24 hours to go. I'm at the peak level of nervousness where it would almost be better to load up the car and just take off now and get it over with. I've been known to do just that in the past.
Yesterday I pricelined a hotel for our stop over in VA.
Not a motel a hotel.
As cheap as I usually am (and believe me I really hate to spend more than absolutely necessary) I will never forget stopping at a Super 8 with Kid when she was about 3 years old. We were on a drive to the East Coast on our own. We had been given a top floor room. While all the rooms have outside access it wasn't like I could open the door and be at my car. Well, I had a moment of sheer panic when I realized I had left something in the car and had to decided if I could leave her in the room for a second while I ran down the stairs to the car and back. She was happily watching TV on the bed.
I did leave her... but I was really nervous about it... I'm not even sure why. What if I fell down the stairs and broke my leg and couldn't get back to the room? What if I got hit by a car in the parking lot? No one would know she was up there. She could end up traumatized for life. I think I was even worried it might not be technically legal for me to leave her in the room. One thing I have learned from traveling on my own with kids is that stuff like this comes up all the time... the whole travel & lodging system is not set up for a single adult traveling with small children.
When I got to the bottom of the stairs and was heading to my car I saw the most disgusting, nasty, skanky hooker I had ever seen (and for the record I used to live on 12th St in Alphabet City in Manhattan and I have seen my fair share of nasty old hookers). This woman was walking on the side of her stiletto red vinyl boots... like on her ankle. She was kind of limping. I wasn't sure if she came in that way or if something happened to make her leave that way. But I suddenly wanted to vomit. And I was worried that if something weird had gone down I didn't want someone to see me see her. Not with my baby upstairs in a room by herself. What if someone shot me?!! (Yes I know that's crazy talk... but in the moment that is exactly where your mind starts to go) So I turned around, not ever reaching my car, and ran up the stairs to my room and my baby. When I got in the room I was shaking.
After that I have been hesitant to stay at a motel unless I'm with Mr F. Life's short I don't need to worry about getting caught up in some kind of prostitution ring gone bad. So... long story short.... especially after the disgusting Days Inn incident... I decided it was worth an extra couple of bucks to know we were staying in a nice hotel in a nice area. I did my best to get a good deal, and in fact, we're paying exactly what we paid to stay at that nasty ass Days Inn.
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6 comments:
Totally worth the money. You can't put a price on safety, cleanliness and a good night's sleep! Plus all the hotels are struggling for business right now so rates are more reasonable (that's my work talking...)
Well, I am glad you will be staying in a decent place this time around.
P.O.M.,
I feel good about it. Too many times I end up paying for shit and then being ticked off... I'd rather just know what I'm getting. I'm really looking forward to a nice bed!
Inkelywinkely,
word to that.
Good luck with ho-free hotels Mrs.F!!!...lol...I'm packing up to leave on Friday. Totally hear you with the packing up and leaving now and just getting on the road!The longer I'm in the house the more I think I have to do. I am crazy that way. Enjoy your vaca up north.
Have a great trip! Enjoy your family and hopefully you can get in some relaxation too!
Soo worth a few extra $/time. We stopped once on the way home from a trip at about 12am due to exhaustion..noticed it wasnt a great neighborhood but nowhere else around and we were all exhausted..noticed a LOT of sirens and a COP in the lobby of motel (a real one-not the rentacop). Ran to our crappy room and prayed to live till morning. In the morning we find out that the gas station JUST IN FRONT was where there was a shootout the night before--THATS what all the sirens were for! At least one was killed and there were bullet markers COVERING the whole gas station. Terrifying.
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