Today was a planned driving day for us and we had decided to get up fairly early so that we could get on the road as we had about a 4 hour drive from Charlotte to just north of Raleigh, North Carolina. Unfortunately, best laid plans are ALWAYS interrupted it seems!
Many hotels combine their accessible rooms to be more than one type – so in our case we were in a tiny wheelchair accessible room that was also for people who had hearing impairments. This is fairly normal, the only difference is that on the wall is an additional appliance that usually strobes white lights when a fire alarm goes off or in a different pattern, if the doorbell is activated and used. I always turn off the doorbell activation however for obvious reasons I cannot turn off the strobing for the fire alarm. I do not do well with strobe lights or fire alarms due to my accident. As Murphy’s law would come to play, I was actually ASLEEP at 4:30am (I am normally awake about this time) and as per normal, Andrew was sound asleep and all of a sudden both a fire alarm AND the strobing lights were in effect in our room. I have not experienced a fire alarm when staying in a hotel previously – also, the alarm was not like the sound that we have in Vancouver, which was probably good for me, instead it was a really annoying LOUD beeping noise. The same noise was in the hallway along with the same strobe lights. What a nightmare! Andrew helped get my earplugs which I always have stored in my wallet and we left our hotel room and I did what I am SUPPOSED to do which is sit in the refuge area (this case it was in the elevator lobby) on our floor (5th), next to the window so the firemen can see me. Everyone else was going down the stairs. Then along came a man on crutches with a significant knee brace and he got into the elevator which was still operating and suggested we go together. So against my better judgement, Andrew and I went down to the lobby with him and out of the front of the hotel into the warm morning air. Andrew took the first two pictures for me while I sat on the ground behind a wall so I did not have to see the flashing red lights on the multiple fire trucks. All clear was then given and back we all went into the hotel! Only one issue – those flights of stairs that people came down? You cannot go up them! So everyone up the elevators! At least people in the south are courteous and let my crutch using friend and I go to the front of the line.
This was a very interesting experience for me, as I participated in WAY too many fire alarms at the Hotel Vancouver when working graveyard shifts there and I know their elevators stopped working and people HAD to come down the stairs. The Hotel Van also maintained a list of people who had mobility or other issues, so that someone, during a fire alarm, would ensure that they were safe, as they normally would not be able to evacuate as the elevators stopped on the floor they were on (with their doors open) when the general fire alarm went off. I was also surprised with the lack of hotel staff at the Marriott ensuring the hotel guests were safe – in fact from my vantage point did not see one hotel employee which I realized afterwards.
When we got back to the room, Andrew was right back to sleep but that was WAY too much excitement and triggers for me so I settled down to a good audio book and eventually fell asleep at about 7:30 am – right before Andrew got up! So I got up too, we got some breakfast and then it was power nap time for me!
Eventually, we got packed and on the road. I had lost some quality writing time in the morning, so I worked in the car on my laptop as I was completing a document for the Ireland Celiac tour that we are going on next. I had given myself a deadline to get it completed and the 4 hours of focused time while Andrew drove did the trick! Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the drive though other than one as it was all highway driving… We got to Rocky Mount at about 6pm and as we drove off the highway to the hotel, we passed an Outback restaurant. It is one of my “past” go to restaurants in the USA due to how well they do gluten free. I have been boycotting them as they got rid of the gluten free dessert called “Thunder from Down Under” which was a gluten free brownie with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Not diabetic friendly, I know, but if someone shares it with you then it is okay… After a couple of years, the Thunder is on the menu again, so we did a take-out order of of chicken and shrimp and shared my favourite dessert as a reward (for what I do not know – it just felt good)!
Tomorrow we are driving to Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks via Edenton, North Carolina!
