Back in The USA

Days of TRAVEL
November 26th-27th 2016

We woke with the awareness that this was the end of our amazing Cruise adventure. There is always a bittersweet for the end of a vacation for me. Although the time has ended, I do enjoy returning back to my home and routine. Today was quite the day however, no time to relax....we had a BIG drive back to NY ahead of us. Miami to NY is a LONG LONG LONG ways to go.
The ship was nearly docked when Mark and I woke up and it was still dark. Departure time was indicated as 8am. We needed to hurry off and get going as we still needed to get Diane to the airport and return Ben to his home as well. Then the three of us; Me Mark and Gavin would be hitting the many several hundred miles north back home.

The boys continued to sleep despite my anxious directives to get things packed up. My stuff was ready at 5am......the minutes ticked slowly as the boys crawled from their bunks and stuffed items into their bags. Hurry Hurry up I thought, knowing if I said it out loud, they would both only go slower. Break time.....Mark and I hit the upper deck for some relief from the now seeming very claustrophobic state room. Sun was coming up by now, and the day was moving in. Miami welcomed!

When we last departed from a cruise, we found we had to stand in line for hours to get off the ship. I was determined not to have this happen again. We soon headed back to the room grateful that the lines were much shorter then at the last. We did however run into one small snag. We couldn't find Diane. Exiting was located on both the front and the rear of the boat. She was at the front, we were at the rear. While Mark went to find her, the boys and I stayed in line to descend. We were off the boat, and no Diane and no Mark. Not a big deal right? Well I had Marks passport. He wouldn't be able to get on land.
Added stress, Well he finally returned and then he had to go back to tell her to get off and we would meet her...then we had to go through customs and bag check, locate a return shuttle to the parking lot area and then then then we were finally on the road heading North,.....For as much as I love to travel I so hate the stress of getting from point a to point b!  Returning from a trip always seems to be more damaging and longer too.
We somehow got lucky and Mark's truck was not buried in behind another car when we got to the parking and quickly we packed up. It was even a smooth ride with no traffic as we drove out of Miami. We got Diane to the airport and on her way lickity split and soon were in Melborne where we said our goodbyes to Ben.
The rest of the ride was AWFUL!!! There didn't seem to be any traffic jams, nor were there any detours or delays.....it was simply LONG and DRAINING on us physically and mentally. Somehow we made it to the Georgia Boarder......

Did a customary Stop at South of the Border in South or is it North Carolina?  Mark and I think of this as about 1/2 way....it was about 2am when we stopped her that same day.

We drove on through the night.....I seem to be the one who drives through North Carolina  both ways. Not sure if that is about where Mark starts to fade or coincidence. Any of those States we drove through after South of the Border, I was either sleeping or driving....After a while they all just seem to run into one another. 

Delaware....were getting closer...

FINALLY we crossed the NY border!!!! Hooray! We arrived in NYsomewhere around 10am. Just in time for breakfast. Considering we left Central Eastern Florida yesterday about the same time....We had been on the road for now 24 hours straight. 

This return trip we found nearly killed us, and once home we decided never again! For as much as I dread flying both on my nerves and my wallet. We have officially decided we will never drive like that to Florida again. Ben graduates in May, so we know we will be traveling back soon.....and it will NOT be via car. TTFN