Frozen Lemonade

Her first ever, in a fifties style diner in New Iberia, Louisiana.

Isla's Memorial Day Crew

Skipping ahead a bit - but I am tired. We spent the day in a repair shop trying to get the RV fixed here in Amarillo, Texas. Steaming along the freeway at 60 miles an hour yesterday when we heard a sound like a brick bouncing off the roof. Charlie had to climb up to discover the solar panel had come loose, smashed a hole in the bathroom roof and was trying to do the same to the roof vents. After speaking with useless Cruise America Charlie wedged the panel under the air conditioner, taped up the roof and we drove our last 50 miles a bit slower. Preferable to the alternative of waiting 2 hours on the hard shoulder in the dark waiting for a repair guy.

The repair shop did not have the part we need so the roof got a better tape job, they did fix the leaky loo and we will try again in New Mexico. In the meantime, a couple of pictures of the friends Isla made in Dallas over memorial weekend. Two families, each with four kids were beside us - she had a fab time.

Interesting things we have eaten...

Hush Puppies (deep fried corn bread)

Biscuits and Gravy

Jamabalaya

Gumbo

Soft Shell Crab

Boudin (kind of sausage skin filled eg with prawns, crabmeat, rice and herbs or pork, liver, rice and herbs)

Chicken stuffed with crawfish

Ribs cooked in a pit BBQ

A side of Mac and Cheese with everything

YUMMMMMM - definitely a few pounds heavier than when we left

Yes Please!

Next stop New Orleans.

Roadkill

We have seen:

~ Deer

~ Bird

~ Turtle

~ Racoon

~ Armadillo

~ Household Pet

Can there be anything weirder?

PS - No pictures for this post thank goodness

Sweet Home Alabama

We pretty much powered our way across Alabama on the I59. We knew we wanted to spend some time in Louisiana so skipped Alabama to make that happen.

Spent one night close to the border near a town with the strange name of Demopolis. Drove through at 5pm on a Saturday (was actually 4pm but we did not realise we had crossed the timeline, ah well) and it was like a ghost town. Seriously did not see a single person, they might have been green with three eyes for all we know.

For the first time we stayed at a park run by the Armed Forces Corps of Engineers, these are usually on water and they were recommended to us by a family from Chattanooga as they usually have better facilities than state parks and are really well run. We arrived later afternoon and left early morning, but very friendly people, and the most amazing field of wildflowers.

We use Isla as an alarm clock and we used to get up at 8am, now it is 7am.

Stickers and Curious George

Wildflowers, Alabama

Wildflowers, Alabama

Chattanooga Choo Choo

Chattanooga, Tennessee; finally we stayed somewhere for 2 nights!

Isla made friends with two boys, Tyler and Joel, staying in a nearby trailer. She and three year old Joel got along great. Playing in firepits and a game called “Cornhole” that people from Tennessee play – it is not at all rude - it involves trying to throw a corn filled bag into a hole on a board. They were mainly putting their legs in the hole but great fun nonetheless.

We decided to skip the big attractions – Rock City, the Incline Railway and Ruby Caverns as we have seen similar things in other places and they were SERIOUSLY expensive. Headed instead downtown.

In the 1960s Chattanooga was voted the dirtiest city in the USA and since then has undergone massive regeneration and is very green now. We tried to take a riverboat tour to Tennessee’s “Grand Canyon” but with it being the end of term it was sold out with school kids. Might have been a good swerve as the sound level just in the ticket hall was immense. Instead we took Isla to the playground and the numerous paddling pools and water fountains which were all full of kids. She had a great time.

Giant child, 2 days older than Isla

Pretending to sleep

Paddling in unsuitable attire

From South Carolina to Tennessee

Woke up and hiked to a waterfall – Whank Falls –a ha ha - which meant a another morning of “Mummy, throw rock in water”. Had coffee in Bryson City – the prettiest one horse town where they gave Isla some kind of sweet red raisins. Headed towards Chattanooga, Tennessee. What a beautiful drive. Through winding roads with rivers and railroads running alongside, rafters and kayakers for company. Past dams and giant lakes with swimming beaches and boat launches, through a Cherokee Indian reserve and roadworks staffed by men with big signs saying “INMATE” on their backs. Finishing with a stop at Wallmart for a coffee machine and BBQ – hurray – all we need are a couple of bikes and we are set!

Staying at one of the top 10 RV sites in the US. Learning that what RV-ers like is not always what we like. We like the peace and beauty of the National and State Parks, even if it means no electricity or showers. The Americans like flat concrete slabs to park on, WIFI and 80 cable channels, plus a pool and laundry. Don’t get me wrong we like that every few days as we do want to wash – but a mixture of the two is a good thing.

Byron City Railway Station

The second Hummer in this tiny town

Stressed, checking the Canucks score, follwed by YEYYYYYY!

Checking out the old trains

Great Smoky Mountains

Spent the day in Asheville taking a trolley tour of all the sights and having a lovely lunch at the Mellow Mushroom café. That town is full of hippies! Learned at the end of the day we were 45 minutes away from the lake and the hotel where Dirty Dancing were filmed. Charlie for some reason was unwilling to travel that 45 minutes in the opposite direction at 4pm. I may never recover from being so close and not seeing it for myself. Stayed in Deep Creek State Park in the Great Smoky Mountains – you could pick your site and pay at a machine like a car park pay machine. Beautiful and peaceful.

