Travel Plans-----

Change in Plans Darlings,

Well my dear school chum Michelle or as the young people would say BFF, called me and there is a change in plans.

Oh yes, we will see the Blue Man group but not in Reno, in Sacramento instead. I don’t know how she manages it, but she wasn’t in the entertainment industry twiddling her thumbs, she has pull and can still effect changes at the last minute. I guess it’s who you know. And that is called Networking Darlings.

So as she has it planned we will leave a day early go by train to Sacramento, stay at the Delta King Hotel (something I’ve been planning to do). See the Blue Man group on Friday, tour Old Town Sacramento Saturday, take in the Delta King’s Mystery Dinner Theater that evening, and take in, of all things, the Professional Bull Riding competition on Sunday. Rest our poor bodies on Monday (and have fun catching up on each other’s lives), catch the train on Tuesday to continue on to Reno.

Where she made another change, we’ll be staying in the Silver Legacy instead of Circus, Circus and take in as many shows and acts that we can for the next week or so, as well as availing ourselves of the spa treatments. We even may take in the Slot Machine exhibit at the Nevada Museum if we have time. Then come back by train, Michelle will stay overnight with me (it does pay to have a fold out couch in the Library/Office) and then catch the train to Los Angeles.

Just thinking about it makes my head whirl and I may need to rest just from having fun, but it will be worth it.

So I’ve been packing and making arrangements, Princess poor dear, will not be able to come along, Diva Darlings like her, are not allowed on the Delta King or at the Legacy, but my friend Betty said she’d be happy to watch Princess, she gets along very well with Jezebel and Princess’s vet is also Jezebel’s vet as well, so it will work out fine.

Well I’ve been thinking about a trip to Old Town Sacramento and Reno for sometime, and this will take care of two things at the same time and being in the company of a dear friend always makes it so much fun. And she managed to get joining rooms.

Now Darlings, as I said “Why the Train?” Well for one thing you do not have to deal with those lines as you do at the airport, granted the departure and arrival times are not the best, but you can walk around the train, nap, stretch out, eat, and sight see out of the train, all that scenery that you can see, which you can never see out of an airplane and you do not have to worry about how much luggage to take or that they will lose it. And you are not stuck with seeing a movie that you have already seen or do not care to see and you are not crowed together like sardines.

I indulged in one of those Ipod devices and down loaded classical music and my favorite big bands, (well Kenneth showed me how, he’s so clever with all this electronic things and he teaches so well)

If more people took the train, there would not be all that crowding at the airports or flight delays, of course people have to get some place in a hurry, but the whole idea of a trip is to enjoy getting there. If you know where you’re going, when you get to the station you can take a cab to your hotel and make arrangements to rent a car from the concierge for your stay. That is why earning the Diva Bucks is important, so you can enjoy things in style and do things in style.

Of course there is going to be some delay but the trains do have to meet a schedule as well, because fright trains also use the same tracks and being on time is very important.

You know Darlings you should think of taking the train to a destination, now some people take the train to Yosemite they get off at a particular station and the Yosemite shuttle bus will take you to the park to your hotel. Think of how stress free it can be.

I remember some 30 years ago, a girl friend and I took what was called the “Happy Hop” tour to Disneyland, we were crammed into a commuter flight, only had nuts and a small glass of wine (which I substituted water instead) but then it was only a one hour flight. Arrived at the Anaheim airport and took a shuttle service to a main drop off point where people waited for the shuttles for the different hotels there was a direct phone service there to each hotel and I will never forget this one man with a large stomach, wearing shorts with sandals and socks (why sandals and socks with shorts) and he had very hairy legs really not a good fashion choice and he was yelling into the phone “There are people waiting here!! When is that bus going to come!!??” And he arrived on the same main bus that I and my friend did.

He hung up not satisfied at all. I went to the phone to the same hotel that he called and said “Hello this is ‘so and so’ and guest, I would like to confirm that you are still holding our rooms? Wonderful… and what is the approximate time of arrival for the shuttle bus?... All right allowing for traffic congestion, thank you, please continue to hold the rooms for us as there was a bit of a delay getting here….Excellent, Thank you.”

The hotel staffer on the other end was friendly and informative and helpful, and I and Mr. Angry Man were going to the same hotel, so I tipped my hard sided Samsonite on end and sat on it and my girl friend did the same (old hands we were) she asked me “How long for the shuttle?” And I said “15 minutes allowing for any traffic delays, I recommend we take a quick shower as it’s so hot, to refresh ourselves after we check in” and I said this loud enough for Mr. Angry Man to hear me. He looked at me and my friend and we were looking as cool as cucumbers, totally not put out by the delay.

We then had the pleasure of hearing Angry Man’s wife saying to him “If you would just calm down and understand that delays happen and that it’s just what happens, you wouldn’t have ulcers. Look at those two ladies, they understand delays, but oh no you’ve got to have it done right now, you are going to die from ulcer problems if you don’t calm down and behave like a gentleman instead of a boor.” He did look sheepish after her scolding and us fanning ourselves with our magazines.

But that’s the whole idea of traveling; know that there are delays and plan on a trip in which you don’t have to be delayed, taking the train is, in many ways, the way to go. And packing correctly for your trip is also a plus.

Many hotels have laundry facilities now a days, and have irons and ironing boards in one’s room; you can plan on where to stay as you travel by car on where to stay even based on amenities.

If anything a Diva knows how to plan and also knows that there may have to be sudden changes in plans.

Well Darlings, to bed I must go, I’ve been busy today and I have more to do tomorrow, so if you don’t see me “blog” for a while-----Well I’m having fun!

Until Anon, Kisses Darlings.