March 14, Friday- started driving from Dallas.

Overnight stayed at Saint Denis where Julia Roberts Steel Magnolias was filmed.

HOTEL, Natchitoches, LA.

Couldn’t bathe, brush teeth or eat breakfast due to plumbing failure & no electricity. Stopped at a quiant coffee shop to eat & use the restroom.

March 15, Saturday- the adventure continues on the drive through Louisiana & Mississippi through a tornedo warning, thunderstorm that brought torrential downpour, killing 20 people!

Made it to the Gulf Shores to our VRBO residence at Romar Place Condominium. Condo was on the beach & we all slept deeply. Ate a scrumptious meal at the Cactus Cantina.

March 16, Sunday- Woke up to a perfect day! Though slightly windy part of the morning. Took a walk on the beach, \240hang out & got to just chill. The day ended uneventful with a Kayak tour at 7 pm. Got to see sea urchin, hold hermit crab & a dead jelly fish.

March 17, Monday- St Patricks day today. After waking up early to catch the beautiful sunrise, took a walk on the beach, collected sea shells, saw a pirate ship & dolphins! Did parasailing. A kid had a vasovagal & passed out while coming down the parasail. I had to splash water on his face & ask him to breathe. Right when we thought he was breathing on his own he started rolling his eyes & again had to splash water on him & got him to breath. The rescue team had to come get the brothers. We had a great ride though!

Ate lunch at Picnic Beach that had great burgers & fries.

Ended the evening at a fancy restaurant called The Voyagers. Tried moctails, wine, soups, salad & out of the world deserts!

March 18, Tuesday- walked 10,000 steps by the beach & ate yummy egg breakfast burritos.

Had jetski adventure, my first! Went to a sovenir store. Everyone else got Thai takeout. Packed for heading home early tomorrow!

From chatgpt:

\240 \240 \240 \240 Adventure through & through

March 14, Friday – The trip began with high spirits and a full tank of gas as we rolled out of Dallas. Our first stop for the night was Saint Denis HOTEL in Natchitoches, LA. We were ready for a restful night—until the hotel decided to give us an unexpected survival challenge. No electricity. No plumbing. No showers, no toothbrushes, no breakfast. It was like camping, but with walls. Bleary-eyed but determined, we stumbled into a quaint coffee shop the next morning, gulping down caffeine like it was liquid gold and celebrating the return of modern plumbing.

March 15, Saturday – Louisiana and Mississippi greeted us with more excitement than we had bargained for. A tornado warning loomed over us, followed by a thunderstorm so intense that it made the highway look like a river. The storm’s devastation left 20 people dead, a grim reminder of nature’s fury. Yet, we pressed on, gripping the wheel tightly, windshield wipers battling the torrential downpour. By nightfall, we had made it—Gulf Shores, our beachside haven. As soon as we stepped onto the condo’s balcony at Romar Place, the ocean’s rhythmic waves whispered, You made it. That night, we slept like shipwreck survivors who had washed ashore, but not before devouring a feast at Cactus Cantina.

March 16, Sunday – The world had hit the reset button. A picture-perfect morning greeted us with sunshine and a soft ocean breeze. A lazy day was in order—beach walks, hanging out, and soaking in the salt air. The evening held our first real adventure: a 7 PM kayak tour. Paddling under the twilight sky, we met sea urchins, held hermit crabs, and even encountered a dead jellyfish, which, thankfully, was in no mood to sting.

March 17, Monday – St. Patrick’s Day magic. A morning walk led to an unexpected sight—a pirate ship sailing by, straight out of a storybook. If that wasn’t enough, dolphins danced in the waves, flipping and diving as if they knew we were watching. The thrill of the day? Parasailing. The wind lifted us high above the ocean, turning us into birds for a few glorious moments. But adventure has its twists—one kid on our ride had a vasovagal episode and passed out mid-air. As he descended, his unconscious form sent alarm bells ringing. Instinct took over—I splashed water on his face, urging him to breathe. Just as relief set in, his eyes rolled back again. More water, more coaxing, and finally, the rescue team swooped in to take care of him and his brother. Crisis averted, and our ride? Absolutely breathtaking. We refueled with burgers and fries at Picnic Beach, then ended the day with elegance—mocktails, wine, and divine desserts at The Voyager.

March 18, Tuesday – A farewell to the waves with a final 10,000-step walk along the beach, the sand imprinting our last morning here. Breakfast burritos fueled us for the day’s main event—jet skiing. My first ever. The rush of speed over water, the spray in my face, the adrenaline—perfection. Before wrapping up, we hit a souvenir store, grabbing trinkets to hold onto this unforgettable journey. The others opted for Thai takeout for our last dinner, while I mentally packed away every wild, unexpected, and thrilling moment of this adventure. Tomorrow, we head home, but the memories? They’ll stay forever.