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October, 2014 | No Place Like Travel
Archive | October, 2014
Friday, 31 October 2014

Daily Pics: Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween! Poor little Baby Boy O doesn’t know what hit him. After a long drive along the Natchez Trace Parkway he gets stripped and changed into a ridiculous outfit and made to pose for pictures for his mum and dad’s viewing pleasure. After all that effort he doesn’t even get candy. Life’s tough buddy. 

 

Car gauges

Rocking the fuel economy using cruise control

 

Mum and Baby Boy O dressing up in lion cub costume

Way too big for him so there was a lot of tucking and cinching

 

Baby in lion cub costume with pacifier

Lion cub eating puppy dog

 

Baby lying on bed with lion cub outfit

Whatcha doing Baby Boy O? …just ‘lion around’

 

Yesterday’s post: The Farm

Tomorrow’s post: From Walmart to Whole Foods

 

 

 

Thursday, 30 October 2014

Daily Pics: The Farm

Ever since watching the documentary “The Business of Being Born” I’ve been enamoured with the idea of The Farm. The commune that was established back in the flower power era was, at one brief point, on the list of potential places to give birth. In my mind’s eye we would make the 1,000 mile pilgrimage from New York City to Summertown Tennessee a month before Baby Boy O’s arrival date, arriving joyous, round bellied and greeted by mystical midwives who would sprinkle rose petals as I walked along the path to motherhood. 

Today’s lesson is two fold: firstly, the dream can differ significantly from reality, nevertheless the dream makes you recognize the elements that personally ring true, like the desire to be closer to nature and the belief in the human body to do what needs to be done. Secondly, is that even I have limits to the level of ‘granola-crunchiness-walk-on-a-rainbow-flower-power-patchouli-incense-chanting-and-drumming-earthiness’ I can take without wanting to jump in my petroleum burning vehicle and order a non-vegan burger.

All that being said, I have deep respect for the philosophy and conviction that seeded and grew The Farm to what it still is today. 

 

RV on road with 11 ft bridge

Break on through to the other side, conquering yesterday’s predicament

 

Sign for the farm

Pilgrimage to The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee

 

Visitors center at the farm

Finally made it

 

Door of the visitors center with visiting times

Open 9 to 5…not. Thankfully there were instructions for a self guided tour

 

Philosophy of the farm

The philosophy and conviction I deeply admire

 

Man holding baby in store

Dined on vegan fare at The Farm Store

 

Yellow school bus in disrepair

Legend has it that an old school bus with seats removed and cushions on the floor was a the original midwifery center where babies were guided into this world

 

Barrel with bicycle

Pang of guilt when I mentally calculated how many gallons of gas we’ve used on this road trip

 

Gates leading to organic garden

It may have been organic, but it wasn’t much of a garden

 

Eco house with grass roof

Experiments in alternative ecologically friendly housing

 

Bamboo

Sustainability is key

 

Eco house with black panels

In harmony with the land

 

People in front of Eco house with one man drumming

Accidentally intruding on a meditative drumming session

 

Pumpkins and fungus

Pumpkin power

 

RV on the Natchez trace

Back on the road again in our tiny house on wheels – perhaps even in our gas guzzling vehicle we have a smaller carbon footprint than the average person?

 

Yesterday’s post: Predicament

Tomorrow’s post:

 

 

 

Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Daily Pics: Predicament

Simple predicament…bridge clearance = 11ft, RV height = 11ft, destination = half a mile past the bridge, alternative route = 21 miles around. 

Sometimes life throws things at you and in these moments you recognize that if you can’t go through it, under it or over it, it’s time to go around it. It may take longer, but you do get there in the end.

