#we spent about 6 hours walking in the freezing rain while the wind was trying to drag us out to space

[littlegayteaboy]

what i would do for acceptable cigarette weather rn

[obsidianfr3sk]

The Origins (Chapter 3)

Summary: Before the Renegades put an end to the Age of Anarchy, they were six kids trying to survive day by day in a city ruled by chaos and desolation. Is there a space for hope and kindness somewhere in Gatlon City? Maybe.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25123756/chapters/61701934

Now it’s time to see Kasumi’s story. It was difficult to write because I just wasn’t completely satisfied with it, but now I think it’s nice. I liked it. Hope you liked it too. 

I was thinking maybe this fic would be finished before the end of July, but now I kinda want to keep exploring this strange canon I’ve created, and see the six of them interact and actually know each other and became the Renegades and stuff you really sighed up for (? Maybe I’ll do it, I have some ideas in my head. (TONS OF IDEAS actually lol)

Pls reblog!! I really aprecciate it c:

Smiling on a rainy world

Age of Anarchy

Year 6

She had never been to that area of ​​Gatlon City before. All she could see were buildings falling apart, abandoned shops, walking dead wandering the streets... not a single trace of the ocean.

That was a good sign. The ocean could never catch her now.

The car stopped in front of a five-floor building, full of tiny windows and with a two-meter rusty fence around it. There was a group of children playing in the yard, sitting on the neglected grass. Kasumi tried to hide in her seat.

"We’re here," Mr. Holbrook announced, looking at her in the rearview mirror.

"What place is this?" she asked.

"It is the Gatlon City orphanage for prodigy children.”

He carelessly opened the fence, and the group of children ran into the building as if Mr. Holbrook had pointed a gun at them. Instead of being offended, Mr. Holbrook laughed. Her mom used to say he had a very infectious laugh. Kasumi wondered if that's why they became friends.

A robust, dark-haired lady came out to greet them. Her face lit up as soon as she saw them.

"Evan Holbrook," she muttered, rolling her eyes, "what are you doing here? You smell like fish."

Kasumi was surprised; Mr. Holbrook did not smell fishy at all.

"Hello, Bertha."

Bertha turned to look at Kasumi.

"Welcome, Kasumi," she said. "Let's go to my office."

She was so shocked, she didn't ask how she knew her name.

Kasumi clung to Mister Holbrook's hand as they walked through those narrow corridors, filled with curious gazes. Some whispered among themselves, others made funny faces at her, and there were a few who completely ignored her. They all looked similar to the mysterious characters that haunted the city streets. Dirty clothes, thin faces... but there was a sparkle in them.

Had they noticed Kasumi didn't have that spark?

Bertha's office was small. The only decorations were a dusty carpet and a plastic plant. The wind blew freely through the glassless window, swaying the gray curtains that hung from it. Bertha sat in a chair behind her desk as she invited them to take a seat.

There were a bunch of wooden blocks on the desk.

"You can play with the blocks, Kasumi," said Bertha.

Kasumi take her word and began to build a castle with the blocks.

Then Bertha asked Mr. Holbrook:

"Evan, what happened to Amaya?"

Kasumi would never answer a question that she had not been asked. However, she knew the answer better than anyone.

Amaya and Ryo Hasegawa had been betrayed by the ocean. Just like her.

Only they had not lived to tell the tale.

One night, her parents told her they were leaving Gatlon City. She didn't even have time to be sad or ask where they were going. Her father helped her pack, her mother dressed her in a raincoat and, without further ado, they throw her into the boat.

Kasumi had been in the boat before. On her fourth birthday, she and her parents had a fishing day. After she caught her first fish, her mother, to celebrate, took off her dress and launched into the sea. Her father was scandalized, but Kasumi found it so funny that she begged them to teach her how to swim. By her fifth birthday, she already did it "like a pro," according to her mom.

"Are you afraid?" asked her mother.

"A little bit," Kasumi replied. There was no point lying to her mother. She knew everything.

"Good. A little bit of fear reminds us that we are alive."

"Where are we going?"

"Mmm, let me think ..." She stroked her chin. "I know! How about we go to visit Mrs. Moon?"

"To the moon?"

"She prefers to be called Mrs. Moon, right, love?"

"Right," her father replied with a tiny smile.

"We are going to visit Mrs. Moon?" Kasumi asked.

"Sure, it will be fun," her mother replied.

"But it will also be a long journey," added her father. "Try to sleep."

The first hours were calm. The ocean lulled her lovingly while she dozed on her father's chest. In between dreams, she could hear him say things like that the waves were starting to get big or that he couldn't see the stars anymore. At one point, he even told his wife that it would be best to turn around and wait for the morning.

"No, Ryo," the woman replied flatly. "The ocean is our ally. He would never betray us."

At the time, none of the three knew it, but Amaya Hasegawa had just done something terrible. She had made a mistake.

The drizzle turned into a storm and the boat wobbled frantically. Her father was yelling at her mother, completely out of his mind. She tried to ignore his reproaches, but Kasumi could distinguish the tears that soaked her cheeks with the same intensity that the thick drops of rain that fell from the night sky did.

