instead of I-75, home. I dont think that DH realized that I actually wanted to touch the ocean, not just have a glance as we drove by and we ended up having to pay $5.00 to drive on to the beach. My mother always says that she doesnt like Daytona Beach because years ago, we visited there and cars were all over the beach. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was no longer so.
There is an area that cars may travel, well to the back of the beach and I was amazed at how expansive Daytona Beach was! As we drove along the beach, we saw a rescue vehicle drive up and lifeguards were swimming out to sea. We stopped and walked down to the water as a few swimmers came out of the ocean along with the lifeguards. Everyone seemed quite calm and in speaking with a very blond, tanned lifeguard a short while later, I learned that a swimmer had got caught in the rip tide, but was able to make it back to the beach safely. We walked up the beach a bit and DH took a picture of me actually standing in the surf and I took one of him and the boys. I couldnt believe how fine and white the sand wastotally different from what I thought it would be like, here. I kept hoping that he might suggest that we stay a night at the beach, but to my disappointment, all I heard was well, wed better get going.
We drove as far as St. Augustine, where we stopped for dinner. The sky was getting very black and I hoped that we werent in for a bad storm. Luckily, we managed to miss itI dont like driving in the rain. DH changed his mind about driving up I-95 and headed along Hwy. 10, back over to I-75. I had picked up the hotel coupon books on the way down and we were able to use a coupon at a Comfort Inn in Valdosta, Georgia. Watching the TV that night, we learned that those black clouds were probably the outer edges of Tropical Storm Barry, moving in.
As we drove through Georgia the next day, we stopped for lunch at a Chick-Fil-A. DH had found their billboard signs quite hilarious (you know, the ones with the cows) and wanted to try them out. We were somewhat disappointed to discover that they were just another fast-food type place. We also stopped for gas in Georgia and low and behold, what do I find when I went to payKrispy Kreme Donuts!! Of course, I couldnt leave without buying some for us to eat along the way.
That night, we stopped at the Comfort Suites in Richmond, Kentucky, again using a coupon. We had discovered this hotel last summer, just after it opened. There is a Ryans with-in walking distance and we went there for dinner. The hotel has an indoor pool and spa and I decided to go for a nice soak in the swirling hot water, after the long drive.
Unlike the trip down, we didnt experience any delays until we got to Toledo, where we encountered an accident and then road construction. We lost an hour driving through here.
Finally, we arrived at the border in Detroit. The traffic was backed up quite badly. Border personnel was also directing traffic through the Duty Free parking lot, probably to break up the long line-up to the bridge and our big mistake was going this way. We should have stayed on the main road, as it ended up taking us longer to get through the parking lota lesson for next time! We finally made it across the bridge and discovered what the hold-up wasa stalled transport truck, part-way across. After that it was a snap. When we drove up to Canada Customs, the girl smiled as she asked us if we had spent the $800.00 we were EACH allowed. We laughed and said we wish, but could only afford to bring back $600.00 total, in souvenirs and golf items.
The first thing we did was stop at the Tim Hortons in Windsor before driving the last 2 ½ hours to home. DH commented that next time, hed like to fly!
It was our last morning and I couldnt talk DH and the kids into staying any longer at WDW. DH had only just returned from a two-week business trip the day before we left and felt like he hadnt been home in a month. I knew he was also itching to play golf at the club where he is a member, before his vacation time was over. The kids, of course, missed the computer. So, sadly I packed everything up and headed down to Mara for a last breakfast with DH. The kids had already gone down. I snapped a few last photos, even one of the mural in the food court, which I hoped would turn out (it did!) I called for Bell Services to come and get our luggage and before I knew it, we were in the van heading out. I had DH pause while I snapped one last photo of the AKL sign and then we were off!
At breakfast, I had told DH that I was not coming all this way without seeing the ocean, so we decided to head over to Daytona Beach and take I-95 instead of I-75, home. I dont think that DH realized that I actually wanted to touch the ocean, not just have a glance as we drove by and we ended up having to pay $5.00 to drive on to the beach. My mother always says that she doesnt like Daytona Beach because years ago, we visited there and cars were all over the beach. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was no longer so.
There is an area that cars may travel, well to the back of the beach and I was amazed at how expansive Daytona Beach was! As we drove along the beach, we saw a rescue vehicle drive up and lifeguards were swimming out to sea. We stopped and walked down to the water as a few swimmers came out of the ocean along with the lifeguards. Everyone seemed quite calm and in speaking with a very blond, tanned lifeguard a short while later, I learned that a swimmer had got caught in the rip tide, but was able to make it back to the beach safely. We walked up the beach a bit and DH took a picture of me actually standing in the surf and I took one of him and the boys. I couldnt believe how fine and white the sand wastotally different from what I thought it would be like, here. I kept hoping that he might suggest that we stay a night at the beach, but to my disappointment, all I heard was well, wed better get going.
We drove as far as St. Augustine, where we stopped for dinner. The sky was getting very black and I hoped that we werent in for a bad storm. Luckily, we managed to miss itI dont like driving in the rain. DH changed his mind about driving up I-95 and headed along Hwy. 10, back over to I-75. I had picked up the hotel coupon books on the way down and we were able to use a coupon at a Comfort Inn in Valdosta, Georgia. Watching the TV that night, we learned that those black clouds were probably the outer edges of Tropical Storm Barry, moving in.
As we drove through Georgia the next day, we stopped for lunch at a Chick-Fil-A. DH had found their billboard signs quite hilarious (you know, the ones with the cows) and wanted to try them out. We were somewhat disappointed to discover that they were just another fast-food type place. We also stopped for gas in Georgia and low and behold, what do I find when I went to payKrispy Kreme Donuts!! Of course, I couldnt leave without buying some for us to eat along the way.
That night, we stopped at the Comfort Suites in Richmond, Kentucky, again using a coupon. We had discovered this hotel last summer, just after it opened. There is a Ryans with-in walking distance and we went there for dinner. The hotel has an indoor pool and spa and I decided to go for a nice soak in the swirling hot water, after the long drive.
Unlike the trip down, we didnt experience any delays until we got to Toledo, where we encountered an accident and then road construction. We lost an hour driving through here.
Finally, we arrived at the border in Detroit. The traffic was backed up quite badly. Border personnel was also directing traffic through the Duty Free parking lot, probably to break up the long line-up to the bridge and our big mistake was going this way. We should have stayed on the main road, as it ended up taking us longer to get through the parking lota lesson for next time! We finally made it across the bridge and discovered what the hold-up wasa stalled transport truck, part-way across. After that it was a snap. When we drove up to Canada Customs, the girl smiled as she asked us if we had spent the $800.00 we were EACH allowed. We laughed and said we wish, but could only afford to bring back $600.00 total, in souvenirs and golf items.
The first thing we did was stop at the Tim Hortons in Windsor before driving the last 2 ½ hours to home. DH commented that next time, hed like to fly!
We'll have to see when the time comes--something to dream on! 