Last Few Days

Last few days:

Monday: Took the RV in for a new water pump then set off for Boone and Blowing Rock, just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Eastern North Carolina. As we went higher it got colder, something we were totally unprepared for. Arrived very late in the Julian Price Memorial Park, no ranger in the office so set up camp (illegally). Isla and Charlie went to the lake so I could cook the dinner as fast as I could before it got dark as we had no electric hook up. Isla spent the rest of the evening saying “Mummy, throw rock in water”. Glad she is speaking in sentences but she needs some new ones. It was freezing when we woke up – even wearing all the clothes we had. Have since learned we do have heating, but it only works with an electric hook up.

Tuesday: Headed to Grandfather Mountain – going higher for some reason. We went into the National Park where there is a mile high swinging suspension bridge. Spent some time at the nature centre and visiting the bears, deer and otters (could not find the cougars). When we went to head to the top of the mountain it was closed as they were filming a Ford Commercial up there, apparently they film a lot of car commercials (and lots of Forrest Gump) up there due to all the hairpin turns in the road. Not too upset as it was so foggy we would not have seen anything and we wanted to get off the mountain to warm up. Stopped for a quick hike to some waterfalls – all downhill on the way there which is always a bit of a worry. We warmed up on the way back up, and spent the whole time singing to keep Isla happy. Booked into an RV Park just east of Asheville, arrived at 4pm to drink tea and sit wrapped in blankets. Definitely becoming wussier.

Our Ride

People have been asking me to post a picture of our RV - so here it is. It is 19 feet long and sleeps three, it has a double over the cab and the table converts into a single where Isla sleeps. We have a toilet, shower, fridge, cooker, sink, microwave, air conditioning, water heater - but we do need to be connected at a campsite to use it all. Our home for the next 2 months!

Huntington Beach State Park

Took an early morning nature walk on the salt marshes in the state park – saw lots of birds and even more alligators. Charlie took some great pictures perched precariously on wobbly rocks. Packed up and had a swim on the sea before setting off on the longest drive yet – to Raleigh to stay with Evan and his girlfriend Tracey. It is bike week so tons of people riding in convoy on Harley Davidsons.

The Last Few Days.....

Over the last three days we have:

~ Driven to Savannah South KOA campsite. Hung out at the pool and borrowed a dvd about the history of Savannah. Charlie hated it as John Cusack was in it and I fell asleep during it. Not sleeping too well at the moment. Worrying about Isla falling out of that bed.

~ Savannah for the day, beautiful buildings. Stayed in Hilton Head Island RV Resort, one of the poshest places to RV in The USA, lots of golf courses etc. We preferred the state park.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Blue Crab in Savannah

Paula Deen's, Savannah

Savannah

~ Charlie played golf at one of the famous Hilton Head courses. Isla and I hung out at the smallest outlet mall ever. We were at the Tanger 1 Mall. At the Tanger 2 Mall, less than 1 mile away down the highway with no pavement, there were loads more shops and the Guinness book of world record attempt for pie eating going on. It would have been a better story if we had been at the right mall and taken part. Spent the late afternoon driving towards Charleston so we could have a full day the next day.

~ Took a horse and cart tour of Charleston, ate at Hyman's Seafood restaurant, and wandered through the market - "Southern Living" must do activities.

Charleston

Charleston

Charleston

Horse and Cart tour, Charlston

On the road, South Carolina

On the road, South Carolina

On the road, South Carolina

PS - Isla is now sleeping in her tent on top of her bed and I am sleeping much better!

State Lines

Well, we picked up the RV in Florida on Monday. It is a bit smaller than we thought - not so much storage so Charlie and I are sharing our bed with the golf clubs. Very cute and it will be better on gas and easier to drive than one of those big monsters.

We spent the first night in Ferdinanda Beach in Northern Florida - a beautiful state park called Port Clinch. All white sand dunes and bleached wood board walks, quite beautiful. Total rank amateurs at this RV-ing thing, there was water dripping down the side of the vehicle and we had no idea why. A nice German man came and helped and between them he and Charlie found that our pump head seems to be leaking - nothing too serious we are just economising on the pump use for now.

Did a tour of the historic fort and walked on the beach collecting shells - Isla loved it.

She Loves It.

Hello America!

We made it! We arrived in the Florida late on Friday night, we are here in an Orlando resort hotel for a few days. We were totally disorganised, booking the flight Wednesday night, the RV Thursday afternoon and the hotel just before bed on Thursday night. As soon as it was done we were EXCITED! We have a very loose plan, places we both want the see and which direction we will be travelling in. It is a trip both Charlie and I have wanted to take together for a while, we pick up the RV tomorrow morning at 10am, we have an intensive lesson on how to operate it and then off we go - approximately 6000 miles in the next two months.

We have our first campsite booked for tomorrow night, a national park in Florida, beach front and in the middle of nowhere. There are a couple of major cities we would like to visit but mainly we want to stay rural - trying to get to the opposite end of the spectrum after London for 10 years then Tokyo for a year.

Wooohooooo!

Happy Mothers Day!

Get Ready!

Arghhhhhh!

She already fits in!