We got back yesterday from a week in Myrtle Beach with Bryan, Laura, Nikol and Brylee. We stayed at a Holiday Inn Vacation Club Rental. I bought this vacation at the very end of a sales pitch to buy their time share. It was a good buy, we were told we would be staying in one of their luxurious two bedroom suites, (which they showed us). Upon arrival, we were put in their oldest, (26 yrs old) buildings. It was two bedroom and recently updated except it was nothing like what was promised. It was much smaller. When I mentioned what we were told, I was told that is where all of the people who bought the vacations were put. This was one of three or four falsehoods that were told to us. We also had to attend another 90 minute sales pitch to buy one of their time shares. So much for Holiday Inn Vacation Clubs. My reccommendation would be not to buy a time share there, (really anywhere). There was very limited handicapped parking in the lots, one space per building. One small ramp next to parking spot. The sales shuttle had a wheelchair lift but the beach shuttle didn’t. I entered using the stairs and my wheelchair was put in the back.

There were 3 pools, all no deeper than 4 or 5 feet at the most. There were slides, a lazy river and splash pads. We were in the pools all day, every day. The only way that I could be outside in that heat, (101/104) was to be in the water. All of the pools were equipped with the chair for people in wheelchairs. They also had steps with railings, which I prefer. I loved being in the water so much! Brylee learned to swim with me!!!! She is swimming underwater beautifully, yet she’s a little afraid to swim above water, I had the best time with her. We have such a connection, when I’m around she is like glue on me. She loves sitting on my lap in the wheelchair. I started calling her my little barnacle. She loves to ask questions and tell me things that she doesn’t even tell her parents, (I did tell them something she said that worried me about a child in her class).

I did not go to the ocean. I was told that the police department provided beach wheelchairs for free. I didn’t call because it was so hot and I didn’t want to be there if I couldn’t go in the water. Bryan, Laura, Nikol and Brylee went for a little while and met us at one of the pools. We went to Ripley’s Aquarium, Ripleys Wax Museum, and Broadway on the Beach, all handicapped accessible. We ate at great restaurants, even met my friends who live in Merrill’s Inlet for dinner one night, Pete, Brylee and I went to the Brookgreen Botanical Garden. Amazingly they are the only botanical garden in the United States that isn’t recipical. It was soooo hot. They had a small zoo and lots of statues. It was really beautiful and a lot bigger than ours. It was very different, more wild natural landscapes as opposed to specific gardens and lots of flowers like ours. Another time I would have stayed longer but honestly I couldn’t wait to leave. It was very handicapped accessible.

I lasted all week, doing everything. My health stayed good, I did not throw out my back, hip, or neck! I am very grateful.