"Stop!" screeched her desperate mother. "Ocean, stop!" 

“Mom?!”

"Kasumi, help me!" she yelled. "Help me ask the ocean to stop!"

"Stop, ocean!" Kasumi yelled with all the strength left in her. "Stop right now!"

The ocean didn’t stop. He just turned angrier.

She and her mother were screaming and her father was crying out loud, clinging to his only daughter like a lifeguard. Kasumi took his hand.

Maybe if they all asked, the ocean will hear them.

"Repeat with me, Dad," she whispered in his ear. "Stop, ocean."

"Stop, ocean ..." her father muttered between sobs. "Stop…"

Kasumi watched her mother approach them, struggling to keep her balance. Her shoes began to fill with water as the woman gave her family a shaky hug. The last thing she heard before the boat capsized, was a thunder breaking into the sky and the sound of three voices pleading, "Stop."

After that, it was as if she had fallen asleep again.

Kasumi did not remember what had gone through her head during all the time she was dead, but she did remember when she woke up in the arms of a stranger. As soon as she opened her eyes, her head began to hurt and all of her body felt as if it had been hit by a train. The stranger screamed and dropped her heavily onto the sand. She heard three voices, including Mr. Holbrook's, asking the stranger what was going on. Kasumi tried to speak, but instead of sound, what came out of her mouth were jets and jets of water.

The only one who did not hesitate to approach was Mr. Holbrook. He tapped her lightly on the back, and as soon as the water stopped flowing from her, he wrapped her in a tight hug. Kasumi was too stunned and wounded to reciprocate.

"Oh, hun, it's a miracle..." he whispered.

"My parents..." Kasumi stammered.

Mr. Holbrook broke the hug.

"The ocean betrayed them," she blurted out.

"I know, hun. I know."

The following days were somewhat blurred. Mr. Holbrook took her home and told his wife about the situation. They put a couple of blankets on the couch for her to sleep on and asked their daughters (whom they called all three of then "hun") not to disturb her at all.

She spent hours sitting on the couch, watching the Holbrooks' youngest daughter color at the coffee table. She never asked if she wanted to color too and Kasumi didn't want to interrupt her. She looked very focused.

However, one day, the Holbrook's youngest daughter did speak to her.

"Are you a prodigy?"

"Me?" She nodded. Kasumi had never been asked that question. "Why do you think that?"

"You were dead. But now you're here. Doesn't that seem very ... prodigious to you?"

And continued coloring, as nothing had happened, leaving Kasumi asking herself the same question.

Are you a prodigy, Kasumi?

During dinner, she felt her left hand soak up. She looked under the table and noticed that tiny drops were coming out of each of her pores. Not knowing very well what she was doing, she placed her right hand above the left and the drops levitated, moving to the rhythm of her fingers.

Later, when Mr. Holbrook was tucking her in, she told him what had happened at dinner. At first, he was silent. Kasumi thought it was because he hadn't believed her, buT after a few seconds, Mr. Holbrook reacted and promised that they would solve it in the morning.

The morning had arrived. This was the solution.

Kasumi did not realize that the conversation between the adults was over. They shook hands and Berta assured Mr. Holbrook that Kasumi would be safe with them.

When Mr. Holbrook turned, he was smiling, but his blue eyes looked glassy. He got down on his knees and took her freezing hands, nothing to do with Mr. Holbrook's, so warm and comforting.

"Hun, here we part ways," he whispered, gently brushing a lock of hair of her face away. "Behave and don't-"

"I don't want to be here," Kasumi blurted out. "I want to go with you."

"I'm afraid that won’t be possible."

"Why not?"

Mr. Holbrook gave her a slight squeeze.

"There are bad people, Kasumi, that if they find out what you can do, they could try to make you bad, like them," he explained.

"But here we will not let that happen," Bertha chimed in. "Here we are all prodigies, we all take care of each other. No one is left behind, ever. Neither are you."

She looked convinced and fierce. A small old medallion hung from her neck. It looked so familiar...

"I'm going to give you something."

Mr. Holbrook took out of his pocket the same medallion Bertha was wearing. Then, Kasumi remembered where she had seen it: her mother wore it all the time.

She had said it was a friendship necklace.

He split the old medallion in two and put one half in the palm of her hand. The last thing that Mr. Holbrook said to Kasumi was:

"Keep that little head in the clouds, Kasumi. But not too much."

Kasumi did not move from her seat, not even to watch him go. Bertha walked him to the door, returned with a cup of tea, and asked if she needed anything else. Kasumi needed to be alone. Bertha understood and left.

The light coming through the window began to dim quickly. A waning Mrs. Moon watched her from above. Kasumi could imagine herself lying on top of her, receiving all the kisses and hugs that Mrs. Moon could offer her.

Slowly, she approached the window. She clasped her hands together, and with all the faith that was left inside her body, she whispered:

"Mrs. Moon, would you be so kind as to kiss me good night?”

