Comments on: CONTEST: We want your family vacation stories!

By: Patricia Mcdermott

Patricia Mcdermott — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:46:07 +0000

Lets see One week before it was back to school for my kids and decided on a last minute to get them away……so we did it we booked a trip to Disney neither I nor my kids have ever been and it was something I really wanted them to see and me too!!After seperating from my husband a year ago I decided it was time to move on and show my kids what fun was all about….So being our first family trip the three of us boarded a plane .( which by the way Me and my son has never done…believe it or not) and off to florida we went…We had the most amazing time I was more into I think then my 12 year old son…who was beat by the time we got back to our hotel every night….The 5 days we were there just flew by and I didn’t want to come home. we stayed at Pop Century Resort which was amazing to seeing as I had nothing to compare it to. What they had to offer and the feel of the place was so relaxing and the people I met from all parts of the world were great..we had the 5 day hopper so we took great advantage of it travelling to each park , besides the humid weather and the thunderstorms that came through it didn’t spoil our trip…Well the trip was incredible and unfortunatly all we have to show from it was our memories, because unfortunatly on our last night there I lost my memory card for my camera which held over 300 pictures of the parks and my kids with the characters we ran into in the parks, my son fortunatly got their autographs but we don’t have the pictures to go with them, I must say the staff at Pop Century was very good with us in helping us search the property looking for it ..but no luck I guess there really are heartless people in this world who found it and not return it to lost and found…never would have thought in a family resort those kind of people exsisted…So our first trip for the 3 of us was amazing , fun , and the bond between me and my children grew stronger, at least we have it in our minds not on a picture…….Disney is a place of dreams and wishes !!! My dream and wish is to turn back the time and relive it again for them!!!

By: Jewels

Jewels — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:37:09 +0000

This is a heads-up to those who want to have a happy, successful family vacation. I just returned from an extended family week with 4 sibs, their spouses and children, and a pair of grandparents, total 16. It was successful in the sense that we are still talking to each other, but it was a costly, excruciating week of stressful togetherness. Take heed: 1) everyone who needs their own room gets a bedroom. Don’t assume that grandpa and grandma, sleeping in separate bedrooms for 20 years, will somehow be able to share a bed for the duration. There are good reasons that they sleep apart. 2) Stay in a hotel and let someone else do the cooking and cleaning. We rented a house, entailing HOURS every DAY in shopping, cooking, dishwashing, laundry, and a big clean-up at the end. NOT a vacation in my book! 3) Make the stay equal to the attractions. We lingered a week in an area that had 3 days worth of attractions. It would have cost less for an enjoyable shorter stay in that nice hotel with room service and maids. 4) Make sure there is a beach or pool close by to occupy the kids. They popped the kiddy pool we brought on the first day and had to be driven to a distant lake. 5) Don’t assume self-catering is cheaper — after stocking the fridge, freezer, and coolers daily, we had to dump food and supplies that no one had space to truck home. It would have the same for free continental breakfast, modest lunch, and lavish dinners for all at restaurants. 6) If you are bringing elderly/disabled, give them every consideration. Both seniors spent days in discomfort, sleep deprivation, and unnecessary pain due to poor planning and thoughtlessness on the part of the larger group. Gramma, Grandpa, take an active role in the vacation planning and don’t assume your needs will be met. You have a say as participants! 7) Don’t assume the kids are safe because they are in the bosom of family. Parents drop their guard around family, as a result no one is really paying attention to the kids. The worst that happened to ours is that they got away with eating junk food for a week. But kids wander off, get lost, drown, climb live antenna masts, you’ve heard it happen to ‘other people’ don’t let it be you — always designate someone to be on point while the rest of the family is preoccupied with partying. Every rose has its thorns. Our ‘perfect getaway’ was convenient to both landfill and cow pastures, thus the fly problem was nightmarish. The beautiful pine house with no rugs or wall hangings echoed every laugh, catcall, kid-screech, TV show, MP3 program, footfall and door slam in its three stories, ensuring that all slept only when the last man went down, and all arose with the earliest riser. It was a courageous first whole-family vacation for us, and I’m relieved that I’ve been there, done that; and learned how to ensure that next time is more enjoyable!

