Profiles in Discourage: 1989 Toyota Tercel – Dead Battery

May 1999. Tempe, AZ. After almost three years living in the United States, I decided to get a car. Since I didn't have much money, I went for the cheapest I could find. From the classifieds section in the Arizona Republic, I found a 1989 Toyota Tercel that was advertised for $2,699, called the owner Aaron F., and made an appointment to meet. The car was a pale metallic blue, 5-door liftback that bore a lot of similarity to the photos below.

Great Moments: Jamestown Settlement

During the summer of this year, I received complimentary tickets to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Wife and Son had been there before. I haven't. The tickets came in three sets: one for a single-day access with free parking, one for a meal of entree and drink, and one for a souvenir cup for free refills after paying full price for the cup.

Great Moments: 2nd Week, 2nd Vacation – ... The Fishes

("2nd Week, 2nd Vacation" continues from The Storm, The Sea....)

During our visit to Topsail Beach three years ago, New York Corner Deli was our breakfast place on both mornings. Conveniently located in the center of Topsail Island, it was a 15-minute drive from our Airbnb stay. With our stay at Saltwater Suites this time around, the drive was less than 5 minutes. The choice of NY Corner Deli was a no-brainer... for both mornings. 

Great Moments: 2nd Week, 2nd Vacation – The Storm, The Sea...

Our first family guided vacation program was so successful that we were gamed for another one the following week. Not exactly. We had already planned the second vacation a month ahead, coinciding with 4th of July so that it required two instead of three vacation days from work. Since 2021, we had been using Airbnb to find vacation stays at the beaches of Tar Heel. The choice of stay determined which beach we would go to. This time around, we broke the Airbnb tradition by making a reservation at a place called Saltwater Resort & Suites. It was a commercial property located within walking distance of the Surf City beach in Topsail Island. 

Return to The Big Apple: Addendum – The Hotel

The hotel provided by the program has a 4-star ("upscale") rating. That means refrigerator, microwave, rollover bed ($50/night), laundry service, breakfast and wifi (free for travel group) are premium options. In contrast, Hampton Inn – one of my preferred hotels – is rated 3-star ("mid-tier") and offers those premium options – particularly refrigerators, microwaves, breakfast and wifi - as complimentary. 4-star rating does not mean 4-star quality, as we found out.  

Return to The Big Apple: Part 6 – It’s A Wrap

("Return to The Big Apple" continues from Part 5.)

Day 6: Wrap-Up

I turned off my phone alarm the night before. It was a little after 7am when I got out of bed. After our luggage were packed, we headed to Tick Tock Diner for our final breakfast of the program using the last set of coupons. (Full details of the dining experience is found in Addendum – Complimentary Dining.)

Return to The Big Apple: Part 5 – Under the Boardwalk

("Return to The Big Apple" continues from Part 4.)

Day 5: NY Aquarium, Coney Island & Little Island

The morning began with my 12-Steps meeting on Zoom, followed by breakfast at Tick Tock Diner (full details of the dining experience is found in Addendum – Complimentary Dining), and then assembled at 8:30am at the hotel lobby. With Tour Guide Joe was Assistant Langston. While we were rolling into 34th Street–Herald Square station, three members experienced difficulties using their OMNY cards. Despite multiple attempts to scan the cards, a red screen appeared and entry was denied. Joe remedied the issue by scanning his OMNY card to give them access. This issue would extend to more members before the day was through.