PA Turnpike 2. Sarah 0.

Let's just say the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I have a bad relationship. When I was around 19-20 years old, I ended up getting onto the PA Turnpike by mistake because US Route 1 had a median and I didn't realize I was in the wrong lane, until it was too late. Once you're on the Turnpike, you can't get off until you hit another exit. It's all highway, so there's no where to do a u-turn and go back the way you came.

When I got lost years ago this was before GPS on cell phones, etc. I didn't know I was supposed to take the "ticket" the booth printed out. So when I ended up at a toll booth later on crying to the guy that I was lost, all he did was ask for my ticket and charge me more because I didn't have the toll ticket. I couldn't even call anyone because I didn't know where I was.

I remember getting off and driving lost for awhile, until I came to this huge bridge- that probably connected PA to New Jersey. I sure did a u-turn there! I was not going to another state with only a little bit of cash. (This was before I had debit or credit cards too!) Eventually, I found State Rd, which I remembered passed through Philadelphia. I took it until I got home. That my first defeat with the PA Turnpike. Ever since then I've stayed away from the Turnpike. Getting lost, is a huge fear of mine.

So... Thursday evening F.B. & I attempted to take on the PA Turnpike again. We had directions to Allentown printed from Google. Which were not specifically CLEAR about which way to go when there's a FORK in the road! We ended up getting off the wrong exit and driving for miles. We ended up in Landsdale PA, first. Somehow using the GPS on my phone, we got back on the turnpike, but ended up in Norristown, PA. We ended up paying tolls about 3 different times and spending a over $7.00 just to get lost!

Traffic was atrocious when we finally got back on the PA Turnpike for the 3rd time to head home. There were no lanes, it was like Philippine traffic all over again! We were lost for a good 2 and a half hours. Wasting gas and cash on tolls. It was not a good experience, I'm not good when it comes to getting lost because I panic. Let's just say we never did make it to Allentown, PA... I needed a shot of vodka when we did finally get home. I had an awful migraine and needed a nap!

Since getting to Hershey Park also involves taking the Turnpike our plans for that changed as well. Maybe someday I'll attempt the PA Turnpike again and maybe I'll actually defeat it, instead of it defeating me! But not anytime soon...

Tomorrow F.B. and I are heading to the Philadelphia Zoo. It's my last vacation day from work. We already purchased our tickets and printed them out online, so there's no backing out of that. At least driving there doesn't involve the Turnpike! :-p

I have a new header banner as you can see! The image to the left is a seagull on the Schuylkill river bridge in Philadelphia on Market Street. The middle picture, is skyscrapers in downtown Philadelphia on Market Street. And the right picture is a palm tree during sunset at Manila Bay, Philippines. :-)