A week ago I returned home after the best ever vacation! Tim and I had booked a trip that included 5 days in Las Vegas and 7 nights in Palm Springs. This time we decided that we wanted to be right in the middle of the action so I booked a room at Planet Hollywood.
I decided to book an early flight so that we could enjoy the whole day in Vegas. Perhaps this wasn't the best idea, getting up at midnight to get to the airport is no fun. Our flight was on time and went off without a hitch. We landed in sunny Vegas and even got an early check in. Awesome start!
We hurried up to our room to freshen up.....and this is where things went astray. What a dump! The room was super small and really dark. The windows were so filthy we couldn't even see out! It was a beautiful sunny day, but there was no place to sit outside. After all, they do want you in the casino spending money! Tim and I looked at each other and almost simultaneously decided 1 night is plenty. I was able to change our reservation in Palm Springs.
After breakfast and a bit of shopping we hit the highway for what we understood was a 4 hour drive. Well, for starters we were not told to NEVER take the I15 on a Sunday! Apparently people from California love to drive to Vegas for a weekend of fun. After sitting in slow moving traffic for almost 2 hours we were finally our of Primm. Smooth sailing from there? Not so much! What was initially a fun drive in the desert soon became taxing and frustrating. It truly felt like we were on the road to nowhere! Despite asking for directions and being on the road for 4 hours we were no closer to Palm Springs. Tim asked me if I was set on getting to Palm Springs or would I be willing to stay somewhere else for the night. Hell! That dump Whiskey Pete's in Primm was appealing at that point! After getting orientated and hydrated we decided we were going to Disneyland! Well, Anaheim, not Disneyland people in costumes creep me out! I found a reservation for us and after 8 hours on the road we finally made it. After a relaxing dinner it was time for a good nights sleep. Now our perfect vacation will begin! Well, not so much. At 5 in the morning I woke up throwing up and feeling just terrible. I was starting to feel like our trip was doomed!
When we decided that we were going to end up in Anaheim I contacted my friend Julie. I had met Julie on Facebook in a group for adults with neuromuscular diseases. We realized that we had a lot in common and became Internet age pen pals. I couldn't wait to meet her and had made lunch plans with her for our first day there. No stomach flu was going to stop me from meeting Julie. I was going to lunch whether I could eat or not!
Have you ever met someone that you felt like you have known your entire life? That's what it was like with Julie. Sometimes it's awkward meeting someone that you have only written to. You know, those long moments of silence when you struggle to make conversation. It was not like that with Julie. Conversation flowed and despite being sick, I had a wonderful time. As Tim and I decided to stay in Anaheim for 10 days, Julie and I made plans to meet again.
I'm blessed with many wonderful friends who I love with all of my heart. What is special about my friendship with Julie is that I feel like we truly get each other. We both live with spinal muscular atrophy and share many of the same struggles. Not only that, we share the same love of shopping. I believe that everything happens for a reason and we were meant to get lost so that I could meet Julie.
What was striking about our trip is that it felt like we were coming home. There was nothing that we didn't love. It felt like we were settling in, which we never feel in a hotel room. At the end of every trip, I am ready to go home. I miss my dogs, my home and my own bed. Although I missed my dogs, I was sad to leave. I'm home now, but I feel homesick for California. We have already booked our next trip for Christmas. This year we have been asked to spend Christmas with Julie and her family. I can't wait to return to what feels like my second home.
Xoxo
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