 

Nachez trace parkway sign

Things are much simpler when people walked this route by foot

 

Bridge with 11 ft sign

One 11 ft bridge

 

Man on RV measuring height

Meets one 11 ft RV. Confirmed by measuring tape

 

Man holding baby ready for bath

Made it to the campground in time for bath time

 

Yesterday’s post: Corvettes and Chevys 

Tomorrow’s post: The Farm

 

Tuesday, 28 October 2014

Daily Pics: Corvettes and Chevys

If today had a theme, it would be cars. We paid a visit to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. A car collection and memorabilia mecca for enthusiasts. Not being a rev head myself, the most fascinating part of the museum was created in February this year, when a giant sink hole (like the one that revealed the entrance to Mammoth Caves) opened up and swallowed part of the museum, cars included. 

It was also time to say goodbye to our trusty Chevy Cruz. After three faithful months, over 5,500 miles through sunshine and rain, it was time to retire him back to the rental farm for an oil change and service. In exchange we now have a spacious silver bullet of a car. 

 

Blue corvette

The Italians have Lamborghini, the Germans have the Porsche, the Americans have the Corvette

 

White 1960 corvette

A classic beauty

 

Racing corvette surrounded by mannequins

The mannequins adds to the faux racing excitement

 

Blue racing corvette

Throwback to racing days of yesteryear

 

Red corvette

Similar to my first (remote controlled) racing car, a hard earned prize for getting my first filling at the dentist

 

Red concept corvettes

Fast forward to concept cars. Hail the curvature of mighty fiberglass

 

Corvette museum sink hole

The coolest part of the museum – a sink hole that opened up and swallowed eight Corvettes

 

Corvette broken

Chewed up 

 

Black Chevy and silver Nissan

Farewell Chevy, hello Nissan

 

Yesterday: Mammoth Caves 250 Feet Underground

Tomorrow:

 

 

 

Monday, 27 October 2014

Daily Pics: Mammoth Caves 250 Feet Underground

Mammoth Caves National Park rocks! Pun intended. We descended 280 steps, ducking and weaving our way 250 feet underground to the largest cave system in the US. A maze of tunnels 400 miles long, created by water seeping its way through limestone over millions of years. Baby Boy O did remarkably well spending near to two hours strapped to the front of dad. Thank goodness for good hearted National Parks guides and their torchlight tricks.  

 

Sign for mammoth caves national park

Loving our national parks

 

People waiting at entrance to mammoth caves

One of the many entrances to the cave

 

Cave rocks

Subterranean  

 

Baby with dad in mammoth caves

My little adventurer

 

Baby and dad in caves

Ducking and weaving

 

Frozen Niagara mammoth caves formation

Frozen Niagara formation

 

Stalactites and stalagmites

Stalactites hold tight to the ceiling and stalagmites might grow up to the ceiling one day

 

Mammoth caves bus

Baby Boy O wakes as we get on the bus back to the visitors center

 

Beautiful trees

We go for a lovely walk on the heritage trail as we wait for English Hubby to finish is second tour down in the caves

 

Yesterday: Shoney’s Sunday

Tomorrow: Corvettes and Chevys

 

 

 

Sunday, 26 October 2014

Daily Pics: Shoney’s Sunday

One of the pleasures of road tripping across America is being able to sample various fast food “restaurants”. Living in New York City quarantines you from the delights of interstate dining where clusters of eateries vie for your dining attention. For miles leading up to the turnoff are signs advertising all you can eat buffets, breakfasts served past noon, crispiest fried chicken with a serving of heart attack. Today we caved and ventured into one we hadn’t dined at before…Shoney’s. 

 

Baby in PJs in bed

Lazy Sunday morning in bed

 

Baby smiling

All dressed and ready to go

 

Baby with apple pieces

But first, an apple snack

 

RV park

A stroll around the RV parking lot aka campground that was our home for the last three nights

 

Shoney's restaurant

Sampling the delights of Shoney’s

 

Buffet

All you can eat buffet with a tiny salad and tons of fried food

 

Salad plate

Fairly healthy, minus the fish fry and fried okra

 

RV in Krogers supermarket carpark

Next a top up at Krogers

 

Dinosaur by the interstate

Then off to Mammoth Caves National Park…yes, that is a dinosaur by the interstate

 

Yesterday: Kentucky’s Finest

Tomorrow: Mammoth Caves 250 Feet Underground

 

 

 

Saturday, 25 October 2014

Daily Pics: Kentucky’s Finest

Kentucky sure is proud of its bourbon heritage. Two tours and several tastings later I’ve come to intellectually appreciate the art of bourbon making, however the enjoyment of the drink itself still eludes me. Nevertheless loving another glorious day in the sunshine.

