Nov 25th - Tues - Ft Lauderdale FL
We were going to leave here tomorrow but decided to stay and rest to try to get rid of our colds before we move to Naples on Dec 1st. We finally decided to buy an air card for internet access for our computer. We found a new Verizon store with nice owners and signed up for a couple of years. Had some trouble setting it up but a very apologetic and helpful tech support guy was able to get us going. I think we are really going to enjoy having internet access any time that we have a cell signal as that is most of the time. We won’t have to pick an RV park based on wifi availability or get a park with wifi and then not be able to receive a signal at our site.
We got some “drugs” for Terry’s drippy nose, got out the lounge chairs and enjoyed the sun.
Nov 26th - Wed - Ft Lauderdale FL
Vicki wanted to check out the harness racing track and casino - didn’t take much to get us to go. But the racing didn’t start until 7:25 so we decided to go to the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood (just south of here) first. It is more than just a casino with a large hotel and a shopping mall as well. The outside mall is beautifully done with landscaping and fountains. When Paul & Vicki signed up for a player card, they received $20 in slot play. We did not get the $20 as we had signed up for the card previously at a Hard Rock Casino on our way to the keys. I introduced Paul to a couple of machines that ate up his money while Vicki walked away with a few dollars. Terry & I continued our casino losing streak!
The traffic was very heavy on the way back. The opposite side of the freeway was crawling. We exited just before our side came to a crawl. We stopped at a grocery store to get some items for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and returned to the RV park to drop off the groceries and have something to eat.
Just after 5 we headed for the race track which is in Pompano Beach - a short distance north. We all signed up for a player card and received $25 in slot play. We swiped our cards for a drawing entry and Vicki and I received $5 & $10 respectively in additional credit. But it didn’t do me any good!! Vicki managed again to nurse hers into $25 to take home (you can tell who the gamblers are!) and I actually found a couple of machines for Paul that allowed him to take some money home. We watched the horses warming up for a race, watched the race and decided that it was too slow and unexciting to stay longer.
I spoke briefly with Marg (sister) and found out that my Dad’s second cataract surgery went very well.
Nov 27th - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
We had a lovely Thanksgiving day. I made most of a turkey dinner for us and Paul & Vicki. The weather was wonderful and we had dinner early enough that we could eat outside. Terry, Paul & Vicki put on their suits to take a swim and then we discovered that the park thanksgiving dinner was being held in the pool area and it was closed. Later we lit a buddy burner and enjoyed a fire.
Before dinner, Terry & Paul wired up a light to illuminate our outside steps. Our porch light is cleverly located behind the door so the steps are dark when you open the door to enter or exit.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Nov 21st to 24th - Ft Lauderdale FL
Nov 21st - Fri - Ft Lauderdale FL
The guys spent time today working on the satellite TV systems. We are having a problem with our receiver so they swapped cables & receivers and hooked up to each dish trying to isolate the problem. Then we all took a drive to the Sawgrass Mill shopping center. It is a monstrous site with a circle road all around it. You have to drive from one section to another unless you are ready for a long walk. We were looking for Sam’s Club which we found across the road. Then we went back to BrandsMart USA in the shopping center. It is a store crammed with every appliance and electronic device in every brand that you can imagine.
We sat out and then enjoyed a shared baby back rib dinner.
Nov 22nd - Sat - Ft Lauderdale FL
The park allows vehicle washing on Wed & Sat so Terry took advantage of it to get the salt spray off both rigs while I puttered around inside. Next on the list was laundry and even though the washers were small I was lucky enough to get 5 and get everything done.
Now Terry is getting sick - and we all know it hits him harder than it does me
The park has wifi that you have to pay for but we cannot get a good enough signal at our site to even get signed up. Vicki has an air card on her computer and is nice enough to let us check email and update the blog on her computer.
Nov 23rd - Sun - Ft Lauderdale FL
Paul & Vicki spent the day with some friends so Terry & I coughed ourselves awake and decided an outing of some kind might help us feel better. We had seen a ad on TV for a swap meet and found it without any problem. Cars were lined up to get into parking lots and we had to drive around to find a spot when someone left. The place is huge - it’s a 14 screen drive-in movie site when the vendors clear out. There were indoor spots, tented spots and “throw it on the ground” spots. The weather was nice for walking around - not too hot with a nice breeze. But we both faded and headed back without buying anything. Walked to Kentucky Fried Chicken for some lunch which neither of us finished! Spent the rest of the afternoon & evening watching TV and conserving our energy.
Nov 24th - Mon - Ft Lauderdale FL
Got a slow start again this morning and then had to take Paul & Vicki to the swap meet. It was very different today as a lot of the open area was parking rather than “throw it on the ground” vendors. We stopped at a grocery store on the way back. We have some new neighbors so the guys had to relocate the satellite dishes and I downloaded a new program to correct a “scramble” problem.
Vicki provided most of the ingredients for a shared hamburger dinner. Terry is really stuffed up and coughing so he headed back to our rig right after dinner and I followed not too long after.
The guys spent time today working on the satellite TV systems. We are having a problem with our receiver so they swapped cables & receivers and hooked up to each dish trying to isolate the problem. Then we all took a drive to the Sawgrass Mill shopping center. It is a monstrous site with a circle road all around it. You have to drive from one section to another unless you are ready for a long walk. We were looking for Sam’s Club which we found across the road. Then we went back to BrandsMart USA in the shopping center. It is a store crammed with every appliance and electronic device in every brand that you can imagine.
We sat out and then enjoyed a shared baby back rib dinner.
Nov 22nd - Sat - Ft Lauderdale FL
The park allows vehicle washing on Wed & Sat so Terry took advantage of it to get the salt spray off both rigs while I puttered around inside. Next on the list was laundry and even though the washers were small I was lucky enough to get 5 and get everything done.
Now Terry is getting sick - and we all know it hits him harder than it does me
The park has wifi that you have to pay for but we cannot get a good enough signal at our site to even get signed up. Vicki has an air card on her computer and is nice enough to let us check email and update the blog on her computer.
Nov 23rd - Sun - Ft Lauderdale FL
Paul & Vicki spent the day with some friends so Terry & I coughed ourselves awake and decided an outing of some kind might help us feel better. We had seen a ad on TV for a swap meet and found it without any problem. Cars were lined up to get into parking lots and we had to drive around to find a spot when someone left. The place is huge - it’s a 14 screen drive-in movie site when the vendors clear out. There were indoor spots, tented spots and “throw it on the ground” spots. The weather was nice for walking around - not too hot with a nice breeze. But we both faded and headed back without buying anything. Walked to Kentucky Fried Chicken for some lunch which neither of us finished! Spent the rest of the afternoon & evening watching TV and conserving our energy.
