Vacation Woes and Tales

Downtown Helen, Georgia

 Sunday afternoon, we arrived in Helen, Georgia to begin our vacation, only to find out the Baymont didn’t have our reservation!   We had our confirmation from Booking.com, and the front desk chick (FDC) said they could accommodate us, but not at that price.

That never happened before!   I thought we may have to go on down the road, but Ole Boy called Booking.com and the guy assured us that indeed we did have reservations, and for that price, as well.   He called the Baymont.   FDC wouldn’t answer the phone.  She pretended like she was helping another customer who came in behind us, as he pretended he wanted a whole wing of rooms for about 25 men, but she couldn’t find his reservation, either.   I don’t know why should couldn’t answer the phone while that was going on!  

Ole Boy...my Honey Bunny
(But don't tell him I call him that.)

When we finally we got into our room, the toilet had about an inch of water in it, and wasn’t working right.  I called FDC, who sent a lady up right away with a toy plunger.  She flushed it…and it overflowed. 

Eventually, they moved us to another room with two queen beds.    Up to this point, all the bad luck may not necessarily have been Baymont’s fault.  But in the new room's bathroom, the tub looked clean, but strands of brown hair in two different places on the wall of the shower led me to believe they weren’t too diligent in their cleaning.  

Then there was the blood on the sheet that I didn’t see until I was leaving…that’s definitely their fault.

Thankfully, I slept on the other side of the bed.   But I think I slept in a bed that hadn’t been changed from at least the last visitor.  Which could be funny, only it’s not!  Of all people who would hate something like that, I would hate it the most.  :::shudder:::

The one redeeming quality for the Baymont in Helen is Big Daddy’s, right beside the hotel.   We ate there twice.

Downtown Helen, Georgia

Downtown Helen, Georgia

Downtown Helen, Georgia

Ole Boy

The next morning, it was pouring rain.   We explored our surroundings, anyway.  Later that day, the sun came out, and things got better from there on…well, at that time, I was still innocent about the bloodshed and (most likely) dirty bed on which I slept. 

Helen is very decorative.  I really enjoyed the artwork on the stores.

We gave ourselves only three nights in Gatlinburg.  Not enough!   Next time, less time elsewhere, more time in the Smokies!   

Some places had lots of fall color, but there was still plenty of green.

Only one incident in Gatlinburg.  At the candy store, Ole Boy was accosted by…uhm…I want to call her names and tell you about her bleached hair and fake eyelashes…but God wouldn’t like that, so I will call her “the girl” who worked there.  Old Boy wore a cap that simply had an elephant and the number “15” on it.  The girl recognized it as Alabama, and with no warning, got obnoxiously animated about Peyton Manning, quarterbacks, and running backs…and I’m pretty sure she said something about Alabama needing to watch out.  She was pointing her finger and preachin’ it, Sistah!

After Ole Boy left the store, I was still waiting to pay for my taffy (for the children…I promise…well, except for the ones I ate).  I was staring at her in disbelief, and admittedly, I was looking at her obvious fake eyelashes.  She got a little smart with me, I thought, when she asked me if I was “okay” in just the wrong tone of voice to make me mad.  I was too shocked to come up with an appropriate response.   Then she disappeared.  I’d like to think her manager called her to the back and chewed her out.   She probably just went on break, though.

Before I knew it…we were on our way home.   It was one of the fastest vacations I can remember!   Six nights and seven days felt like three days only.   When we left, it was raining, and the color was beautiful, waving goodbye to us.  The Great Smoky Mountains were sad we were leaving, too!

Just a few more photos:

Betty's Country Store...I loved it so much
I went twice!  (Helen)

In Betty's, I found RC and Moon Pies, something
Ole Boy and I talked about on the trip over,
wondering if RC Cola still existed.  It does!

Elk, at least 50 of them, as we were leaving Cherokee, North Carolina, just grazing on the side of the road.

By the way, I shaved this epic post down from over 800 words to under 700.  

You’re welcome. 

Day Six of The Weightier Matter HERE.