Miss me yet? Didn't think so.
I was told that my vacation planning summer prep post was very negative toward South Carolina. I'm sorry - I didn't mean to come off that way. I guess I have that North Carolina arrogance. You know....we can read here. Just kidding! South Carolina is a beautiful state, a historical state, and a yummy state. I just am not a huge fan of Myrtle Beach.
So to make sure that what I typed were my feelings exactly - I decided to take advantage of an offer to come down ---- once more and see if I was wrong.
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We have had excellent, wonderful, amazing accommodations at The Caravelle Resort. Seriously guys, this is the place to stay. The staff is great! The rooms are clean. The pools are fabulous. Laundry facilities on site, a game room, work out room, ice cream shop.....it is perfect-o! If you want to spend some loot on food you can dine in the restaurant. You can drink by the pool at the resort Tiki Bar or go to Liquids Lounge for a night cap in the evening. This place is great....it really is. I have no issues with The Caravelle and will stay here again for sure.
It is late May so the vacationing population isn't huge yet. My little girl made three friends in the pool yesterday - score! I believe they spent three hours jumping in, getting out, jumping in, getting out. Lovely break for mommy to sit by the pool and drink her special lemonade and try to veg out. Ok, yeah you can't do that when your kid is in the pool but I was a relaxed alert.
This vacation was a new experience for us because it is the first family get away with four members and not three. Bringing a baby on vacation is an idea that makes one contemplate just how sane they are in the their day to day decision making. They say humans crave schedule and babies crave it like a crack head craves $20. We tried to keep the regular routine going but folks a four - five hour car ride is not ever the norm for this family. Day 1 was not fun. Due to bad weather on the drive down and a couple unexpected detours our 3-4 hour trip turned into a five hour one and that is not cool. When we got to The Caravelle (two hours before check in) they were so gracious and let us go ahead and check in. I swear I heard angels sing when my husband walked out with the room cards!
Another issue with taking a baby on vacation - all the crap you have to take. Now, I'm not a minivan mom. I'm a sedan mama - I fought the minivan pull really hard and now, after taking a trip with two kids only 12-18 inches behind me, I am wishing that there was a paid off Odyssey sitting in my driveway instead of a Optima. Our trunk was filled with a pack n play, beach tent, stroller, bags of snacks and foods for dinner (yes I cooked). Beach toys and pool toys also were nicely placed in the stacks my husband built to make everything fit.
And no matter how perfect your packing skills may be you are going to forget something. For me it was the canister of formula. So a trip to Walmart occurred. That was a horrible experience. I hate Walmart enough here! Imagine going to a Walmart in vacation mecca - yes it was the hell you are envisioning. Hundreds of lost souls aimlessly walking around, goo goo eyed, what did we come for? Oh look what they have! Ugh.
Yes, I realize I haven't said much about the five year old. Here is why and please don't be offended. My five year old is perfect. She was the perfect traveler and the perfect vacationer. She was happy, she made friends, she ate when she was hungry, she didn't complain. She is perfect - thank ya Jesus! I would really love to just take her to the beach - leave the men at home and she and I could go have a lovely time together.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, yes I cooked at the beach. We seriously didn't leave the resort at all (except for the trip to Walmart). The trip was last minute and not budgeted so I had to be really cheap on the one thing you blow the most money on.....food.
We were only down for a couple days so here was our menu:
Night 1: Baked Chicken ($1.10 per serving)
Recipe:
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Canola spray for your dish
Worcestershire Sauce
Mrs. Dash Original
Spray your dish, preheat your oven to 350.
Lay your chicken in the dish, coat with Worcestershire sauce. Then coat with Mrs. Dash (it can get spicy so go by your own desire for spice).
Bake for thirty minutes.
I served this up with Mac n Cheese to the hubby and little lady. I don't eat Mac n Cheese so I ate mine like a rabid beast. It was great!
Night 2: Frozen Pizza night (0.75 per serving)
It is bad for you but hey it is vacation.
Lunches:
Sammiches dang it.
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This was a good trip. And then.....(remember that movie...Dude Where's My Car? and then? and then?)
And then we realized it was bike week.
One thing I do not get is why we live in a society that thinks that everything should be separate. There should be ONE bike week for ALL bikers. That's the common sense of my brain kicking in and well a lot of people (like the ones who want three different bike weeks) don't have that section of the brain.
Here's my personal take on motorcycles....give me a Jeep. I can feel the wind in my hair but I can also go climb something, get muddy, or take the kids to the store in it and they think its the coolest contraption ever. My feelings on motorcycles are biased because the majority of the folks I know with Harleys are pitiful. They are trying so hard to be cool when they wouldn't know cool if it side swiped them at a stop light.
Ok I know a hand full of people who are not dweebs but cool bikers as in - "yeah we took a ride on 64 this weekend on the bike" - they aren't the ones who centralize their lives around thinking they are outlaws.
I think that everyone has a tiny piece of them that yearns to be a bad ass. You know, they want to be that guy that women do a double take over and the men take a step back from. The thing is most of the people I have seen on Harleys don't fit that bill. They're trying way too hard to be "cool" - poor things been trying that hard since 12 years old - it is time to give it up. Make amends with the fact you are still a dork and no loud shiny piece of chrome will change that.
Sons of Anarchy is a tv show - not a good way of life. As if that isn't obvious enough.
There is nothing more annoying than being at the beach and at 2am you hear a bike that won't stop. You go look out the window and the bike is stag - in a parking lot filled with mini vans, sedans, and SUVs. The rider is opening up the throttle and there is no other bike/bikers in site. This is why your Bike Week or Bike Month gets a bad rep. You're being a fool. Go to the rally - go to the place where the bikers are hanging out and show off. Seriously, what is the point of revving an engine for an hour in a place where no one gives a crap?
Just an idea. It may get you those cool points you want so desperately if you move to where the bikers actually are.
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So we made it home - only to make some changes to the Myrtle Beach statement:
I do not mind Myrtle Beach because the Caravelle rocks so much.
My heart still belongs to the NC Coast.
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Be good to one another -
Brownie
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