Going on a Trip

Well we have lost our minds..... That's right we are taking Ani on a 10 to 12 hour car ride up north to visit Chiemi's mom's extended family.  Now I'll be the first to admit that Ani loves the car, hell on days that I can't get her to calm down a car ride is normally my fall back plan, but I have a bad feeling that I am going to ruin the car ride experience for my daughter.

so to start, 2 months in advance we reserved a Standard size SUV according to Enterprise (not the USS-NC1701) guidelines.

For those who don't know a standard size is roughly the size of a Jeep Cherokee or something similar.

That's not what we got...... let me introduce the Ford Escape a cute little SUV  for toting around shopping bags.

Did you hear me Mention LITTLE.  of course you didn't, but you read it.   So I call the company and ask,  Is the Ford Escape considered a Standard SUV?    and the reply is "No its one step lower"  ......   Now I know you don't need to be a brain surgeon to work for a car rental company but when some one reserves a standard size SUV (2 months in advance) and you give them something smaller don't seem surprised when they call.

So to give Enterprise some credit, they offer to come pick up our car and replace it with the Hyundai Santa Fe.

Good for them right??      ummmm   No....

Have you seen the Hyundai Santa Fe?  Of course you haven't because no one would buy it, but besides that it is the exact same size as the Ford Escape.

Now I could go into the whole brain surgery spiel again but I don't want to bore you, but I will remind you of that one special word LITTLE  and how are we supposed to pack 3 adults and one baby into a LITTLE car.  

Now you all may be thinking ,  "What the heck Ian, I come hear to read about Ani and I haven't seen a picture of her yet...."

So Here!

                                                 (Ani with a local Tucker Fireman)

OK continuing on with the packing...  Now When Chiemi and I go to visit her mother it takes roughly a Large Laundry basket, Diaper bag, Toy Bag, Bumby seat, Stroller and Chiemi's bag to have a successful visit.  Now if we need that much stuff for one day you can imagine the amount of stuff that we would need for a week.

Well to cut this short, I finally convince Enterprise that the same car under a different name wouldn't work and they ended up getting us a Jeep Commander 



(now that's a SUV)



and off we go......   

PS for those of you who put up with me till the end here is an extra cute picture of Ani.