traveling to durham (lyn)

Alexander’s two-week spring break begins today.  We have an early dinner of sushi and leave for the airport, picking up Alexander’s friend, Rodrigo, along the way.  We get to Kennedy around 8, where we meet up with Zelia (Rodrigo’s mom). 

Our flight to Durham is effortless.  My first time on Jet Blue and I don’t ever want to fly anyone else.  The plane leaves on time and it’s a smooth flight all the way.  Zelia sleeps; the kids watch college basketball; and I catch up on low-brow celebrity magazine reading, while eating the little bag of chocolate chip cookies they serve us on the plane.

We arrive in Durham ahead of schedule, pick up our rental car, and drive to our hotel.   It’s around 12:30 am and we are all exhausted.  We follow our GPS guide and pull into a sad little hotel.  Two shabby chairs and an old plastic coffee maker decorate the lobby.  No one says anything but we all think the same thing, what a dump!  Our bored hotel clerk cannot find our reservation.  After a few minutes of looking, she asks, “Are you sure you’re booked at the University Inn?”  I am so relieved.  “No; we’re at the Brookwood Inn.”  “Oh, that’s next door,” says the clerk.  She, too, looks relieved, for now she can go back to doing nothing.    We happily go on our way.