She's been fundraising all year (the other kids started fundraising in fourth grade), and between what she raised and funds from one of her friends who over-raised money, she was fully paid for! We only had to pay for my portion, woo hoo!
We planned, packed, and counted down the days until our trip.
And finally the day arrived for us to depart!
Day #1:
We had to be up around 5 to get to school around 6. The bus was going to leave at 6:15, and as I was chaperoning, I had to be there early to get my group settled in. Buuuut, as we had to be up so early, I hardly slept in fear of oversleeping. I had three alarms set, but still I didn't sleep well. And to make it worse? Around 4:30 that morning raccoons decided to be partying/fighting in the tree riiiiight outside of our bedroom window. Starting a long day of travel off exhausted is never fun.
 |
| Sleepy faces, ready to head to school! |
We got to school around 6, I met my co-chaperone, and we got our four girls situated on the bus. Our group worked out really well; all four girls each had a parent on the trip, and we were the only group that had two official chaperones!
The trip down was mostly uneventful; there may have been a u-turn in a non-u-turn area, but that's besides the point ;)
 |
| On the bus! |
 |
| Reading the book Dad got her in Boston a few years ago! |
We actually made it to Boston earlier than we had originally planned. We let the kids burn off some energy in this fountain area before our Duck Tour around the city.
 |
| Paige and her roommate enjoying the sunshine |
A lot of us parents were very confused about what a Duck Tour was. Many of us thought that we were going to go to something like a zoo just for ducks or looking for special ducks around Boston, and me, well, you can tell I love the Outer Banks because I think of Duck and Duck Donuts! Ducks are actually amphibious vehicles that were used in WWII for unloading cargo onto beaches, and these ones have been modified to be more comfortable for the tours.
 |
| A Duck! |
The tour was really neat, seeing various parts of town. The narrator (we had Sgt. Meatball!) makes it enjoyable, giving historical information while keeping it fun. I don't remember what all of my pictures were, but some of them were things like where Edgar Allen Poe was born, a library, a piece of the Berlin Wall, the bar that inspired the tv show Cheers, and my favorite, the Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge!
 |
| Sgt. Meatball beginning our tour |
 |
| Where Edgar Allen Poe was born |
 |
| Love this bridge! |
 |
| Cheers! |
We also went in the water with it, and a few of Paige's classmates got to drive the boat:
 |
| Paige's friend driving the Duck! |
 |
| Skyline of Boston |
 |
| A boathouse! I had to get a pic for Boathouse ;) |
I really liked the tour; it was a quick way to see the city and see a few of the important landmarks. I think I'd really like to go back and do a walking tour or just walk around the city. I loved that we did that in New York City in October last year, and I feel like I didn't really get to experience Boston, just got a quick little taste of it. Looks like I'm just going to have to go back!
After the tour, it was time to head back to the hotel. Unfortunately, it was rush hour traffic, so our 12ish mile trip took an hour and we were running late for check in and dinner. But, we got there in one piece, got everyone unloaded and settled in, and then it was pool party and dinner time!
 |
| Pizza and swimming! |
 |
| Paige and a couple friends; the boy was her classmate in preschool as well! They're happy to be reunited! |
The pool was the perfect way to get everyone's energy out after a long day on the bus! They had a lot of fun, and although it was really loud in there, it was a great time for the adults and chaperones on the bus to put their feet up for a few minutes.
After the student meeting was the chaperone meeting, and then finally, lights out for the kids around 10. It was a long day, but the long and exciting day was about to begin! Stay tuned for the Day #2 post: New England Aquarium, Whale Watch, and Quincy Market!
Have you ever been to Boston? What was your favorite part?