By: Laurie Goldsmith

Laurie Goldsmith — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:40:34 +0000

Georgia folks in NYC
When we were in college, my husband (boyfriend then) and I decided to go to New York City with my sister and a friend of hers. My parents were living in New Jersey so it was an easy hour bus ride. We arrived at Port Authority bus station in New York not knowing what to expect. The first thing we saw when getting off the bus was a crash right in front of us. Two cars collided into each other. The drivers got out, started cursing and yelling at each other. Then they proceeded to get back in their cars and drive off. What a welcome to the Big Apple! Well now we are in NY, what should we do? Going to see a Broadway play sounded like a great idea! We went to Times Square to buy tickets and were amazed at the mobs of people waiting in line. We proceeding to get in a random line and after about 45 minutes of not moving anywhere, we realized the futility of this venture. Someone told us we could go to the Winter Garden theatre and get tickets there to see Cats. We found our way there and hopped in another long line. We were getting tired and hungry so while we waited, my husband went across the street to get Arby’s. He had to take out a loan at the bank next door for the unbelievable New York prices for a measly greasy meal. After another hour, we made it to the ticket window only to be told the only seats left were balcony seats with a partial view for $45! We decided it wasn’t worth it. Now we have wasted a couple of hours in New York City and haven’t seen anything! We headed to the Empire State Building. At this point, I really needed to use the bathroom. I asked the guard where to find a bathroom and he rudely says “Upstairs! Move along!” Upstairs??! We got our tickets and proceeding to the line. I think all people do in New York City is wait in line! We go up the elevator a few flights and got off again looking for a bathroom. Once again we were told the bathroom was Upstairs…Yes, I had to go to the top of the Empire State Building to find a bathroom! Next we planned to go to the Statue of Liberty. However, when we got there, the last ferry of the day had left. We braved ourselves on the subway with a lot of rude and pushy people. Getting directions was nearly impossible and the maps were confusing and not very helpful. We finally made it to Little Italy for a delicious Italian dinner (the highlight of the trip!) Then we realized that we had to find our way back to Port Authority to get home. We were on the subway discussing how to get back when another man told us he was going there so follow him. He got off and we set out to follow him. Being from the South, we were not used to the pace of the New Yorkers. He took off running and we boogied after him. It was quite the site, the four of us chasing the strange man down the street. A couple of times we thought we’d lost him, but one of us would shout “There he goes around that corner! Hurry!”. Breathless and tired, we finally made it to the bus station. My husband decided that New York City was too faced-paced and unfriendly for his taste. He was ready to go home to the southern hospitality of Atlanta.

By: Wabbit

Wabbit — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:42:31 +0000

I guess you can consider this a family vacation. My father had recently married a bimbo and he wanted me to meet my new “grandparents”. (My dad got along with them because they were the same age.)
On one hot July day, Dad, the bimbo, my boyfriend and I started up the interstate in Dad’s brand new motor home. The bimbo had picked it out so of course, it had all of the bells and whistles. After many miles, my boyfriend told me that he was not feeling well and went into the bathroom. That is when we discovered that there was something horribly wrong with the plumbing.
The smell that filled vehicle was deadly. The bimbo and I kept looking at each other, and finally broke into hysterical laughter. We started opening every window as quickly as possible which resulted in everything not tied down to start blowing around like we were stuck in the middle of a tornado. Soon thereafter, we discovered that opening the windows and letting in hot air only exacerbated the smell.
My father reacted to the smell and the flying debris by trying to outrun it. The worse the smell got, the faster he drove. Pretty soon, we were flying. He passed everyone and everything. You know how they tell you to vary your speed when breaking in a new vehicle, well that went out the window (while the smell did not). He had the pedal to the metal and was not letting up.
My boyfriend finally came out of the bathroom, looking sort of green. When he realized what he had caused, he played the “I am sick” card (which was really the “I am embarrassed” card) and went to the back to lie down.
Shortly afterward, he called me to the back. There, he took my hand and asked me to marry him. That was almost 15 years ago and we have been happily married for over 14 years now. Dad and the bimbo did not fare as well. She has gone back to bimbo-land which made everyone happy.
So, while most women can paint a pretty picture of the story of how they got engaged, the one I can relate has mini-tornados, noxious odors and my dad driving up the interstate like a bat out of hell.

