11-23-2010
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#1 (permalink) |
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into ruins
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: canada
Posts: 65
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RPDC ... A Family Drama
First of all, let me preface this with a big thank you to all posters on this site. I have spent far too much time looking over various threads, as well as reading numerous trips reports (much to the deteriment of getting anything accomplished).
Just so you can understand who's who in this drama, please let me introduce you to my family;  Jamie (18), John, Madie (16), ME (Mary-Ellen) & Guinness - Please note, I'm not short - I'm 5'7", but I live with giants! Joining us on our family vacation is my mother-in-law, Mary Lou, who's a wonderful lady, she knows how to relax, have a good time and spoil her grandchildren!  Now that you know the cast of characters, perhaps you can understand the choice of resorts. Hopefully the RPDC can be all things to all people, since we're dealing with ages from 16 to 72! We've booked three rooms at RPDC way back in June. We were very limited as to what days we could travel, I wanted to spend Christmas day with my parents (who because of illness are unable to travel), thus it meant we had to fly out on the 26th of December and be back on Jan 2nd, because both kids have school on the Jan 3rd. We got a great deal through Westjet - John and I will be in one of the presidential suites, Madie and Mary Lou will be in a swim up suite together and Jamie will be on his own in his own room, another swim up suite, hopefully next door to his grandmother and sister. Sounds great doesn't it? Oh the best laid plans!!!!!!!!!!! This is a second marriage for John and I (together 4 years, married 2). The kids are John's from his first marriage and for various reasons, live with us full time (Jamie is now at university, out of town), and they have since John's divorce 10 years ago. There hasn't been any international travel for the kids untill they were 16 due to custody issues. Since Madie is now 16, under Canadian law, she can have her own adult passport without any attachment to her parent's legal issues. So off we went to get her adult passport, when lo and behold we find out that her mom had already taken one out her name, she must have forged my husbands signautre on the documents, since kids need both parents to sign their passports. Thus we're left with about month to go before our trip and one kid doesn't have a passport!  Turns out Madie knew about the forged passport, but like most kids of divorce, she's loyal to both parents and didn't want to rock the boat. Sigh. She's no longer in touch with her mom and doesn't know how to get the passport back! This leaves us with a month before we travel to get the old passport annulled and a new one issued. Stay tuned to see if we have a passport for her in time! Stay tuned for the next issue - Yup, after 17 years of widowhood and never dating, Mary Lou now has a man in her life! Of course this all happened after we booked the trip. Do we invite him? We can't put Madie and Jamie in the same room with WW III errupting! Do we put the new beau in with Jamie? Swim up suites at RPDC only have king size beds, not too cool for two guys who barely know each other to share. I have no idea what we're going to do! Next time I start to plan a family trip ,,, remind me of this entry! |
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11-24-2010
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#7 (permalink) |
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into ruins
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: canada
Posts: 65
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Never a dull moment in our household!
Passport issue: John and Madie spent four hours at the passport office yesterday trying to get things worked out. John received a $50.00 parking ticket, since he went over his alloted time. Sigh. Lots of affidavits to sign, lots more of the story surrounding the forged passport comes out, Madie's in tears, John is angry, I'm trying to keep the peace  . We've been told that she should have her new passport should be here in 10 to 15 business days. I just counted on the calendar and we have 20 business days before we leave. Anybody want to place a bet on if it'll be here on time? Sigh.Relationship Issue: Mary Lou phoned last night and invited us to Ron's (the new beau) place this weekend - The have an announcement to make! Anybody want to place a be on what it'll be? We skyped with Jamie last night and broached the subject of sharing a room and bed  with Ron - He's only met Ron once before ... He gave that teenager look, that you know soooo well if you have a teenager. That look of utter and complete disdain that says "You've got to be kidding? & you're such an idiot!" All wraped up in one look! Time to phone the travel agent about switching rooms around, but I have no idea how to configure everything. 
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11-24-2010
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#9 (permalink) | |
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aņejo
 Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 11,599
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Quote:
Amen, sistah.  Hopefully canuckonthego can ask that one of the 3 rooms she reserved have two double beds, and then son & daughter can share that room. The other 2 rooms can remain king beds, as they will be occupied by couples (mom and dad in one, grandma and boyfriend in the other). See, easy! 
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11-24-2010
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#10 (permalink) | |
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Travel Insurance Tester
 Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The Joisey Shore
Posts: 17,503
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Quote:
Oh boy, good luck - you'll really NEED this vacation by the time it's all settled! |
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11-24-2010
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#11 (permalink) | |
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aņejo
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 11,599
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Quote:
Well, I was being a little cheeky with the "easy" bit.  It doesn't look like anything with this trip is going to be "easy" and you are 100% right that she will need a vacation after this vacation! (All this is yet another reason why I love renting a condo for family trips).Is it possible to get a roll away in one of the king rooms? Then Bro & Sis could share that room and alternate nights sleeping in the proper bed/crap bed. |
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11-24-2010
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#12 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Northern BC
Posts: 1,908
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I'm guessing the new happy couple will want to room together, should they both travel?? Would a cot/rollaway bed in one room accommodate the kids so they would not have to sleep in the same bed, at least?
Fun times ahead! Also read through your blog a bit, M.E. - good reading! |
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11-24-2010
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#15 (permalink) |
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into ruins
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: canada
Posts: 65
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There's no way I can even put them in the same room. They may be 18 & 16, but they act 8 & 6 when they're together (in fact 8 & 6 year olds act better) I call them Mr. & Mrs. Bicker.
They once came to blows over the location of a bagel on our kitchen island! This is our kitchen:  If they're in the same room, they fight. Period. I'm really hoping they grow up soon!!!!!!!! To top it all off, as more info emerges about Madie's passport, turns out she has travelled to Italy and Bermuda with her mom (on the forged documents), this info just came out today to John and I. Yup, you expect your teen to get into some trouble growing up, but International travel on forged documents is a good one  Jamie has never travelled, cause he's played by the rules and refused to play the same game with forged documents that his mom and sister played. He just emailed saying if anybody should have to take the lesser room, it should be Madie, cause she's already travelled to the Carribbean. Then the question is; if Ron comes who pays? Mary Lou is our guest on this trip, but if Ron comes who pays for him? Plus I still haven't figured out who's sleeping where? I need a drink 
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I am on the edge of my seat.