 

Sign for awesome flea market

Hard to resist, but the Kentucky Bourbon Trail awaits

 

Man and stroller in front of Jim Beam center

First stop, Jim Beam. 95% of the worlds bourbon is made in Kentucky and 50% that comes from here

 

Man pouring corn into hopper

English Hubby giving them a hand

 

Bourbon barrels

It’s all about the barrels

 

Washing bourbon bottle

Giving a hand to wash…

 

Baby touching bourbon bottle

…and bottle

 

Bourbon making process

Making this stuff is a piece of cake 

 

Collage of Jim beam

Thanks to the Beam family 

 

Standing on the devils cut

Walk in a straight line please ma’am

 

Kentucky farmland

Back roads

 

Makers mark distillery

Trying out a smaller distillery

 

Tour group at makers mark

History lesson 

 

Stream flowing through makers mark distillery

Beautiful grounds with the right water being the key ingredient

 

Vat of bourbon mash

A matter of yeasty chemistry

 

Baby with makers mark label

Baby Boy O having a taste…of the label

 

Man tasting bourbon

Now for the real taste test, finished off with a chocolate bourbon ball

 

Makers mark advertisement

Cheeky

 

Baby kissing mummy

A different sort of cheeky, with a big serving of slobber

 

Yesterday: Louisville Surprise

Tomorrow: Shoney’s Sunday

 

 

 

Friday, 24 October 2014

Daily Pics: Louisville Surprise

Lexington was what we pictured it to be. Louisville was not. It was way cooler! To our surprise there is a great vibe and a laid back feel. As Maria the ex-New Yorker said, “it is a city with small town culture”. Loving Louisville.  

 

Main Street Louisville

So very Main Street

 

Airstream coffee trailer

Stumbled upon a pop up space

 

Pop up food stall behind mound of grass

Hand crafted local beer, pulled pork and more

 

Lunch in Louisville

Perfect for a bite

 

People dancing

And an after lunch Nia session

 

Plants growing in bottles

Green scene

 

R2D2

R2D2 came to visit!

 

Mirror with lots of reflection

Look closely…what do you see?

 

Solar powered trash cans

What a great idea

 

Dummy grenade sign

What a dumb idea

 

Large baseball bat on side of building

Off to the Louisville Slugger factory

 

Holding Mickey mantles bat

Batter up! Holding Mickey Mantle’s bat

 

Baseball bat factory

Hands on in the factory

 

Baby with miniature baseball bat

Little little league

 

Statue on main st Louisville

Art on the streets

 

Limo covered in spots

Kitsch

 

Horse statue with feather boa

Kentucky chic

 

Baby in stroller giving thumbs up

Thumbs up to the coolest kid in town

 

Material art

Gallery in C21 hotel

 

Gallery space in C21 hotel

Hotel with a twist

 

Family selfie

Modern day family selfie in the elevator bank

 

Louisville skyline

Louisville skyline

 

Ohio river

Meeting of the rivers

 

Muhammad Ali museum

Quick visit to the Muhammad Ali museum

 

Quote

An interesting character

 

Shadow boxing Muhammad Ali

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee

  

Yesterday: Year of the Horse

Tomorrow: Kentucky’s Finest

 

 

 

Thursday, 23 October 2014

Daily Pics: Year of the Horse

Lexington Kentucky is exactly how I had pictured it – long white fences, green rolling hills and lots of horses. Personally I’ve never been a horse person, but one can’t help but appreciate the majesty of these fine creatures when you get to see them up close and personal.

