The Hinge Experiment Meets Cruise Mode: Dialysis, Detours, and a Last-Minute Road Trip! 🚗🚢

It's Wednesday afternoon. Normally, after dialysis, I'd catch up on sleep, recover from treatment, and prepare for the rest of the week.

But apparently, I decided that a quiet Wednesday wasn't exciting enough.

Instead, I made some last-minute changes to my travel plans, and now I'm adding another road trip to The Hinge Experiment.

Why make life simple when you can add a few extra miles, a hotel reservation, and some logistical gymnastics?

The Cruise Is Calling!

Tomorrow, I'm embarking on a cruise out of Tampa, Florida!

Originally, my travel plans were pretty straightforward. I'd fly from Charleston (CHS) to Charlotte (CLT), then connect from Charlotte to Tampa (TPA).

Simple, right?

Well, I started looking at the numbers.

What would it cost to change my flight? What about a hotel? Could I use some points to make the arrangements work? Was there a better way to get where I needed to be?

After reviewing the options, I came up with a different plan.

I'm removing the middleman.

Instead of flying from Charleston to Charlotte and then connecting to Tampa, I'm driving toward Charlotte, staying at a hotel near the airport, and flying directly to Tampa tomorrow.

A little driving, a hotel stay, and one less flight segment.

And the best part? I actually enjoy driving!

Of course, that means I have to get organized, pack everything, drive, check into the hotel, and get ready for an early airport departure.

All while coming off dialysis.

What could go wrong? 😂

But Wait... There's a Columbia Detour!

This is where The Hinge Experiment comes in.

The following weekend, Airica is heading to Las Vegas. With both of us on busy schedules and separate travel plans, I made time for another visit.

So, before heading to my hotel near Charlotte, I'm driving to Columbia, South Carolina, to spend some time with Airica.

Yes, you read that correctly.

I'm going to drive to Columbia, spend some time with her, and then head toward Charlotte to prepare for tomorrow's flight to Tampa.

Somewhere along the way, I should probably eat something, too.

I'm beginning to think that my car deserves its own frequent-flyer program. It may not fly, but it certainly accumulates the miles!

What's on the Agenda Tonight?

I'm not going to overcomplicate the plans.

I'm looking forward to laughing, enjoying some food, spending time with Airica, and doing a whole lot of driving.

That's a pretty good Wednesday evening if you ask me.

It's been fun getting to know Airica, sharing experiences, and finding opportunities to spend time together despite our schedules. I don't know what the next step will look like, and I'm not going to pretend I have it all figured out.

For now, I'm enjoying the journey.

And apparently, the journey involves a lot of interstate highways.

I'll be trading the Columbia roads for a Charlotte hotel, then an airport, then Tampa, and finally a cruise ship.

Not exactly a restful week, but it should give me a few stories to tell.

And you know me. If something funny happens, it’ll probably end up here on the blog.

A Quick Message to Any Would-Be Burglars

Before I go, a little public service announcement.

If you're thinking about robbing the house while I'm away, don't.

My father is still in the house.

And there's also a giant leopard.

No, I won’t explain that any further. You'll have to use your imagination. 😂

Let's say the house is occupied, and this is a very poor time to test your luck.

Consider this your friendly neighborhood travel advisory.

Stay Tuned!

For now, I've got a road trip to Columbia, some quality time to enjoy, a hotel near CLT to get to, and a flight to Tampa to catch tomorrow.

Then it's cruise time!

I'll share more as it unfolds, including the cruise, the travel logistics, and whatever other surprises life throws my way.

The Hinge Experiment meets cruise mode. 🚗❤️🚢

Stay tuned. There's more to come!