NIAGARA FALLS, NY

Niagara Falls – Here We Come!

By Marcella S. Meeks

10/27/23

I have always wanted to go to Niagara Falls but just never thought I could. I don’t know why…I go everywhere else. Canada is right across the water from the falls, another dream place to go.

In July 2024, I’m going to try with all my might to get to the East Coast and head off to D.C., then over to the falls on my way back to home. What a wonderful trip I have planned out in my mind. My bucket list includes Biloxi, MS., the entire coastline of Florida and then up through the South and North Carolina coastlines and then make my way to the Falls. When I mapped out my travel plans for July 2024, my first thought was “I simply can’t do it.” My 2004 Trail Blazer is getting a lot of miles on it and needs a tune up, and probably could use a couple of censors replaced before making this kind of trip.

Going that far a distance is, number one, it’s too far; number two, it’s too expensive, and number three, it’s out of my normal westward comfort zone. I feel guilty for wanting to go someplace else rather than the places I have loved returning to for many years.

It’s still too early in the game to know for certain that I am going or not, but you know me, if there is a will, there is a way, I’ll get us there. And when I say us, I mean my grand kids, my two my little doggies Isabelle and Rusty the Mutt, and myself!

I haven’t thought my plans through completely yet, and still need to make all the necessary arrangements in advance and save for trip number 1 and trip number 2 before I will know for sure if we will get there or not. Trip number 1 to Colorado in June is pretty much paid for already except for the $600-$700 for gas and a few extra dollars for food and fun things to do – outside of that I’m good to go! Trip number 2, destination Niagara Falls – is just an idea – still in dream stage at this point but I have the whole month of July to travel anywhere and if I save now, I can make this dream a reality.

I don’t know exactly what all we will do while we are gone once we head East but I have several months to save, to plan and make this dream happen. We will be going through Mobile, Ala., Biloxi, Miss., all around the Florida Coastline from the west side all the way down through the keys and back and then up the west side through South and North Carolina and work our way to Niagara Falls. We will return home a different route back through Tennessee back to Louisiana (which will save on mileage and gas!)

Call me crazy but this is something travel lovers like me dream about. I’ve got to sit down one day, and plan every detail so that we don’t run into any unexpected potholes in the road and end up sleeping in the car!

I’m getting my travel plans together and know where I want to go differently next summer. I’ve got several months to save for this trip and hopefully get my family there in one piece.

I lived in a little town somewhere in the middle of South Carolina (Fairplay) when I was in third grade (in the early 70’s). We didn’t stay there but a short while and we moved back to Houston, TX after my daddy could find sustainable work. I loved the little country school there and made a lot of friends but we haven’t been back since. That was such long time ago! On our way home, we can stop for a visit – I’d love to visit the old school if it is still there our old home place that sits on a hill beside a church and graveyard that I use to think was haunted. We didn’t have air conditioning and we left our windows up at night during the summer months. Around midnight (or sometimes during the night) our windows would fall down! My older brothers would blame it on the ghosts that wandered out of the graveyard that was less within walking distance from our house. I just remembered that and I do wander if that old house and church is still standing. I wander if the ghosts still linger!

With my plans secure and in the making, I’ve got a lot of research to do on this upcoming trip. Anyone care to join us, just let me know. While I am planning our trip, I’ll plan yours for a small fee… of course tho, you will have to pay for your trip to and fro! And have your own transportation.

Is there a travel destination you are dying to travel to but have not had the opportunity yet? Leave us a reply in the comments below.