Christmas in Myrtle Beach 2005

Christmas was going to be different for us this year so we decided that a trip away would be a "good thing".  The Myrtle Beach excursion came up out of a time share pitch offer that we decided to accept.  Marriott was sponsoring the offer and we have always found their accomodations and staff to be exceptional.  As our trip date approached, we became excited about just being away for a few days.  The Kyzers, Pam and Larry, were scheduled to go with us but had to cancel at the last minute so it was just Donna and me, just off on another adventure.

We left home on Thursday morning in the rain and cold temperatures.  By the time we left Atlanta on Interstate 20, it was freezing the water on the branches of the trees and shrubs.  As we drifted carefully east on the wet crowded interstate, the ice seemed gradually to migrate into the upper reaches of the trees and to leave the lower growing shrubbery free of its cold, wintry influence.  As the air around us grew warmer, the fog creeped across the road and the rain intensified.

Set to cruise at around 75 miles per hour, the truck moved along confidently, quietly, unaffected by the climate and traffic.  It is so quiet in the truck we are able to enjoy listening to a book on tape and discuss the story plot line, guessing at its next twist or revelation.

40 miles out of Myrtle Beach we stopped to fuel up, around 6:15pm, and arrived at the resort at about 7:00pm.  The directions (at home on the desk) did not help us in the search for our destination; Donna suggested we take the Coastal Road and low and behold there it was just east of 82nd Parkway along the Coast Road.

Marriott's OceanWatch Villas is a new resort condominium adjacent to the Grande Dunes.  Our accomodations were immaculate, a two-bedroom condominium facing the adjacent tower and in the background the Marriott Hotel.  The hurricane-glass patio doors and windows provided us a great view of the ocean.  With the patio door open, the sound of the ocean drifted in soothing our nerves.  Cold seeped into the room over night and we discovered that we had not turned on the heat.

After unpacking, dinner seemed to be in order.  To our dismay we learned that most restaurants close at 8:00pm during the off-season; we ended up eating at a local, "family" restaurant.  The food was mediocore and we ate little.  On the way back we stopped at the grocery store for a few items then drove "home" to call it a night.  True to our experience, the Marriott accomodations were excellent; our bed was comfortable, the appointments were exceptional, and well thought out.

Friday crawled out of the early morning mist to the sound of construction on an adjacent tower (did I mention that one tower was still under contruction, a great skeleton of a building looming another four stories above our top floor balcony).  In the night with the door open we had listened to the wind whipping construction materials around on the new addition; the crane must have floated around on its superstructure overnight and was by then poised directly above our heads as we stepped onto the balcony with our coffee that Friday morning.

Tanger Outlet Mall was our Friday destination and we ate lunch at the Crab House Restaurant in Barefoot Landing; the food was good and the service excellent.  On the ride in we planned our Saturday.  The "hot tubs" are actually pools, one large the other small, and are very warm and powerful.  We spent half an hour soaking away the days walking and played in the water.  Once settled in for the night, we watched an excellent movie: "Kinsey".

Saturday, dawned cold and grey; it was going to be a damp, dreary day, but; we did not care, nothing could ruin our sense of peace and calm.  We lunched at the Lone Star Restaurant, bought tickets for the Carolina Opry Christmas Special for that night and went in to clean up and take a break.  We drove home in the rain and sat up to watch a movie while winding down from the day.

Sunday morning was a leisurely coffee and breakfast as we packed to leave.  On the way out of town our plan was to shop for Christmas gifts at the second Tanger Outlet Mall.  After spending several hours walking the sprawling complex of factory discount stores, we hit the road.  The walking had taken its toll on our bodies and we stopped outside Camden for the night at a Fairfield Inn (another Marriott property).

After breakfast we hit the road for home now anxious to get back to Newnan, BJ, and our friends.

We talked much about retirement traveling, RVing, the book-on-tape we were listening to, Christmas, and gifts.  We very much enjoy traveling together.

One side note: Donna always confuses an exit from I285 to I85 south.  Today she laughed at me for missing that exit, I stopped, crossed over to the "correct" exit where she realized she'd confused it yet again and we were now going off in the wrong direction; I drove on anyway and we ate at Barbecue Kitchen.  She laughed at herself until she cried when she realized she had herself thinking I'd missed the exit (you had to be there; I was and it was great seeing her laugh so spontaneously).