Nov 24th - Mon - Ft Lauderdale FL
Got a slow start again this morning and then had to take Paul & Vicki to the swap meet. It was very different today as a lot of the open area was parking rather than “throw it on the ground” vendors. We stopped at a grocery store on the way back. We have some new neighbors so the guys had to relocate the satellite dishes and I downloaded a new program to correct a “scramble” problem.
Vicki provided most of the ingredients for a shared hamburger dinner. Terry is really stuffed up and coughing so he headed back to our rig right after dinner and I followed not too long after.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Nov 17th to 20th - Florida
Nov 17th - Mon - Marathon FL
We finally got together with the neighbor that we met briefly at the office when checking email. Lori & Dave are from Saskatchewan and had been to Newfoundland this summer so we had a lot to talk about.
Next we drove to Islamadora (about 25 miles back up the keys) where we had lunch and browsed through some stores.
The wind never quit last night and all day today. Good thing we have TV channels as you sure cannot sit outside.
Nov 18th - Tues - Marathon FL
We made another trip to Key West today. First took pictures at the southernmost point in the US and then had lunch at Sloppy Joe’s which is supposedly a must-do while in Key West. Walked around Mallory Square which has a sunset party each night (we didn’t stay for it) and wandered through many streets & stores that we hadn’t seen on our first visit. A lot of restaurants have live entertainment all afternoon & evening.
Shortly after we got back to the RV park, Lori showed up to ask us over for margaritas. They had been parked on a waterfront site but moved to a site a few rows back to get away from the wind and from the spray hitting their rig. Lori was going to make us all some dinner when Dave said he had seen a sign down the road for “all you can eat shrimp” which sounded OK to all of us. So we walked to the restaurant (a little further than Dave thought) and had dinner. The waitress asked if we were ready for more shrimp (peel and eat) but we were all full. So she brought another bowl for each of us and a couple of to-go boxes. I have a cold and achy muscles so we headed home.
Nov 19th - Wed - to Ft Lauderdale FL
Another restless night with the wind blowing. We took a few minutes to say goodbye to Dave & Lori before leaving shortly after 9. The wind was really tossing us around on the highway for a while but finally let up. We let Wanda lead us on & off toll highways and were happy to have her guiding us with “keep right, keep left and exit right” in quick succession. Arrived at Paradise Island RV park just before 1, got a spot right next to Paul & Vicki and got set up before they returned from the beach. We sat & chatted with them for a couple of hours and then came back to fix dinner. Paul had figured out how to get the new program on his Coolsat receiver so we didn’t have to do any computer stuff today.
I am still feeling very much under the weather so went to bed early.
Nov 20th - Thurs - Ft Lauderdale FL
I thought I would get a good night’s sleep without the wind but I tossed & turned & coughed all night and kept Terry awake as well. We enjoyed the sun and sat chatting with Paul & Vicki for quite a while this morning. Terry explored the park on his bike and joined Paul & Vicki for a swim while I tried to nap and ended up reading. Terry & I walked a short distance to a Walgreens for some “drugs” for me.
Paul needed a pizza fix so we went to dinner with them at CiCi’s Pizza which is a buffet/all you can eat chain. I downed some Nyquil-type medication and went to be early again.
We finally got together with the neighbor that we met briefly at the office when checking email. Lori & Dave are from Saskatchewan and had been to Newfoundland this summer so we had a lot to talk about.
Next we drove to Islamadora (about 25 miles back up the keys) where we had lunch and browsed through some stores.
The wind never quit last night and all day today. Good thing we have TV channels as you sure cannot sit outside.
Nov 18th - Tues - Marathon FL
We made another trip to Key West today. First took pictures at the southernmost point in the US and then had lunch at Sloppy Joe’s which is supposedly a must-do while in Key West. Walked around Mallory Square which has a sunset party each night (we didn’t stay for it) and wandered through many streets & stores that we hadn’t seen on our first visit. A lot of restaurants have live entertainment all afternoon & evening.
Shortly after we got back to the RV park, Lori showed up to ask us over for margaritas. They had been parked on a waterfront site but moved to a site a few rows back to get away from the wind and from the spray hitting their rig. Lori was going to make us all some dinner when Dave said he had seen a sign down the road for “all you can eat shrimp” which sounded OK to all of us. So we walked to the restaurant (a little further than Dave thought) and had dinner. The waitress asked if we were ready for more shrimp (peel and eat) but we were all full. So she brought another bowl for each of us and a couple of to-go boxes. I have a cold and achy muscles so we headed home.
Nov 19th - Wed - to Ft Lauderdale FL
Another restless night with the wind blowing. We took a few minutes to say goodbye to Dave & Lori before leaving shortly after 9. The wind was really tossing us around on the highway for a while but finally let up. We let Wanda lead us on & off toll highways and were happy to have her guiding us with “keep right, keep left and exit right” in quick succession. Arrived at Paradise Island RV park just before 1, got a spot right next to Paul & Vicki and got set up before they returned from the beach. We sat & chatted with them for a couple of hours and then came back to fix dinner. Paul had figured out how to get the new program on his Coolsat receiver so we didn’t have to do any computer stuff today.
I am still feeling very much under the weather so went to bed early.
Nov 20th - Thurs - Ft Lauderdale FL
I thought I would get a good night’s sleep without the wind but I tossed & turned & coughed all night and kept Terry awake as well. We enjoyed the sun and sat chatting with Paul & Vicki for quite a while this morning. Terry explored the park on his bike and joined Paul & Vicki for a swim while I tried to nap and ended up reading. Terry & I walked a short distance to a Walgreens for some “drugs” for me.
Paul needed a pizza fix so we went to dinner with them at CiCi’s Pizza which is a buffet/all you can eat chain. I downed some Nyquil-type medication and went to be early again.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Nov 15th & 16th - Marathon FL
Nov 15th - Marathon FL
Went to the office to post the blog and check email before heading to Key West, the furthest city on the keys. On the way we had to stop at a flea market where Terry found a part to repair the satellite dish and I got a pair of shorts. The bicycle riders must have stayed the night somewhere as we had to pass a lot of them again. We detoured through Bahia Honda State Park looking for our friends Gary & Carie but we didn’t find them so we must have gotten mixed up on the dates or location.
Once we figured out where we wanted to be, it was a little tough to find a parking spot in Key West. By the time we found some spots they were all metered but most occupied meters were expired so we decided to live dangerously and not feed the meter - besides, we didn’t have change!
