2020-6 Panama City Beach trip

Sometime shortly after Ken's radiation and chemo treatments, Angie mentioned we should all go to a beach for a couple days.  That sounded like an excellent idea to me!  Between Ken's cancer and treatments, the Coronavirus pandemic, and the racial protests, I was ready to get away!!!!

So I hit the Wyndham site and looked to see where we might be able to drive to for a few nights and enjoy the beach.  Edisto wasn't available; neither was Charleston or Clearwater.  But for June 17-21st, Panama City Beach was available!  I'd never been there.  Angie and Josh had been there a year ago and said it was beautiful, so I didn't hesitate to book it.  I was even able to get a studio unit with a free upgrade to a 1 bedroom lower level.  Then I booked the studio for Ken and me and requested an upgrade if one came available.  Didn't take long before I noticed we were upgraded to a 1 bedroom upper unit!  I hoped I'd be able to change the kids' unit to a 2 bedroom unit, but they actually cut out reservations for about a month due to what was suppose to be a limited availability of rooms available as the resort was reopened slowly after being closed down because of the pandemic for awhile.  Wyndham was even canceling guest reservations---good thing I reserved both units in our names.

Before the 17th rolled around, I noticed that Providence Canyon State park in Georgia was right along the way.  So I suggested we stop there for a break.  Angie and Josh liked that idea, too.  In fact, that's where they finally caught up to us.

After a couple hours in the canyon, we continued on our way.  The trip took us about 8 or 9 hours to get there.  Check in was the usual routine---check in, then go to the "concierge/sales center" for our keys, parking pass, and "owners' update spiel".  After turning them down many times, they finally gave us our keys and it was time to find the parking garage and figure out how to get to our room.

They certainly didn't do a good job planning out the complex!  It's bad enough that parking is across a busy street.  Then you have to take an elevator down to the sky bridge to go to another set of elevators to go down to the ground level, then over to another set of elevators to go up to the rooms!  It made for a long trek from the garage to the room everytime we had to go anywhere in the cars.  I made 2 rts to the grocery store 3 miles away and it took over 2 hours to complete the trip---not to mention having to go over to the hotel building to get a rolling caddy to haul the groceries up to the room on!

 Oh yeah---they also had problems with Angie and Josh's room.  The ceiling fan wasn't working and maintenance was having trouble getting it to work.  They needed to work on it 2 days while we were there.  So they gave us 2 $25 gift cards and a little box of candy.  I also noticed our fridge wasn't cold, but hoped it would be ok for the short time we were there.  But by check out day, the milk and fruit had spoiled. 

June 17, 2020---drive to Panama City Beach by way of Providence Canyon

June 18, 2020---Panama City Beach beach! Duchesne house on the market

June 19, 2020---Panama City Beach and Duchesne house SOLD

 June 20, 2020---45th wedding anniversary!!!

June 21, 2020---drive back to Georgia

 Wyndham Panama City Beach--2020-6  1 bedroom deluxe

I loved the views from our room, but don't know if it's worth the hassle to go there a lot.   But I had a great time.  I think the kids did, too.   I think Ken was anxious a good part of the time and before we went, but hopefully he enjoyed the little get away, too.

6-21-20 on the road again----

One last breakfast overlooking the beach.  And one last visit on the lanai. 

 and Layla wants 2 of something

 now she's drawing circles on the window.

 taking in the views a few more minutes.

 gonna miss this view

 on the road and heading back to Georgia. 

 beautiful clouds again.

 didn't stop along the way this time

 even passed the National Peanut Festival!

 and a lake or 2

 and crepe myrtle tree lined streets

 and Ken's favorite----water towers.

 the drive went smoothly and rather quickly

 and, yes, I drove like my mother was watchin'

 getting closer to the city

 almost home.

5 1/2 hours later we were pulling into the driveway.  Should have followed Angie and Josh---they made a couple stops and saw birds and gators and a drive through art museum! 

6-20-20 45th anniversary!!!!!

What a great way to start our 45th wedding anniversary! 

The kids came up and joined us for breakfast.

