Last Goodbyes…for now
Orlando, FL. More accurately, Lake Buena Vista and Walt Disney World. Our campground is the famed Fort Wilderness at Disney World. In the RV world, if you haven’t heard of Fort Wilderness, you will (here in fact, lol). It is an immaculately configured and operated campground done in the way only Disney could do. For the prices they charge - it had better be - and is - amazing!
Although we’re at Disney World, alas, the parks were not part of our agenda this time. We’re here so that Sandi can visit her coworkers in the Orlando Field Office. The work will come on Sunday evening and Monday. But, since we’re arriving for the weekend, our great friends Marc and Kim came down from North Carolina to join us for fun Friday and Saturday.
Marc and Kim are the kind of friends that your wallet and waistline will be hurting after we get together. We eat too much…we laugh too much…and we drink too much. We enjoy great food and countless cocktails. The visit culminated at the California Grill restaurant on top of the Disney Contemporary Resort and Magic Kingdom fireworks from the rooftop. Although our friends are “Disneyphiles” and visit WDW often, we really appreciated them coming to see us off.
Saying goodbye afterwards was difficult. It’s hard to leave our North Carolinian friends behind - Marc and Kim - Karen and Jeff - Robyn and Mike - Karen - Dad - and many others. So many shared good times! People we love and already miss. We’ll be back to NC and we’ll talk often, but it’s never quite the same as in person.
Ironically, though, seeing friends “in person” is a big part of why we’re on the road. Over the years, while living in various places around the country, we’ve accumulated a collection of friends that we rarely see in person. People like relatives, high school & college pals, old roommates, past neighbors, drinking buddies, etc. just to name a few examples. We plan to see many of them in person.
Case in point - while we were in Orlando, in addition to time spent with Marc & Kim, we attended a retirement party for one of Sandi’s best current work friends - and a gaggle of retired work friends. It was fun even for Pat! We also grew new friendships enjoying a wonderful home cooked seafood dinner hosted by Ilka and Orlando.
And, of course, our kids. It almost goes without saying, but an important part of our travels is spending more time with them. Traveling and staying in our camper makes it easier. Since we have our own space, we can visit for weeks instead of just days.
As sad as we are to be away from loved ones and great friends, we are excited to visit with old friends on our travels.
