Thursday, April 11, 2013

Kansas Bound

During Christmas break of my 8th grade year, I went on a trip to Kansas with my aunt. We were going to visit her son, Sean, and daughter in law, Whitney, and their two children Allie and Patrick. Whitney was pregnant again so my aunt went to help out for a week or so, and I went with her. It was one of the first times I ever traveled without my parents, and only my second time flying.

We had a layover, and I can't even remember what city we were in. But I'll never forget what happened. Our flight from mystery location to Kansas was cancelled due to snow. We would have to stay in a hotel for a night and get on a new flight in the morning. I was only 13 and had almost zero traveling experience, so my poor aunt was left to make all the decisions for us. I remember the two of us sitting around the airport with hundreds of other people in the same situation. Everyone looked so angry and crabby, and I was just tired and wanted to get to Kansas. I just followed my aunt throughout the airport as she made phone calls (I don't believe she had a cell phone at this time, but I could be wrong about that) and arrangements for us to stay the night somewhere. I also remember riding a very, very packed shuttle to the hotel.

We didn't have any of our luggage with us. Just the clothes we were wearing and a few items from our carry on bag. So, first of all, we had to sleep in the nude, to try to keep our clothes as clean as possible. I remember her telling me we'd have to get "buck naked" and I thought that was the funniest thing I'd ever heard in my life. Thank God the hotel room had two beds.

Then I started to worry about my contact lenses. I had only recently gotten contacts and was still mastering how to take them out and put them in without poking my eye out. My aunt, a nurse, told me to just put them in little cups of water to keep them wet. I did.

We somehow managed to sleep for a few hours and then started to get ready for the day to catch our new flight. My aunt went first, and I followed. I went to put my contacts in, and one of the cups was gone.

She. drank. my. contact.

We both burst into hysterical laughter. She actually drank my contact  I knew that was something I'd never forget, and I never have.

We eventually did make it to Kansas. We spent our days with my second cousins Allie and Patrick. I slept in the attic and woke up to Allie's bright face every morning as she hopped on my bed to wake me up. Eventually my cousin Katie joined us on the trip, and we shared so many laughs. Once when we were lounging around, Katie started tickling my aunt's foot and my aunt yelled "STOP IT I HAVE GOUT". Katie and I boomed with laughter. Neither of us had heard that word before and it sounded so funny to us. We repeated it again and again throughout the trip. There was also one night where all three of us crowded around the tub as we gave Allie and Patrick a bath. Katie and I were not experienced in bathing small children, so everything was funny to us. I have several pictures from that trip, including Allie and Patrick in the tub. Those two are teenagers now and I'm sure they would be mortified if I shared them. I never really get to see them, or their little brother Jack, but I care for them a lot and will never forget the trip that I spent with them.

On our way back to Detroit we joked about the possibility of having to sleep "buck naked" again. Thankfully, all flights were a okay and we made it back. I remember my dad picking the three of us up from the airport, and just shaking his head when he saw us. We were quite a crew, the three of us, and I believe his first words were "I can't believe you drank a contact".

It was one of those perfect trips that you have as a kid and don't realize how lucky you are to be in that moment. Sure, things went wrong at first and yeah, my aunt drank my contact, but it was an amazing few days that I won't forget.

Have you ever had one of those trips where everything is funny?

22 comments:

dayebydaye said... Add Reply

Oh, Megan!! I cannot believe that!!! Sooo incredibly funny!!!!
Have I said it already that I love this series that you are doing?!!! Cuz I do!

Dee @ A Deecoded Life said... Add Reply

I can't believe she drank a contact! I did not see that coming! Haha!

Michelle aka Naila Moon said... Add Reply

She drank your contact. That is funny!

Sounds like good times to me.
~Naila Moon

http://yaknowstuff.blogspot.com/2013/04/k-is-for.html

Samantha May said... Add Reply

Oh wow! First of all, contacts in water is the most HORRID thing ever. I'm sure it was probably better that she drank it :D

I love those kinds of trips. Happy Friday!

Deanna said... Add Reply

when I read she drank your contact, I gasped. Oh my! What a trip. Memories. Gotta love 'em.

Deanna
www.punkndeanna.blogspot.com

Deanna said... Add Reply

when I read she drank your contact, I gasped. Oh my! What a trip. Memories. Gotta love 'em.

Deanna
www.punkndeanna.blogspot.com

Anonymous said... Add Reply

Oh wow- the only time I was ever in Kansas was just a layover at the airport on my way somewhere else. I got stuck in the bathroom stall. It must be something about that city!

(BTW I tried to comment on this last night and my Mac wouldn't let me... had to wait til this morning!)

Shilpa Garg said... Add Reply

What a fun and funny trip!! Enjoyed the journey with you! :)

Unknown said... Add Reply

So hilarious that she drank your contact! Sounds like a great holiday though!

Laura S. said... Add Reply

Hello, Megan! This sounds like a fun trip!! When I went to Disney World for my first time at age 20 with one of my friends, everything was funny. It was such a joyful week and we laughed so much!

Happy A to Z-ing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines

Grace Grits and Gardening said... Add Reply

Oh my goodness I can't believe she drank your contact! Although, I can see how it happened. I remember struggling with my contacts when I first got them, even losing one somehow somewhere in the car on the way back from the eye doctor. I thought my mother would kill me. They were expensive back then and were supposed to last 6 months! (I'm way older than you....) Anyway, we had to go back to Memphis and hour away and get another one.

and I've done that cup trick too in a pinch...

Amanda Trought said... Add Reply

It really does sound like you had a great time, its lovely to be able to look back at all those special memories, and it makes you smile every time!

Rob-bear said... Add Reply

Certainly a trip to remember! And I though that it was only here in Canada where plane flights were cancelled by snow! Oh, wait: I think that happens in New York and Chicago, too!

Blessings and Bear hugs, Megan!
Bears Noting

Joyce said... Add Reply

Oh that is a great story!!

Unknown said... Add Reply

That was hahhaha.... !!!

Tracy Moore said... Add Reply

That's hilarious! Oh there are quite a few comments I can think of to make about that...but I'll behave lol.

Sounds like an awesome trip. Can't remember having a trip where I thought everything was funny, but I have had cases of the giggles that were endless...like hours and hours of not being able to meet someone's eye without cracking up.

Unknown said... Add Reply

What a great story! I love the way you told it. Brought back memories for me of mishaps with contacts, crazy travel stories, and laughing and laughing at the smallest things. Thanks for the lift!

#AtoZChallenge

SiouxsiesMusings

Unknown said... Add Reply

OMG!! Your poor Aunt! First having to deal with delays and no luggage. Then the contact. LOL I loved this post!
Peanut Butter and Whine

Unknown said... Add Reply

Man, you know how to make a person laugh--she drank your contacts. That is beyond the funniest thing ever. If that would have been me to lose my contact lenses to someones stomach, I wouldn't be able to get around at all. I'm blind without contacts or glasses. Hope that never happens to me.
That sounds like a trip you'll never forget. :)

Afshan Shaik said... Add Reply

Ur post is nostalgic- Loved it.
I had many such fun trips every summer till I finished school. Later I got busy. I Once was reading a comic ; walking and reading and went in to a bathroom. Some one bolted it from outside and shrieked so loud that it gave a heart attack to my aunt

LOL there r many such memories. Thanks for this psot
FELLOW A TO Zer

Anonymous said... Add Reply
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Dawn Embers said... Add Reply

Oh goodness. That is quite the story. lol