My mom and I took a road trip. We haven't gone on vacation together before. My mind races, trying to remember it all. We had such a good time, and even came out under budget somehow - without even trying. That
never happens.
First we went to Asheville, (which spell-check always tells me I'm misspelling) then we went to Hilton Head Island, Savannah, and Columbia South Carolina!
Things were magicy. (Like magical, but better - poetic license, okay?)
My mom introduced herself to the ocean. The Atlantic Ocean was friendly and welcoming, like a long-lost friend she'd never met before.
We are both fair skinned mermaids and denied ourselves more than a little time in the marvelous ocean - until the last day. On the final day I announced I was going down to the gift shop to get myself a hat. Mom had the good sense to bring a hat with her, but I did not own one. I went down and got the hat with the biggest brim. I suggested we add to our arsenal of giant hats and sunscreen - "Let's wear our t-shirts over our bathing suits." Mom knows a good idea when she hears one, and quickly agreed. This (genius) idea afforded us a
real luxury - time in the ocean. I can usually stay in the sun about fifteen minutes. We stayed in the ocean a good two hours. The only reason we left was that old nasty ritual hotels like to call 'check out time.'
From now on, though, we both know how to beat the sun. For me, the best part of the whole trip was those two hours in the ocean! We took a walk in the ocean the night before - in the pitch black darkness. The moon was nowhere to be found. The stars were bright, and they danced around as if they were swaying in their own ocean.
We had great meals - lots of them were seafood. Katrina took us to Fatz Cafe - oh my gosh! The poppy-seed rolls are amazing. I brought a couple dozen of them home with me. If we had a Fatz Cafe nearby I would live on those things.
We saw a pretty bad car accident, which kept us tied up on the road for quite some time, a lady in distress at a restaurant who we think had too much sun that day, a ton of adorable babies and children, starfish, sand dollars galore, dogs chasing sticks into the ocean, a school of jumping fish just feet away from us, diving pelicans, things glowing in the sand, a beautiful sunset over the water, a man who owns a bar near our home, miles and miles of glorious foliage, mountains, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, barns, cattle on hillsides, a cloud which looked exactly like an alligator, another cloud which looked like our dog, rain so hard we had to pull off the road for a moment, met a new friend in the ocean, and my mom got to spend time with her wonderful friend, who she hadn't seen in for
ever.
Recommended highly:
Going on a spur-of-the-moment trip with your mom
Priceline
Hilton Head Island
Making sure you name your own price on a resort at Hilton Head Island. (Hint: I bid $80 a night)
Crowne Plaza Hotel HHI - especially the bellman Bobson
Room service breakfast - even if they forget the toast, still worth it!
Spending the day
in the ocean. (In the ocean, not just at the ocean.)
Talking to strangers you meet in the ocean.
Fatz Cafe - they have quite a few locations in four states
South Soho Cafe in Savannah for lunch - amazing, out of this world, 5 stars, can't say enough about the food!
Staying an extra night with a good friend.
Coming home to an excited-to-see-you warm puppy!
Now get off the internet and go call your mom!
who can explain the glowing things in the sand?