How would you salvage this vacation?

Family and friends (total 8 or maybe 9 adults) have rented a big
house in Corolla, NC, at the northern end of the Outer Banks in
Currituck County for a week starting this Saturday. My wife and I
were going to fly into Richmond and my sister, driving down from
Baltimore with a few friends, would pick us up at the airport and
drive the rest of the way down.

Even if hurricane Isabel should make a sharp right turn right now and
head for Europe, the fact that they've already issued mandatory
evacuation orders and started boarding everything up means there's
not a chance that we'll be able to get into the house.

At the moment, my wife and I are so bumed out that we're prepared to
cancel the plane tickets, eat the $200 cancellation fee and just sit
home and sulk.

Even changing the plane tickets at this point incurs a $200 fee, so
something that we can do out of Richmond would be attractive. Neither
of us has ever been to Richmond (other than the airport), so I have
no idea what's available.

Suggestions?

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

There's a little place toward the coast called Williamsburg. FFM

Bert Hyman wrote:

Family and friends (total 8 or maybe 9 adults) have rented a big
house in Corolla, NC, at the northern end of the Outer Banks in
Currituck County for a week starting this Saturday. My wife and I
were going to fly into Richmond and my sister, driving down from
Baltimore with a few friends, would pick us up at the airport and
drive the rest of the way down.

Even if hurricane Isabel should make a sharp right turn right now and
head for Europe, the fact that they've already issued mandatory
evacuation orders and started boarding everything up means there's
not a chance that we'll be able to get into the house.

At the moment, my wife and I are so bumed out that we're prepared to
cancel the plane tickets, eat the $200 cancellation fee and just sit
home and sulk.

Even changing the plane tickets at this point incurs a $200 fee, so
something that we can do out of Richmond would be attractive. Neither
of us has ever been to Richmond (other than the airport), so I have
no idea what's available.

Suggestions?

(JohnDoe) wrote in
:
On 16 Sep 2003 19:42:21 GMT, Bert Hyman wrote:

Family and friends (total 8 or maybe 9 adults) have rented a big
house in Corolla, NC, at the northern end of the Outer Banks in
Currituck County for a week starting this Saturday.

more than likely the storm will be long gone by Saturday, as long
as the house is still there, and the area hasn't taken too much of
a hit, there is no reason why you won't be able to enjoy your week
there

You have more faith in the bureacracy than I do. They issued a
mandatory evacuation order this morning and it's usually the case
that only bona fide "residents" are allowed back in for some time
after. Property owners have been advised to carry their property tax
receipts with them as proof.

Also, most buildings are being buttoned up (plywood over the windows,
etc) and I -really doubt that most things will be opened up (in the
literal sense) in just two days. Remember, you're dealing with just a
few agencies serving the needs of thousands of absentee property
owners.

But, we don't actually have to do anything 'til Saturday morning if
we want to wait that long, so we'll see what we hear from people on
site.

Thanks for the positive thoughts.

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

Which could also be affected by Isabel.

Is the place on the Outer Banks oceanfront? If not it may be fine by Saturday
or Sunday. This has happened a lot before and they are very resilient, and
much of the houses there are well built for this kind of thing. Especially
in Corolla. So your vacation could be a go.

Richmond was a civil war center, there is lots of Civil war places near it.
Less than two hours to the west is the Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia Wine
Country, Charolottesville with Monticello, and a number of other Colonial
and Federalist era sights.

Further west is Staunton, with Farm Museum, nearby caverns, Woodrow Wilson
House.

Lots to see. Get a travel guide.

Julie

Frank F. Matthews wrote:
There's a little place toward the coast called Williamsburg. FFM

Bert Hyman wrote:

Family and friends (total 8 or maybe 9 adults) have rented a big
house in Corolla, NC, at the northern end of the Outer Banks in
Currituck County for a week starting this Saturday. My wife and I
were going to fly into Richmond and my sister, driving down from
Baltimore with a few friends, would pick us up at the airport and
drive the rest of the way down.

Even if hurricane Isabel should make a sharp right turn right now and
head for Europe, the fact that they've already issued mandatory
evacuation orders and started boarding everything up means there's
not a chance that we'll be able to get into the house.

