Windy City, Smoky Mountains Pre-trip

[orlandosgr8]

The cabin looks wonderful. Your trip sounds fantastic

[mossyflossy]

All sounds fantastic.

As mentioned on another post, really recommend the Grand Lux Cafe on Michigan Ave...it's a beautiful art deco building, www. grandluxcafe.com. it's a sister restaurant to The Cheesecake factory at Millenia Mall in Orlando (which is also located at the foot of the Hancock Tower).

Fox n obel is where the locals go, just off Michigan Ave...it's a fab cafe attached to a market (fox-obel).

Sears Tower is in the business district...you probably don't need to do both!

[CheshireCaty]

Sounds awesome!
What kind of car are you planning on hiring for your trip?
At some point I fancy doing a road trip between Cali and San Fran - I'd love to cruise down the PCH!

By the way, it's Catherine here - otherwise known as Tink2312

[wickesy]

Originally Posted by CheshireCaty

Sounds awesome!
What kind of car are you planning on hiring for your trip?
At some point I fancy doing a road trip between Cali and San Fran - I'd love to cruise down the PCH!

By the way, it's Catherine here - otherwise known as Tink2312

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Hi Catherine.

We've just got a compact 4 door booked because the one-way rental charge is so high. There's only the two of us so we don't need anything flashy, although if there's any attractive offers for upgrades...

[CheshireCaty]

Originally Posted by wickesy

Hi Catherine.

We've just got a compact 4 door booked because the one-way rental charge is so high. There's only the two of us so we don't need anything flashy, although if there's any attractive offers for upgrades...

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Oh yes of course we've looked at doing a one-way rental in FL but found the charges high.

All you need is something to get you from A to B (and all the places inbetween)

Like you say if the upgrade offers are right... My Dad's still waiting for a unmissable offer on the Hummer

[Guest]

Fantastic pre-trippie David. Sounds as though you are going to have a brillant time.

[wickesy]

Just over three weeks to go now and just about everything is done. The balance of the car rental was paid off a few weeks ago although I’m still thinking about upgrading – we’ve got a compact booked at the moment but having been spoilt with an intermediate in Orlando earlier this year I can’t decide whether to go for it or not. A compact will be fine for us and although I did like the satellite radio we had in the intermediate is that really a good enough reason for the extra expense.

We paid the balance of the cabin rental off this week and thanks to great service from Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg we now have a map to the cabin and the code for the front door so no need to go to their offices when we get there. They have been great throughout, very quick to respond to e-mails and if anybody is thinking of going to the Smokies I would definitely recommend them.

Although BA do not offer a twilight check-in service at Heathrow we are still going to stay there overnight and we have booked in at the Holiday Inn Sipson Way where we stayed last year – better the Devil you know and all that.

As far as things to do when we get there are concerned; first stop is going to be the Field Museum Chicago which has what seems like an interesting exhibit on a slave ship that was converted to a pirate ship which sank along with booty from 50 captured ships and was recovered 300 years later – Real Pirates. Depending how long we stay there we will do the Shedd Aquarium either the same day or the next day and will also fit in the John Hancock Observatory and Navy Pier somewhere along the line.

Maps and directions for the 'road-trip' days have been printed off in case the sat-nav dies on us and thanks to Travmatix I even know where we will be stopping off for lunch.

I’ve also booked tickets for Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show on 29th July 2009 where we will be cheering on the South Side. We’ll do Dollywood on the same day but the other days are pretty open at the moment but will involve a lot of scenic auto touring in and around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A few weeks ago there was a TSV on QVC that caught my eye – a high definition camcorder and digital stills camera.





As it’s stills and video combined that will save me having to carry two devices around and it’s smaller than my current camcorder which is a bonus.

My Fairfx balance is starting to look fairly healthy and with pay day at the beginning of next week I’ll be able to add a bit more on once I know how much money was spare at the end of this month.

And so that’s about it the holiday has been planned, but not overly so, which should lead to a nice relaxed time and the excitement of going where the wind takes us. Which just leaves us to countdown 15 days to SDD time.

Thanks for reading and hopefully you’ll re-join me for the trip report when we get back.

[Guest]

Sounds fantastic David... everything is coming together nicely.

Really looking forward to reading your trip reports.

[castanea1985]

Hi David,

You'll have a wonderful time! Did you say you were going to Cherokee?
If not, try and make time for it too! Very interesting! Its all set up as it was hundreds of years ago.

You'll be fine in a compact... we did Toronto to Naples Fl, and back in a compact with our DD when she was only three! LOL
I had to drive through Atlanta in rush hour (10 lanes of traffice) so DH could video the sign to Augusta! The only problem would be luggage space?

Have fun! Really looking forward to your trippie!

Tracy xx

[CheshireCaty]

Sounds fantastic David!

That camcorder looks like a pretty snazzy piece of kit. I'm thinking about a new camera for my Nov. trip (I've still got my old trust 4mp ) I'm sure you'll be able to capture some great memories on it.

Sounds like you'll be having a very Dolly day on your hol - I wish I'd gone to the Dixie Stampede in Orlando before it closed - it sounded like a hoot!

Can't wait to read the TR!