Friday, April 22, 1988
Left at 6:30 to drive to the airport and left Kent at departures
with the luggage as I drove to park in the new parking garage, having to go to
the 5th of 6 levels to find a space! On the elevator going down, an
older woman got on, then turned around to get back out exclaiming she forgot
her suitcase! Met Kent and we got donuts for a quick breakfast. We boarded and
left 10 minutes late at 7:40. Were given another breakfast. Some people were
having Bloody Marys! Tom P was on the plane with his wife, Wendy. We met
up with them in Atlanta for drinks, then they took a flight to Savannah, and we
checked in for out 12:15 flight to Hilton Head. We applied for Eastern Airlines
frequent flyer program in hopes they can pull themselves up from the bottom. We
boarded a small British-made plane for 18 passengers. We sat behind the pilot,
and the stewardess took the co-pilot’s seat. Left at 12:30, and we watched the
altimeter rise to 16,000 feet, and saw the speed was about 170 mph. About an
hour later we circled over Hilton Head, looking down at big private homes with
swimming pools on wide empty beaches
Hilton Head is the largest island between
New Jersey and Florida, and is about 12 miles long and 5 miles wide. It was
named for an Englishman, Captain William Hilton, who sailed into Port Royal
Sound in 1663 and wrote of the green headlands of the island. Indians lived
here 3800 years ago. In 1526, Spanish, French, and English colonists tried to
settle, but were troubled by Indian and pirate raids. By the mid-18th century, English plantations were established, prospering on indigo, rice, and
sea island cotton until the Civil War. At that time, Union troops were
stationed here to block Confederate ports. After the war, the island was left
to nature and the freed slaves/Gullah population, who developed a culture based
on hunting, fishing, and small farms. In 1956, a bridge to the mainland was
built, and the island developed into a year-round resort offering marshes,
woods, ocean, the sound, and beaches. We landed and many of the resort visitors
did not have kind things to say about small planes. Saw lots of little planes
and a couple little jets at the airport. I was reminded of India when walking
from the plane to the small terminal with tropical plants all around in the
“stifling” heat (as compared to the cool northern air!). Had to wait for the
checked baggage, and they had sandwiches and coffee set out for the passengers!
We then waited for the Low Country Taxi and Limousine to
take us to the Hyatt Regency for $8 for the first two passengers. The driver
said this was the hottest day so far this season, predicting it would get into
the 90s. And he talked about golf. At the Hyatt the bellboy grabbed our bags,
and Kent mentioned to him that ISPO was to pick up the transfer fees. Went to
check in and I had to sign as the sharer of the room. Our room wasn’t ready,
but we were given a pass to go downstairs to The Café to eat. Got a window
table. We had bottomless iced teas and I had a creamy she-crab soup that came
with three rolls and whipped butter. Kent had a Social Club, a turkey, bacon,
avocado, tomato, and Swiss cheese club sandwich with ridged potato chips. He
gave me a quarter of his sandwich and a dill pickle spear. Left about $14.50
and were able to get the keys to room #924. Yes, we have the coveted ocean-view room!
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| View from the hotel room |
Kent called the bell captain to see
if some packages had arrived, which they had. We went down and the bell captain
escorted us into the bowels of the hotel to a storeroom in search for the
boxes. We saw lots of strawberries!
When Kent had a meeting at 16:00. I changed into my bathing
suit to go to the beach. Passed the two-part pool and lots of sunbathers, two
Jacuzzis, and a kiddie pool. Attached to the hotel was the indoor pool. There
were snack bars, a regular bar, and a small restaurant. Tanning supplies and
towels were available. On the beach they were renting “banana bikes,” that you
recline in.
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| Banana bikes |
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| "Jimmies" |
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| Hyatt Regency Hotel |
We followed the road back to the Hyatt to change clothes and
return to The Café for dinner. Decided to go ahead and have the Captain Jack’s
seafood buffet, which looked really good. I had a bottomless iced tea and Kent
had two glasses of Chardonnay, and later a cup of coffee. We started with the
salads, having a choice of tri-color pasta, a crab and shrimp salad, and a
potato, apple, and herring salad. There was an array of greens for a garden
salad, and a variety of fruits: pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, and
strawberries. Kent also had a shrimp cocktail and raw oysters with a cocktail
sauce. Then the main courses of a Cajun shrimp and scallops over green
fettuccine, lemon-dill shrimp with rice, thymed new potatoes, steamed
vegetables, and more rolls. This time I had raw oysters. Next shrimp and
scallops in a dijonnaise sauce, cod in a white mushroom sauce, boiled blue
crabs, and a vegetable noodle soup. We went twice, me for another entrée and
Kent for another salad. Next was the dessert table, and out of everything that
was available, we tried a lady finger and mousse roll, chocolate cheesecake
with strawberries, a lemon cream filled cornucopia, and pecan pie. Everything
was decorated with dark chocolate jimmies, or chocolate crunchy things like
rice krispies, except round. We were only charged $14.95 each, no additional
drink fees. Left $36. Heading back to the room, we ran into Perry and Sue.