 

Baby on activity mat

Today’s milestone – his first unassisted forward roll onto his tummy 

 

Beautiful red tree

Watching the change in season is just beautiful

 

Champion race horse

Parade of champions – what a way to retire

 

Sign for da hoss

English Hubby’s favorite

 

Miniature horse stable

So small we couldn’t even see it

 

Man and baby watching horse show

Horses of the World show 

 

Baby and mum on a horse

This one refuses to move!


Baby stroking a horse

Nice and gentle 

 

Family photo with horse

Horsin’ around

 

Horse follows baby

She had a little crush on him

 

Baby laughing in stroller

My little boy, born in the Year of the Horse

 

Bronze statue of Secretariat

Magnificent creatures, each with their own personality

 

Plate of KFC

Had to have Kentucky Fried Chicken in Kentucky!

 

Yesterday’s post: Winners!

Tomorrow’s post: Louisville Surprise

 

 

 

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Daily Pics: Winners!

Kentucky is the proud Horse Capital of the World, so it would be rude not to make a small wager at the track. We spent the afternoon at Keeneland Race Track and walked away with a fist full of dollars…$13 to be exact!

 

Mural on building

Deja vu lunch at the Lexington Diner. I asked the waitress to surprise me, and got a yummy Kentucky cheesesteak with coleslaw

 

Drive in wagering sign at Keeneland race track

I’ve heard of drive through fast food, ATMs, liquor stores and now wagering!

 

Entry to Keeneland racing track

Well timed race meet in October

 

Greeter at Keeneland race track

Met the lovely Tamryn who gave us the inside scoop and a race program 

 

Watching horses saddle up

Pole position for the parade of horses and saddling up

 

Betting ticket and horse

Slow start with number 7 coming second last

 

Baby and me with wagering ticket

Doing better in race 5 and 6

 

Starting gates

Setting up – da da da dah, da dah – is actually played by a real bugle guy! 

 

Horse race

Off they go! 

 

Horse race finish

Here they come!

 

Woman with winnings

Fist full of winnings!

 

Yesterday: Ouchies 

Tomorrow: Year of the Horse

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Daily Pics: Ouchies

Getting Baby Boy O’s vaccinations on the road is not as simple as it seems – calling countless pediatricians, some of whom won’t do alternative schedules, many of whom don’t use the same triple dose shot, a false start and then having to play the medical records transfer game. Still, none of that compares to the pain Baby Boy O had to endure. He was such a brave little trooper today, earning himself two Spider-Man band aids. 

 

Happy baby

Waking up so happy

 

Baby feet sticking out

Little Houdini with his feet 

 

Books about god

You know you’re moving closer to the Bible Belt when you see this resding material at the pediatrician.

 

Lexington diner storefront

Lunch after pricks and post office run 

 

Burger and slaw

Bourbon burger with Renada’s homemade slaw and family secret potato salad recipe

 

Blue grass tour bus

“House” farm tours

 

Horse capital of the world sign

Equine epicenter

 

RV servicing center

Barter – RV servicing for advertising 

Baby with Spider-man band aids on his legs

My brave little boy coming home with Spider-Man trophies

 

 

Yesterday: Bridge Day

Tomorrow: Winners!

 

 

 

Sunday, 19 October 2014

Daily Pics: Bridge Day

What would compel a sane person to attach a backpack, throw themselves off a bridge, free fall toward the ground, pull a chute and hope to god it works, then try to navigate the winds to land on a small target by a raging river? Respect to professional base jumpers. 

Funny thing is after watching a few hurl themselves over the egde for Bridge Day, you start to demand more theatrics. The daring but plain forward free fall is no longer enough. Twists, pikes, backward flips and tandem jumpers captivate. You quickly get dulled to the fact that each time they jump they are dicing with death. So blasé. More more more! 

