A Great Trip

Planning a trip to Branson, Missouri began around September of 2018. After advertising it and enough people had signed up, I held a meeting sometime in November to give everyone the details of the seven day trip sponsored by Diamond Tours. The price would be $700 and would include seven shows, ten meals, round trip bus fare, and lodging with breakfast. After a down payment of $100 was made, insurance purchased and the final payment due in February all I had to do was wait. During the time I waited I ordered green lunch bags for the travelers for a picnic and purchased Bingo cards to play while traveling.

Finally, on May 5, 2019, we were ready to take off in a huge grey bus.

 

First stop was Limon, Colorado for stretching our legs and using the bathroom. There was plenty of time to look around and many purchased snack food.

A rest stop along the way was  perfect place for our picnic. King Soopers provided ham or turkey sandwiches, chips, and a cookie. Everybody liked their lime green lunch bags and since the weather was perfect, everyone enjoyed the picnic.

 We continued on our way and watched the movie Mama Mia, played Bingo, heard jokes and sang! And before we knew it, we were at the Ramada Inn in Topeka, Kansas where we would spend the night.

 We ate dinner at the hotel and off we went to sleep. The bus driver and I worked well together and we would discuss plans for the next stop. I was pleased with the driver because he was helpful, humorous, easy to work with and kept the bus clean! He treated everyone with respect and kindness! I noticed he made everyone feel special! He made us all laugh with his "Okay - bye!"

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After breakfast we were on our way again and decided to eat lunch in Springfield, Missouri and  stopped at Cheddar's for lunch.

We arrived at Branson ahead of schedule and checked into the Baymont Inn. It was great that one of the travelers was joined by her son and daughter-in-law and they were able to spent some time together.

Around 6:30 p.m. we went to the Golden Corral for dinner.  Lots of food and lots of conversation.

Our first full day at Branson, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, The Blackwoods Show is advertised as Elvis Presley's favorite Gospel group.

After the show that ended with tribute to Veterans and the United States, we boarded the bus to go to the Grand Village Shops. A quaint village with interesting stores and many Christmas boutiques. Everyone found different places to eat and where I ate, at the Hard Luck Cafe, they had singing waiters!

Our next stop was the Showboat Branson Belle on Table Rock Lake. Here we would have dinner, be entertained with a  musical show, be amazed by a magician, walk around the decks and sail around the lake. The ad said we would see the Ozark mountains but I did not see any mountains just hills!

Two of our group were asked to go to the stage and participate in a few of the tricks. I read where there are 700 seats on the boat and the boat is an 1880 paddle boat.

Sinatra and Friends was our next destination at the King's Castle Theater. By this time we were tired and not as enthusiastic but the show was good with Sinatra's songs being sung. Somehow, it seemed like a more subdued group and I hope it was because we were tired and not that the show was not liked! Many of us thought it was an impersonator show and it wasn't. It was a full scale musical celebration made up of superb singers, amazing dancers and unique film footage. Songs by Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Daren and Frank Sinatra were sung by the talented group.  Our first day received A+ from me!

Continued in next blog...