Having voted early, my bff MC and I boarded a plane in Boston the day before the national election and flew to Florida. The last time I was on a plane was in the spring of 2005! My sister and I flew to Tampa/St.Pete for a few days of beach and sun. So much has changed in 20 years! First of all, driving to Logan was a new experience. The Ted Williams tunnel! What happened to the other tunnels???? The airport looks nothing like it did 20 years ago. Well, of course it doesn’t. But wow was I surprised. Navigating the airport was going to be a challenge for me…both because it’s all so different and because I am as well. MC made it easy for me. I’m not sure I could have done this without her help.

We boarded the plane and off we went. The flight was really very smooth and we arrived in Orlando about an hour early. The Orlando airport is massive….like really massive! We got our luggage and our rental car and off we went to our resort. MC has a vacation ownership and can go to many places in the world. We went to this incredible place in Orlando…with 5 pools, our “room” was a fully outfitted 2 bedroom/2 bathroom suite complete with full kitchen and in-room laundry. And a lovely balcony with table and chairs to look out over the fountain lake. It was fantastic. We got settled and then walked over to the big pool…and wow! This pool was massive. And right in the middle of the pool was a huge grotto with waterfalls. Amazing. We grabbed dinner at the poolside restaurant and then back to our room.

Election day dawned partly cloudy with occasional rain showers. So we made a list and off to Publix we went to fill the frig with lots of goodness. With the weather being less than ideal for the pool, we went to Disney Springs and went to the movies. Conclave….starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and the beautiful Isabella Rossellini. This was a great movie, lots of drama and intrigue and one huge twist at the end. See it! By the time we got back, it was time for the pool…..

In fact, every day was a pool day! On the weekdays, we would arrive at the pool around 9 and procure ourselves a perfect cabana for the day. These cabanas had a table and 4 chairs and then 2 lounge chairs and side tables. We chose a location that was mostly shady as MC has that fair Irish skin! A hot tub was conveniently located right next to our cabana and the bathroom was 20 yards away. Also, each cabana has a ceiling fan and there is a USB port charging station in each one. Perfect! We spent all day every day at the pool. There was a water aerobics class at 11 each morning that was lots of fun. Each day MC would go back to the room and bring lunch down while I continued to lay claim to our cabana. We would pack it in each day around 4-430. I was sensible and tanned but did not burn.

On Saturday our friend R came up from Sarasota to spend the day with us. We’ve known each other for 35-40 years. It was great to see him and spend the day together. The weekend days were busier at the pools but there was plenty of room for all. It was fun watching the little kids in the spray pad area and the brave kids swimming under the grotto waterfalls. The water beats down hard! On Tuesday, it was time for me to come home. MC was staying a few more days and in fact, taking me to the airport and picking up her sister at the same time. I was on my own for getting thru the airport and did pretty well. It was not as far to go as when we arrived. I flew home, making a stop at Reagan in Washington DC before heading on to Boston. The weather in Orlando was very warm (80’s) and very humid. The weather in Boston was cold. I wore shorts on the plane because yes, it was hot in Orlando. I knew it would be cold in Boston but I also knew I was not going to be outside for a long time. Upon arriving at Logan, I texted my friend D who was waiting in the cell phone lot. When he pulled up and got out of the car, his first comment to me was not “nice to see you” or “welcome home”….no, his comment was “You know it’s winter right?!!! In fact, I actually enjoyed the cold and dry air. I certainly expected Florida to be warm. But I honestly did not expect it to be as humid as it was. The pools were averaging 82-85 degrees and the “cold” water in the kitchen and bathroom faucets was barely cool.

I had a wonderful time in Florida. MC made this trip easy for me and for that I am grateful. We sat poolside every day, reading books, sometimes talking, sometimes not and just relaxed. It’s the best kind of friend to have that does not need to be entertained every minute. We travel well together. Initially I was not going to take this trip. I was not ready. But MC made the decision to have me fly down with her and it made all the difference. Having someone to help me navigate the unknown and huge airports was key. In fact, I was then able to manage my return flight through 3 airports all on my own. Victory!

Where are we going next????