 

Baby strapped to mum in a sling in an RV

My barnacle baby, strapped tight so I can get a few things done around the RV

 

Items in a kitchen sink

Securing the fort. Packing up the RV to move onto the next destination

 

RV parked up

Farewell Summerville Lake Retreat. It’s been swell

 

Baby giving mum a kiss

Baby Boy O has learned to kiss…actually it is more like smooch and lick

 

People on the bridge

Thank goodness we took a bus to Bridge Day. No parking here! 

 

Baby in carrier with dad

Hanging out with dad. No parachute here

 

New river gorge sign with zip liners

No zip-lining today

 

View from the bridge

Just a small drop

 

Baby with hoodie smiling

Don’t throw me off please!

 

One base jumper jumping off bridge

One base jumper

 

Two base jumpers jumping off a bridge

Two jumpers

 

Bridge jump landing spot near river

X marks the landing spot

 

Concession stand

Not a real Philly cheesesteak nor an Italian sausage

 

Fake Philly cheesesteak

Impostor!

 

Baby and mum in front of yellow school bus

Ride back to the car park. Baby Boy O’s first school bus ride

 

RV on road with motorcyclists following

Cruising along the Midland Trail

 

Golden dome of Charleston capital building

Quick stop in Charleston to drop off the grill at the UPS store

 

Grocery bags full of food in RV

Restocking

 

Happy baby having diaper change

Nappy / diaper change

 

Welcome to Kentucky sign

Hello Kentucky

 

Thursday, 16 October 2014

Daily Pics: Around The World In 91 Days

Airline tickets are now booked. In December we will depart on the next leg of our nomadic lives, with stops in London, Singapore, Bali, Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and back to Dallas to resume our road trip. 91 days hopping countries, and continents via plane. Lugging baggage and adjusting to time zones with a little one in tow. All I can say is thank goodness for our brilliant travel agent who helped us through a monumental booking exercise – juggling a multi-city gig, making flight times as reasonable as possible and planning with precision to avoid rush hour traffic en route. As John “Hannibal” Smith of the A-Team genre use to say, I love it when a plan comes together. 

Really looking forward to quality time with family and friends all round the world. 

  • Thanksgiving in Dallas: ~24 Nov to 1 Dec
  • Christmas in London: 1 Dec to 27 Dec
  • Years’ end in Singapore: 28 Dec to 31 Dec
  • Wedding in Bali: 31 Dec to 7 Jan
  • Sun n Surf in Sydney: 7 Jan to 13 Jan
  • Chinese New Year in Melbourne: 13 Jan to 23 Feb
  • Hanging out in Hong Kong: 23 Feb to 28 Feb
  • Lounging around Los Angeles: 28 Feb to 2 Mar
  • Returning to the RV in Dallas: 2 Mar onwards, heading east
 
 
Computer

Planing frenzy: Tickets – check. Travel insurance – check. Request for bulk head bassinet seats – in progress. Visas – to do…

Monday, 13 October 2014

Daily Pics: In Search of Wifi

The person who said plans never go to plan is totally right. The campground we picked was in the middle of a communications dead zone – crappy cell signal and snail paced wifi. Great for tuning out, but horrible for a work day where English Hubby was planning to make calls and I was planning to respond to emails, research flights and catch up on blogging. We hotfooted it out of dodge and ended up an hour and a half further west. At the end of an impromptu transit day, I’m thankful for so many things, not least of all for fast wifi. 

 

Baby with plate of food and pear in mouth

Tasting menu – cucumber, pear and carrot

 

Dad and baby with baked bean surprise

Baked bean surprise comfort food

River view

Picturesque campground if you ignore the fact that it is wedged between a scenic byway and train tracks

 

RV on a highway

Getting outta there and heading to the land of wifi

 

Indoor grilling of vegetables

Indoor grilling since the winds have picked up. There’s talk of tornados in Kentucky!

 

Steaks on an indoor grill

Thankful for Walmart where we bought this hardworking little grill

 

Steak and grill vegetable dinner

Dinner fit for kings and queens

 

Tuesday, 7 October 2014

Daily Pics: Frederick

Spent the day exploring the little historic city of Frederick. A few square blocks of historic buildings, sites and civil war personalities. More interesting than I’d thought it would be was the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. It wasn’t a flashy museum as museums go, just a few rooms packed with eye opening information.