Kasumi was sure she was about to accept doing it, when someone slammed the door open, shooing her and shooing Mrs. Moon.

It wasn't Berta. He was a small, red-haired, freckled boy, barefoot, with a bowl of lentils and huge kitchen gloves in his hands.

The two stared at each other, waiting for the other to break the silence first.

After a minute, the red-haired boy raised the bowl as if it was a trophy.

"Dinner is served!" and put it on the desk.

Kasumi looked at Mrs. Moon once more. She hoped she didn't take it personally that she didn't invite her to dinner.

"Give me a moment, Mrs. Moon..." she whispered.

Silently, she began to eat the lentils. They tasted bland and watery, but al least it was food.

She thought the boy was only there to give her the lentils and go. But then, he sat on the desk and took off his kitchen gloves.

"I’m Evander," said the red-haired boy playing with the woodblocks. "I’m this many years old," Evander raised five fingers from his hand. "How old are you? Let me guess. Are you this old?" and held up the five fingers of his other hand. Kasumi shook her head. "No? Are you… this old?" He dropped a finger. Kasumi nodded. "Nine years, then, okay.” She nodded again. "Do you want to know what I can do?"

"Okay."

Evander showed his hands and colored sparks came out of them, like those from the fireworks that Kasumi had only heard of. Her mom said seeing them was like candy for the soul. And now that she had them in front of her, she could confirm it.

“They are fireworks,” he explained.

“They are candy for the soul,” corrected Kasumi.

“What?”

Kasumi’s face went red. Hopefully, he wouldn’t notice.

Why did she say that?

"I saw that your dad left you here," Evander said.

"He wasn't my dad.”

"Oh. Where are your parents?"

"Where are your parents?"

Evander, not noticing the angry tone in which Kasumi had spoken to him, smiled and pointed at the night sky.

"My parents are there."

"On the moon?"

"No, silly," Evander chuckled. "They are in the stars. Where they belong."

"In the stars ..." she whispered thoughtfully. "Oh, that's why you draw colored sparks from your hands. They are stars."

"You think so?" He was missing a pair of teeth. That just made his smile look even more adorable.

"Definitely. And you know, stars are the real candies for the soul.”

“How do you know so much?”

Kasumi shrugged, mysteriously. 

"Where are your parents?" he asked again.

She looked at Mrs. Moon once more and sighed. 

"The ocean betrayed them."

And Mrs. Moon and the stars said, “I know, hun. I know.”

[lou-is-creative]

Unpredictable (Pt 2)

Fandom: 6 Underground

Main characters: Four/Billy // Oc: Eight/???

Shipping: Four/Billy x male!OC

Chapter one: Never going back

Song: Never going back, The Score

𝔹𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤, 𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕠𝕦𝕤 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕠𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥!

AN: I will start adding a music recommendation to every chapter now. Obviously mostly songs that match the soundtrack of 6 Underground. Have fun~

"Royal Flush. Makes that mine."

Seven stated, putting down the cards he had on his hands and grabbing the money in the middle of the table. The others groaned

"You're faking us out."

Four said, pointing at Seven who raised his hands.

"Maybe I do, maybe you just suck."

He grinned and Two stood up, smashing her cards on the table, walking towards Seven who now looked rather scared.

"Go get him baby."

Three whistled and watched Two get closer to Seven, who now wasn't so happy anymore. But their little game session was interrupted as someone came in. That someone was One.

"What on earth are you doing?"

He asked and everyone looked at him,  kind of confused, kind of curious.

"Where on earth have you been?"

Five asked back. Good question, actually. Because no one knew where One had been over the last two weeks. He went off, left Wally the dog and his fellow ghosts alone to do... yeah, well, what did he actually do?

"I've recruted someone."

The tall man threw his jacket on a chair and took his seat next to Seven.

"Are you cheating again?"

He asked casually and grabbed a card from Sevens lap.

"Good that you're home. We've been missing you."

Seven said, his voice draining from sarcasm as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. Now Four took the chance to speak.

"Another ghost? Are you joking? Just because we've failed this mission big time, doesn't mean another ghost will be able to fix it."

"He is right. Who guarantees that number eight is going to be of any help?"

Three leaned back and all eyes were on One.

"I have planned to recruit him from the beginning. But he was still too young. He was the original number six."

Three looked a little confused at him.

"Is he a driver too?"

"Yes. But also no. But yes. Aaaaand no."

One began and paused, waiting for someone to ask a more specific question. His fellow ghosts looked at him, eyebrows either raised or furrowed.

"Well, if you'd be so kind and tell us more than that?"

Five said and One shrugged.

"The problem is that... He did a lot of stuff to get money. So he isn't only a driver. He also is very talented at throwing knifes... But all of that is nothing I did recruit him for."

One paused dramatically and Three and Four starred at him, waiting for the reason he did recruit number eight. Seven just groaned.

"What did you recruit him for?"

He asked in annoyance once again. One grinned a little.

"Glad you're asking. Because he is exactly what we need right now. A really good actor."

One leaned back, satisfied with his answer.

"You must be joking."

