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| TRAVELS WITH MY DINOSAUR 05 June - 05 August 2003 |
| Tuesday 17th June. My time in Orlando proved to be something of a tumble from the grand week just passed. Heather has left her post at Nemours� Patient Services to attend an Rb clinic appointment in Miami which she had forgotten about, and plans to meet a local friend were whitewashed by personal medical engagements. I suddenly felt really depressed and spent much of the morning fighting tears and a general feeling of impending failure - something which rarely seems to go away for long. My head filled with totally irrational thoughts about the deliberate cancellation of those meetings on the part of my friends - probably a combination of sour weather, motel isolation and the sadness of leaving a place where I had been happier than at any time in the past few years. Orlando�s Greyhound station is dysfunctional. It�s like nothing I�ve ever known, and not at all a positive introduction to the service. Maybe this is contributing to my melancholy just now. Two ticket clerks processed just 5 passangers in 50 minutes - between them! The process of validating my Ameripass and checking luggage was an arduous one. When I was handed a single slip of flimsy paper, I questioned it's sufficiency to last 45 days, and the lack of documentation regarding validation and expiration dates. My enquiry was not well received, and the agent angrily asserted her many years� experience of Greyhound Inc, and the correctness of my paperwork. I should have pressed her further, but I was occupied with thoughts of Dino�s disappearance and the mounting, agitated queue behind me. Besides, what did I know? This is my first time travelling with Greyhound. I�m just being paranoid of course - surely the employees know what they are talking about. The trip to Daytona Beach proved uneventful, beyond an accidental Dino-napping by my cab driver. Fortunately, he is retained by the Travelodge, so I had no difficulties in contacting him to plead for Dino�s speedy return. Shannon, Gary and the children met me at the depot, in their swish new people carrier. Sara and Daren are still mesmerized by the novelty of television screens in the back of the driver and front passenger seats - I would be too! We sat up late, talking about England and Rb and watching the children play. Sara found her dad�s tip-ex and painted Daren�s arm. Kids! I�m glad to be with friends tonight. They�ve made me feel so welcome in the few hours I�ve been here. Tonight is much better than last. |