July 4, 2019

We made it back!  And we brought a few extra pounds with us. 😀  Cause Southern cooking is good tasting but not low calorie.  The plants did well while we were gone.  Ms Rea Across the Hall did give the big plant a drink one day she reported.  Seems it rained here several days.  But you did not come here to read of rain and plants but our latest adventure of visiting South Carolina, the last of the Lower 48 for us.  48 states over the course of 52 years of marriage. 

Day 1:  The transfer to airport, flights and rental car adventure.

In the middle of the night for most of you, 2:45 AM we loaded into a nicely appointed Lyft auto.  It was obvious the driver spoke little of the language we spoke and visa versa.  As we had made the trip to the airport just days before we were somewhat shocked when the driver headed west.  The airport is southeast.  What tha ....  We were certain we were already on an adventure.  Of course the route was fine, just different than we usually took.  Arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare.  As a matter of fact, the Southwest desk was not even open.  As we live within 50 miles of a military base, there were young soldiers sleeping on chairs, duffel bags and anything that was mostly level. 

See my Québec bag from Cheryl-Lynn?

It was not long before the desk opened and we were going through security.  We have travelled enough the last few years to begin to get a system that is quick and efficient.  Hubby's CPAP machine and my camera fit nicely in the small under seat bag.  Easily opened for all things to be scanned.  Hubby is old enough he no longer needs to remove shoes.  I wear sandals as I am still too young to not have to remove shoes.  Sure.  Grab some coffee and a snack at outrageous prices as food cannot be brought in and we move to our gate.  And wait. 


With Southwest the seating is open, no pre assigned seating.  You can pay $25 for them to check you in 36 hours ahead of the flight or just wait and check in 24 hours ahead yourself.  That check in assigns you a place in line and that is how you board the plane.  We had B 4 and 5 with A slots for the Baltimore leg of the flight.  Flights were full so I was middle person for both flights.  The young lady sitting next to the window was on her way to a funeral and flying by herself.  She was expecting her first child.  She was nervous.  Chatting about inane things seemed to help her.   Once we were airborne she was fine and started her phone chats or audible books.  I attempted to sleep to no avail. 

The first flight was about 3 hours.  Time change and then a 3 hour layover.  We do not mind longer layovers.  We do not move rapidly between gates especially in unfamiliar airports.  More coffee and people watching.  On the plane for Charleston.  Hubby thought A 55 was our seat number so he kept walking to the back of the plane.  Finally got him to stop and just sit down.  He took the window seat.  We snuggled in for the last leg.  Wrapped in his warmth, I fell asleep for a short nap.

As we descended through the patchy clouds the landscape of the Low Country, the name given to this area of the coastal region of South Carolina and Georgia, appeared.  I missed the best views.  The ones where the waters were writing their names between the marsh grasses.  Was it high or low tide?  I did not know.  During these 6 upcoming days I would come to love that movement of the waters of the Atlantic.  Tugged by that distant Man in the Moon.  Spreading the nutrients into the waters of the many rivers feeding into the ocean.


The sequel of the tires on tarmac broke the spell I was under seeing the Ocean and Rivers becoming one.  Touchdown, de-plane (is that really a word), baggage claim and off to get the rental car.  It was about 2:45 EDT by then.  I had failed to notice the car rental location was off site.  No problem, the shuttle arrives every 20 minutes or so was the information given to Hubby.   Fresh air was good except it is the South in late June.  Find a shade and wait. 

Now if you come to the South expect things to slow down a bit.  We noticed that the pace and sense of urgency we saw in Austin, TX, somehow had disappeared.  It made me think of the pace of my childhood.  Thick summer heat can do that to people.  The other thing to expect 'down South' is people talk to strangers.  You may even make a life long friend in a checkout line.  Really.  Cause the lady standing the shade with me was back from a trip to visit grandkids.  She lived in Savanna and was waiting a shuttle to get her to her auto.  She told me the year and make but that was not something I remembered.  We almost hugged when the rental car shuttle arrived.

