We left for the States in Tim's mini van on Jan. 28th. The seven of us drove to Seattle and stayed overnight at Sutton Suites where we also left the van for the week. next morning we got a ride to the airport at 5 A.M. on the hotel shuttle. Alaskan Air got us to San Diego in just about three hours and in comfort. We picked up two rental cars from Budget at the same price as the mini-van we'd booked but which was unavailable and headed of to the Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido. We explored the resort for a while then went shopping later in the day. Each couple got the groceries they wanted to use in preparing the two meals for which they were responsible to cook. That worked well and the load was easily shared and not a burden for anyone.During the week we all went to the San Diego Wildlife Park and thought it was fine. Later in the week, Ben, Josée, Tim, Andi and Charlotte went to Seaworld while on another day Tim, Andi and Charlotte went to the zoo on their own.
Cynthia and I toured one of the local vineyards and explored Temecula, a lovely town north of Escondido.
Ben and I managed to get in three rounds of golf on the executive course at the resort. During one of those rounds, Ben got his first hole-in-one on a 128 yard par three hole.
Charlotte loved having everyone close at hand. She traveled so well, sleeping when she felt like it on the plane and in the cars.
When it was time to leave, we departed at 4 A.M. from the Welk resort, returned the cars to budget at 5 A.M. and got the 6:30 flight back to Seattle. Ten minutes after we'd called them, the van from Sutton Suites picked us up and got us back to the van at the hotel. We were on the road home to Vancouver by 11 A.M. After getting the 3:15 P.M. ferry from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo we got in the house by 7:30 P.M. It had been a long day's travel but not an unbearable one. I sure enjoyed the trip. It was amazing how well we all got along and enjoyed being in each other's company.