It was very hot - high 80’s, low 90’s - and extremely humid so we ducked into stores that we weren’t all that interested in just to cool off in the air conditioning for a while. Stopped for a beer and discovered that we could walk around town with a drink so continued on. While we were walking, a police car led the entire group of bicyclists through town. They filled a whole lane for a couple of blocks at least.
By the time we decided to look for somewhere to have lunch, we didn’t go past anywhere that looked interesting so decided to head for home and cook an early dinner. It takes over an hour to drive so dinner turned out to be not all that early.
Paul (met in Clewiston) called to say that he had purchased a Coolsat satellite receiver and was having a problem with a scrambled signal. We started setting up our satellite so we could figure out if we could help him but, with dinner in the meantime, it got too dark so we decided to continue in the morning.
Nov 16th - Marathon FL
It got very windy last night. At 12:30, Terry heard the lawn chairs blow over so he was out putting everything away as it was also raining a bit then. After going to the office for internet to get a new Coolsat program, we set up the satellite. It was a huge challenge with the wind still blowing and the ground too soft to secure the tripod. We did eventually get it set up, got the new program loaded and had more channels than we could surf through in half an hour! I decided to email the uncompressed program to Paul, so another trip to the office where we briefly met a neighbor also checking email.
I needed a few groceries so we drove the 8 miles to Marathon. Again, no lunch so I put dinner on when we got back. Paul called to say that he did not receive my email - oops, wrong address. So another walk to the office - one way to get a little much needed exercise. Even when Paul received the file, we could not figure out how to get it on the flash drive to load the receiver. Their computer has the Vista operating system which I have not used very much and they also use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer so I couldn’t figure out the problem. We are going to the park they are in when we leave here on Wed so they are going to keep messing with it while they wait for us.
It remained windy and much cooler all day. The wind has blown mounds of sea grass onto the shore. The Gulf of Mexico is very shallow in some spots near the keys so I guess that is the source.
Went to the office to post the blog and check email before heading to Key West, the furthest city on the keys. On the way we had to stop at a flea market where Terry found a part to repair the satellite dish and I got a pair of shorts. The bicycle riders must have stayed the night somewhere as we had to pass a lot of them again. We detoured through Bahia Honda State Park looking for our friends Gary & Carie but we didn’t find them so we must have gotten mixed up on the dates or location.
Once we figured out where we wanted to be, it was a little tough to find a parking spot in Key West. By the time we found some spots they were all metered but most occupied meters were expired so we decided to live dangerously and not feed the meter - besides, we didn’t have change!
It was very hot - high 80’s, low 90’s - and extremely humid so we ducked into stores that we weren’t all that interested in just to cool off in the air conditioning for a while. Stopped for a beer and discovered that we could walk around town with a drink so continued on. While we were walking, a police car led the entire group of bicyclists through town. They filled a whole lane for a couple of blocks at least.
By the time we decided to look for somewhere to have lunch, we didn’t go past anywhere that looked interesting so decided to head for home and cook an early dinner. It takes over an hour to drive so dinner turned out to be not all that early.
Paul (met in Clewiston) called to say that he had purchased a Coolsat satellite receiver and was having a problem with a scrambled signal. We started setting up our satellite so we could figure out if we could help him but, with dinner in the meantime, it got too dark so we decided to continue in the morning.
Nov 16th - Marathon FL
It got very windy last night. At 12:30, Terry heard the lawn chairs blow over so he was out putting everything away as it was also raining a bit then. After going to the office for internet to get a new Coolsat program, we set up the satellite. It was a huge challenge with the wind still blowing and the ground too soft to secure the tripod. We did eventually get it set up, got the new program loaded and had more channels than we could surf through in half an hour! I decided to email the uncompressed program to Paul, so another trip to the office where we briefly met a neighbor also checking email.
I needed a few groceries so we drove the 8 miles to Marathon. Again, no lunch so I put dinner on when we got back. Paul called to say that he did not receive my email - oops, wrong address. So another walk to the office - one way to get a little much needed exercise. Even when Paul received the file, we could not figure out how to get it on the flash drive to load the receiver. Their computer has the Vista operating system which I have not used very much and they also use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer so I couldn’t figure out the problem. We are going to the park they are in when we leave here on Wed so they are going to keep messing with it while they wait for us.
It remained windy and much cooler all day. The wind has blown mounds of sea grass onto the shore. The Gulf of Mexico is very shallow in some spots near the keys so I guess that is the source.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Nov 12th to 14th - FL, Florida Keys
Nov 12th - Wed - to Clewiston FL
Didn’t get many pictures on the internet last night as the signal was just too low. Tried again this morning but not much better luck.
Said farewell to Frank & Marion and left about 10 for a short drive to Okeechobee RV Park in Clewiston which is on Lake Okeechobee. We were surprised to see what we identified as sugar cane fields as we neared Clewiston. Set up, had lunch and set out for a little exploring. Lake Okeechobee is very different. It is the second largest freshwater lake wholly in the United States, has an average depth of 10 feet, is entirely surrounded by a 104 mile long dike that averages 34 feet above the water level of the lake and is one of the best bass fishing lakes in the world. Stopped by WalMart for a couple of steaks for the barbeque and headed back to the campground. We also found some large, cheap candles to use in buddy burners.
We unloaded the bikes to ride around the park - couldn’t see any alligators in the park lake. The pool felt good and the weather was very warm (80’s) so a swim sounded like a great idea. When we got back to the pool, another couple (Paul & Vicki) was there and we had a great time talking to them. They asked if we wanted to join them for dinner at a local barbeque restaurant so we put the steaks back in the fridge and tagged along.
It was still early when we got back so they went to make a phone call and then came back to our site. Terry had a buddy burner set up which really intrigued them. Paul knew about, and had considered buying, the free-to-air satellite system that we have so we tried to give him as much information about it as we could.
We sat out until mosquitoes got too bad and the burner ran out of wax.
Nov 13th - Thurs - Clewiston FL
I had to use up some over ripe bananas in muffins this morning and decided to do a couple loads of laundry. We were just finishing the laundry when Paul & Vicki came by. They were going to WalMart for a prescription and for candles so they could make buddy burners and asked if we wanted to ride along. After WalMart, we stopped at Goodwill for some tins and scrounged some cardboard boxes from dumpsters. They also wanted to make some “business” cards and needed computer help to do so.
