"I can't be a pessimist, because I'm alive. To be a pessimist means that you have agreed that human life is an academic matter." -- James Baldwin

Saturday, April 18, 2015

A Dirty Little Secret

     I've been traveling, away from home for nine days, and so far it has rained every single day, except one -- the very first day of my trip. Today, my last day, the sun peeked out for a while; but then the clouds blew in and brought yet more showers.

I like Hampton Inn
     I'm not complaining, though. I wanted to play more golf, for sure, but I did accomplish at least one of my goals for this vacation: I left the cold weather behind and greeted spring a few weeks earlier than I would have otherwise. I wonder how far spring has advanced at home -- there won't be any trees out, but maybe the daffodils and the forsythia. And when I talked to B she said she'd been sitting outside on the deck in the afternoon.

     Anyway, what's the dirty little secret? That traveling is not always what it's made out to be. It's not always sunshine and silken beaches. Not always luxurious golf resorts, or well-kept historical sites. Sometimes it's just the mundane monotony of the tourist traps and the American road, with fast-food joints, gas stations and chain hotels.

But I love KFC!
     Today, driving back north along the I95 corridor, I saw lines of cars and vans returning north, presumably from Florida. Obviously, retirees. The license plates read Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts.

     The rear windows of the SUVs were packed to the roofline. There were a few RVs; and many cars sported a trailer on the back with extra paraphernalia. I even saw a big Chevy Tahoe pulling some kind of homemade conveyance with a golf cart strapped into it.

     I spent a week at a golf-and-beach resort with my friends. But I also confess to staying over at a Best Western (no good); a Hampton Inn (I liked), a Homewood Suites (I liked even more). I have not stooped to dining at a McDonald's; but I plead guilty to Hardees (yuck); KFC (I'm sorry, but I like their chicken); and I've twice dined at a Cracker Barrel.

     So now you know that I'm no gourmet . . . another dirty little secret.

27 comments:

DJan said...

My sister lives in Florida year round and loves this time of year, when the traffic falls off and she has the local golf course to herself for the summer months. I have stayed in some good Best Western places, but they vary in quality. Thanks for sharing your dirty little secrets right here on one where now every knows. :-)

Jane said...

Thumbs up to Hampton inn and Fairfield inn. They tend to be clean, cheerful and have a decent breakfast. BW are hit or miss. Hardee's will make you wish you stopped at Mickie D's.

stephen Hayes said...

I'll help you keep your dirty little secret. I have my own dirty little secrets.

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the rain, but it is nice to get away from it all anyway.

Florence said...

I love KFC too!

Janette said...

Love your secrets.
Last time we went to Hawaii it rained all seven days! Not one minute on the beach. Happens :)

Rosaria Williams said...

A lot of times we might as well stay home! Though, for real Scottish style golf, you ought to come West, young man, to Bandon Dunes in Bandon, Oregon. on a gorgeous bluff with links that are world class. I don't golf, though. Just admire the dedication and thrill those folks get on those bluffs.

#1Nana said...

Every once in a while I let a secret slip out in my blog, but I really try not to let the world know all my secrets.

Anonymous said...

The KFC went out of business up the street, the chicken so bad the locals did not eat there, we live in Washington state, the McMenamins brothers are opening a huge Hotel that was once a elementary then a junior high, rather than tear it down they used parts to build this wonderful place, used local people, architects, plumbers, electricians, etc. two pools, indoor and outdoor, places to gather, real microbrews and real wines made on the preimses, oh, what a brilliant idea..they are in many ares of the pacific northwest, their brewpubs and places to stay are treasurers, using locally sourced foods and their mircrowbrews and wines are some of the best anywhere..You would not know this on the east coast, we don't do fast food, I can bake, cook and make food better it takes a little time and effort but most enjoy the food I make no matter what time of the year, when I used to have more time I would welcome people who bought homes in our neighborhood with a turkey feast complete with strawberry rhubarb custard pie for dessert now it is all rentals and we don't know many of the occupants but must be vigilant about thieves going nuts, so we watch and have someone in our home when we travel to the shore and out and about!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mac n' Janet said...

We like Homewood suites too, love KFC, hate Cracker Barrel.

Olga said...

Yes, the great migration has begun!

Anonymous said...

So enjoy your chicken, just. Pull off the skin before you eat it. The skin is the worst part! We are supposed to see rain this afternoon. Yesterday I turned on the AC. Enjoy your lovely spring. You are escaping the South at the right time.

Tabor said...

Well, we all have our secrets...fast food is not one of mine. I do not like the mundanes of travel and hate rainy weather. YOu are a good sport to have put up with it all.

Tabor said...

Well, we all have our secrets...fast food is not one of mine. I do not like the mundanes of travel and hate rainy weather. YOu are a good sport to have put up with it all.

Anonymous said...

Here's my little traveling secret. It's difficult when traveling on the road to get fresh veggies. We solve that problem somewhat by getting sandwiches from Subways. They have a wide choice of fresh vegetables: lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, pickles, mushrooms, red onions, etc that make a great sandwich.
Bon appititto!

Douglas said...

I, too, like Hampton Inn but find it a little expensive for overnight stays on the road Though I have done that).Country Inn and Suites is another I like. I dislike Cracker Barrel because the service is poor and slow and the food not that good. I like Waffle House (oddly) and do not mind Burger King for a cheap breakfast (which I think will disappear if the $15 minimum wage happens). I wish I didn't have to "prove I'm not a robot."

Anonymous said...

Jamba Juice has free drinks/smoothies this Friday between 9-11 am..wow whee their drinks are delish..a heads up for everyone..we enjoy the McD's $1.00 breakfast stuff and bring our own coffee when we hit the road to go to the beach..I pack fruit and some cut veggies in our good cooler and I also get some sour dough muffins and fix some sandwich fixin's for them, saves us a ton..We stay at our friends inherited cabin and others come with their huge motor homes that are really like homes and we have a hoot, we walk til we nearly pass out and I always cook up a feast for everyone as the cabin does have a stove, fridge, microwave and a nice sink, it also has accomodations for about 6 people, it is fun, to reminisce about when we were tiny ones..all still alive, we appreciate human beings and friendship and we gab until the wee hours, like one big freakin slumber party, it is a hoot!

Snowbrush said...

When I was a teenager, my girlfriend and I would buy KFC and take it to the park and have a picnic. I've been a pescatarian for decades now, so I haven't even tasted chicken in a long, long time, but I sure ate a lot of it, especially fried chicken for Sunday dinner as a kid in Mississippi.

Dick Klade said...

We've had several bad experiences at Best Westerns, and now avoid them altogether. Good stays at Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express. I dislike KFC intensely, but my dirty little secret is a fondness for Arby's Wendy's, and Burger King (but not too often!)

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