Sometimes it is funny how things can fall into place, without trying really hard. For the last three days, we have been looking to locate a bank nearby this hotel. On the map, it sure looked close. But in reality, it was not.
Our first inquiry was at the front desk, where two agents gave us conflicting directions. That didn't help. Then the following day, we happened to see a UPS driver at Publix. He even brought out his cell phone to show us where this bank was located. Then yesterday, we happened to pass by a bus that was stopped, and the driver was on a snack break. Asking him if he went the way of that bank, he said yes, outlining the route the bus would take to get there. Of course, yesterday was Sunday (banks closed), so our best chance to go was today.
And we did check out the bus route online to make sure we were not on a wild goose chase.
We left the hotel around 10:15am, and boy, the weather was just about perfect. Still cooler than normal, the sun was out and there was a whisper of a wind. We bet by 2pm, the temperature will be almost 70 degrees. Locating the bus stop, we had about a 10 minute wait before it arrived. The driver confirmed he stopped near that street, and the fun part was that the price for us was the senior fare of $1 each. Can't beat that. Even better, we had the bus all to ourselves, as there were no other passengers. Masks were required of course.
So we found the bank, and took care of some necessary business. This area looked to be very newish, so we walked around this shopping center and found a very nice Publix. We did a little shopping there, then went back across the road to wait for the bus. It took about 20 minutes before it came, but we were in no hurry to get back.
We noticed at the hotel, there was another sign up for two gatherings today. Never realized how busy these hotels can be, even with regular tourists not traveling so much these days. Business meetings, weddings, or birthdays help keep a lot of people working.
Even though we are free to dine in the hotel's restaurant, we still choose to eat in our room. Frankly the menu is really limited, and dinner is varied enough to order each evening. So it was the hoagie sandwiches again. And biscotti cookies. We picked up two more flavors of chocolate cookies today. With about 2 days left, we need to finish what we have bought.
With the sun out, we figured a little time sitting by the pool would be restful. There were two other couples there…one couple sacked out, the other working on a sunburn. We lasted about 45 minutes, then went back. The water looked cold, so we have never gone swimming.
Phone calls took up some of the day starting with a call from a sweet cruise friend, Rosie (Randy), who we met on a world cruise back in 2013. We call them the "kids", and have kept touch ever since. Nice to know they read the blog now, and have for several years. Then we were contacted by HAL's Family Assistance, firming up the plan for the next two days. They have been most helpful. Then, we had an hour conversation our travel agent, who has kept up with our situation. Between her and the Guest Relations manager, we will figure out the two insurance coverages and re-imbursement.
Took a long walk, then came back for dinner. Two cheeseburgers and two side salads were plenty. By the way, we did have the hotel bill printed, and do see that we need to make a visit with the manager tomorrow. Even though we were told the bill would not be charged until we checked out, it was charged to our card after eight nights. We sure don't remember authorizing that. In fact, we had specifically asked if we could pay down some of the bill with cash. The manager at the time said of course. What happened?
To be continued…….
Bill & Mary Ann
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Report # 45 Marriott Hotel Monday - January 31, 2022 Sunny And Warmer 70 Degrees.....Day #9