Back to the park and over to their place where the guys got the cardboard in the tins and Vicki & I worked on the computer. She has an air card so we had internet access but it seemed slow and would not download a program from Avery to create business cards. I could not figure out how to use MS Works Word Processing to get a picture on the card so Terry made several trips back to our rig to get our computer & CDs so I could get creative and move files from our XP computer to Vicki’s Vista machine. Kind of frustrating but got it done.
They had already thawed steaks for dinner yesterday so we got together to barbeque at our place for dinner. Again, the mosquitoes drove us inside - this time just as we started to eat dinner outside. They arrive very suddenly when it cools down just a bit.
Nov 14th - Fri - to Marathon FL
Left about 9 for a 3 ½ hour drive to the Florida keys. The keys are a string of islands (connected by causeways & bridges) stretching in a curve from the southern point of Florida.
We drove past miles & miles of huge sugar cane fields on the trip today. Then acres of swamp, part of which is Everglades National Park. A sign directed us to a different road than Wanda wanted us to take so we followed the sign which led us right past a casino. We were ready for a pit stop and something to eat so had to check it out. Signing up for a player card got us $20 each that we could only use on certain slot machines. I ended up with just under $10 in “winnings” that I could then use on any machine and Terry had somewhat less. Terry lost his and another $20 while I cashed in $40 to cover his losses and give us $20. We did not like the casino so were ready to go back to the rig where I made a sandwich and we carried on.
There was some type of organized bicycle ride going on so we had to travel many miles passing bike riders on a narrow shoulder with brave (ignorant?) riders right on the white line of a narrow road with a lot of traffic.
We are in the Jolly Roger RV park. We had booked 5 days with PA at $30 a night. There were very few campers when we got here with most of them on the water. The park had a $40 a night special for any site so we went on a tour and decided to “upgrade” from the PA site near the road (and with no neighbors) to a site closer to the water. After we decided to make the change and the paperwork was done, we discovered that if we had stayed near the road we would have received wifi at our site. Now we have to go near the office to connect.
It was after 3 by the time we were set up so we relaxed in the shade, walked around and chatted with a couple from Vermont, checked out the lobsters living by the docks and were then ready for dinner. I updated the blog but was too lazy to walk to the office to post it.
Didn’t get many pictures on the internet last night as the signal was just too low. Tried again this morning but not much better luck.
Said farewell to Frank & Marion and left about 10 for a short drive to Okeechobee RV Park in Clewiston which is on Lake Okeechobee. We were surprised to see what we identified as sugar cane fields as we neared Clewiston. Set up, had lunch and set out for a little exploring. Lake Okeechobee is very different. It is the second largest freshwater lake wholly in the United States, has an average depth of 10 feet, is entirely surrounded by a 104 mile long dike that averages 34 feet above the water level of the lake and is one of the best bass fishing lakes in the world. Stopped by WalMart for a couple of steaks for the barbeque and headed back to the campground. We also found some large, cheap candles to use in buddy burners.
We unloaded the bikes to ride around the park - couldn’t see any alligators in the park lake. The pool felt good and the weather was very warm (80’s) so a swim sounded like a great idea. When we got back to the pool, another couple (Paul & Vicki) was there and we had a great time talking to them. They asked if we wanted to join them for dinner at a local barbeque restaurant so we put the steaks back in the fridge and tagged along.
It was still early when we got back so they went to make a phone call and then came back to our site. Terry had a buddy burner set up which really intrigued them. Paul knew about, and had considered buying, the free-to-air satellite system that we have so we tried to give him as much information about it as we could.
We sat out until mosquitoes got too bad and the burner ran out of wax.
Nov 13th - Thurs - Clewiston FL
I had to use up some over ripe bananas in muffins this morning and decided to do a couple loads of laundry. We were just finishing the laundry when Paul & Vicki came by. They were going to WalMart for a prescription and for candles so they could make buddy burners and asked if we wanted to ride along. After WalMart, we stopped at Goodwill for some tins and scrounged some cardboard boxes from dumpsters. They also wanted to make some “business” cards and needed computer help to do so.
Back to the park and over to their place where the guys got the cardboard in the tins and Vicki & I worked on the computer. She has an air card so we had internet access but it seemed slow and would not download a program from Avery to create business cards. I could not figure out how to use MS Works Word Processing to get a picture on the card so Terry made several trips back to our rig to get our computer & CDs so I could get creative and move files from our XP computer to Vicki’s Vista machine. Kind of frustrating but got it done.
They had already thawed steaks for dinner yesterday so we got together to barbeque at our place for dinner. Again, the mosquitoes drove us inside - this time just as we started to eat dinner outside. They arrive very suddenly when it cools down just a bit.
Nov 14th - Fri - to Marathon FL
Left about 9 for a 3 ½ hour drive to the Florida keys. The keys are a string of islands (connected by causeways & bridges) stretching in a curve from the southern point of Florida.
We drove past miles & miles of huge sugar cane fields on the trip today. Then acres of swamp, part of which is Everglades National Park. A sign directed us to a different road than Wanda wanted us to take so we followed the sign which led us right past a casino. We were ready for a pit stop and something to eat so had to check it out. Signing up for a player card got us $20 each that we could only use on certain slot machines. I ended up with just under $10 in “winnings” that I could then use on any machine and Terry had somewhat less. Terry lost his and another $20 while I cashed in $40 to cover his losses and give us $20. We did not like the casino so were ready to go back to the rig where I made a sandwich and we carried on.
There was some type of organized bicycle ride going on so we had to travel many miles passing bike riders on a narrow shoulder with brave (ignorant?) riders right on the white line of a narrow road with a lot of traffic.
We are in the Jolly Roger RV park. We had booked 5 days with PA at $30 a night. There were very few campers when we got here with most of them on the water. The park had a $40 a night special for any site so we went on a tour and decided to “upgrade” from the PA site near the road (and with no neighbors) to a site closer to the water. After we decided to make the change and the paperwork was done, we discovered that if we had stayed near the road we would have received wifi at our site. Now we have to go near the office to connect.
It was after 3 by the time we were set up so we relaxed in the shade, walked around and chatted with a couple from Vermont, checked out the lobsters living by the docks and were then ready for dinner. I updated the blog but was too lazy to walk to the office to post it.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Nov 9th to 11th - Florida
Nov 9th - Sun - Davenport FL
The weather was so lovely this morning that I sat outside to read and have coffee. Terry suggested that I move the computer to the dining table to see if we could get wifi at our site and it worked since it gave us a clear line of sight to the antenna on the bath house. So we spent quite a bit of time catching up on email and researching campgrounds but were unable to reach anyone to make reservations.
After lunch, Terry & I went driving and made a big loop first south, then northeast through Kissimmee and back west & south to return to the park. Fueled up on diesel - $2.99.
