Why do I always feel like upon returning from a vacation I need another 2 to 5 days off at home to recuperate? Granted I didn't pick the most relaxing of holidays. A 1,300 mile road trip to Canada over 4 days to a festival concert with a "new" friend. I realize that last sentence had a lot going on it; so, let me break it down for you.
Yes, I decided to drive from Greenwood, Indiana to Toronto, Ontario and back over the course of a long weekend. Call me crazy, but I drive on average 100 miles a day in a work week anyway. I didn't think 1,300 miles would be terribly taxing on me. Boy was I wrong! We left home at 11am on Thursday. The bags all neatly stowed alongside the cooler of bottled water and Big Red Zero in the back of my car while Liza and I excitedly chatted about our upcoming adventure.
Liza and I have known each other for 5 years or so. Well, maybe "known" is a bit too familiar a term. Acquainted is a better fit. Our husbands are close friends, and we have rarely done anything throughout the years without them as a buffer. In fact, my husband was originally supposed to be my traveling companion, but had to back out due to work. I knew that Liza was someone I'd like to get to know better and was always tons of fun at dinners - so why not invite her to take his place? The trip turned out to be very informative.
The 4 hour drive from Indy to Frankenmuth, Michigan went very well. She and I chatted pleasantly about all sorts of things, took pictures of oddities we saw along the road, and still had energy to go out and explore our layover destination. (See attached picture.) It was the drive from Michigan to Canada where things started to teeter into a not-so-good space. It was long and boring. We were tired and hungry and running out of things to talk about. My GPS directed us to avoid the major roadways and instead suggested a roundabout way that provided little to no entertainment. Liza had a full bladder and none of the gas stations or convenience stores provided washrooms for public use, but they do have ketchup flavored potato chips and pickle flavored Doritos.
We finally arrive at our hotel at 8pm Friday. The first clue that this was not going to be a relaxing stay in a swanky hotel were the scores of unattended children literally running through the lobby. As we ride the elevator to our 7th floor suite we hear the din of screaming children coming from the first 4 floors. The pool, bar, and business centre were overrun with hockey kids and their inebriated parents. Oh joy!
Canada has some odd notions about alcohol. The legal drinking age in Toronto is 19, but liquor isn't sold in grocery stores. You can choose from either the LCBO or the Beer Hut, both of which close at 9pm. Liza and I drove with purpose to reach the LCBO before closing time. We did and were able to play a nice little drinking game while watching Say Yes to the Dress - good thing they cry a lot on those shows.
Saturday was concert day and my entire purpose for planning this road trip in the first place. Liza woke up barfing from last night's hotel TV games. We slept through the free hot breakfast. She and I finally pulled it together enough to get dressed and out the door, grab some fast food, and make it to EdgeFest in time to hear the Dirty Heads on stage as we walked up to the gates. We make it through check-in and get in line for our free Smirnoff samples. After that we quickly learn that all the vendors only accept cash (CAD) and the onsite ATMs don't like American debit cards. "Declined" Liza doesn't want to stay unless she can drink. So we saunter up to security and ask if we can get an exception to come back into the festival if we leave to go get money. Vincent, the security guard, says that one of us can leave while the other one stays with him at the gate - NO! Liza's husband would kill me if he knew I left his wife alone at a concert in a foreign country, even if it is Canada. So we walk around a bit trying to engineer a creative solution. No such luck. We both leave and Vincent tells us if we can find some cash and he is still at the gate he'll let us back in. Trusty Carmen, the Garmin, directed us to a lovely ATM that actually liked my card enough to give me some cash! We made it back over to the concert in time to see my highlight of the show Silversun Pickups. I had enough cash to buy us each 2 drinks, but unfortunately no concert shirt for the hubby. :-( We left right after Silversun and ran back to the hotel to bathe and relax after the day's stress. Very little talking Saturday night, but a really good delivery pizza and soda in French cans.
Sunday morning we wake up semi-refreshed and make it down to breakfast where we both people watch more than talk. Uh~oh not a good way to start a 12 hour day that will be spent in the car. Trying to get home my GPS navigated us in circles. Liza decided she was too bored to navigate and instead asked to drive. Together we plotted a course in a Southwesterly direction. We didn't talk at all unless it was too make a stop or switch roadways. It turned into a horribly long trip filled with wrong turns and detours. We arrived at her house at 7pm. She was in such a hurry to get out of my car that she left her camera and alcohol. She didn't even want me to help her in with her bags. I believe her parting words were, "I'll see you when I see you." I think this trip may have ruined any chance of us being real friends.
I'm just exhausted and so thankful to be in my home with my bed and my husband and be able to cuddle with my fur babies. Let the vacation from my vacation begin!
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