Meanwhile, there were people dressed for the gala ball, everyone with something
pink. They were followed by a pair of people in Pink Panther costumes.
We decided to go for another walk, this time turning left at
the beach, passing a group of kids with a loud boom box. Peeked into some of
the big houses.
Back in the room, we found the beds were turned down with
chocolates on the pillows. There was also a bottle of wine in ice, with two
glasses and a corkscrew, and a tray with a variety of fruits and cheeses, and
finally on the nightstand was a dish with two large chocolate-covered
strawberries!
There was a small safe, in which you punch in your own code.
We are using it for cameras and wallets.
Saturday, April 23, 1988
This morning we breakfasted on the fruits (papaya slices, grapes,
strawberries, and maybe prickly pear) and cheeses (Swiss, cheddar, dill, Gouda,
and brie). We spotted dolphins in the ocean. We got dressed to walk on the
beach trying to get photos of the dolphins as they swam northward. Kent had
business as I went to sit on the beach and read, as the sun tried to peek
through the clouds.
Kent came to sit with me when he was done with business, and
then we went to dress for lunch. We met Jim and Marti S, and Ute and
Cindy in The Café. I had the bottomless iced tea, and today I had the Social
Club and gave one quarter to Kent. Today it came with homemade potato chips,
and those who had she-crab soup did not get rolls, but only a few butter
crackers. Kent got the California croissant with shaved ham, bean sprouts, and
cheese. A thick sandwich! Jim S picked up the bill.
By 14:00 we were stationed in the Bayley Room, clearing a
table so we could collate and fill binders, and glue samples into brochures.
Kent was tipping the bell boys $10 a trip for hauling boxes! Ulysses and Willy
were very grateful!
Cindy had typed our program for the wedding, and I proofed
that between all the other activities. We finished about 17:00 and returned to
the room. It was raining outside, and we saw the dolphins heading southward. They
have a 9-5 job?! Also enjoyed watching pelicans and cormorants dive into the
ocean for fish, and we ate up the chocolates from yesterday and today!
Hilton Head island is said to be surrounded by, or at least bordered on the inland side by one of the last major unpolluted marine estuaries on the east coast. It is known as a resort for golf, tennis, riding stables, bicycle trails, and marinas. Harbour Town Links is the site of the MCI Heritage Golf Classic that was held earlier this month, considered one of the best courses in the country. Next door to the south is Daufuskie Island, reached only by boat, where many old Gullah traditions are still observed.
Hilton Head island is said to be surrounded by, or at least bordered on the inland side by one of the last major unpolluted marine estuaries on the east coast. It is known as a resort for golf, tennis, riding stables, bicycle trails, and marinas. Harbour Town Links is the site of the MCI Heritage Golf Classic that was held earlier this month, considered one of the best courses in the country. Next door to the south is Daufuskie Island, reached only by boat, where many old Gullah traditions are still observed.
Readied for dinner with Scott and Susan S, who had
arrived today, but not with their luggage. Many planes were being held in
Atlanta due to thunderstorms, so half the dinner party didn’t show. Had a table
for twelve, and met a lot of new people. Rich from Denver was there. Started
with drinks and snacked on small round nut bread loaves. I ordered the Australian
Seafood Chowder with shrimp and scallops; so thick it didn’t drip off the
spoon! Kent had the shrimp cocktail in a bland mayonnaise-type sauce, but with
good-sized medium shrimp. For an entrée, Kent had the charbroiled grouper, and
I had crab cakes, which were excellent having mostly chunky crabmeat! They came
with steamed vegetables including cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, yellow
squash, and asparagus, and wild rice with mushrooms and tiny shrimp. Kent’s
grouper came on a bed of spinach. Kent had coffee, and they passed around a
cigar box filled with accompaniments for the coffee: rock candy on sticks,
chocolate chips, cinnamon sticks, as well as sugar packets.