The gentleman took our suitcases and helped me up into the bus.  Hubby followed.  We plopped down and were ready for the rental car and our hotel.  We had been up for about 32 hours by now and were getting a bit punch drunk.  The chatter on the bus covered eating joints in Charleston.  "Mmmmm mmmmm, you gotta visit Bertha's," rolled out in a southern drawl from the driver's mouth.  Several folks chimed in agreement.  "That fried pork chop, mmm, mmmmmm, mmmm, uhn mmmm", came from some other folks.  A string of mmmmmm's is the highest rating from a southerner when it comes to food.  So that was how Bertha's became one of the places we would visit.

It seemed we traveled about 20 minutes to get to the rental car agency.  Bags were unloaded and we trooped into the building.  We assumed a place in line.  We soon discovered that was not the end of the line.  Not by a long shot.  There were actually about 18 people in front of us.  Several did not look happy.  Hubby assumed the proper place in line.  I took the bags to an out of the way corner.  The only other option was outside in the heat. 

For almost and hour the line did not move.  I am not exaggerating.  Not one person completely processed.  Folks shuffled their feet, looked at watches and became increasingly impatient.  Time to break out a song and dance cause it is the South and folks carry guns.  I started doing YMCA.  No takers.  Hubby and I started a silly conversation across the room.  A man and his small child arrived and added to the mix.  Grandma mode kicked in and I started talking to the child while the dad found a place.  What fortune, a kitty appeared outside the floor to ceiling windows.  The child and everyone were yet again distracted from the situation.

With so many people in a small place the air conditioning could not keep up with the heat removal.  My dad had a saying, "too many buts for the btus".  Funny thing was folks were now talking to each other.  Occasional smiles and giggles as the common calamity moved along.  Finally the line began to move but at a snails pace.  I felt so sorry for the people working the counter.  Misplaced keys, cars not checked in so they could be rented and folks returning cars late all came together for the perfect cluster storm. No onsite car wash meant the folks in the back were driving the cars back and forth to an offsite car wash. 

Just as the last of the long line of people originally waiting was clearing out in rental cars, the shuttle dumped a bus load at the office.  While we were still waiting outside in the heat for the car to return from the wash folks started piling out of the office.  Things had started to get ugly inside they said.  Ubers and Lyfts were arriving to take this bunch to the various locations.  After almost 2.5 hours we were sitting in the KIA Soul.  Water dripping from the outside from its recent wash.  According to our phones we were only about 12 minutes from our hotel and a bed.

Hubby did great getting us through the traffic and to the motel.  I checked us in and was given the credit card keys.  We parked by the room, unloaded the car of the bags and Hubby opened the door.  To an unclean, occupied room.  Really.  We are now at 34 hours awake.  I walk to the office and explain the situation about the room.  The clerk must check to make sure.  We walk back to the room and she still can hardly believe it.  She is not sure what to do next.  "Easy", I said, "we'll go get dinner and you can figure it out while we are gone."

After a dinner at a local seafood restaurant, where, again, the slow pace of the Southern folks was at play, we returned to the motel.  The young lady at the desk apologized profusely, told me room 115 and I was off again.  Hubby parks at 115, tries to open the door and the key does not work.  A deep voice from within notes the room is occupied.  Hubby apologizes and looks at the envelope.  The 5 had been changed to a 6.  He tried the next door, 116 and we had a bed.  Finally, a bed.  Too exhausted to even shower we opened the bags, brushed our teeth, and collapsed into bed.  We had been up for 38 hours by that time.  I did take time to hook up the heating pad for my back.  I don't think I move much all night.

If you are as tired from reading this as we were, you need a rest.  I'll pick up tomorrow with our City Tour.  Yes, the rest of the trip went much smoother.  I'll look for you tomorrow.  In the meantime, take care of yourself.