By: CONTEST Finalists for family vacation stories! | Still Traveling

CONTEST Finalists for family vacation stories! | Still Traveling — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:41:36 +0000

[...] Read the previous entry: We want your family vacation stories! [...]

By: Amber Davis Collins

Amber Davis Collins — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 03:04:04 +0000

I’ve always wanted to see Patagonia in the southern tip of South America, so last fall my dad, his sister Alice, and I made our way down to the Chilean part of the region. The three of us had vacationed together before, and from that, I knew that Alice would keep things lively. After four flights, a taxi, and a bus over the course of four days, we arrived just outside the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. We quickly settled into our hotel and made arrangements to go to the park the next day.

That morning, a bus picked us up and took us to the park, stopping by a convenience store so that we could pick up last-minute necessities. I realized just how differently Alice and I reasoned when I compared our purchases. For our hiking trip, I chose graham crackers and water while she bought chocolate and beer. (My dad, the smartest of the three, didn’t buy anything. He knew that Alice and I would tote our own goods, and then share with him when it was time.)

After a few days of intense trekking through landscapes chock full of snow capped mountains and dotted with guanaco (a relative of the llama), we headed back to civilization. Once we arrived, we sought out a masseuse to work the kinks out of our shoulders and backs that we had acquired from toting around all that water and beer. We promptly spotted a sign in the window of one of the better hotels in town. We went in and made individual appointments for that afternoon. Because I speak Spanish, I was chosen as to go first. I was supposed to scope the place out and report back to the others before they went in.

I entered the tiny room and was greeted by a professional looking middle aged woman. “So far, so good,” I thought. After the usual small talk, she told me to get on the table.

“Should I take my boots off?” I asked in the tone of voice that clearly meant, “Huh? I haven’t even taken my shoes off yet!”

She shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “Whatever.”

I quickly pulled my boots off and hopped on the table, wondering why I hadn’t been told to remove anything else.

“What areas do you want me to focus on?” the lady asked.

“My shoulders and back,” I replied.

For the next hour, she focused almost exclusively on my scalp and face. I was hesitant to say anything because every time that I looked at her, she had her eyes closed and was silently chanting to herself. So I just kept my mouth shut and hoped that she would move to my shoulders and back. Eventually she did, but only for about five minutes. When the hour was up, she informed me that her tip was not included in the price. I nodded, left some money on the table, and went downstairs to pay the rest. Once downstairs, I closed out my bill and looked for Alice, who was supposed to go next. She was nowhere in sight, so I proceeded to the hotel where the three of us were staying and found my dad.

“Where’s Alice?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I guess she’s on her way to get a massage.” He answered.

At that point, I told tell him about my experience. I summed it up with, “Just be ready because it’s not what you’re used to.”

“Okay,” he replied.

Shortly after my dad left for his turn, Alice returned to the room with a bewildered look on her face.

“What did you think of the massage?” she asked.

“It was the lousiest one I’ve ever gotten,” I answered. “What about you?”

She didn’t answer. Instead she asked, “Did you take your clothes off?”

“No,” I responded. “I don’t know how on earth that lady thought she could give me a good rub down when I’m all bundled up in these winter clothes.”

“WHAT?!?!?!” Alice nearly screamed. “YOU DIDN’T TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF?!?!?!?”

“No.” I gave her a funny look. “Did you?”

