--- Branson, Missouri ---
November 3 to November 10, 2003
Monday November 3, 2003 - Beginning the trip - The First Day
I was up and at’em at 4:30 - Linda was up shortly after. We got our act together and had some breakfast. We dropped Duncan off at Bonnie’s at 7 and he didn’t like it one bit. Don and Pat arrived to pick us up at 7:25 and we were off to meet the bus at The Manor. The bus arrived shortly after we got to there. The bus already 30 people on board - and they
were from St. Pete. They had left St. Pete at 5:30. Our tour guide and escort introduced herself - she’s Bobbie and she proved to be very personable and capable.
Our first stop was in Wildwood to let the St. Pete people stretch and get coffee. Next - we went all the way to
Tallahassee, stopping for lunch at a Cracker Barrel. Next - all the way to the Alabama border were we stopped in a rest area for a fluid adjustment. We passed into CST during this leg. On to The Grand Casino Biloxi. We got off the bus and into our room just in time to see the sun set into the ocean. During the day, Bobbie kept us entertained with some patter, some snacks and a video tape of Dean Martin Roasts of Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon.
We met with Pat and Don at 5:30 and started wandering around The Grand Casino. We joined Nancy and Jack Orlando (from The Plantation's Nottoway Village) as we wandered. We went into "The Marketplace" for our included dinner. It was an elaborate buffet with most anything you could want. A very good buffet.
Next - we wandered around the Casino. Linda played the slots for a while and then we went to our room - leaving the others behind.
TV and to bed.
Tuesday, November 4, 2003, - Day 2, Motor Coaching North
Up and at’em on EST - but it’s CST. Coffee and we started to get ready to leave. We met Don and Pat at 6 and went over to the Casino Side and had breakfast at The Seaside Cafe. Back to the room and got the luggage out in the hall at 7. Down to get on the bus at 7:30 and found organized chaos. Bobbie and our driver, Lawrence, seemed to have everything under control. All the luggage and all the travelers got on the bus. There are three motor coaches traveling together - we are coach #1. Coach #2 has people from Cocoa and Apopka and Coach #3 has more Floridians.
We left Biloxi right on schedule and headed up route 49 North. About an hour out, the bus slowed and
pulled over onto the shoulder. Everyone was in a dither - what’s happening?? Then a police car (Mississippi Department of Protection?) pulled up on our right - in the grass - and questioned our driver, Lawrence, for about 10 minutes. He reviewed all the
paperwork necessary for such a tour bus. All was well and off we went.
Lunch in Jackson, MS at a Shoney’s and then all the way to Tunica, MS and The Grand Casino. On the trip north, Bobbie showed a movie - The Rookie - it was excellent. We arrived in our room in The Verandah Building, again, just in time to see the sunset.
This Casino/Resort is very big with several buildings. To get from our room to the Casino and the Restaurants - we have to take a shuttle. But, it’s runs continuously and really didn’t present a problem. We shuttled over to the Casino and wandered around for a while. Had dinner with Pat and Don, puttered some more and back to our room for R&R the rest of the evening.
Wednesday, November 5, 2003, - Day 3, To Branson
Up and at’em early. Our departure time today was 7:30. Temp is about 60 and it is clear.
We headed off for breakfast about 5:10. Over to the Casino building via shuttle, breakfast and back in the room at 5:50. We made more coffee and R&R’d until it was time to head for the bus.
The bus trip was uneventful. We went north through Memphis and then west to Little Rock and north to Branson. We enjoyed the scenery, passing through states we've never been in before. As we traveled up route 65 in the mountains, we went through a cold front and the temp dropped to 41. We arrived at The Grand Oaks Hotel just in time to settle into our new rooms (our room here, 327, it even has a Jacuzzi) and then leave for dinner and the Rockettes Show.
We went to The Golden Corral for dinner. Dinner was a sit-down with a choice of salmon, prime rib or 1/2 chicken. The tables were crowded, but we enjoyed our meals. After dinner, Allen Edwards entertained. He was a very good singer with a voice that reminded me of Jim Reeves. A few songs, and then a comedy routine that included some audience participation. One of the participants was a fellow Plantation resident, Jack. He played The Bull while another man played The Rooster. It was all very entertaining. He then made a sales pitch for his tapes and CD’s (normal at all the shows we saw).
Then - we had to zip off to The Rockettes Show. We got there, unloaded and seated OK. The show was right on time and excellent.
When we headed out, it was raining and cold. We went straight to the bus, but others wandered around amongst the sea of tour busses before they found theirs.
We got to our room about 10:15. To bed.
Thursday, November 6, 2003, - Day 4, In Branson
Up and at’em at 5. Showers and coffee from the lobby. We got ourselves ready for the day and headed to the lobby for a Continental Breakfast. We took a walk and then I took a Jacuzzi. I read Tom Clancy’s "The Teeth of the Tiger" and Linda knitted, watched the news.
