h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can't begin to describe how awesome this trip was. Although I'm sure I'll ramble on for quite some time.

On the day before Labor Day, we left a little late (oh, what a surprise). We were planning on visiting with friends of TJ's in Buffalo, but we didn't get to Buffalo until around 11pm. Needless to say, it was too late to drop in on a couple with a 2 year old child. TJ hadn't made plans on where to stay in Buffalo, hoping to mooch off his buddy, so we didn't have reservations. We drove around quite a while, not finding anything available in the Niagara area, and finally found a place with a vacancy in Buffalo around midnight. We knew that any place with the word "Micro" in the name probably wasn't going to be great, but we had no choice. A word of warning: Microtel advertises itself as being reasonable, but not on a holiday! They charged us $80 for a small slab of concrete in a cubbyhole with a moldy shower curtain and questionable odor. It was an awful night. TJ felt so guilty. I was feeling terrible after 8 hours in the truck with my wrist aching, and then we couldn't sleep.

We got up the next day and drove to Niagara, hungry for some breakfast. We couldn't find anything. I get rather crabby when my blood sugar drops, so TJ was desperate to find somewhere. Luckily, we stumbled on a Bob Evans. After a very hearty breakfast, things were looking much better.

We spent Labor Day on the American side of Niagara Falls. We walked along the edge, and I even ventured out onto the observation deck! Then we went below for our ride on Maid of the Mist.

Niagara Falls were just awesome. It's a word we use a lot, but experiencing them was truly awe inspiring. The tremendous force and beauty of nature, in all it's raging magnificence was just phenomenal. I shouted, laughed, jumped up and down, hugged, and gazed silent at the spectacle. After our trip on the Maid of the Mist, I had to weep, I was so overwelmed by emotions. It was a full-out mind-blowing orgasm of sensory overload.

After that, we drove to the Canadian side, where our hotel was. The Holiday Inn offered a wonderful two-day package that included breakfasts and dinner at their restaurant one night, and dinner atop the Skylon Tower another night. We got to the hotel at the same time as a busload of seniors from somewhere down South (howdy!), and were a little reluctant to be sharing the hotel with them. Luckily, they were on floor 2, and we were on floor 6. I was hesitant to see the accommodations after the night before, but the room looked okay. A king-sized bed in a tastefully decorated room, a balcony overlooking the city, and when TJ opened the double-doors ... a gorgeous marble bathroom ... with a red, heart-shaped jacuzzi tub! It was gloriously tacky! After my reaction to the jacuzzi last time, he just had to do it again, and when he heard it was a red heart-shaped one, he couldn't resist! Every time I went to the bathroom, I had to giggle!

That night we had dinner at their restaurant, and a long soak in that tacky tub. Afterwards, I finally admitted how frightened I was to make the trip up to the top of Skylon Tower. I originally thought I could do it, and the idea of having dinner in a revolving dining room overlooking the Falls sounded very romantic. After seeing how high it was, and also seeing that the only way up was with outdoor elevators, I just couldn’t bear the thought. When I told TJ, he was wonderful about it, and didn’t insist. Again, I found myself weeping ... this time with relief. I hadn’t realized how worked up I had gotten myself over the whole thing until the worry of doing it was removed. We decided to have dinner in the penthouse of the Sheraton overlooking the Falls. The elevator was indoors, and it wasn’t quite so high.

We made it an early night (for us), since we were so exhausted from the night before. It's a good thing, because at 7am they started construction outside, and we were right across from the dreaded ice machine. Not much sleeping after that.

We had an uninspiring buffet breakfast (although it's the first place we've ever stayed that had the right idea about breakfast, and served it until noon!), and headed for the Falls again. It was raining a bit, but not too much, and we found out that you get wet enough at Niagara Falls anyway, no matter what! We went on the tour behind the Falls, which was cool, but not really worth the money they charge. We strolled through the inevitable gift shop, and then along the walkway, looking at the Falls. I could just stand there and stare for hours at the water and mist always changing.

Later we went back to the American side to visit the Cave of the Winds, which isn’t a cave any more, but wooden steps and decks beneath the Bridal Veil Falls, next to the American Falls. Supplied with complimentary sandals and plastic rain poncho, you get to stand beneath the Falls. Again, it was overwhelming. To be blasted with the force of the Falls was like standing in a hurricane. Just awesome! Afterwards, there was a bin where you could drop the sandals as a donation for Shoes for Humanity, which was a wonderful idea. They sanitize the sandals, and send them off to Africa to give to people who don’t have shoes.