“Yes! She told me to! She told me to take everything off. EVERYTHING!!!! I removed my shirt and pants, and she just looked at me and told me to take the rest off!” Alice exclaimed.

“Are you sure?” I laughed. “I mean, are you sure that’s what she meant?” I asked.

“YES!!! She told me IN ENGLISH,” Alice said.

“She didn’t speak in English to me at all,” I responded, a little skeptical.

“I swear! She told me in English to take everything off!” Alice protested. “So I did, and got on the table and tried to cover myself with a towel, and she just pulled away. I kept telling myself, ‘Amber did this, Amber did this.’ It was the only thing that got me through.”

By that time I tears were rolling down my face I was laughing so hard.

Alice, however, did not find it funny. “She gave me a nipple massage!”

I nearly wet my pants.

“I just kept repeating to myself, ‘Amber did this. Amber did this.’ I can’t BELIEVE you didn’t take your clothes off! Whatever you do, don’t tell Joe,” Alice pleaded. I howled with laughter, knowing that there was no way on earth I was going to keep this story from my dad.

“How much did you pay?” Alice asked me.

“Thirty dollars, plus a five dollar tip,” I told her. “And you?”

“She charged me FORTY dollars, and that didn’t include a tip!” Alice exclaimed.

“I bet you had to pay extra for the nipple massage,” I gasped hysterically.

When my dad returned, we immediately quizzed him about his experience. “It was okay, but I’ve had better,” he told us. “She talked a lot and didn’t use enough pressure on my back and shoulders.”

I was still reeling from Alice’s story, and could not contain my laughter.

“Well, I guess I’ll tell you before Amber does,” Alice began. And she proceeded to repeat her story again, with more embellishments than before.

My dad and I spent the rest of the trip teasing Alice, asking her if she was ready for another “Patagonian style” massage. To this day, we still double over with laughter when we talk about it.

By: Edith

Edith — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:38:09 +0000

One of the best Disney “secrets” is how to ride in the driver’s cabin of the Monorail. You don’t have to be royalty, or even pay extra. You just have to know WHERE to stand. When you approach the monorail entrance go as far forward as you can. You will see a turnstile. There is usually a castmember there so you can ask if you are in the right line. You may have to wait for the second (or third) train, but this is especially helpful after fireworks or parades when the regular cars are slammed full of guests and their strollers. The only downside… a maximum of 4 passengers at any time, so if you have a big family you may have to split up.

By: Ferguch

Ferguch — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:55:17 +0000

About 20 years ago, my family and I planned a vacation to Epcot Center in Orlando. A couple days before leaving for vacation, our pet cat had caught a baby squirrel. We were able to rescue the hairless squirrel, whose eyes had not opened yet, and care for it. The day we drove to Orlando, my father mentioned we could not leave the squirrel in the hotel as there was a chance the hotel staff could find the pet and kick us out. So, we checked into the hotel, freshened up, grabbed the squirrel, which was residing in a Girl Scout Cookie Box, and went to Epcot. Worried about the family budget at the time and the price of admission to the park, an executive decision was made to save the $5 pet boarding fee at Epcot and leave the squirrel in the car. Yes, Precious, the squirrel, was left in the car, in Florida, in the middle of the summer. My family enjoyed the park and, feeling we had just had the best vacation ever, headed back to the car. Getting into the car my mom looked at my father and said, “we have a problem.” Precious was not moving. My mother, who thought Precious had a heart attack, started CPR. As we drove back to the hotel, my sister and I watched in horror as my mother performed mouth to snout. After a few minutes of the life saving technique, my mother told us the squirrel was gone. She put the squirrel back in the Girl Scout Cookie Box and let my sister and me say good bye. When I looked at Precious, she had the look of a hot dog whose eyes had popped open like two fried eggs. Our vacation ended with my mother performing a burial service in the parking lot of the hotel. My father was not in attendance as he was in the dog house. 20 years later my family still reminds my father of the incident with Precious.

