Day Twelve

Having a suite not just a room meant we felt like we should spend more time in it, so this morning we didn't rush. Watched a bit of cricket. Headed downstairs for breakfast after nine. It was the cleanest, nicest hotel breakfast we've had. Nice dining room, everything neat and clean, helpful staff. It was definitely a fair reflection of the hotel as a whole.

After breakfast went back to the room and watched Root and Bell knock off the final thirty runs to win the test match. That made it about time to leave, so we packed up and checked out.

Before we left we googled the cheapest fuel in Joplin, so made our way there. Passed part of the area devastated by the tornado in 2011. It seems to have been rebuilt successfully although there are still areas which have been cleared but not rebuilt.

Having left Joplin, we headed into Kansas and followed US Highway 400 the entire way to Wichita.

We stopped for lunch at Augusta. We desperately searched the town looking for an old fashioned diner, but to no avail. We even found the old part of town, but still not a sign of what we were looking for.

The old part of town

Eventually we had to make do with Subway. By this stage we were fairly close to our destination, so just cracked on. Arrived at the hotel around 3.30pm. We are staying here:

http://wichita.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

Ann had requested a high up room, and we got one. 15th floor, with a view of the river.

I saw the Arkansas....river

She also chose free parking as an option when booking, so that has paid off too. You have to use your room key to get in the car park, so we went and stuck the car away having unloaded.

Hotel seems quite busy with sporty people as there is some sort of baseball marathon going on at the stadium just across the river. Something like a 48 hour baseballathon with lots of teams playing.

We hung around the room for while. Ann did some three way Skyping with moderate success. By this time it was about 5pm. Ann had planned for us to visit Old Cowtown, a museum thing/recreation about the old days, but it shut at 5pm so we couldn't go there.

Instead we searched the web for somewhere to eat and then headed out.

Ended up going here for dinner. http://www.jimmiesdiner.com/

It was old school with a soda fountain and everything. Walked in, it had two or three tables worth of people already there. Got seated by a batty old greeter. Had our drink order taken. We both went for proper old fashioned milkshakes. Got given some iced water whilst we waited. Had our food order taken. Another batty waitress said it might be a little while due to the other people who arrived not long before us. When she had gone, I had a look around the diner. Counted at least fifty empty seats. Said to Ann how do they cope when it is properly busy??

Food arrived, we started eating. Still no sign of our milkshakes. Every time the batty old waitress came over she kept saying your milkshakes will be done in a minute. Got a little soul destroying. Eventually they turned up. They were worth the wait. It was like having a dessert as they were so thick.

We paid up and then headed to our evening activity. It was not far from the restaurant so worked out ok. We weren't sure how early to get there, so ended up arriving a good hour early. At least it meant we got the best choice of spots.

This was our destination. http://starlitefun.com/

Friday night at the......

As you can see we went to a drive in movie theatre. We parked centrally about halfway back, so we got the best view. We were originally confused, as all those who had arrived before us had parked facing away from the screen. We realised that they were all planning to sit in their back of their trucks to watch. We parked facing forward.

Went to the concession stand to get some drinks and then headed back to the car. It was still very warm out, so we kept the engine on so the air con was cool. You had two choices for audio, you could go with the old hook on the window speaker or tune your radio in to the frequency. We went for the latter as it would have better sound quality.

As it got dark, Ann suggested that we turn the engine off and open the windows so we could experience it the old way. I pointed out that it was still fairly warm out and that we would die like puppies trapped in a hot car, so air con was best.

I got overruled.

We watched Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. By the end it was baking hot in the car. Ann said she was fine. There were two more films on that we could stay and watch, but seeing as it was already 11.30pm, the next one was Antman followed by something else just as rubbish, we decided not to.

We headed on back to the hotel. Got to our room to look at the city at night. Looks good, but hard to take a picture of.

Best we could get

Ann is currently still awake, despite the fact it is 1am. I think the diet Pepsi she had at the drive in might be keeping her awake.

Batty waitresses seen - 2

Moose watch - low

States visited - 11