Then the kids and I headed to the beach.

Trying to get Layla to see that sand is ok.  She still wasn't wanting to touch the sand.

But she liked the water.

and the smiley face

cheezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

time to get some shade and snacks.  And answering a bunch of questions from the inspectors at the Duchesne house!  Come on----we never even lived there.  That's why you're doing an inspection!

We had anniversary pizza for dinner with the kids in their condo.  It was a dual celebration, our anniversary and accepting a contract on the Duchesne house.   Time to pop a cork to that!

yea!

and finish it off with another gorgeous sunset.

Can't believe we've been married for 45 years!  As Ken likes to say, "Seems just like yesterday; and you know what a bad day yesterday was."

Wyndham Panama City Beach--2020-6 1 bedroom deluxe

 When Angie said it was time to go to the beach again, and she found 2 1 bedroom units here, we agreed to go , too.  They had a regular 1 bedroom, we had a deluxe.  The only difference was they were on a lower level (up to level 10), and we were on an upper level (level 20, I think).

Check in was terrible.  They had some of the pushiest people for the "owner update".  We were there during COVID and hubby has cancer.  I told them we were not going to the update, but they persisted until I actually got mad.  After driving 7 hours, I didn't feel like fighting for my parking pass.

But the units were really nice---at least ours was.  The kids had a unit that needed repairs on the ceiling fan.  Took over a day to get it done.  They even replaced it and couldn't get it to work.  At least they tried and gave us a couple $25 gift cards as compensation.  

I liked that even though this was a 1 bedroom unit, it had bunk beds in the hallway. 

Nice size rooms.  Being so high, we didn't hear much of the street noise.  The kids on level 10 said the street noise was bad. 

the views were outstanding!

Even saw sunset from our lanai

The resort parking lot was very inconvenient, especially if you were handicapped.  Had to make it to the Sky Bridge level, then if you had luggage or a wheelchair, there was one elevator that went down to the main level.  Then you had to go to another area to get an elevator to the floor you need.

Layla enjoying the views as much as I did.

I could look at this all day.  We did see sting rays one morning.  When the kids were there before, they watched sharks not far from the swimmers.

The table easily sat all 5 of us, even in the 1 bedroom unit.

The beach was beautiful and the water was great.

We also enjoyed the pools.  This one was not used much, being across the street by the parking garage.

A view of the Wyndham from the water.

It was a well needed break from everything going on. 
 

6-19-20 Panama City Beach

This view never gets old! 

Looking West

East

Down

Early morning fishermen

early morning gazer

We're actually so high up that I can only get the sky and the beach in the picture if I turn the camera vertically. 

May not look like it, but there is a lot of room down there for social distancing

Today we decided to spend the afternoon at the pool across the street with the zero entry side and make ken go, too.
Layla loved the zero entry!

Ken seemed to have a good time, too.

Being across the street, this pool was hardly used, too.

Layla loved playing with the little water spouts

She also loved the "waterfall"

Layla took my underwater camera from me and took a bunch of pictures.  She actually did a pretty good job!  Here's her picture of Mom.

her picture of Grandpa.

Mom got the camera from her long enough to snap a selfie of them together.

Layla blowing bubbles.

Layla loves riding on our backs, too.

and being twirled around in her floatie

After Laylas nap, it was time to hit the beach for a bit.

view from our tent

back into the water!

so shallow so far out

the dog on the raft---fake dog. 

group selfie!

BAck up to the rooms.  This time we went to the kids' room for dinner.  From the 10th floor I could actually get a horizontal photo from the lanai with both the sky and beach in it.  10th floor is not a bad view---although the noise from the street is still pretty loud.  There's a lot of "good ol' boys" that like to drive up and down Beach street 'til the wee hours of the morning.

But dinner was good---Mexican from next door. 

and another great sunset.

Even at night the beaches were alive.  Not sure what all the people were doing on the beach with lights---looking for crabs?

Day 3 almost done.  Another wonderful day!  Even got texts from the Realtor with 3 full price offers on the East Duchesne house!  Now to decide which one to go with---how about the Cash offer!