By: Mom and me

Mom and me — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:36:30 +0000

Last summer for my mom’s 80th bday, I took her to Austria and the Czech Republic. We were riding a train between Vienna and Prague when the train stopped and an elderly man and about a 6yr old boy joined us in our compartment. Neither spoke a lick of english and were clearly “czech country folks”. (maybe a farmer and his grandson we thought). While we were riding along the boy had a water bottle in his hand and was in my opinion being very good. He was smiling and giggling (as opposed to the american kids down a ways on the train running up and down the halls and screaming) The elderly man, clearly unhappy about something scolded the boy repeatedly. We had no idea why. Then, without warning the elderly man reached across and smacked that boy across the face! A smack that clearly would have someone here thrown in jail. The boy never cried, never whined. He sat very still and had a frown on his face. My mom and I looked at each other in horror but remembered we were in their country now, not ours. When we finally reached Prague and our hotel, my poor mom came down with a bad case of hemorhoides. I went out, not knowing any Czech, looking for a pharmacy where hopefully I could find someone who spoke english. I had visions of trying to describe hemorhoides to someone who didn’t speak english and the thought wasn’t pretty. Luckily I found someone who knew enough English to understand as I stood there pretending to scratch my a** what I was looking for. I kept the Preparation-H box as a souvenir (all the text is in Czech)

By: Debbie

Debbie — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:26:28 +0000

My husband works for a commercial airline and we have enjoyed and cursed the benefit of travel by way of Non Reservation throughout his career. Back in the “old days” this meant, that you dressed your self in your Sunday best, (suits, ties, dresses, stockings and heels) you checked your bags and you waited at a prescribed terminal gate to see if someone had failed to wake up and get to the plane on time, so you might have the chance of sitting in their seat. I use the word “chance” loosely as you always ran into other “Non Revs” at the same gate hoping to get in that same seat before you did. While you waited to see if you would even get to start your vacation, it gave you the opportunity to size up other non revs lurking about and try to guess if they had more seniority with the Company than we did. Were the other non revs graying in the temples, were their children teenagers or ankle biters? After being “bumped” from two or three flights that we had watched load and depart, we finally got on a plane headed for Calgary, Canada. Given the nature of this kind of travel and the dicey way the trips tend to start out, we often would not make a reservation for a car or hotel, since we were never sure if we would reach our destination. Well we make it as far as the Airport at Calgary; our goal is Banff National Park. Unbeknownst to us, it was the same weekend as several other non publicized events that managed to scarf up almost every available rental car, save one lone compact which we stuffed our luggage and two kids into. Ahhh! By now it is starting to get dark and we hope to put a few miles between us and the airport. We didn’t get very far before we pass several motels with neon “No Vacancy” signs, we keep traveling…more “No Vacancy” signs. Finally, we stop and inquire at one motel and the guy looks at us and says “there’s nothing available for miles.” I think the owner of that motel saw how beat down we were looking, the desperation in my voice, the whiny kids, and he starts to make a couple calls in an effort to keep us from wandering around aimlessly or forced to spend the night in our car. After a few calls he reports good news, there is a vacancy in the town of Canmore. We head for Canmore; we arrive at what appeared to be a Saloon/Brothel, not the first choice for a vacationing family, rather the last resort. We signed in and was handed a couple of dingy towels and a small bar of soap. That should have been our first clue. We found our room on the second floor. Two twin size, dirty looking beds, light bulb hanging from the ceiling and bath sink stuck on the side of the wall. No toilet, no shower, both were down the hall on the right. Needless to say, we were disappointed, but exhausted as we prepared for a long night, opting to sleep on top of the spread and not in the sheets, and a long night it was. Right outside our window was an alley, about 2:30 in the morning a brawl breaks out with several guys cursing and motorcycles gunning up and down the alley. At that point, I sat perched in a chair for the rest of the night waiting for the crack of dawn. The rest of the trip was enjoyable, but that was certainly a memorable night to forget.