Nov 10th - Mon - Davenport FL
I spent some time on the computer, made some campground reservations and prepared a bean casserole for the crock pot while Terry visited with Frank & Barry. Then Terry & I went to a few flea markets and got quite a bit of exercise to buy one Tshirt for Terry. We had a nice lunch, came back to the park and visited with neighbors for a while.
There was a pot luck dinner (hence the beans in the crock pot) in the park tonight followed by a musician who played the guitar and harmonica (sometimes at the same time) and sang very well. We chatted with a nice couple for a bit and were back before 8.
Nov 11th - Tues - Davenport FL
Did some maintenance and chores this morning and then had a late breakfast. About noon we took off with Frank & Marion for some exploring south on hwy 27. We went to a candy factory which promised viewing of the candy making process but nothing seemed to be under way. But we did take advantage of the candy tasting and we each bought some sweets. Then we stopped at a visitor center right beside a large orange juice processing plant where we watched an interesting film on orange juice and did more sampling - juice this time. We drove through nearby historic Lake Wales and checked out a couple of local stores.
On the way back we stopped at a WalMart for a few grocery items and ended up getting a pair of shorts and 2 pairs of jeans for Terry as well.
I applied myself to putting captions on pictures when we got back rather than going for a swim so I will be able to put them on the internet tonight.
The weather was so lovely this morning that I sat outside to read and have coffee. Terry suggested that I move the computer to the dining table to see if we could get wifi at our site and it worked since it gave us a clear line of sight to the antenna on the bath house. So we spent quite a bit of time catching up on email and researching campgrounds but were unable to reach anyone to make reservations.
After lunch, Terry & I went driving and made a big loop first south, then northeast through Kissimmee and back west & south to return to the park. Fueled up on diesel - $2.99.
Nov 10th - Mon - Davenport FL
I spent some time on the computer, made some campground reservations and prepared a bean casserole for the crock pot while Terry visited with Frank & Barry. Then Terry & I went to a few flea markets and got quite a bit of exercise to buy one Tshirt for Terry. We had a nice lunch, came back to the park and visited with neighbors for a while.
There was a pot luck dinner (hence the beans in the crock pot) in the park tonight followed by a musician who played the guitar and harmonica (sometimes at the same time) and sang very well. We chatted with a nice couple for a bit and were back before 8.
Nov 11th - Tues - Davenport FL
Did some maintenance and chores this morning and then had a late breakfast. About noon we took off with Frank & Marion for some exploring south on hwy 27. We went to a candy factory which promised viewing of the candy making process but nothing seemed to be under way. But we did take advantage of the candy tasting and we each bought some sweets. Then we stopped at a visitor center right beside a large orange juice processing plant where we watched an interesting film on orange juice and did more sampling - juice this time. We drove through nearby historic Lake Wales and checked out a couple of local stores.
On the way back we stopped at a WalMart for a few grocery items and ended up getting a pair of shorts and 2 pairs of jeans for Terry as well.
I applied myself to putting captions on pictures when we got back rather than going for a swim so I will be able to put them on the internet tonight.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Nov 6th to 8th - Florida
Nov 6th - Thurs - Orlando/Davenport FL
Got laundry washed and in the dryer before my haircut. It took a while for the haircut as the stylist did not want to get it too short and had to shorten it a couple of times. Terry was supposed to be finishing the laundry but he ended up BSing with neighbors and forgetting to check and add more quarters to the dryers.
We continued the chat fest with 2 other couples (Frank & Marion from Nfld, Barry & Cathy from PA) and all took a turn exclaiming about the wonderful weather that allowed us to sit in the shade and be comfortable with new friends. Hunger interrupted and we all went our own way to make lunches.
Marion, Terry & I went for a swim and a soak in the hot tub before Terry & I made another trip to a grocery store for some forgotten items (or menu change?). By the time I put groceries away, had dinner under way and joined Terry outside, mosquitoes had showed up and sent us back inside. After dinner we had a buddy burner out so our neighbors came over to check it out and visited again until mosquitoes and cooler weather said it was time for bed.
Nov 7th - Fri - Orlando/Davenport FL
We and Frank & Marion headed for a flea market today. Terry had picked up a brochure at the info center that advertised 1700 vendor stalls. Unfortunately, it seemed like there were less than half of them open. We were told that more are open on Sat & Sun and I think it is still early in the tourist season here. It still took us a couple of hours to wander around, buy a few things and have a sandwich for lunch.
We had passed a Big Lots store on the way and Marion had never been in one. So we had to stop there on the way back. There was a Texas Hold’em poker game in the park starting at 5 so the guys went to that and Marion, Cathy & I got together and did what women do best - talk - & had a couple of drinks with slightly more healthy snacks than the men ate.
Nov 8th - Sat - Davenport/Tampa FL
Frank took over driving duties today for a trip to Tampa (about 60 miles) to take in an RV show. It was not as large as we hoped but we went up & down enough steps for a while. Still didn’t see anything to make us say - yes! our new home!
Frank missed an exit when we were going to the RV show and we happened to turn around in the parking lot of a casino. So when we were ready for lunch we decided to check out the casino and have some lunch there. Then we each took $20 for the slot machines which quickly disappeared except for Terry who had a little run of luck which covered our $40 plus most of lunch.
Frank made a couple of detours to a garage sale, a large produce stand and a winery for some tasting so we had a full, fun day. The weather is wonderful - sunny & very warm.
After dinner, we went and had a nice visit with Gary & Carie from Victoria, BC who we met briefly in Savannah.
Got laundry washed and in the dryer before my haircut. It took a while for the haircut as the stylist did not want to get it too short and had to shorten it a couple of times. Terry was supposed to be finishing the laundry but he ended up BSing with neighbors and forgetting to check and add more quarters to the dryers.
We continued the chat fest with 2 other couples (Frank & Marion from Nfld, Barry & Cathy from PA) and all took a turn exclaiming about the wonderful weather that allowed us to sit in the shade and be comfortable with new friends. Hunger interrupted and we all went our own way to make lunches.
Marion, Terry & I went for a swim and a soak in the hot tub before Terry & I made another trip to a grocery store for some forgotten items (or menu change?). By the time I put groceries away, had dinner under way and joined Terry outside, mosquitoes had showed up and sent us back inside. After dinner we had a buddy burner out so our neighbors came over to check it out and visited again until mosquitoes and cooler weather said it was time for bed.