Four said in disbelief.

"You solely recruited someone just because he is good at acting?"

One just grinned.

"Trust me when I say, that it will be totally worth it. Also, I didn't just recruit him for being able to act. He has quite a few qualities. Like I said, very talented with knifes."

Three leaned back.

"I can't believe you would just recruit another person. We could have been acting too!"

Now Two turned around.

"May I remind you that; first of all, the guy saw all of us.-"

"Not me."

Seven interrupted but earned himself a glare from Two so he apologized and leaned back again.

"- and second of all, You can not act for shit."

Three looked at her, in a mixture of hurt and disappointment.

"I assume One needs him to gather informations. Which is what I normally do but as I said, he saw us."

One pointed at her, silently reassuring her that she was right.

"She's right. Seven couldn't have done it either, no offense mate, but you've got a little bit of a temper."

Four contributed and Seven furrowed his brows.

"So you're better or what?"

The blonde raised his hands in defense.

"Never said that. Also I wouldn't like to be around some random asshole guy and pretend to be someone else all the time. Maybe even pretend I don't want to punch him in the face. This is just too much stress for my taste."

He placed his cards on the table, having the worst hand of them all. But no one cared since the game was long over. Silence spread for a short time. Then One raised his voice.

"Anyways, as I was gone, I've been working on a plan for next time. I will tell you the details when the boy is here so I don't have to repeat myself."

"Why didn't you bring him with you, like you did with Seven?"

Five asked and all eyes were on One again.

"Well, there was some last thing he had to get done. He wasn't telling me what it was, but he insisted on going."

"And you just let him go? He could run around and ruin us."

Three voiced his concern and One just casually shook his head.

"I don't pick people who aren't trustworthy. He might be a bit young, but he is a decent guy. Look, I can understand your doubts but he is the perfect person for this mission. And after this son of a bitch of a CEO barricaded himself with loads of security, on a small island, what other chance do we have than some really good actor?"

What were they supposed to say? Neither of them was fully convinced of the idea till now but they all had to live with it. Silence, doubt, acceptance. Too much stuff went wrong and Four and Seven were close to being killed while the other four nearly got arrested for Three's driving.   This might be their best shot. ………………………………………… It was cold, almost freezing. Raindrops were moving fast, almost furiously making their way down. Although the rain aggressively hit the lonely mans bare skin, and the wind was cold and harsh against him, he kept on walking. As if nothing was able to stop him from continueing his way through the wet sand of the beach.  Waves kept crashing in, but steady he walked, nothing could hold him back. For he had not found inner peace, for he could not just vanish.                                      

He stopped at some point. And if there would have been someone watching him, the lonely, half naked guy who was taking a walk at the beach at midnight while it was cold and rainy as fuck, that someone would have assumed that he was stopped by the weather, that mother nature had finally forced him down.

For only he could know that this was not the case. For only he knew what all of this was about.

He lifted his head to face the sky. All of the clouds meant nothing to him. He was unbothered by the weather. Because he knew where to look. And although he said nothing, he seemed to communicate. And maybe, just maybe he was. With the moon, the stars, or someone who went missing a long time ago.

The young man stood there for a while. An hour passed, maybe two, but nothing could move him. And it seemed as if the wind gave up on trying to stop him. As if the rain stopped falling because it knew that it had no use. The sky was clear and the moon got reflected in the moving water of the sea. But just as the nature finally stopped trying to push the man down, he moved forward again. This time he walked right into the water.

The sight alone was so confusing, so surreal, so weird, if someone had been watching him, that someone probably would have thought his brain was playing some weird games with him.

But no one was watching him. The man was left, utterly and entirely alone with himself in the cold water of the sea.

It was probably the last time he was able to do this kind of thing at this exact place. At the place where he would spent hours and hours of his childhood. And as he walked out of the water again, he felt cold. Not because of the temperature, but because he felt like he was just about to throw everything away he had ever been working for. But he stayed strong and turned around to walk away.

The sand was wet but it didn't stick to his feet as bad as usually, which would be practical at the time he tried to get into his car without dirtying it. Determined, stubborn nearly, he did continue his way through until he reached the place where his car was standing. He kneeled down and grabbed the key from the ground under the car before he opened it to get his clothes and a towel. One last time, he turned around. And it was like looking back at his past. At his life. A silent good-bye before he changed his clothes and got into his car. Which he had bought right after his faked death. The motor growled in satisfaction and the raven-haired male took a deep breath as he placed his hands on the steering wheel to maneuver the car towards the coordinates he had gotten from One.

"You will reach your destination in ten hours."

The voice of the car said and the boy scoffed.

"I think we both know better than that."

And with that said, he drove off into the night.

AN: I’ve had this done already so I thought, why not share it with you? Picture is from Pinterest, credit goes to rightful owner~

Also, if you like this story, please feel free to share it, or leave an ask, it would mean the world to me!