We headed back to the Canadian side for another soak, and to change for a late dinner. It was nice, but I still felt guilty about not doing the Skylon Tower. We then strolled on the walkway, and watched the Falls under the changing lights. We stopped next to the Horseshoe Falls and just watched the water and held each other. Of course, after getting back we just had to have another soak since we were aching from all our walking on those hills! The hotel had left a bottle of “rejuvinating foam,” so I poured the whole bottle into the tub. The bathroom became filled with foam! We couldn’t stop laughing! It was everywhere, and growing and growing! It was ridiculous!

The next day we couldn’t get the uninspiring buffet breakfast because we got there too late, and had their uninspiring non-buffet breakfast. We checked out of the hotel and headed up to Niagara on the Lake for a jet boat ride on the whirlpool. Unfortunately, we got rather lost. Vague roadsigns and a vaguer (is that a word?) map had us all confused. We finally found ourselves close, but in a touristy area. We had 10 minutes to get there, and ended up stuck behind a horse-drawn carriage, next to double-parked trucks with nowhere to go until the horse finished it’s very slow stroll into an open part of the street. I thought it was very funny, but TJ was fuming. We made it at exactly 1pm, when the boat was supposed to launch (no refunds if you’re late), and I ran to the counter while TJ parked the truck. Luckily, they were *just* going to leave, and held it for us. TJ just ran from the truck without bringing anything. So we had no jackets, and no camera. It was chilly, but wonderful, exhilarating fun! No photos, though.

We stopped in the Duty Free shop, and got lots of . TJ also bought me a pearl necklace and earrings as an early birthday present. He said he would have preferred to make it a surprise, but it’s easier on him to have me pick it out, and I took a load off his mind.

We hit the remnants of Hurricane Frances on our ride home, and had rain the whole way. Most of the highways were closed due to flooding by the time we hit Westchester County, so we had to take the long way home. By the time we made it at 1:30am, I had hit the wall, broken through, and fallen on my face on the other side. TJ just told me to go to bed, and leave everything else to him. I fell asleep at 2am, and didn’t wake up until after 1pm! I guess I needed it!

This was the best vacation I've ever had in my life. It was wonderful to finally get away with just the two of us, and to experience Niagara Falls was just amazing! Okay, maybe I *can* describe how awesome this trip was.

|My so dear friends,big

What a WONDERFUL holiday.

You have written the most brilliant account of it and I shared every moment with you. and believe me I would Never have gone to that Skylon tower either. I always want to jump when I am on high.

I can quite appreciate your feelings next to the Niagara Falls. It must be awsome. I went to the Victoria Falls years ago on the Zambezi River and was overcome with those.

You brought back many happy memories and thank you for describing it all so beautifully and graphically.

I do hope that your arm is feeling more comfortable now.

With much affection

also Ran1

The Falls... Cave of Winds... Skylon Tower...

All I can think of is Shea in the heart-shaped tub

I wonder if anyone had ever gone over Niagara Falls in a heart-shaped tub.

(But don't try this at home, boys and girls. )

But someone went over in a barrel I believe.>

And a Frenchman walked across them on a tightrope I believe.<>

Heartshaped tubs are for lovers, dear Paul

Not for barelling over great heights of precipitous waters!!

AR!

Well, yes, you are surely right, Also Ran 1 .
But you've had quite a career as a lover. It is we who should envy you.

Wow! What a wonderful trip Shea!

I had no idea the Maid of the Mist made excursions into heart shaped jacuzzis! How were they able to see through all of the bubbles?

More to the point, whom can we pin the blame on for Niagara falling?

Niagara falls, and Kerry is to blame.

Bush fiddles while Niagara falls.

It's very difficult to see, Michele ... and the foam tends to clog the motors.

TJ said that nobody better be imagining his wife in a heart-shaped tub ... and then went on to wonder why nobody ever imagines *him* in a heart-shaped tub!

pSST!!

I DON'T DARE!!

Also Ran1

I will be glad to imagine TJ in a heart-shaped tub if that will make him happy.

*Tries very hard to imagine TJ in a shaped tub*

Oh my

Alone dear Paul?

Surely not!!

Also Ran

That would depend...It sounded like he *wanted* to be imagined as alone, but only he knows for sure.