The Trip Away

Getting off the rock. What a great idea, how did I not think about it sooner? But the decision was made, and it was well worth it.

So where did I choose? So many choices, all of which would be satisfactory. I am often asked, where do you go for vacation if you live in the Virgin Islands? The answer is usually pretty easy, and it almost always involves family (or at the very least friends).

This time it was Ohio to visit Cara's mom. Do I dream of visiting Ohio? Absolutely not (no offense to those that live there). But is there a way to make it a great trip? Absolutely.

First on the radar was the CU - OSU football game. I had not seen the Buffs play in several years, and the chance to see a game at the Shoe (with over 100K people) was something I couldn't pass up. My buddy from high school, Chuck Bell, is a professor at OSU and happily provided the other half of his season tickets. Really great time, though it would have been better if the Buffs had made it a real game.

Next on the agenda? SHOPPING. Getting all those things we can't get down here. After two straight days in the malls and department stores getting everything I could carry back, my wallet is light but my suitcase was heavy. Successful again.

What else? How about inexpensive meals. I hate to admit that I actually WANTED to eat some fast food. A trip to Taco Bell, Steak and Shake, and Dairy Queen not only cured my hunger, but satisfied me enough for the next year. Let's just say I am not rushing to McDonalds anytime soon. But what was even better were the "nice" restaurants that were equally priced to the cheap ones down here. A nice steak dinner one night, and Italian feast on another, set us back a tolerable amount. Yet another success.

The other things that were great are not taken for granted: wearing a sweater, driving 60 mph, and power that stayed on the entire time were all bonuses. But we can't forget the reason we really went up, and that was to spend time with family. And that is what made it all worth it.