Big Trip!

Much like the blog itself, I stole an idea for a new family tradition wholesale  from my friend Amanda. We decided that when a Buffaloe kid turns 13, they can plan a vacation to take solo with a parent. James was ALL OVER this idea immediately, and has many plans laid out already. Amelie took a little more prodding to make decisions, but decided eventually on something with science & a beach & then narrowed it down to a trip to Texas. We visited Houston (NASA) & then South Padre Island. 

We got to fly out of Columbia's regional airport - super convenient! I was convinced we'd see Uncle Joe & Aunt Jenn at the airport but somehow we missed them. It was Amelie's 1st flight. I was trying to get her and the clouds out the window at the same time - I interrupted her reading her book! The takeoff was a little bumpy, but it smoothed out & she liked it. 

We had Dickey's in the airport - only it was 3x as expensive as the Dickey's here. I got to translate (Spanish) a bit for the woman in line behind me. 

It was quite a long layover! It would have been faster to drive to Houston from Dallas. We walked all around the terminal. There was a vending machine selling salads (we didn't buy one). 

I didn't even think they gave printed boarding passes anymore: 

I wanted to take a picture of the gamer lounge in the airport for James. We didn't stop in but he would have appreciated it. 

2nd flight of the day - from Dallas to Houston. 

She was impressed with the sodas mid-flight (when I asked if she wanted one, she said, "Is that a thing?") & also the flight attendant gave her an extra snack. 

We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel - the driver got lost. We stayed in a super nice hotel right on the boardwalk. 

The second day was mostly devoted to NASA. I got up early and walked the boardwalk & went swimming on the rooftop pool & let Amelie sleep in - she did those things later with me. 

At NASA, there were lots of the training modules on display & some of the actual spaceships. 

All of the displays were super interesting! Here's the Lunar Rover - it only weighs 77 pounds on the moon.

Reading about the exhibits 

We also took a tram tour of the Johnson Space Center - I didn't take any pictures, though - it took about an hour. We passed by huge storage containers of liquid nitrogen right off the road & also longhorn cattle - I don't remember what kind of project they were involved in, though. I'd never seen one  in person before and they are almost comically ridiculous looking. 

(Stock photo for reference)

We went inside one building and walked around a walkway near the ceiling and got to look down on real live scientists at work - I was impressed with how messy everyone's desk was. 

There was a velcro chessboard that was played on the ISS & the Hawaiian shirts worn by the next crew that went up after the Challenger disaster - 2 years later. I tried to buy Amelie a NASA shirt but she didn't want one, so we got Steve a calendar for Christmas instead.

There was a cool room full of stars when we first came in, but I didn't take a picture. We also touched a moon rock. We did the trivia game & got all the questions right but one, though some were guesses - we ended up seeing the answers on displays as we went through the rest of it. 

There was a place to go outside and climb up in some retired rockets but it was so hot we skipped it & just looked at them on our way back in the building.

Then that night we went out to eat at a restaurant called Aquarium - it had big huge multi-floor aquariums. Our hotel stay also came with two wristbands for the boardwalk rides - we rode the train around: 

We both rode the 2-storey carousel. 

We both rode the hypno-spin, but Amelie went a second time after I was done so I could take this picture. Next we rode the Pharaoh (not pictured!) It was pretty scary!

There was live music that night - the band name was Van Full of Nuns. Amelie was running around with some littler kids who had glow-in-the-dark swords. 

The plane from Houston to South Padre was very small! And we boarded outside! We could see the pilot drinking orange soda as we walked past the cockpit on the way in! We got up early & got there the full 2 hours ahead which was in retrospect not necessary - we didn't check any bags. 

Two different taxi drivers wanted to make sure that we would wear lots of sunscreen. We stayed at La Copa Inn in South Padre. 

The first night we went on a fireworks sunset cruise - it said to be 30 minutes early, so we bought expensive lemonade drinks while we waited and looked at the boats. 

Amelie got another wristband :) 

Taking photos with her new phone!

We saw a blimp & I asked the crew what it was & they said it was a government surveillance drone. They also pointed out Space X and we could see the launch tower & four rockets ready to go. 

There was a pirate ship in the distance! We saw 2 dolphins & the pirate ship also saw the dolphins, so we were both hanging around watching them (the dolphins were fishing, I think - swimming around in a circle/loop).