Nov 7th - Fri - Orlando/Davenport FL
We and Frank & Marion headed for a flea market today. Terry had picked up a brochure at the info center that advertised 1700 vendor stalls. Unfortunately, it seemed like there were less than half of them open. We were told that more are open on Sat & Sun and I think it is still early in the tourist season here. It still took us a couple of hours to wander around, buy a few things and have a sandwich for lunch.
We had passed a Big Lots store on the way and Marion had never been in one. So we had to stop there on the way back. There was a Texas Hold’em poker game in the park starting at 5 so the guys went to that and Marion, Cathy & I got together and did what women do best - talk - & had a couple of drinks with slightly more healthy snacks than the men ate.
Nov 8th - Sat - Davenport/Tampa FL
Frank took over driving duties today for a trip to Tampa (about 60 miles) to take in an RV show. It was not as large as we hoped but we went up & down enough steps for a while. Still didn’t see anything to make us say - yes! our new home!
Frank missed an exit when we were going to the RV show and we happened to turn around in the parking lot of a casino. So when we were ready for lunch we decided to check out the casino and have some lunch there. Then we each took $20 for the slot machines which quickly disappeared except for Terry who had a little run of luck which covered our $40 plus most of lunch.
Frank made a couple of detours to a garage sale, a large produce stand and a winery for some tasting so we had a full, fun day. The weather is wonderful - sunny & very warm.
After dinner, we went and had a nice visit with Gary & Carie from Victoria, BC who we met briefly in Savannah.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Nov 2nd to 5th - Florida
Nov 2nd - Sun - to St. Augustine, Florida
We had picked an RV park for today until Terry started reading some reviews and we decided not to go there. So we scrambled to find another park this morning and ended up here. We stopped at a large visitor info center as we entered Florida and stocked up on reading material. Arrived at 1:20, set up, grabbed a quick sandwich and headed for the large flea market that is right beside the RV park. This is a true flea market with mostly used goods plus the usual new T-shirts, socks and dollar items. There was also a snack bar area with beer and karaoke - BAD karaoke.
We all made a trip to a grocery store, then back to the rig for happy hour and sorting through all the brochures that we picked up earlier. Cable TV here so we have lots of channels that we don’t want to watch! It started to rain just as we were walking back from the flea market but quit about 10.
Nov 3rd - Mon - St. Augustine, FL
The name of this town is pronounced like the month. It is the town that has been continuously occupied for the longest time in the U.S. - founded in 1565.
We had a great day today with Billy & Lauri. Relaxed start which gave me time to bake some poppy seed muffins for breakfast. Then we headed for the historic town and the beaches which are about 9 miles away. We stopped in town to take pictures of the incredible Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church and then walked a block for a few shots of picturesque Flagler College which used to be a large hotel. On the way to the beach, we stopped at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. I did not have any takers to join me on the 219 steps to the top so we carried on to a long pier where we were charged 50 cents each for the privilege of walking on it. But the waves were really crashing in so Terry, Billy & I made the walk. Quite a few people were fishing from the pier.
Next a stop for lunch at the “world famous” Oasis Deck & Restaurant followed by a drive along a hard packed section of beach. Back into town, stopping first to explore the fort Castillo de San Marcos. Very interesting and beautifully restored. It took us longer than we expected and we returned to an expired parking meter. Luckily, the “meter maid” was just going down the opposite side of the row! We had noticed some shops around a big square so we paid for an hour of parking and set out. Then we saw a whole street of shops opening off the square so we got another hour of parking and continued - including a restorative stop for beer or ice cream.
A stop for diesel ($3.28) and we were back in time for a short happy hour before a light rain sent us in for dinner.
Nov 4th - Tues - St. Augustine, FL
Billy took over driving duties today as we continued to explore St. Augustine. But first we had to hit a Big Lots store (Lauri & my favorite!). We went to the Mission of Nombre de Dios - wonderfully manicured grounds with a huge cross on the edge of the river, trees planted in honor of loved ones, monuments, information plaques and huge numbers of squirrels. Checked out the Lightner Museum but decided we did not want to spend the money to view such things as china, old hotel rooms and replicas of old store window displays.
Next we crossed a bridge to Vilano Beach which is on a peninsula that starts not too far south of Jacksonville - as we found out. We stopped at a restaurant with an ocean view for a nice lunch and then continued driving north. There are huge, gated estates along the beach and also on the other side of the road which fronts on the Intercoastal Waterway. Hit I95 freeway for the trip back to the RV park.
I had tried to do a load of laundry before we left this morning but the park water was being shut off so I did it when we returned. Also helped Lauri on her computer.
Nov 5th - Wed - to Orlando, FL area
We are actually in Davenport which is a little southwest of Orlando - staying at the ThemeWorld RV park (CCUSA). The I4 highway is close by but we are a few rows back in the park so the noise is not nearly as bad as Savannah. It was only about 2 ½ hours to drive. We said goodbye to Billy & Lauri as they had decided to slow down a bit and stay for a week in St. Augustine. We hope to meet up with them later this winter.
As we were trying to get into our spot here, the guy across the road moved his truck to make room for Terry to maneuver. Then we decided that the spot would just not work as we had to back up really far for our awning to clear a tree. This put us on a hill which meant the front jacks would have been really high. So we thanked our neighbor for moving his truck, walked to the office to get a new spot and ended up parking right beside our thoughtful neighbor. Turns out they are from Newfoundland so even before we completed setting up we had met them and never quit talking! We have already made plans to do some things with them! Gotta love this lifestyle!
I am in desperate need of a haircut so we stopped at the office to get a recommendation. There is a lady in the park who cuts hair so I made an appointment for tomorrow. Then we found a grocery store - and I finally found my Yoshida sauce that I have been looking for for months.
Back at the park, Terry was heating up the barbeque when another neighbor (from Pennsylvania) came over to introduce himself. I am glad that we are staying a week since we have such nice neighbors.
We had picked an RV park for today until Terry started reading some reviews and we decided not to go there. So we scrambled to find another park this morning and ended up here. We stopped at a large visitor info center as we entered Florida and stocked up on reading material. Arrived at 1:20, set up, grabbed a quick sandwich and headed for the large flea market that is right beside the RV park. This is a true flea market with mostly used goods plus the usual new T-shirts, socks and dollar items. There was also a snack bar area with beer and karaoke - BAD karaoke.
We all made a trip to a grocery store, then back to the rig for happy hour and sorting through all the brochures that we picked up earlier. Cable TV here so we have lots of channels that we don’t want to watch! It started to rain just as we were walking back from the flea market but quit about 10.
Nov 3rd - Mon - St. Augustine, FL
The name of this town is pronounced like the month. It is the town that has been continuously occupied for the longest time in the U.S. - founded in 1565.
