After leaving Nantucket (click for the first post in this series) I was feeling pretty terrible and was getting worse by the minute.  Before leaving for my trip I had been fighting a cold/flu and it finally was done being a “I think I’m getting sick” to a full fledged I am SICK.  All I wanted to do was go back to the White Elephant, curl up in a ball on that luxurious bed and sleep for days.  It has been a while since I’ve felt that poorly and being sick on vacation sucks.  Even more so when you’re solo so you have to do the driving!  Still, I had to get to my next stop so I took a lot of medicine after stopping at Friendly’s for lunch (they closed all of the locations in Ohio and I have a weakness for their quesidillas!) I doused myself with cold medicine and headed off!

Along the way I kept debating on whether or not to stop and see the Plymouth Rock.  From what everyone has said, it’s really lackluster and not what people are expecting so I was very close to not going (again, sick) but I decided that it was one of those things I couldn’t really pass up.  I had allotted for extra time because I was supposed to meet a fellow photographer but I cancelled so I didn’t get her sick and decided to use the time to go see the rock.

To be honest, I was kind of impressed!  I was expecting a pebble in a box from what I’d been lead to believe was there and I was surprised to see a sizable boulder sitting down on the sand.  I also didn’t expect it to still be on the shore (can you tell I did no research for this part of my trip??).  I’m sure it really isn’t THE rock but it’s still neat and pretty cool to see.  The little town was absolutely adorable as well and I’m sorry that I couldn’t stop and poke around.

I got back into my car and after a bit of a haul I wound up at my destination for the night, Atlantis Oceanfront Inn in Gloucester.  To go from the White Elephant to there was a bit of a change but the service was absolutely charming and just what a flu addled solo traveler needed.  When I checked in the man (owner?) was so amazingly kind.  They had fresh cookies and hot apple cider in the office and the apple cider was JUST what I needed after my trip.  I drug my suitcases up to my room and was happy to see the amazing view of the dual lighthouses at Thatcher Island from my balcony (yep, another lighthouse view room, it’s how I roll on vacation!).  I went back down to get advice for dinner.  I knew I wasn’t feeling hot but I also knew that not eating would only make things worse so I headed into town.

My first stop was the Fisherman’s Memorial.  One of the shows I’m obsessed with is Deadliest Catch and watching that show gave me even more of an appreciation for what these men go through to earn their living on the sea.

Of course I had wanted to visit the town ever since I read The Perfect Storm (and saw the movie) so I drove by the spots that had been featured in both.  I eventually wound up at Seaport Grille which was the PERFECT place.  They had chicken pot pie on the menu as a special of the day and it was the best thing I think I had all week.  I’m not sure if it was the flu or the food but man, that hit the spot.  Also, if you haven’t guessed it, I don’t eat seafood.  LOL.   It’s just an iPhone shot but this dinner was so good I had to document it. Also another nod to the service.  My waiter was so kind and lovely!  I highly recommend stopping here when in town.  And yes, I washed it down with Prosecco. Ha!

After dinner I took a few attempts at photographing the lighthouses but my lens was being a pain (I would send it in for service upon my return) so I said sod it and crawled into bed with the next book on my list The Ruins by Scott Smith (I tore through Winter Storms in a day while appropriately in Nantucket!).  If you haven’t read The Ruins YOU MUST READ IT!  So good – so long as you enjoy horror/thriller.

The next morning I felt even worse.  Luckily I didn’t have too much planned and my drive wasn’t nearly as far.  I started off with breakfast at the Inn and headed off down the coast.  My first stop was at Eastern Point Lighthouse and Dog Bar Breakwater Lighthouse.

I headed to Rockland which I had seen a ton of photos of online and was so darn picturesque I HAD to stop for some photos.  The town was as adorable as I thought and I was so sick I literally was there for 15 minutes tops.  I just couldn’t hang.

A bit further down the road I stopped quickly at the Wingaersheek Beach which had views of Annisquam Lighthouse.  They’ve recently shut down access to the lighthouse but the views from the beach were quite good!

The quick stops had taken their toll on me so I loaded up and decided to nix the rest of the lighthouses and scoot on up to Ogunquit.