The crew member came around & asked if we'd like a picture, but he took a terrible photo! He said - oh no, my thumb was over the camera! 

I guess the second try was not a whole lot better. It seemed like a long ride back from the fireworks but it was nice - we got sprayed with water a few times & Amelie's hair ended up so tangled by the wind. 

Amelie was already out of clothes so we did laundry at the hotel & then spread them out all over the room to dry. The hotel breakfast had delicious, delicious breakfast tacos, but I did let Amelie sleep in one day. We visited the Sea Turtle Rescue. 

The woman who started the rescue ran it out of HER HOUSE for 20 years. 

She weighs 140 pounds and her favorite food is lettuce. 

I took a video of her swimming around with her prosthetic flipper: 

And also a video of a crab waving at me: 

Amelie is approximately the same size as a loggerhead sea turtle. 

Waiting on the bus. The bus around the island was free, but it bore very little resemblance to the printed schedule.

The next day we took the bus back to the mainland to see the lighthouse at Port Isabel

Climbing the many stairs to the top

It looks like we're sunburned here - but it was just hot!

We went souvenir shopping and bought things to bring back for Sam & Leah & James. The local library was closed so I couldn't go in & check it out. 

Here's a little palm tree outside of our hotel - near the bus stop!

I didn't know before we went that one of the attractions on South Padre is all of the sandcastle artists - these are a collection under a tent called "sandcastle village" but there are more! We saw one outside of a bank & an older one outside of the museum.

Here a man is working on a new sculpture:

Amelie made me give them a tip. "I don't have any cash!" I said, and she reminded me that I could Venmo them.

This one has some pieces that have started to crumble away.

Look! The sand people have sand eyelashes!

We went to a gigantic candy store - we talked about bringing James home a sucker with a worm or a scorpion in it but decided against it.

Here's the candy loot. We got a couple of each & munched on it for the rest of our stay. 

I was ready to go swim!

We video called Sam for Father's Day & then went out for Sushi. There were several restaurants very close to the hotel that we could walk to.

Amelie used chopsticks

It was so late! There were several sleeping kids at the restaurant.

The next day was very hot (again!) and the only time I took my phone down to the beach - I'd planned on renting an umbrella and 2 chairs for us ($35!) but the one time I said we could go a little earlier and spring for it, the workers weren't there! 

How to escape a rip current: 

It was an easy walk to the beach: 

Amelie bought a swimsuit coverup when we went souvenir shopping. 

I saw a jellyfish swimming in the ocean (it was small) and Amelie and I saw two dead ones on the beach.

Looking for something indoors (and cool) to do, I thought - oh! we could go to the movies! I was a little surprised there wasn't a regular movie theater anywhere close, but there was a Virtual Reality movie - she and I saw a 12 minute underwater film in the 9-seat theater and then she took an extra spin on the VR chair they had in the lobby (this one was a rollercoaster with knights & dragons).

Real milkshakes from a real milkshake machine - I remember Grandpa Leroy drinking out of the silver cups like this.

We booked a dinner cruise for the last night & it was really special - one of my favorite parts. Amelie waiting:

Me waiting:

Our chef prepared a whole meal on this little stand on the back of the boat - one L of the little kitchen was a grill & the other part was a sink. The captain & the first mate were a married couple, I found out to my great delight halfway through the cruise. 

 

Amelie got a Coke. She tried (& liked) the mahi mahi ceviche for an appetizer & I thought the fajitas were a-mazing. There were little cheesecake squares for dessert, which was perfect as I'd stuffed myself on fajitas. There was a group of locals on board & everyone laughed when the captain asked where we were all from & they said Port Isabel.  

It was a beautiful view & we got to go back along a canal & see the big beautiful houses right on the water - most of them had boats & many had swimming pools & one had astroturf & some playground equipment (right next to the water).

There were these two hammock type things on the back of the boat for lounging (you could see the water underneath).

We bought sodas so we could sit & watch the live music at the pier after the dinner cruise.

Here's a roller coaster action shot. There was also a 3-story go kart track and a bungee but we didn't risk any of those - we could hear the people screaming as they fell on the bungee ride, though.

The last day we had to get up early & we got to the airport in plenty of time.

Last leg of the trip:

Right  now, James is saying he wants to go to New York & take in the shows & pizza, but he has plenty of time to change his mind, too.