We were awake this morning at 6 and piled into the car for the last leg of our journey. Because we'd had to drive about 20 miles out of the way to find a hotel that could accommodate all 5 of us, we were not on I-64 coming home, but were instead on I-70. By the time we realized our mistake, we were too far gone, so we continued on to Columbus, OH and then to Cincinnati.
Today is Jennifer's birthday, and I didn't want to pass right by her house and not stop in. I called, and she and the kids were on their way to P.F.Chang's to have lunch. It is right off I-71, so we stopped and joined them. It was great to see them and share our trip and the candy that we had gotten them at the Lindt store.
The last hour and a half seemed to take forever, but we pulled into the driveway about 3. It was so nice to be home.
It hardly seems we left, you know? There was really no planning, not much anticipation in case it didn't work out. We just decided at pretty much the last minute that we were going to do this. It was a fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants kind of trip, and while it was WAY fun, it doesn't even seem real. I've said it before, and I still believe 100% that the reason people buy souvineers is to prove to themselves that they were in a place.
During all of the driving and waiting, we had some good conversations about what we like about the USA and what could improve. I got a little testy when anyone (Kirk or the kids) got too critical of my beloved country. We have a lot of flaws and a lot of room to do things better than we do. There are things that we saw in Europe that I wish we would do here...more walkable cities, better public transportation, more and better recycling...all things that can happen with a change of mindset.
But it's the little things you begin to appreciate when you leave home, the niceties that you take for granted, maybe even never notice, that jump out at you when you return. I noticed them immediately:
The wide, wide shoulders on hilly, winding roads.
Space to drive without people riding your bumper.
Well-marked exits telling you exactly what kind of amenities are there: gas, restaurants, lodging...It's so nice not to have to guess.
Air conditioning. I cannot say enough good things about air conditioning. Until you've slept on the 3rd floor of a hotel in July in the middle of the heat island that is a downtown made entirely of stone, with no air circulation, the windows open, bugs coming in, and people going at it in the buildings nearby, you cannot really appreciate air conditioning.
The free coffee that comes with your hotel room. We may pay for it in the big scheme of things, but at least you don't feel like you are shelling out additional dollars for your morning joe.
Free water with your meal. I mean, really. Water comes out of the tap. Why am I expected to buy a bottle of water when I'm eating in Europe just because tap water is perceived as gauche? It's water. It has to come out of a tap to be put in that bottle that you've just charged me 6 euros for. It's water snobbery at its best.
Free refills on soft drinks. Granted we way drink too much soda here, but those teeny-tiny bottles you get at dinner do not work for us. Four euros, two swallows, and it's gone, and then you are buying water to finish the meal with.
Ice in your drinks. Cold, cold ice. It's just so nice when it's hot to have a cold drink to quench your thirst.
Free restrooms. They may not always be the cleanest, but they are always free, and you don't have to feel awkward running into a McDonald's for a pit stop and not buying anything.
Great internet pretty much anywhere you go. There is something to be said for not sitting in the middle of a town square at midnight filching wifi off of an electronics store in order to find a hotel for the next night.
Space. Your house, your yard, a parking lot, or the neighborhood grocery. It's just so nice to have space.
Choices. All of them. Seriously, consider the sheer amount of choices we have here. We are so lucky.
Home. Just home.
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