At the moment, my wife and I are so bumed out that we're prepared to
cancel the plane tickets, eat the $200 cancellation fee and just sit
home and sulk.

Even changing the plane tickets at this point incurs a $200 fee, so
something that we can do out of Richmond would be attractive. Neither
of us has ever been to Richmond (other than the airport), so I have
no idea what's available.

Suggestions?



--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Bert Hyman wrote:
Also, most buildings are being buttoned up (plywood over the windows,
etc) and I -really doubt that most things will be opened up (in the
literal sense) in just two days. Remember, you're dealing with just a
few agencies serving the needs of thousands of absentee property
owners.


Many property owners are going to head back and patch things up as quick
as they can (my in laws had a house on the outer banks for many years, so
I know the drill).

They will probably let folks back in no later than Sunday. If this is indeed
a cat 2 or less hurricane it will be less of an issue.

Julie

But, we don't actually have to do anything 'til Saturday morning if
we want to wait that long, so we'll see what we hear from people on
site.

Thanks for the positive thoughts.

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

"Juliana L Holm" wrote in message
...
Bert Hyman wrote:
Also, most buildings are being buttoned up (plywood over the windows,
etc) and I -really doubt that most things will be opened up (in the
literal sense) in just two days. Remember, you're dealing with just a
few agencies serving the needs of thousands of absentee property
owners.


Many property owners are going to head back and patch things up as quick
as they can (my in laws had a house on the outer banks for many years, so
I know the drill).

They will probably let folks back in no later than Sunday. If this is
indeed
a cat 2 or less hurricane it will be less of an issue.

Julie


Before you do anything, check with the rental company. As I recall, you are
covered for actual evacuation days but not for after - as if you were going
to return for the final two days of your week after a storm! Find out what
the contract says and how your rental fees are protected if the house is not
available to you.

Chris

Bert Hyman wrote:

Family and friends (total 8 or maybe 9 adults) have rented a big
house in Corolla, NC, at the northern end of the Outer Banks in
Currituck County for a week starting this Saturday. My wife and I
were going to fly into Richmond and my sister, driving down from
Baltimore with a few friends, would pick us up at the airport and
drive the rest of the way down.

Even if hurricane Isabel should make a sharp right turn right now and
head for Europe, the fact that they've already issued mandatory
evacuation orders and started boarding everything up means there's
not a chance that we'll be able to get into the house.

At the moment, my wife and I are so bumed out that we're prepared to
cancel the plane tickets, eat the $200 cancellation fee and just sit
home and sulk.

Even changing the plane tickets at this point incurs a $200 fee, so
something that we can do out of Richmond would be attractive. Neither
of us has ever been to Richmond (other than the airport), so I have
no idea what's available.

Suggestions?

Bail out now. Group vacations are a recipe for disaster at the best of
times. Write off the money and consider it a lesson never to be repeated.

Dave Smith wrote:
Bail out now. Group vacations are a recipe for disaster at the best of
times. Write off the money and consider it a lesson never to be repeated.

I've never had a bad group vacation yet! Ranging from 4 to 25 people, from a
weekend to 2 months, they've all been great.

Maybe you need a new group.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.

The storm continues to weaken as of this evening. If it continues its
right turn by only about ten degrees the major impact will be near New
Jersey. It's expected to increase its movement so that by Saturday it
should be well past the Carolinas. A backup reservation in the
Richmond/Williamsburg area for a night or two probably would not be hard
to get this week. High pressure following a hurricane will bring
beautiful weather. Hopefully your family dynamic is more pleasant than
Dave Smith's - enjoy the trip.

One model shows NJ the other 4 show NC. NJ probability 10-19% NC
20%-49%. The projections show it going in NC and then north thru
Virginia. By saturday it will be in western NY but I suspect a good bit
of NC damage. FFM

Greg Johnson wrote:

The storm continues to weaken as of this evening. If it continues its
right turn by only about ten degrees the major impact will be near New
Jersey. It's expected to increase its movement so that by Saturday it
should be well past the Carolinas. A backup reservation in the
Richmond/Williamsburg area for a night or two probably would not be hard
to get this week. High pressure following a hurricane will bring
beautiful weather. Hopefully your family dynamic is more pleasant than
Dave Smith's - enjoy the trip.