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.