Did you know the biggest cause of death during the civil war was disease (round of the mill diarrhea and so on) caused by unsanitary conditions in the camp?! Further exacerbated by poor diet and overall health of the soldiers. When you spend over 95% of your conscripted time off the battlefield, hanging around with others waiting to head to the front line, it can be a real killer.

My favorite snippets were of the women who assumed male aliases and dressed in drag to fight in the war. Passing the not so thorough medical exam, they often refused medical attention when injured on the battlefield in order to hide their true identities. Full of historical facts, stories and gory details like descriptions and photos of battlefield amputations which were rather common, the museum is not to everyone’s taste.

 

Canal with walking paths

A stroll along the canal. Amsterdam it is not!

 

Bronze statue of children reading

Past the library

 

Baby eating from spoon

Playing with solids

 

National museum of civil war medicine sign

Worth a visit

 

Diorama of civil war soldiers

Wonderfully fake, a little kitsch but informative

 

Civil war surgery kit

Upon leaving, we heard a guy tease his squeamish mother by saying “let me buy you a bone saw as a souvenir”.

 

Mum kissing baby

Managed to find a delicious authentic Thai restaurant – Sumittra. Also the perfect place for pre lunch kisses

 

Ducks in the canal

Post lunch walk along the canal

 

Purple water lilies

Beauty grows from mud

 

Sweeties store front in Frederick

A sweet reminder

 

Historical church

History on the streets

 

Happy Halloween pumpkins in Frederick

Getting to the season

 

Yesterday’s post:

Tomorrow’s post:

 

 

Monday, 6 October 2014

Daily Pics: A Long Time Since Movie And Red Wine Club

It’s been a long time since movie and red wine club. We went from being fancy free and single, living the SITC lifestyle, to somewhat happily married surburbanites with little boys. It was a beautiful calm morning sitting on sofas, sipping cups of tea and getting philosophical about life with Conscious Christine. Always an eye opening conversation with a treasured friend.

 

Conscious Christine and buzz light year with baby boy o

Morning cuddles with our boys who came to us against the odds

 

Tummy time

Trying a bit of tummy time

 

English hubby taking baby boy o to rover

Loading up the previous cargo

 

Five guys burger

Taking a sneaky Five Guys lunch break

 

Bags of jook

Something a little more healthy for Baby Boy O

 

Yesterday’s post: Two Little Boys Hiking In The Woods

Tomorrow’s post: Frederick

 

 

Sunday, 5 October 2014

Daily Pics: Two Little Boys Hiking In The Woods

Woke bright and early on a crisp autumn day, blended up some green juice, booted and suited up to go hiking in the woods. It was a divine walk along the lake in Nockomixon State Park. Two Aussies, one Brit, three Yankees, one stroller, a baby bjorn and a posh fascinator. A brilliant start to a camping tradition.

 

Morning buddies

Good morning buddy!

 

Sydney gal with fascinator

This is how we go hiking all the time

 

Before hiking shot

The before shot

 

Baby boy o in stroller

If you go into the woods today…

 

Beautiful state park lake

…you’ll find a big surprise..

 

Baby boy o in bear suit

…if you go into the woods today you won’t believe your eyes…

 

Hiking friends

Nice to stretch the legs

 

Breakfast back at the cabin

Well earned breakfast

 

Baby boy h eating avocado

Don’t think much about this green stuff!

