Remember When?

Road trips when I was young always included overnight stays at motels similar to this. It was always my job to point out "vacancy" signs and holler from the back seat of the Volvo when I spied a possible resting joint. My dad would fold up the maps while he sent my mom in to make the arrangements with strict instructions to "see the room" and "check the beds". This sometimes led us to 2 or 3 dives before finding a suitable spot. Once in the room, we knew what to expect. The walls would be cement block, the beds would be rock hard - outfitted with one sheet and a polyester bedspread which was never warm enough and seemed to slip off the bed at least once during the night .The T.V. would have 3 channels (that would have to be changed manually), the indoor/outdoor carpet would be stained, and the room would smell of cigarette smoke. We would immediately rummage through our suitcase, find our swimsuit and begin a relentless campaign of "can we go to the pool?"

Flash forward a few decades . . .

Scott is in Virginia Beach for 3 days. Before he left, we bought his plane ticket, made rental car and hotel reservations with the click of a button. We were able to "see" the (non-smoking) rooms and choose his particular seat on the plane. The bed was a luxurious pillowtop concoction and he was able to choose from 6 different pillows, the down comforter was cozy, he easily flipped through the 799 channels with a remote, and there was a desk and chair for convenience. Around lunch, he was looking for a bite. Trip advisor allowed me to give him some interesting dining choices, sitting 2950 miles away. No need for maps, cameras, guidebooks, or scrounging quarters for the pay phone - he has a smartphone in his pocket.

One thing hasn't changed however. The kids still wage the mighty pool campaign as soon as we get in the room.

Makes me wonder what the next 30 years will bring?