[tumblingdoe]

More of Day 4, then Days 5 - 9

Saturday January 5, 2019 just before bed

Saturday night after we left card games with friends, I was . not . good. It didn’t make a lot of sense. I’d been really peaceful minutes earlier but in the safety of our new home I realized that things were actually really unmanageable. I felt guilty about the lack of planning which was making it difficult for people to meetup with us but maintained an indignant unwillingness to retreat back to Missoula and allot time to plan. The brat in my head went something like “I don’t want to put more time into strategizing, I’ve already worked so hard to get ahead on Sexplanations, to fundraise, and go on the road.” I was a whiny human mess.

Nels listened then asked that I take things off my plate before I cracked. I evaluated each item but wasn’t able to see a way to let any of them go. So I did the next best thing and got out this wooden massage tool that Alex Reich of MinuteEarth recommended. I rolled out the stress in my back and went to sleep trusting that more would be revealed. Plus, someone from Twitter asked us to meet at Love Revolution in Ashland the next day and that was something to look forward to.

Sunday January 6, 2019

I woke up great. I suspect the hormone monster was off-duty.

We drove to meet another of Nels’ friends for breakfast, a very hip peach farmer. On the way a rafter of turkeys was gobbling down the street and that cheered me up more.

Breakfast for me was baked apples and french toast. Nels’ friend was very lively and told us about the decision to remove things from her own metaphorical plate. She also talked about people who’d had things removed for them like a vineyard where all the plants got sick and ended the business, a local grocer losing 15 million in profits to a chain store moving in, fires, wind storms, death. It gave some much needed perspective and gratitude.

From there we drove south toward a sex shop meetup at Love Revolution in Ashland, Oregon. Fajitas on the way. We arrived a little bit early decided due to strong rain that way stay abroad and clean house. At 4:58 we made our way across the street to the shop. It was gorgeous. There were Betty Dodson drawings on the walls, chandeliers of half naked men, eco-friendly vibrators, sex position party balloons, rainbow cock pockets, and ethically sourced sheepskin mats for soft sexy time. Brenda, the owner, greeted us at the door and her cockapoo ran up just behind her. I felt like I was at home and even more so when a somatic bodyworker we’d stopped by for the meetup introduced himself and gave me a tour of the space. My people!

A few others stopped into Love Revolution while I was and I offered sex education, but alas, they were happy just saying hi. I did talk with them about Sexplanations, the road tour, and toy vaginas though and I learned about microwaved bagels as a fifi option. Everyone was super kind and down to earth -- something I wanted to remember for the journey going forward. I roamed the store one last time to select a souvenir and decided on an ornament I call Tinkerbeau. Brenda packaged him up safely for me and asked to treat me to my new magical man. What a treat indeed!

As soon as we got back to the RV I hung Tinkerbeau from the kitchen cabinets so he could fly as we drove. Then Nels and I organized everything in the RV so Tinkerbeau would have a nice home. It took hours and meant making a mess to assess what would go where but we successfully created a giveaway pile, a trash pile, and a recycling pile -- everything else was neatly stashed away.

Then we decided to drive the mountain pass and get a little closer to our next destination. Up and over we went happy to have all our affairs in order, then Nels parked us at a sweet green meadow at the bottom of the pass to sleep and other things.

Monday January 7, 2019

Time to go to California! I worked in the passenger seat and Nels drove. Had I not been on my phone taking a call I would have taken a picture of the water trucks we passed on the freeway. There must have been two dozen or more and they were each a different color -- magenta, lime green, purple, sky blue. I wished that all state issued vehicles had that kind of pride.

First stop: Redding, California. Some fans there planned a meetup at a cafe called the Sweet Spot. I thought it was clever. We got build-your-own salads then sat down to talk. How did I get into the field? What’s the best way to talk to kids with conservative parents? What do I know about Bethel Church? We discussed the Sexplanations podcast and how they’d found Sexplanations in the first place. Then I asked where we should head for some Redding tourism and was told Turtle Bay and the Sundial bridge.

The Sundial bridge was outstanding and there were probably six different species of birds diving for fish in the river below. Turtle Bay was a sort of exploration park surrounding the bridge with lots of gardens and sculptures. I don’t like to run, neither does Nels, but the two of us took off along the garden paths for a quick workout before getting back in the RV and heading to Davis. Davis was/is our first big layover stop on the trip. We parked at friends’, I walked their dog, then we were treated to a home-cooked meal and time with an infant and toddler.

Tuesday January 8, 2019

I was certain there was milk inside our friends’ house and I would finally be able to have peanut butter bumpers so my morning was hasty. Then Nels showed me he’d gotten me milk at the store some prior day while I was napping. What a guy!

I ate in the RV and then went inside the house to plan the day with friends. The outlined agenda was as follows: drive the wagon with four adults, three backpacks, one stroller, and two kids in carseats to the train station, take the double decker train to Sacramento, walk to the Crocker Art Museum, appreciate art, then get dinner and catch the 7 o’clock train out. We did all that and then some.

Then it was back home to the RV and a night in for our first movie in the motorhome: The Wiz. I hadn’t seen it before but the half I’ve seen now has been mind-bending. The scarecrow played by Michael Jackson sings, “ease on down the road.” Now the Sexplanations Road Tour has a theme song.