We had a great day today with Billy & Lauri. Relaxed start which gave me time to bake some poppy seed muffins for breakfast. Then we headed for the historic town and the beaches which are about 9 miles away. We stopped in town to take pictures of the incredible Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church and then walked a block for a few shots of picturesque Flagler College which used to be a large hotel. On the way to the beach, we stopped at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. I did not have any takers to join me on the 219 steps to the top so we carried on to a long pier where we were charged 50 cents each for the privilege of walking on it. But the waves were really crashing in so Terry, Billy & I made the walk. Quite a few people were fishing from the pier.
Next a stop for lunch at the “world famous” Oasis Deck & Restaurant followed by a drive along a hard packed section of beach. Back into town, stopping first to explore the fort Castillo de San Marcos. Very interesting and beautifully restored. It took us longer than we expected and we returned to an expired parking meter. Luckily, the “meter maid” was just going down the opposite side of the row! We had noticed some shops around a big square so we paid for an hour of parking and set out. Then we saw a whole street of shops opening off the square so we got another hour of parking and continued - including a restorative stop for beer or ice cream.
A stop for diesel ($3.28) and we were back in time for a short happy hour before a light rain sent us in for dinner.
Nov 4th - Tues - St. Augustine, FL
Billy took over driving duties today as we continued to explore St. Augustine. But first we had to hit a Big Lots store (Lauri & my favorite!). We went to the Mission of Nombre de Dios - wonderfully manicured grounds with a huge cross on the edge of the river, trees planted in honor of loved ones, monuments, information plaques and huge numbers of squirrels. Checked out the Lightner Museum but decided we did not want to spend the money to view such things as china, old hotel rooms and replicas of old store window displays.
Next we crossed a bridge to Vilano Beach which is on a peninsula that starts not too far south of Jacksonville - as we found out. We stopped at a restaurant with an ocean view for a nice lunch and then continued driving north. There are huge, gated estates along the beach and also on the other side of the road which fronts on the Intercoastal Waterway. Hit I95 freeway for the trip back to the RV park.
I had tried to do a load of laundry before we left this morning but the park water was being shut off so I did it when we returned. Also helped Lauri on her computer.
Nov 5th - Wed - to Orlando, FL area
We are actually in Davenport which is a little southwest of Orlando - staying at the ThemeWorld RV park (CCUSA). The I4 highway is close by but we are a few rows back in the park so the noise is not nearly as bad as Savannah. It was only about 2 ½ hours to drive. We said goodbye to Billy & Lauri as they had decided to slow down a bit and stay for a week in St. Augustine. We hope to meet up with them later this winter.
As we were trying to get into our spot here, the guy across the road moved his truck to make room for Terry to maneuver. Then we decided that the spot would just not work as we had to back up really far for our awning to clear a tree. This put us on a hill which meant the front jacks would have been really high. So we thanked our neighbor for moving his truck, walked to the office to get a new spot and ended up parking right beside our thoughtful neighbor. Turns out they are from Newfoundland so even before we completed setting up we had met them and never quit talking! We have already made plans to do some things with them! Gotta love this lifestyle!
I am in desperate need of a haircut so we stopped at the office to get a recommendation. There is a lady in the park who cuts hair so I made an appointment for tomorrow. Then we found a grocery store - and I finally found my Yoshida sauce that I have been looking for for months.
Back at the park, Terry was heating up the barbeque when another neighbor (from Pennsylvania) came over to introduce himself. I am glad that we are staying a week since we have such nice neighbors.
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Oct 29th to Nov 1st - SC to Georgia
Oct 29th - Wed - St George, SC
Lovely sunny day for doing chores. We are lucky enough to be in an RV park that allows vehicle washing so Terry washed the truck yesterday and the 5th wheel today while I did laundry and worked on the computer. After lunch we drove into town to mail a birthday card to grandson Cameron and to find some diesel. In St. George the diesel was $4.69 so we went back up the highway a bit and got it for $3.09! Then we found out that the station in St. George was closed with an old price posted!
We took advantage of the sunshine to sit out and to wander around the park and talk to people. Several of the permanent looking rigs here are tied down to anchors or trees. We finally asked someone about it and she said that in August a hurricane was heading this way so everyone took precautions. The storm went by with only ½ inch of rain and some wind. So they have left their rigs tied down. Scared us for a bit!
Oct 30th - Thurs - to Savannah, Georgia
Short 1 hr & 40 minute drive today so we didn’t have to get going early. Billy was sick yesterday but was feeling a little better this morning so he got going and washed his motor home and tow car before we left. Nice & sunny again - love it! We stopped at a large rest area/visitor information just into Georgia and there were lots of RVs in the parking lot.
We are at the Biltmore Gardens RV park (PA) and it is right on Hwy 17 so is pretty noisy. After we both got set up we decided to go exploring and get some lunch. We drove to Tybee Island and found the Crab Shack which was advertised in a brochure. It was a quirky place with a pond surrounded by lots of small alligators. Unfortunately, the food left a lot to be desired. It was OK but very small portions. We went from there to an Arby’s where we had some more lunch!
Then we found a beach access and walked out on a long fishing pier. The island has lots of condos and apartments for summer residents or vacationers. On the way back we stopped at Fort Pulaski National Monument. We only had time to watch a film on the history of the fort before it closed.
Billy was still feeling puny so we said goodnight when we got back.
Oct 31st - Fri - Savannah, GA
Lauri wanted to see Hilton Head so we headed back to South Carolina today (barely). It was about an hour drive in sunshine again. Hilton Head Island is very different from any other area we have seen. It is very clean & manicured - all of it. The stores along the main road are hidden behind trees with discreet signs on the side of the road. The McDonalds arches were the largest and only about 10 feet tall. There were wide, paved, level bike paths along all the main roads with many bicyclists. The island is only 12 miles long and from ½ to 4 miles wide. We drove to a beach access which had a wide fabric “walkway” about 50 yards out on the sand. People were riding bicycles on the hard sand. I was happy to have a light jean jacket over my T-shirt but people were enjoying the beach in shorts. We wandered through a group of touristy stores.
Lauri spotted a large alligator on the bank of a small lake so we had to make a U-turn to take pictures. There were many small lakes surrounded by lovely houses. The south end of the island is called Sea Pine Plantation and you have to pay $5 to enter. We went there and to Harbor Town for lunch where we sat outside to eat next to a marina with huge boats. Even though the island is small, there are many beautiful golf courses. We stopped at another spot with stores and strolled around some more before heading back.
