Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2016 - Letter R

Disney World Vacation:

  Planning, Prepping, Packing and Postponing a trip of a lifetime and things I learned along the way.

Riding the Rails, Taking the Train: Long, long time ago, my husband would drive the almost 400 miles to get to Alison's house. He loved to drive and it was no big deal for him. However, because of work schedules, we seldom visited.

Then, the last few years of my career, I had more time off and I made the drive myself. I would push myself to get there arriving stiff and sore. On the way home, I'd be exhausted from the non-stop schedule Alison and I had kept up for a week. Once, I had a bad cold and missed my exit and ended up lost in Syracuse for several hours. I was always afraid of detours, flat tires, and falling asleep.

Enter the Amtrak train. Gary drives me East for an hour to Poughkeepsie, I board the train and I leave the driving to the engineer. The price is comparable to driving and there is no wear and tear on the car. The conductors are friendly and extremely helpful with luggage. 

I sit on the left side of the car so I can see the rivers, first the Hudson until Albany and then the Mohawk and even the Erie Canal for awhile. The train weaves through towns called Rhinecliff, Schenectady, Amsterdam, Rome, Rochester and finally Buffalo on its way to Niagara Falls. Most of the time the scenery is wonderful. Lots of times I am looking at the backside of the towns and neighborhoods I pass, with all the garbage, trashed cars and discarded furniture that brings.

I am allowed two suitcases weighing 50 lbs. or less and a carry-on that will fit in the overhead. I am always right at the limit. I am always looking for more efficient ways to pack and while researching what to bring to Disney on Pinterest, I have found some great ideas to try out. Hopefully I've learned to leave the kitchen sink at home.

I love the ever changing views of the rivers.

Some trips, the train is full to capacity with little kids roaming the aisles, babies crying, people talking loudly on their cell phones. Other trips, the 1/2 filled coach allows the college students and myself to stretch out in two seats, napping and reading. I bring my lunch, water and a few snacks. There is a snack car located on the train with essentials where I occasionally get hot tea at $2.00 a cup.

The train allows me to travel to Buffalo and back all year long.

There are two restrooms to a car but I wouldn't call them restful. Balancing as the train changes tracks can sometimes be an exciting and dampening experience.

 

I color, read, play scrabble, talk to sisters and children on the phone. The train provides wi-fi and you can also charge your devices. I nap a lot. There is no stress on the train and I find that rhythmic moving very conducive to sleep. Before I know it, I've arrived at my destination and someone is meeting me...

7 more days of Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2016. Please stay with me to find out what is the cause of our postponement and what we do about it.

(Photo credit Pinterest:  Amtrak trains) 

 

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2016 - Letter Q

Disney World Vacation:

  Planning, Prepping, Packing and Postponing a trip of a lifetime and things I learned along the way.

All's QUIET on the Western New York Front: It's Saturday and I am not hearing the usual chatter from Alison. When I am going for just a few days, we are always talking and texting together right up til the last minute. We should be burning up the wi-fi between here and Buffalo.

I call. She sounds all stuffed up. She's had this earache and the headache for over a week. She went to the doctor and got stuff to help her feel better. Doctor thinks it's a sinus infection. Alison is sure she will be better before Wednesday. She is so happy I am coming up early so I can help her pack and do last minute things at her house. She is just so tired.

I leave tomorrow on the train. 

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2016 - Letter P

Disney World Vacation:

  Planning, Prepping, Packing and Postponing a trip of a lifetime and things I learned along the way.

Packing to go North and South: I've never been a light packer; why take one blouse when I might need two. In December, maybe it will snow, maybe it will rain. If I take the gray sweater, and I drip ice cream on it, then should I take a black sweater in case I needed the gray to wear with the black capris. Or maybe throw in a blue in case....

Pinterest

I cannot tell you tonight what I will wear tomorrow. I can plan ahead, but until I wake up and see what my mood is, I don't make a final decision. I may have picked a yellow shirt but now this morning it is blue or nothing at all. Some people pack each day's outfit in a plastic bag to save room and time. I look at those neat bags for 6 or 7 days in a suitcase and I am envious.

I have tried picking 2 or 3 colors with hopes that it will limit my choices. Let's say black, white and red. By the second day I am upset and uncomfortable because there are no other choices in the suitcase. Does not bode well for the day. Yes, I have a problem.

Pinterest

So two suitcases, two different temperature zones. In one, I put long pants, turtle necks, medium sweaters, boots, hat, scarf, gloves and coat in early winter and Christmas colors. In the other, I put capris, short sleeve, mid sleeve, no sleeve tops, light weight sweaters, light weight jacket, sneakers, sandals and scarves, a big sun hat. These are all in warm weather colors. I pack jewelry with a Christmas theme for both places.  

I do this a few days ahead of when I'm leaving, and then second guess myself by taking things out to lessen the load and then putting things back because I'm afraid. Maybe another pair of pants or a pair of shorts. Maybe I should take the bathing suit and cover up.

