Thoughts on Second Once-In-A-Lifetime Trip

I am a very lucky mother. My daughter is one of my best friends. Not every mother can say that and I’m blessed to be able to say it with truth and conviction. I was also blessed in that she and I didn’t go through the angst that normally passes between mothers and their teenaged daughters. Clogging together helped bring us closer.
Last year, we went on our first annual once-in-a-lifetime-mother-daughter trip to Disney World (see my blog dated November 23, 2014). She had a conference there and asked if I’d like to meet her there a few days early so we could have some quality time together. Hubby wasn’t interested in going to Disney World so I knew this was my chance to go. We had a very magical time and decided we needed to do it again.
This year was our second annual once-in-a-lifetime trip. We went back to visit the other Disney World parks that we missed last year and to visit the Universal Park. The highlight for me was riding on a Star transport alongside the Millennium Falcon, X-wing fighters, and Star Destroyers. We even went into light speed. The second time I rode it, space queasiness struck so I knew I’d reached the limit of flying through outer space. Our visit to Disney World was thrilling, but something was not quite the same. The Disney World parks were fabulous, but we didn’t feel as much magic like the previous year. That is until we went to the Very Merry Christmas party one night. There we found that the magic again! The laser light shows on the castle and the fireworks show and light parade brought out the little girl in me again.
The draw of the Universal Park was Harry Potter. The Harry Potter movies are my favorite movies other than the first Star Wars movies. Hogwarts, Hogsmead, London, Hogwarts Express, and Platform 9¾ are recreated there. It was a delight to be in the movie setting. Inside Hogwarts, the ride makes you feel like you’re riding a broom along with Harry, flying around Hogwarts castle, flying away from a dragon, and flying in a Quidditch match. It was so exhilarating! And dizzying and nauseating for me. But I loved every second of it and I’m so glad I got to feel the sensation. Daughter rode it four times, but once was all I could handle.
The rides and shows were great, but nothing was more special than spending time with my daughter. We think a lot alike and I feel at home with her. I am very blessed for such a relationship with her. All women should be so lucky.