Once I make a decision about something, I start right away setting up arrangements and making all the necessary plans. Then, I always end up checking it a few days before the event. And I always find something that needs to be changed.
I was double checking on my car reservations and found another rental company that had cheaper rates for a small(er) SUV. I changed my reservations and was all set. But, something told me to contact them ...just to make sure everything was in order. Well, it wasn't. Apparently this particular company limits their rentals to CA, AZ and NV. Not going to work for us! Of course, by this time, the other car companies are booked when it comes to your basic SUV.
I checked with another company I had rented from and was told they might have a large SUV available. First, I don't want a huge gas guzzler since I'm not comfortable driving them. Second, the price jumped about $200.00!
Alls well that ends well, however. I found out that they rent PT Cruisers as mid-size cars. A tad smaller than I wanted but it will work...and...it's $100 less!
With the car rental issue resolved I began to focus on our hotel reservations. Our favorite, Place D'Armes has been sold out of their rooms with windows. Yes, some of their rooms are windowless and that's just a bit too claustrophobic for this Cali girl! I ended up with reservations at another hotel in the French Quarter that is dog-friendly.
Playing around with the searches for hotel prices I noticed that some had dropped significantly. As I started to add up the parking fees for each hotel I realized that the lower cost did not matter if I was paying $10 more to park. So I researched a little more and ended up with a 30% discount and free parking at Hotel Provencial. Now, they are not dog-friendly, but since our "Skullie" is a service dog, that's okay.
What's even better about switching to the Provencial is it has a history of hauntings. It used to be a Civil War hospital and there have been sightings and sounds recorded there. I'll probably get the crap scared out of me if I do run across something, but the idea sure is fun!
Yesterday was all about mapping out the trip. Using the ancient tools - paper maps and highlighters - and modern tools -my gps on my phone - I figured out mileage for each possible stop and how long it might take us. Question of the day: who the hell decided Texas should be that big and what the hell were they thinking?!
Now it's done to laundry, packing for me and the dog, clean the house (can't have the pet sitters see a messy home!), and gathering the books on the areas we are traveling through - especially the ones on haunts!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
It's all about the journey...
Having decided to spend our Christmas in New Orleans this year, we decided to forego our usual mode of transportation - airplanes - and venture out on the road.
I have many fond and funny memories of road trips in the 60's and 70's with my parents. Seeing the sights, visiting National Parks, eating at roadside diners, shopping in antique stores, singing in the car, getting lost, arguing and laughing. I know I can't recreate those moments, but I can, with my daughter at my side, create new ones.
We plan to take her dog, Skullie. A mix she rescued about a year ago. Skullie is her heart and soul - and also her service dog. Working diligently with her, my daughter has trained Skullie to assist her during panic attacks or bi-polar moments of anxiety. Preparing Skullie for the trip will be easy as she loves going places with us and is so well-behaved. Packing for Skullie will no doubt be just as difficult as it will be for us.
Our road trip will take us to New Orleans via the most direct route - East on the 8, then east on the 10.
San Diego - Arizona: 170 miles
Arizona - New Mexico: 367 miles
New Mexico - Texas: 164 miles
Texas - Louisiana: 873 miles
TX/LA border - NOLA: 237 miles
Over 1800 miles in 3 days. We still have to decide where to stop and spend the night along the way. I'm just getting a bit too old to sleep in the car!
Coming back, our plan is to follow a portion of the old Route 66 - up to Oklahoma City and across to Albuquerque. But more on that later.
Lots to see along the way - from the historical (Tombstone, Yuma Territorial Prison, The Alamo) to the natural (the high desert of Arizona, the Rio Grande, the Bayou country) to the strange (Old Tucson Studios, Toilet Seat Museum, Haunted sites in Las Cruces, and lots of cemetaries!). Coming home there will be even more sites for us to linger over....but, again. This is about the beginning of our journey.
Laying out maps on the table with my dad was such an enjoyable part of our family vacations that I plan to do the same thing this round. Yes, nowadays I have GPS and the internet, but somehow, sitting with paper maps and different colored highlighters marking out our path makes me giddy. Our trip will be planned, but then again...not, as we will never be able to visit everything we want to see and we are sure to spot places that deserve a look - no matter how brief.
Here's to Road Trips of the past...and of the future!
I have many fond and funny memories of road trips in the 60's and 70's with my parents. Seeing the sights, visiting National Parks, eating at roadside diners, shopping in antique stores, singing in the car, getting lost, arguing and laughing. I know I can't recreate those moments, but I can, with my daughter at my side, create new ones.
We plan to take her dog, Skullie. A mix she rescued about a year ago. Skullie is her heart and soul - and also her service dog. Working diligently with her, my daughter has trained Skullie to assist her during panic attacks or bi-polar moments of anxiety. Preparing Skullie for the trip will be easy as she loves going places with us and is so well-behaved. Packing for Skullie will no doubt be just as difficult as it will be for us.
Our road trip will take us to New Orleans via the most direct route - East on the 8, then east on the 10.
San Diego - Arizona: 170 miles
Arizona - New Mexico: 367 miles
New Mexico - Texas: 164 miles
Texas - Louisiana: 873 miles
TX/LA border - NOLA: 237 miles
Over 1800 miles in 3 days. We still have to decide where to stop and spend the night along the way. I'm just getting a bit too old to sleep in the car!
Coming back, our plan is to follow a portion of the old Route 66 - up to Oklahoma City and across to Albuquerque. But more on that later.
Lots to see along the way - from the historical (Tombstone, Yuma Territorial Prison, The Alamo) to the natural (the high desert of Arizona, the Rio Grande, the Bayou country) to the strange (Old Tucson Studios, Toilet Seat Museum, Haunted sites in Las Cruces, and lots of cemetaries!). Coming home there will be even more sites for us to linger over....but, again. This is about the beginning of our journey.
Laying out maps on the table with my dad was such an enjoyable part of our family vacations that I plan to do the same thing this round. Yes, nowadays I have GPS and the internet, but somehow, sitting with paper maps and different colored highlighters marking out our path makes me giddy. Our trip will be planned, but then again...not, as we will never be able to visit everything we want to see and we are sure to spot places that deserve a look - no matter how brief.
Here's to Road Trips of the past...and of the future!
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