 I text Alison, I call Alison. She says she's gotten some of the small essentials we can share. She says she hasn't started to think about what she will pack. Granted, she has 3 days longer than I do because I have to travel to her house and we don't leave until Wednesday at 6:25 am.

She's a little more vague than the last time we talked. She says she thinks she caught a cold from her grandson. She has a bit of a headache. She's going to take a nap. I think I'll go have a drink!!

 

 

 

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2016 - Letter O

Disney World Vacation:

  Planning, Prepping, Packing and Postponing a trip of a lifetime and things I learned along the way.

Orlando: I was wondering how big Disney World actually is. I did a little exploring and found out the amusement park is about 30,000 acres, give or take a few.  That's about twice the size of Manhattan, or the actual size of San Francisco. Luckily for me, the parks only take up about a 1/4 of the property.

The land was originally swamps, pasture, forest and orange groves. Some of the property was set aside as a Nature Preserve. Much of the land is still undeveloped. There is lots of space between everything. Just getting from your room to the entrance of the resort to catch the bus can be many footsteps.

So, that brings me to actually ME getting around. I am overweight, I haven't done any long distance  walking since my husband started to have very bad pain in his back, hips and feet, and I don't have good muscle tone. I huff and puff going up a flight of stairs. How was I going to do the miles required? And although my sister is in better shape, she hasn't been walking at regular intervals, either.

Maybe I should rent a walker or a electric scooter. We could share the use so neither one of us would be worn out. I looked up scooters and the price is about $50.00 a day for a scooter and it must stay in the park that you originally rented it from. Then I began to think about how I would maneuver it in the crowds and have to worry about leaving it outside when we went in to attractions. EEEEEK.

 If there was just some more time to get myself in shape.

 

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2016 - Letter N

Disney World Vacation:

  Planning, Prepping, Packing and Postponing a trip of a lifetime and things I learned along the way.

Pinterest

Nature VS Fantasy: the two parks I am really excited about visiting are Animal Kingdom and Epcot.

I love to tour zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums. Sounds like Animal Kingdom will be a fantastic combination of all three. What a thrill to be up close to all the wonderful animals (over 1,000) that reside there. According to the guide books, the enclosures are built to bring the animals up close to the tourists but still maintain a peaceful setting for the inhabitants. If I get to see giraffes in Africa and tigers in Asia, I'll be set. Maybe some lions, too.

Pinterest

Epcot would be special, too. It is compared to the 1964 New York World's Fair. I visited the Fair several times as a teenager and it was a memorable experience. Probably the best memory was the idea that some day you would be able to see the other person when you would talk on the phone. What a fantasy. I remember thinking that you would always have to look your best when you answered your phone otherwise someone would see you in your pajamas and curlers. Now a days, my sister and I FaceTalk all the time and who cares how we look, we are just happy to see each other.

Epcot, has two sections, one called Future World, where science, technology and industry meet to educate and amaze. Sounds like an all day tour.The other section is World Showcase, with a collection of pavilions highlighting 14 countries. I remember this was great at the World's Fair.

What I am most interested in is how the Disney creators have mixed all the Fantasy in with the Real, how they mesh and enhance each other. I wish we had more than a day each to do these Parks.

 

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2016 - Letter M

Disney World Vacation:

  Planning, Prepping, Packing and Postponing a trip of a lifetime and things I learned along the way.

 Midway through the Challenge: I thought I'd meander a moment, release some mid-morning stress and mention that this monologue does have a monumental 3rd quarter and a momentous end. To be continued tomorrow when my muse will be over the mump or rather the hump.

Thanks for moseying on over and thanks for all the mindful comments.

Mikey Mouse rules. (Pinterest)

Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2016 - Letter L

Disney World Vacation:

  Planning, Prepping, Packing and Postponing a trip of a lifetime and things I learned along the way.

Lunch, Dinner & Breakfast: I'm so ready.

We had chosen the middle meal plan called The Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining. What a mouthful! This gives you a lunch, a dinner and a snack. We figured we'd eat light for breakfast, yogurt or fruit, when we grabbed a cup of coffee and that would be less expensive than the next plan up.

My idea of a substantial breakfast.

Lunch can be a variety of things but this turkey leg is definitely something I want to try. My husband and I used to cook these all the time and do so much with them. There are plenty of spots for hamburgers, and quick lunch favorites within the plan.

Might need two of these to replace my legs from all the walking.

The dinner part of this deal features a wide variety of dining options.

Signature Dining Restaurants- excellent food served with style and elegance.

Casual Table Service Restaurants- sure to please food plus special creations.

Disney Character Dining- up close and personal dining with Disney friends.

Dinner Shows- Song and Dance Reviews with family style dinners.

 You even can have high tea at the Grand Floridian although because we were so last minute in making our plans, this was one of the treats that was not available to us.

All of the above photos are posted in Pinterest under Disney World Food Pictures.