Wednesday January 9, 2019 written by Nels

Another layover day in Davis, CA. I spent it planning, cleaning and repairing the motor coach, and sorting gear. The hunt for a quality RV parts supply store began and ended at Allied Trailer Supply in Sacramento.  Having great inventory and quality service, I walked away with plenty to do.  The acquired parts all fit, now the roof vents all work and new vent wind deflectors will go on tomorrow.  Since we’re finally in a climate that doesn’t freeze we turned on the fresh water system, flushed, sanitized and checked the water lines and will have mobile hot showers in our future. RV upkeep and repair was mostly successful. Tinkerbeau did fly off his hook and busted but he’s in recovery after superglue surgery. Photos soon.

Lindsey finished all our laundry, took walks, got lost, did dishes, called friends and professionals, infant-whispered a fussy baby to sleep, and cooked us a delicious green curry. She is still hammering away on the keyboard as I put this entry into the ether. More stops to schedule. More talks to give.

Thursday January 10, 2019

The plan was to go to the beach. I opted out though for a day of self-care. Nels and the friends headed out and I climbed back in bed to rest with the dog. I ended up sleeping until 2 pm! The dog and I went for a walk and then I drove the RV downtown to meet Michael who played a key role in helping us find and secure the RV that is now my home. We talked for a couple of hours about his romantic marriage, Davis weather, timeshares, and how I was doing then walked down the street where I had parked the RV so I could give him a tour. Later I went by myself to a gift shop called Newsbeat and now I’m snuggled up in blankets getting situated with emails.

There is a large padded envelope full of lubes I’m supposed to try out. They were overnighted here a couple days ago but I haven’t been ready to smell like salted caramel or coat my arms in non-scented silicone for science. More to report tomorrow.

[aoibaratraveler]

UK Road Trip Week 2

Day 8:

We woke up and quickly packed up our stuff not wanting to spend another second in this airbnb especially since the bf got such a bad kink in his neck. We headed to Bournemouth as soon as we bought lunch and there we relaxed on the beach and ate it. The city centre of Bournemouth was unexpectedly busy but it makes sense since the beach there is so nice. We walked around for a couple of hours and played with the new feature on Pokemon go. After leaving Bournemouth, we took a detour to our next campsite and stopped at Lulworth Cove. This area was gorgeous and relaxing to sit and watch the waves at the top of a cliff but it was also packed and after an hour we decided to pitch up at the Osmington Mills campsite. This was the most beautiful campsite we had been to by far It had amazing views of a valley and rolling hills so it was understandably full of people. We pitched up and then drove into the nearby town of Weymouth for burgers. We enjoyed the beach views after dinner while writing a scathing review of our previous airbnb and then headed back to the campsite to tuck in for the night since we were exhausted.

Day 9:

Today I woke up feeling super excited because it meant that I got to see Kevin, the bf’s grandparent’s dog! I have been really looking forward to it! I got up at about 6:30 after having the most uncomfortable sleep by far (was tossing and turning all night) in the tent, got refreshed, looked in amazement at the gorgeous beach with a mini waterfall and there was hardly anyone there, win-win!! We explored for awhile and let the sounds of the ocean waves relax us. At about 11 we decided to head off to the Isle of Portland after getting the bf’s starbucks, we only had about 4-5 hours to explore and sightsee before getting to the airbnb cottage outside of Yeovil where I would be staying with the bf and his family as they prepare for his cousin’s wedding. We drove to the very top of a hill/cliff at the Isle of Portland and it was just fantastic, the sky was mostly clear with nothing but a few pure white fluffy clouds. There were also olympic rings up there since apparently this was the sight of the 2012 London Summer olympics. There was even an old torch which was cool. We explored the cliff area and found a rocky area that seemed to be the remnants of a Roman fort, it had a mysterious and intriguing atmosphere and felt like a rocky canyon of sorts as we walked through it before deciding to scramble up the rocks. The bf and I agreed that we both love a good scramble and talked about possibly doing a climb in Italy together called a via Ferrata which I’m very excited about. We decided it was time to head to the cottage which would be an hour and a half drive away. The cottage itself was beautiful with many rooms and washrooms and a lovely garden, i don’t know about you though but when family photos are up everywhere in a place you’re staying just staring at you, it can make you feel a but unnerved. When the rest of the bf’s family arrived we ended up having to settle for a room with two single beds because the only other option had a sofa bed which was too uncomfortable. The bf’s grandmother thoroughly disliked the cottage because of all the rules, I was just bummed because I couldn’t wash my clothes since apparently the washing machine was off limits. Oh, I forgot to mention Kevin, yes the moment I saw him I was so happy and couldn’t wait to play with him but he was much too energetic to focus on me and just wanted to run circles around the garden but who could blame him after spending four hours in a car. For lunch, the bf’s grandmother made a very carby, delicious assortment of foods. There was a potato salad, a rice salad, boiled potatoes, breaded chicken, and a trifle for dessert. After lunch, the four of us, the bf, his sister (R), and her husband (S), and I went grocery shopping, The bf and I were complete goofballs and had too much fun just messing about and being silly while getting cereal and milk. When we got back we all just talked for awhile in the kitchen and I thought we’d play games but by 21:30/22:00 i was super tired and the bf, R, S, and the bf’s grandad had all gone to the living room from the kitchen and were looking at Netflix while their grandmother and I stayed in there. i’m not sure why but I didn’t want to join them and I was so tired that I just wanted to be alone so I went upstairs, listened to some ASMR and fell asleep. I woke up about an hour later and noticed that the bf had moved some stuff around the room so I decided to get up and brush my teeth, properly say goodnight to everyone and then return to the land of sleep.

