The last time we did this 1 year ago was sort of a disaster for me in that we went later in June and I take a diuretic called Furosemide along with Potassium so it doesn't kill me in one month. But, I don't do well in really hot weather ever taking a diuretic because it seriously reduces the water in your body to prevent in my case edema (swelling of the ankles).
However, this time we got smarter. (The first thing you learn about travel if you do it very much is that often the first time you go someplace new is the hardest (the biggest adventure). But, of course if you define "Adventure" it usually really means "A difficult situation well handled" which is really what all adventures really are. So, to begin with an adventure is always a challenge but I find it always interesting to see and to meet new people and to see new things and places around the world (as long as these adventures don't kill or maim you in some kind of permanent way.
So, the last time we did this in June of 2024 we made all kinds of NEWBIE mistakes. We got a best Western Hotel in Austin but didn't realize we would have to listen to people being raped and killed outside but we were safe because we were in a high enough floor to feel safe away from these things happening outside. Our rental car was okay but the location of that hotel wasn't really safe outside especially at night. So, we were never going to stay there again (obviously). So, this time we are somewhere else safe with a top floor view of the Austin Skyline along a river which is really nice too.
Our daughter took us to a really nice Asian Fusian Restaurant called 1618 Asian Fusion and she said her boyfriend first took her there. Really nice food and really nice people. However, the parking was a little much to deal with for someone my age 77 but other than that it was okay. (parking Garage nearby on a different floor without an elevator).
But, the people and the food were (Out of this world in a good way there).
Also, we have friends in Boerne, Texas that we might get to see this time as well which will be nice also since we have a rental car and so are very potentially mobile.
This time we also flew from San Francisco instead of from an Jose. Why?
Because we couldn't get a direct flight to Austin from San Jose for some reason so we had to go from SFO near San Francisco instead. So, this meant having our housekeeper drive us in our car to a hotel the night before (because of Traffic in the mornings near San Francisco) and putting us in a hotel after we all had a nice dinner together. And then since the airport was pretty close we took a taxi from hotel to SFO and flew direct to Austin. So, this worked out well. However, then trying to get to our rental car place was really a long walk for someone 77 carrying a backpack with two laptops for blogging while I was traveling and everything else. So, the last section a gentleman paid to do this carried us in his electric cart the last section of the way so we were grateful for this and tipped him for it. He also towed our luggage cart behind his electric cart which I thought was pretty neat too.
Then we got our SUV we rented making sure I could actually fit in it because I'm 6 feet 5 inches tall and not all cars fit me but except for some trucks and Mercedes and BMW and cars like this. But, few years ago I found that Subaru all wheel drives have really good legroom especially the Forrester and the Ascent. So, we got first a Forrester and then we found because we were older driving over 8 hours in a Forrester made both our backs sore because it is more of a sports car feel kind of car. So, we traded in our Forrester a 2018 for a 2022 Ascent which is sort of like owning a Lexus car that is capable of driving itself (under some conditions). I scared my wife some passing trucks on the freeways from California to Lake Louise June of 2022 when the car was new. However, now in Los Angeles traffic(or anywhere in Southern California it is a dream I find when I completely let it drive itself in a traffic jam and all I have to do is to touch one toggle to start it from a standing stop and that's all. it starts and steers and brakes itself which is heaven in a traffic jam (as long as you realize it's sort of like letting your 5 year old child drive your car. In other words you have to be vigilant so you are safe doing this. But, it is so much easier than having to do all that yoursel in a real traffic jam.
So, yesterday we got up at 4 AM near the airport SFO and got a taxi to the airport and we had been worried since this was the very first day the REAL ID thing was going to happen. So, we were a little worried this might prevent us making our flight on time because of all the people who might not have gotten there Real ID yelling at Security when they couldn't easily get through security now without a Real ID for flying even domestic inside the U.S.
But, I think if you brought your passport even if you didn't have your Real ID you likely would have been okay. I brought my Passport Card that they give you in case the hotel in other countries takes your passport for making sure they get paid before they give it back to you when you check out. So, the passport Card (looks like a Driver's license) has your picture on it too and all your relevant information also in case your passport is gone or stolen as you travel overseas now too. So, that is what I brought as an ID Backup but I think my wife brought her passport as a back up too.
So, traveling until you get used to it can be a lot to think about. But, if you are organized enough and can deal with flying (I wanted to be a pilot growing up but had to promise my father I wouldn't get my pilot's license until he passed away. So, after my father passed away I went as far as soloing in a Cessna 152 in 1989 after he passed away in 1985. However, at the time I was raising 3 teenagers and a new baby so I had to get them through high school and college which is expensive as you all know. So, I stopped with soloing at that point.
But, I usually take my flight book that shows my lessons and flight time whenever I fly in case I'm the only Conscious pilot left alive on a Passenger flight somewhere domestic or international. It always pays to be ready for anything in life.
By God's Grace
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