In front of the Hemingway’s Restaurant there was an iced
display of live but dying Maine lobsters and a few huge fish including a large
carp-like fish and a couple flattish dolphin-like fish. Back in our room we
found a pair of chocolate truffles on the nightstand, covered in white
chocolate and filled with chocolate mousse. A great display of lightning
tonight!
Sunday, April 24, 1988
Up at 8:30 to take a walk along the beach, meeting several
people we knew along the way. Walked about 45 minutes. At 10:00 we met Lon and
his wife, Marilyn, to drive out to the highway US-278 to a Cracker Barrel
restaurant, sort of like a Po’ Folks, but with a gift shop. The others had
coffee and I had tomato juice. Kent never got his orange juice. I had an
Oldtimer’s Breakfast with two eggs over easy, grits, two biscuits with country
gravy (thick and white), two smoked sausage patties, and hash browns. Kent had
Herschel’s Favorite, the same except with country ham. Lon picked up the bill
and Kent left the tip.
We continued to the Shoppes on the Parkway, which had all
outlet stores. Marilyn wanted to window shop and check out the opening times.
We returned to the hotel, and went to sit by the pool under dark gray clouds.
Got windy and cool and started to sprinkle rain. Kent wanted to go inside for
some fun at 14:00. Then the sun came out and I went to lie on the beach, but
got disgusted when my body got caked with sand from the wind. I just missed
getting pooped on by a bird; got some of the “splash.”
Kent was driving boxes of things over to the Mariner’s Inn to set up, and he returned at 18:15. We dressed and went down to the Indigo Club, the “disco” of the hotel that is closed on Sundays, so that ISPO could use it for a cocktail reception at 18:30. We were to be in the reception line to greet distributors and salesmen. As we did so, it seemed the food ran out at 19:30. Not enough food for 130 people who apparently starved themselves for this event! We had to wait for the second wave of food, and got a couple roast beef sandwiches on rolls, as well as chicken livers wrapped in bacon. Kent had two beers and I took an unwanted Coca-cola, and later had ginger ale. There was a two-man jazz combo (bassist and keyboard) playing. The reception closed at 21:30.
Kent was driving boxes of things over to the Mariner’s Inn to set up, and he returned at 18:15. We dressed and went down to the Indigo Club, the “disco” of the hotel that is closed on Sundays, so that ISPO could use it for a cocktail reception at 18:30. We were to be in the reception line to greet distributors and salesmen. As we did so, it seemed the food ran out at 19:30. Not enough food for 130 people who apparently starved themselves for this event! We had to wait for the second wave of food, and got a couple roast beef sandwiches on rolls, as well as chicken livers wrapped in bacon. Kent had two beers and I took an unwanted Coca-cola, and later had ginger ale. There was a two-man jazz combo (bassist and keyboard) playing. The reception closed at 21:30.
Monday, April 25, 1988
Kent left at 6:30 for today’s program, in which he had to do
two speeches for ISPO. I went downstairs at 8:30 for breakfast and sat alone.
Then noticed a distributor’s wife, Jean F from California, and we sat
together. I had the Southern Coastal breakfast with grits, slices of smoked
ham, two eggs over easy and several strawberries. Also had a Danish, muffin,
and biscuit! With butter and orange juice, the bill came to about $9 and I left
$10.50. I took the Danish and muffin with me as I checked out and went to get a
taxi at 9:30. Waved goodbye to the many wives who were waiting to take a tour to
Savannah, GA. The trip to the airport took 10 minutes, and cost the same $8 as
the limo, and I gave the driver $9. I checked in and the luggage was manually
inspected. The plane was not full this time, and the ride was a bit bumpier as
we seemed to fight headwinds. We took off at 10:25 and got to Atlanta about
11:30. I wasn’t feeling great, but was okay to hike to the gate for Providence,
and ate the Danish. When we boarded, a man was sitting in my assigned seat. It
was hard to tell because of all the markings on his boarding pass, but we
finally figured he was in seat C and not D. We took off a bit after the 12:15
departure time, as they were sorting out an overbooked situation. Got a
sandwich snack and beverage. Stopped in Hartford at 14:45, and landed early in
Providence before the 15:43 arrival time. Walked straight to my car, which was
still all there! Paid $20 for parking and went home.
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