Saturday, April 17, 2010

We're Home!!!

Yea! We're home!!! We got in yesterday afternoon late and I immediately went to bed. We had a wonderful trip home but it was long, long, long. The last leg of the trip, I didn't think I would make it. I do all the driving so no rest for me the six days we took to get home.

We stopped at lots of places that Sweety has been wanting to see: The Grand Canyon, The Painted Desert, The Petrified Forest and The Meteor Crater. Maggie was a big hit every where we went. There are people all over the world with her picture now.

We met so many wonderful people on our way home, starting out with my blog friend Mary and her husband Bill. We had a delightful visit and it seemed like we had been friends forever! There was the retired Army nurse that works at the rest stop in Raton, New Mexico, the retired lady trucker that works in the dining room in the Holiday Inn Express in Raton, numerous fellow travelers. All were so friendly. I guess vacationers are happy people.

One thing that was "interesting" to me were the motels. Talk about discrepancies in brands. We would get a wonderful room and the next night it would be horrible. One was so bad that I complained and got the entire cost of the room credited. I'm not going to mention by name the bad ones. However, the La Quinta in Flagstaff, Arizona was absolutely wonderful!!! Terrific room, great accommodations and consideration for handicapped travelers and for dogs. Elynn was our front desk clerk and she is a true gem!!! Of course, the fact that her roommate has a Scottish Terrier didn't hurt any. She instantly fell in love with Maggie.

So tell me, fellow travelors. What is your trick for getting good motels? Do you go by word of mouth. Is there a specific brand that is always good no matter where you go? I really want to know.

Today I'm doing laundry - lots and lots of laundry - and cleaning house. I'll get my pictures downloaded as soon as I can so I can show you some of our trip.

Now, back to that laundry.......

7 comments:

Michele McLaughlin said...

Oh Miss Jean, so glad you are home safe and sound! No trick for me to find a motel--I just ask my husband who travels all the time. He usually even knows the chains that serve breakfast, do laundry, etc.
I know you are going to miss your son but rest now and get caught up!
Welcome home!

Cathy said...

Motels/hotels - I usually check the reviews on Expedia.com and Hotels.com. They steered me in the right direction for my trip to Germany two years ago. We had a fabulous hotel in Munich at a great price.

Sweet Cottage Dreams said...

Well, I am not a big traveler - as you know - so I cannot help you much there. I can tell you of good places over in the Carmel area though. You have gumption to speak up - I love that about you! Hey, things aren't cheap!

Of course Maggie got attention! She is just precious as can be.

So glad you all made it home safe and sound and enjoyed stops along the way. Man, it has been almost a month!

Do share all about the trip!

xoxo
becky

Thimbleanna said...

Sweet Maggie must feel like a queen now, after the royal treatment! I'm so glad you made it home safely!

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

So glad to know you're home. I'll be emailing you later today.

Lynn

Nicole said...

Welcome home! Like Dorothy said, there is no place like it.
Once when we were in Las Vegas, we were assigned a room that was so bad. When we peeled back the bed spread, there was the mark of a completely made up face. Imagine the Shroud of Turin, only done in leftover eyeshadow, mascara, rouge and lipstick. We checked out of the place immediately, with a full refund and went elsewhere!

ChaChaneen said...

Yea, your home! Wow, this was truly a traveling vacation with lots to see and do. Can't wait to see all the future posts with pictures.

Since we have kids, we always try ~ although it's rare we travel ~ to stay with the Marriot line of hotels as they are kid friendly - pool - and offer free breakfast as part of the package.