We stopped for gas and asked for directions to a liquor store. Don’t want to go there after dark! We sat in the quickly setting sun when we got back and then moved to Billy & Lauri’s for a while before dinner.
Nov 1st - Sat - Savannah, GA
Today we took a sightseeing tour of old Savannah. A small trolley picked us up at the RV park at 9 and took us to the downtown visitor center where our tour started. There was a parade in town for college homecoming so our tour kind of got rerouted. The tour guide had a very southern accent and was a kick. She gave us lots of information but kept us laughing with stories that you weren’t too sure if they were true or not. Lots of lovely restored old buildings, many “squares” (small parks), monuments & statues, cobblestone streets and huge old trees with Spanish moss. We got off partway through and walked to the waterfront. A Seafood Festival was going on and there were rows of vendors - goods & food - lining a wide walkway along the water. We watched a group of young girls dancing and then a waterskiing show. Huge cargo ships were going up & down the Savannah River with tug escorts. Lots of activity and lots of fun.
After stopping for lunch, we wanted to go see the Catholic cathedral that was highly recommended. The tour trolleys take a circular route so we would have had to get on & off a couple of times with short walks in between to get there. So we decided to hop on and go around half the tour again and then start over to get to the cathedral. When we got to the “depot”, we realized that we did not have enough time to get to the cathedral and back before 4:30 when we would be taken back to the RV park. We spoke to an employee and she said to go anyhow and when we finished viewing the cathedral to call a number on the pamphlet and someone would come get us. Sure enough, we “toured” to the stop, finished at the cathedral which was awesome, made the phone call (a couple actually as Billy kept getting dropped) and a small trolley showed up in a few minutes just to take us back to the depot again.
When we got back to the RV park, we had new neighbors from Victoria, B.C. (Carie & Gary). We all sat outside and chatted until mosquitoes drove us in.
Lovely sunny day for doing chores. We are lucky enough to be in an RV park that allows vehicle washing so Terry washed the truck yesterday and the 5th wheel today while I did laundry and worked on the computer. After lunch we drove into town to mail a birthday card to grandson Cameron and to find some diesel. In St. George the diesel was $4.69 so we went back up the highway a bit and got it for $3.09! Then we found out that the station in St. George was closed with an old price posted!
We took advantage of the sunshine to sit out and to wander around the park and talk to people. Several of the permanent looking rigs here are tied down to anchors or trees. We finally asked someone about it and she said that in August a hurricane was heading this way so everyone took precautions. The storm went by with only ½ inch of rain and some wind. So they have left their rigs tied down. Scared us for a bit!
Oct 30th - Thurs - to Savannah, Georgia
Short 1 hr & 40 minute drive today so we didn’t have to get going early. Billy was sick yesterday but was feeling a little better this morning so he got going and washed his motor home and tow car before we left. Nice & sunny again - love it! We stopped at a large rest area/visitor information just into Georgia and there were lots of RVs in the parking lot.
We are at the Biltmore Gardens RV park (PA) and it is right on Hwy 17 so is pretty noisy. After we both got set up we decided to go exploring and get some lunch. We drove to Tybee Island and found the Crab Shack which was advertised in a brochure. It was a quirky place with a pond surrounded by lots of small alligators. Unfortunately, the food left a lot to be desired. It was OK but very small portions. We went from there to an Arby’s where we had some more lunch!
Then we found a beach access and walked out on a long fishing pier. The island has lots of condos and apartments for summer residents or vacationers. On the way back we stopped at Fort Pulaski National Monument. We only had time to watch a film on the history of the fort before it closed.
Billy was still feeling puny so we said goodnight when we got back.
Oct 31st - Fri - Savannah, GA
Lauri wanted to see Hilton Head so we headed back to South Carolina today (barely). It was about an hour drive in sunshine again. Hilton Head Island is very different from any other area we have seen. It is very clean & manicured - all of it. The stores along the main road are hidden behind trees with discreet signs on the side of the road. The McDonalds arches were the largest and only about 10 feet tall. There were wide, paved, level bike paths along all the main roads with many bicyclists. The island is only 12 miles long and from ½ to 4 miles wide. We drove to a beach access which had a wide fabric “walkway” about 50 yards out on the sand. People were riding bicycles on the hard sand. I was happy to have a light jean jacket over my T-shirt but people were enjoying the beach in shorts. We wandered through a group of touristy stores.
Lauri spotted a large alligator on the bank of a small lake so we had to make a U-turn to take pictures. There were many small lakes surrounded by lovely houses. The south end of the island is called Sea Pine Plantation and you have to pay $5 to enter. We went there and to Harbor Town for lunch where we sat outside to eat next to a marina with huge boats. Even though the island is small, there are many beautiful golf courses. We stopped at another spot with stores and strolled around some more before heading back.
We stopped for gas and asked for directions to a liquor store. Don’t want to go there after dark! We sat in the quickly setting sun when we got back and then moved to Billy & Lauri’s for a while before dinner.
Nov 1st - Sat - Savannah, GA
Today we took a sightseeing tour of old Savannah. A small trolley picked us up at the RV park at 9 and took us to the downtown visitor center where our tour started. There was a parade in town for college homecoming so our tour kind of got rerouted. The tour guide had a very southern accent and was a kick. She gave us lots of information but kept us laughing with stories that you weren’t too sure if they were true or not. Lots of lovely restored old buildings, many “squares” (small parks), monuments & statues, cobblestone streets and huge old trees with Spanish moss. We got off partway through and walked to the waterfront. A Seafood Festival was going on and there were rows of vendors - goods & food - lining a wide walkway along the water. We watched a group of young girls dancing and then a waterskiing show. Huge cargo ships were going up & down the Savannah River with tug escorts. Lots of activity and lots of fun.
After stopping for lunch, we wanted to go see the Catholic cathedral that was highly recommended. The tour trolleys take a circular route so we would have had to get on & off a couple of times with short walks in between to get there. So we decided to hop on and go around half the tour again and then start over to get to the cathedral. When we got to the “depot”, we realized that we did not have enough time to get to the cathedral and back before 4:30 when we would be taken back to the RV park. We spoke to an employee and she said to go anyhow and when we finished viewing the cathedral to call a number on the pamphlet and someone would come get us. Sure enough, we “toured” to the stop, finished at the cathedral which was awesome, made the phone call (a couple actually as Billy kept getting dropped) and a small trolley showed up in a few minutes just to take us back to the depot again.
When we got back to the RV park, we had new neighbors from Victoria, B.C. (Carie & Gary). We all sat outside and chatted until mosquitoes drove us in.
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