To the bus at 9. Off we went, north about 1/2 hour. We got to Lambert’s (Home of the Thrown Rolls) a little early so we all unloaded from the bus and invaded an unsuspecting Gift Shop for 1/2 hour. Soon - into Lambert’s. It’s a large place with an extensive menu, including liver and onions. Three of six at our table had the liver and onions. The food was very good. Their "gimmick" is the rolls are actually thrown to you by a guy roaming around with a basket of fresh, hot rolls. Just hold your hand up and - zoom - here comes a fresh, hot roll. It’s a fun place with an interesting menu.
After "Brunch" we headed home, "The Grand Oaks", dropping some people off along the way, some at Engel’s Mall and others at WalMart. Linda and I went back to the hotel. Linda and Pat got organized and headed off on foot to do some shopping. I settled in for some reading, TV and a nap.
We next gathered in the lobby at 7 PM for our evening show - The Jim Stafford Show. Excellent - very funny. Back to the hotel about 10:45.
The weather was cloudy and cold (44 degrees) all day.
More reading, I finished "The Teeth of the Tiger" before I went to sleep.
Friday, November 7, 2003, -- Day 5, In Branson,
Up and at’em at about 5:45. Coffee from the lobby until we went down for our continental breakfast at 6:15. Next, we took a couple of quick turns around the building. Weather is cold (41) and cloudy.
Back to our room for a little TV and reading.
We started our day of shows by getting on the bus at 8:45. Off we went to see Yakov Smirnoff. He was great. A very funny show. He visited every bus (and there were lots of them) after the show. He thanked everyone for coming and praised the USA. Great touch.
Linda and I asked to be dropped off at The Spaghetti Grill on the way back to the Hotel. We had an excellent lunch and a nice walk back to The Grand Oak.
There was not much time to rest and it was time to board the bus again. This time we headed for The Shoji Tabuchi Show. Everyone had to visit their appropriate rest rooms. They are certainly well decorated. This was probably the biggest production show we saw and pretty good
.
Next, to Peppercorn’s for dinner. We found the parking lot for busses was overflowing - as was the group dining room. So - we waited. Finally they let us in (as a couple of other busses loaded up and left) and we went through the buffet line as they cleaned tables. Kind of chaos - but it all worked out OK and we got done in good time.
Next to the 8 o’clock Mickey Gilley Show. It was a good show - but not the best we’ve seen.
Back to the hotel at 10:45. A very long day.
Saturday, November 8, 2003, - Day 6, In Branson
A morning of rest. We slept until 5:30 when Linda got us started. Some coffee from the lobby, continental breakfast and a short walk around the grounds.
We had the morning off - so everyone was milling around looking for something to do. Linda played some Mah Jongg with Pat, Marna, Nancy and Barbara and then she went shopping - first to Engel’s and then to The Grand Village Shopping Center - with a visit to the room in the middle. I hung around our room - watched the news and read my new book – "Disclosure" by Michael Crichton.
After lunch, we boarded the bus and off we went. First, The Welk Show. The show was very good. Only a few of the "originals" were there - but it was good.
To McGuffy’s Steakhouse for dinner. Our choices were pot roast, chicken or ham steak. It was a "sit-down" dinner and a little better than marching through a buffet line.
Off to Andy Williams. This was excellent. The first theater with stadium type seating. Andy was in the whole show and did 75% of the entertaining. The production was great - worth seeing.
Back to our room at 9:10 and ready for bed.
Sunday, November 9, 2003, - Day 7, Headed Home
We were up at 5:10 and started getting ready to begin the trek back to The Plantation. Coffee and wake-up. Everyone was on time with their luggage out in the hall at 6:30 and ready to go at 7. Our bus was fully loaded and ready to go at 7:15, but the baggage was still in the halls. No arrangements had been made to pick it up. That was corrected and we got moving a little late - 7:36.
We went back to Memphis the way we came and then down route 65 headed for Birmingham. We stopped about 10:30 for a brief break and about 12:30 for lunch. Bobbie had purchased a copy of the just released "Finding Nemo." She showed it on the trip today. It is a very entertaining film. We arrived in the Pelham area (just south of Birmingham) about 6:30 PM. We stopped at a Golden Corral for dinner and then to the Hampton Inn by 8:05.
Linda took a Jacuzzi and I worked on this tome and watched TV. To bed....
Monday, November 10, 2003, - Day 8, Home Again
Up and at’em at 5:30. Made the coffee and we started to get ready for another day of viewing the scenery in Alabama and Florida.
We left right on time – 7:30. From Pelham, we went SE and then south on 231 to enter Florida and get on I-10. We stopped once for a fluid adjustment and then again in Tallahassee for lunch. We stopped at the same Cracker Barrel we had visited for lunch on the way up – a week ago. Then – highway to Leesburg and The Plantation. We arrived home about 6:30. A long day – but really nice.
--- The End - of another great trip ---
But - Bobbie was always very cheerful and patient. She did lots of things to make the trip interesting without being annoying.
And - Lawrence, our driver, was just great. He drove all that time and always greeted us with a smile as he helped us off and on the bus. He handled all the luggage at each stop. He scheduled frequent rest stops. Plus - he was always on time - when the bus was supposed to be somewhere to pick us up - it was. I'm sorry I didn't get a good photo of him.
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