Day 10:

Today started off with a rush of excitement as I woke up early and I thought to myself that I needed to be productive and get all of the little things I wanted to get done like planning my blog and reading before going on our hike to Cheddar Gorge which I thought would earlier on in the morning than it ended up being but well everyone else seemed to be taking their time which I mean is understandable but I was just very keen to go and we didn’t end up leaving until 11. When we got there it was packed full of people which made me remember that it was a Sunday so of course it was busy. I had gone in S’s car, R’s husband, so I could sit with Kevin the dog but we got there too fast so we had lost sight of the bf and R and spent a good half hour trying to find them via phone and text but with poor signal all while defending a parking spot for the bf in a layby parking area that we found. I say defending because people were being very aggressive and trying to take it and I know it’s a faux paus to hold a spot but where else was he supposed to park in this madness. We eventually started the walk at 13:00 after finding them and boy was the beginning steep! But what a great butt workout! It was Kevin’s first time in this kind of situation so he refused to have anyone walking in front of him from our group otherwise he’d give out a very nervous sounding, high pitched sort of bark. He needed to lead the pack. Once at the top, the views were spectacular and the winds refreshing. The walk was supposed to take 1hour and 30 mins but we took our time and the 4 mile walk took about 2 hours and 30 mins. We hurried to the cheese shops before they were to close and bought a nice big chunk of extra mature cheddar cheese as a souvenir before heading back. Once we got back, i was delighted to see that the sleeping mats I ordered had arrived. I opened one up to test it out and then the 4 of us, the bf, R, S, and I sat around the table to play card games until dinner and afterwards until the evening.

Day 11:

Today I woke up knowing that it would be an uneventful day because the bf and his family were going to his cousin’s wedding. It was an easy going morning with them leaving at about 12:30. I spent the rest of the day with Kevin and got some things done from my to do list including uploading the first week of my blog! I read my book, had dinner and then took Kevin out for a nice long walk, so just a chill solo day.

Day 12:

Barely slept and woke up feeling exhausted at 6 in the morning because the bf came back drunk from the wedding at midnight yesterday and this was the most drunk I had ever seen him. He inevitably spent the night vomiting so I did what I could to help him and then spent the rest of the morning packing up both of our things while he rested but then I also got my period and felt just as crummy as he did because I was always have the most painful cramps. We had breakfast with R and S after leaving the cottage and then the rest of the day was a struggle for us both until we got to our campsite.

Day 13:

We both woke up freezing today, the weather seems to have turned it’s back on us. Our trip started off very warm, day or night, but the rain has been following us since we left the cottage which makes the nights cold and the days hot and humid. Today the weather wasn’t too good for sightseeing so since we had to anyway, we stopped in a Starbucks to plan the next portion of our trip. We unfortunately had to take the whole of Ireland out of our plan because the costs of this trip are starting to add up and truth be told, a month and 3 weeks isn’t enough time for us to do all that we want to do in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and The Republic of Ireland and we were foolish to think it would be enough time. I’d say more like 2 and a half months to 3 months would be enough time to really see everything and take our time but we just don’t have that or the savings to be able to do so. So we’ll explore England, Wales, and Scotland this time and dedicate an entire trip for Northern/Republic of Ireland later on...once we had wrapped up our planning, we headed to the lush and filled with rolling hills Dartmoor National Park to camp for the night.

Day 14:

Woke up freezing again today at 4 am because I went to sleep without extra layers, very foolish mistake. Tried to do what I could to warm up, thought about staying awake for a bit, but then went to the car to try and and warm up to no avail. In the end, I put on some extra socks and forced myself back to sleep. Woke up two hours later to the morning chorus of “baaa” and “neigh”. To accompany this lovely tune was the sweltering heat from the sun that the tent has captured which was a signal to the bf and me that it was time to pack up and leave. From there we headed to Plymouth to exchange two camping gas canisters bought the day before. While we were there we perused the nearby Waterstones and then bought a delicious steak pasty to share before heading to St. Austell. Once we arrived, we bought flowers for Vanessa’s family and parked out on the road of her house and was greeted by Vanessa’s mother. We put our stuff in the room that we would be staying in and then walked down to Porthpean beach. The bf had been wanting to go to the beach for the longest time and was glad to finally dip his head in the water. On the walk to the beach, we bumped into Vanessa’s twin sister. I had never met her before, and even though I had seen photos before and was able to tell the difference then, I was surprised by how truly identical they are in person. At the beach, the bf played around in the water for a bit and we then skipped stones for a while before heading back. Vanessa’s mother had cooked a vegan lasagne for us all to have for dinner and we chatted with her and  Vanessa’s twin until Vanessa got back from work. We then gathered some snacks, took the hood off their jeep wrangler and went to Caerhays beach for a late night drive in showing of Grease. It was the bf’s first time seeing the film and he found it ridiculous. 

