Chapter 9 – You Don't Get Outta' the Bu
Like most people I haven't traveled since COVID hit us with its special brand of awfulness. But now the rules were relaxing a bit I decided I would use some of the vacation time I had saved up. I made a decision to not go on another resort vacation. You know why. Fortunately, those less than stellar get-aways were long past and I was ready to try again.
This time I wanted a cultured vacation. When I say cultured, I don't mean far-flung places. I am not tempted to go to Peru to climb Machu Pichu for example.
To begin with that destination and many like it require a specialized wardrobe. Climbing shoes and poles, shorts with wicking material, a sturdy back pack, a bucket hat, the list goes on and on. None of it sexy. Where are the flowy linen pants, the squared-necked tops, the big, black sunglasses? You know clothes that will make me look like a traveler with vast experience and insider knowledge of the area. I wanted that to be me.
But where to go? I still wasn't comfortable leaving the country so I decided on the one place that I had heard about since childhood. According to my parents it was the height of travel experiences.
"Lots to see and do," enthused my mother.
"Safe, my father chimed in.
"Iconic," added mom.
Normally I don't ask my parents for travel advice. They plan for trips like it's a war campaign. Many lists of what to do and frequent visits to their travel agent and phone conversation with friends asking for advice on inexpensive restaurants.
I decided to make this trip to Niagara Falls more spontaneous. Just book the flight and my accomadation on arrival and go. One week in Niagara Falls and environs!
I arrived late in the evening and after dragging my behemoth of a suitcase outside the airport which is designed like a test maze for lab rats and waiting in a long line for a taxi, I was off.
"Where to miss?"
I gave him the name of the motel I had booked. It only had three stars but the reviews weren't bad and I wanted to save my money for experiences rather than a place to lay my head.
"Did you say The Falls motel?" the taxi driver asked.
His tone was worrisome.
"Yes, The Falls please. Is it nice?"
"Depends on what you mean by nice. It's downtown so there's that."
I decided to form my own opinions of the place. I used the time getting to the motel to gather my thoughts about what to do once I was there. I had pretty much decided that I wasn't driving to Niagara Falls. I am very leery of freeways. The nightmare of whizzing cars, and uncontrolled speeds. I was sweating thinking about it.
The taxi pulled up in front of a motel with a very tall, frantic looking neon sign which showed the Falls eternally flashing down into electric blue water. The letter "F" was malfunctioning and looked like a "B."
I paid the driver and dragged my too large suitcase inside the lobby of the motel. This was a lobby in name only. It had a desk with a computer, and a calendar from 2000 tacked to the wall. I dinged the bell which graced the desk and waited. A stoop-shouldered guy in a white singlet appeared. He had a five o'clock shadow and a mere suggestion of hair which he had artfully combed over. Without waiting for me to speak he said, "You gotta a reservation 'cause we're pretty full up?"
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Olivia Always
ChickLit"Create the life YOU want," "Live life to the fullest." "Be all you can be," "Adventure Awaits!" Olivia had read and heard them all and she wanted to be that person. The one on the edge, the one doing the new and exciting thing, the one taking risk...