 

Campsite

Farewell campground

Baby boy o throwing up

Cry baby spewy baby

 

Entering Baltimore

Hello Baltimore

 

Baby boy o and buzz lightyear lying on a mat

Hang in’ out with Buzz Light Year

 

Choosing Halloween treats

The agony of choice

 

Cienna wine

Wine with good old friends

 

Yesterday’s post: Cabin Dwellers

Tomorrow’s post: A Long Time Since Movie and Red Wine Club

 

 

Saturday, 4 October 2014

Daily Pics: Cabin Dwellers

Having fled the Hillbilly Hilton were now settled in a much nicer campground. Our friends are meeting us in New Hope and then coming to join us for the night. We’ve promised them a campfire, a cook out, s’mores and good old fashioned outdoor fun. They have the cabin and we have moved to the adjacent RV spot. Welcome cabin dwellers.

 

Baby in frog PJs

Excited about his little buddy coming to camp out

 

RV levelers

Leveling up

 

Baby and dad in new hope

Hello buddy – Happy Baby H

 

Baby with striped hat

Rockin’ the hat

 

Baby sitting on mums lap

Hangin’ with mummy

 

New hope clock

Lazy afternoon in New Hope 

 

Hippies use side door sign

Going with the flow

 

Message on staircase

Artistic delivery up stairs

 

Mum dad and baby on bridge in new hope

Crossing the bridge

 

New Jersey Pennsylvania border

Crossing the line

 

Canals by the Delaware river

Miles of canals 

 

Mums and babies in front of cabin

Cabin friends

 

Woman cooking veges over a grill

Camp cooking

 

Man grilling meat

Jaybo, master of the grill cooking up steaks, ribs and chicken

 

S'mores around the campfire

Squishy s’mores and wine around the campfire

 

Yesterday’s post: Hillbilly Hilton

Tomorrow’s post: Two Little Boys Hiking In The Woods

 

 

Friday, 3 October 2014

Daily Pics: Hillbilly Hilton

On the whole RV parks are pretty nice, but every now and then we come across one that qualifies for hillbilly hilton status. This weekend our friends are joining us for some good old fashioned camping. Thank goodness we checked in a day ahead to do a reconnaissance of the place. We had booked them into a cabin trailer. The rental trailer smelled of putrid air freshner, covering up the wash of disinfectantant, masking the smell of stale cigarette smoke. The couch and bed were so disgusting I felt the need to take a shower after being inside.

 

Horrible rental trailer

Not fit for human consumption

 

Disgusting swimming pool

Swampy

 

RV on the freeway

We got out of there as fast as we could!

 

Man at table planning trip

Finding a nicer RV park for the weekend and forward planning for our trip

 

Man assembling electric grill

Found a much nicer campground! Perfect place to try out our new electric grill

 

New electric tabletop grill

Gave up on the electric grill which kept blowing the switches. This little baby will have to do!

 

Yesterday’s post: Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Tomorrow’s post: Cabin Dwellers

 

 

Thursday, 2 October 2014

Daily Pics: Wash, Rinse, Repeat

After dropping the RV off for a much needed wheel alignment, we spent the better part of the day in the laundromat. English Hubby is the king of laundry, and no one can separate, wash and dry like he can. Whilst he laundered, I shopped for groceries. What a glamorous division of labor. After that it was back (again) to the RV servicing place to try to work out why the stereo system keeps turning itself on at random times. Still a mystery.

 

Wheel alignment place

Fixing the wobble with a wheel alignment

 

Baby in stroller in laundromat

Getting clean!

 

Man plugging in an electrical cord that does not reach

Just short!

 

RV on freeway

Off to Pennsylvania to set up camp

 

Yesterday’s post: 24 Hours in Manhattan

Tomorrow’s post: Hillbilly Hilton

 

 

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Daily Pics: 24 Hours in Manhattan

24 hours is not a lot of time unless you happen to be John Bauer. Still dazed from our return to the big smoke we had a ton of errands to run and it was just one of those days where nothing would be easy, especially not a trip out to the storage unit to pick up our packages in the rain, then a drive out to New Jersey to pick up our RV. All I can say is that we survived and the three of us are still talking to each other. Just.

 

Baby in stroller in manhattan apartment

A tough day

 

Yesterday’s post: Return to the Big Apple

Tomorrow’s post: Wash, Rinse, Repeat