The journey for your "passport"

We decided to go to Miami to receive Adriana when we knew we were expecting her. It was all in the plans until this week when we got everything ready and packed our suitcases, medical records, and MUST take items such as laptops, blackberries and camera.

The schedule date was March 7^th, at the 8^th month of pregnancy. Once the doctor gave us the ok we felt more secure about driving almost 3000 kms to get to Miami.

Friday night we had a bbq with our friends, I won’t see them until I am a new mom and with Adriana with us. The picanha was excellent!!!

Saturday we were ready to roll at 5am, after saying good bye to our place – it won’t be the same anymore once we are back – we started driving at 6am. We had somebody from the security center escorting us all the way to the border. This was great and made us feel more secure than driving on our own. The border crossing was excellent. Only one car in front of us and for some estrange reason they only asked us where we went to school….Tomas’ passport has his visa for FIU but not mine…who knows….

Once we crossed the border we were ready to drive nonstop all the way to Houston, Texas. We were at Laredo about 9am and only stopped 3-4 times in the whole day for gas, breakfast, coffee and internet. I was surprised how I didn’t need any more stops for bathrooms.

After 12 hours driving we stopped in Beaumont, Texas, about 100 miles passed Houston. You can find really cheap hotels in Priceline nowadays. We were so tired that we only watched tv and then went to bed. Today Tomas drove about 950 kms.

Sunday we decided not to kill ourselves, so we left around 11am towards New Orleans – It was my first time there – and we got a hotel in Mobile, Alabama for that night.

New Orleans was nice just for the hour we spent there, I don’t think it’s a place I would fly to spend a weekend or even a day. I guess our hard party days are now in the past. We walked around the French Quarter, took some pictures and ate Poh-Boy sandwiches (or something like that – French bread with deep fried seafood and French fries– typical meal from the area). You can see the pictures in the link at the end of this post.

We got to the hotel around 7pm after driving almost 700 kms. By then I was feeling crappie with my allergies so I went directly to the shower, pajamas and food. All that made me feel much better. This time we stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn with points. We just called from the road and got it – so easy and fast. Nice hotel and better bed than the night before. Or maybe we just were more warned out that the Saturday.

Today we also took it easy on the way out and had breakfast at the hotel, after that we left around 10am. We didn’t realize at that moment that we were going to change time again. This part of the trip was much longer and boring than the other two days. We crossed Alabama into Florida around noon and just stopped for lunch around 4pm.

Tonight we are spending the night in Orlando at Sheraton that we also got via Priceline at halfway price than the regular rate . Last night on the road and hope to be in Miami by tomorrow late afternoon.

All our plans to stop for a show in Orlando and go to city walk and vanishing after today’s loooong driving. By now we only want to get to the hotel and lay down in bed.

Adriana has behaved pretty good considering I haven’t have to stop for restrooms brakes as much I thought it was going to have to. Only when we stop for gas or food J

Tomas has driven so far around 2200 kms (I am writing from the car, we are in I75 just at the beginning) about 2 hours from our hotel in Orlando). He has been great and I have no idea how he can keep driving and being in such a good mood and completely awake. GOOD JOB HON!!!!

Mom to be has been ok, not too much of a pain except for today before lunch when I think all I needed was food and to get out of the car. Now with a tilapia in my stomach I am ready to roll with a smile in my face. Adriana is kicking as I am typing and going thru the pictures to post later tonight.

I will update the blog probably at the end of this week, after the doctor’s appointment on Friday morning.

Thanks to all of you for checking on us !!!

PS: Tomas says – it seems there are John Deere machines EVERYWHERE!!!

PS2: By now we are already in Orlando, relaxing at the hotel and watching some Seinfeld...

Here is the link with last week pictures from my photo class and some from the road trip, just click here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/TatianaandTomas/LastPhotoClassAndRoadTrip

Cheers!