Kingwold vacation, part 1

If I asked you to think of two vacation destinations that are polar opposites in vacation style, what would you say? No matter what you can think of, I bet I can top it. How about tenting and a cruise?

So, here's how this happened. When a family of 10 is offered an all-expense paid trip on a Disney Cruise, of course they are going to accept.  There's only one problem, how to get from Point A to Port Canaveral, Florida by the most economical mode of transportation. We considered hitch-hiking but decided there would be few people willing to pick up a group of 10 and those who had room for such a large crew would probably not be vehicles in which we'd want to travel. Bicycles would be fairly economical but just as impractical. So, she said, what if we camp? (Side note: This must have been the morning after Victor awoke her numerous times throughout the night rendering her thought processes insane or quite possibly it was a moment when 5 children were talking to her while she was reading a school form that needed to be signed while making dinner and transferring laundry from the washer to the basket to be taken out to the line. I don't remember which it was.) Always looking to save a buck or two, the Good Doctor jumped on that suggestion before she could realize the foolishness of her statement. Tent for three days before going on a cruise? Why not? It would definitely get us from Point A to Point B. Whether we would still be talking to each other when we arrived and whether or not she would survive the bugs and dirt and cold showers (if there would be showers) was yet to be seen.

Even camping, a girl must have her pink on.

The infamous yoga photo bomber. We must have inspired her because after this photo she got out her phone and took selfies in various yoga positions. It was a learning experience for all.

Speaking of learning experiences, HopeAnne learned a very important life lesson: Do not remove your bathing suit from the suitcase after Mom packs it.

1 night on a mountain in North Carolina (although I never did see the mountain, not even a hill) 

and 2 nights on Jekyll Island, Georgia. 

Apparently driving in a van with 10 family members, setting up and tearing down tents, building fires, dodging biting bugs, eating loads of hot dogs, s'mores, and breakfast campurritos 

makes these guys tired.

King of the fire

And guess what? We arrived in Port Canaveral on time, all in one piece, and all still on speaking terms with each other. Although, funny, everything and everyone still smelled like campfire while on the boat.

AND great memories and stories to last forever. Stay tuned; part 2 coming tomorrow.