[emospritelet]

Chapter 8 is up, in which past!Weaver and Lacey get married

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7]

AO3 link

Three years and eight months earlier

Thursday was cold and bright, the ever-present rain banished and replaced by a startlingly clear blue sky, frost riming the iron railings by Weaver’s apartment.  Roni had offered to let Lacey stay with her the night before the wedding, and she had shrugged and accepted, although she added that she didn’t believe in superstition, and she didn’t suppose that seeing each other before they did the deed would make any difference in the long run.  Weaver himself had spent the evening alone, having picked up the key to the Nolans’ cabin and gotten Lacey’s agreement to go there.  Merida and Fa had gotten them presents, which sat unopened on the kitchen counter, awaiting their return from their brief honeymoon.  He had packed food for the three days they planned to stay, picking up a bottle of champagne in the store before remembering that Lacey was pregnant, and pushing it back onto the shelf.

He hadn’t quite had time to get used to the fact that there was a baby on the way, and he thought perhaps that his subconscious was trying to pretend there wasn’t.  Not that he wasn’t happy at the idea, but he had seen too much of the darker side of humanity not to be worried about what any child of his might grow up to experience.  He told himself that he’d have to do the best he could to protect them, and pushed the worries from his mind, concentrating on the first step of his new life.

In the end he had taken Lacey’s suggestion regarding his wedding outfit, and was wearing jeans, although they were new and black and fitted him well.  He wore them with a blue shirt and dark jacket, his heavy boots polished to a shine and his rings cleaned.  Pushing each one onto its finger in turn, he eyed the space on his left hand, where a new piece of jewellery would soon sit.  He had taken Lacey to choose the wedding rings the day before, matching bands in white gold with Celtic knotwork running around them.  She had refused his offer of an engagement ring, saying bluntly that it was stupid to spend money on something just to conform to other people’s expectations, but she seemed to like the wedding ring.  So there was that.

He checked his reflection in the mirror, running a hand over his freshly-shaven chin and sighing to himself.  Not exactly the stuff of bloody dreams, but he’d have to do.  A knock on the bedroom door made him look around, and it creaked open to reveal Merida’s red curls.

“You ready?” she asked.  “We should probably get going.”

The ceremony was being held in the waterfront garden of a hotel owned by a friend of Roni’s.  The hotel itself was undergoing renovation, and what would have been a pleasant silence was punctuated by the banging of hammers and the whistling of workmen as they replaced the main staircase inside.  Weaver thought the garden was pretty, a well-kept lawn bisected by a path leading to a wrought-iron pergola, thick with climbing plants.  The plants were white with frost, and he was privately concerned that he and Lacey might freeze to death before they could say their vows, but he kept his mouth shut.  It was only fifteen minutes, after all.

He waited with Fa and Merida, shifting from foot to foot in the cold air, and glanced around as Lacey came out with Roni at her side.  She had bought a new dress with the money he had given her, a simple, pretty thing in pale blue with a full skirt, a white faux fur shawl keeping the cold from her shoulders and a posy of white roses in her hands.  Her legs were in white stockings, her shoes the same pale blue as the dress, with a strap at the ankle.  His eyes widened at the sight of her, hair teased into curls and tied up, a few snaking loose to curl around her smooth cheeks and the nape of her neck, her lips deep pink.  She ran her eyes over him as she got nearer, and one side of her mouth drew up.

“You look good, Detective,” she said.

“You look beautiful,” he said honestly, and her smile grew.

“Okay lovebirds, let’s get you idiots married,” said Merida loudly.

x

It was over so quickly it almost made his head spin.  He stumbled a little over the vows, but he meant every word, and Lacey shot him a brief smile before she said her own, although she stuttered over the ‘love’ part.  The ring was cold and unfamiliar on his finger, and he unconsciously rubbed at it with his thumb as Roni spoke the closing words and told him to kiss his bride.  Lacey’s lips were soft and cool, and he touched his forehead to hers in a brief gesture of affection as he heard the clicking sounds of Fa and Merida taking pictures. And then it was done.  He was a married man.

They went back to Roni’s for drinks, but he stuck with coffee while the others downed whisky.  Lacey had hot chocolate, a swirl of cream with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top, and when she had almost finished, Weaver went to find Roni, handing her a sheaf of bills.

“Drinks are on me until that runs out,” he said.  “I think we’ll get away.”

“Well, I hope you have a good time,” she said, as she took the money.  “I’m sure you will.  I think you two will be okay.”

“Yeah,” he said, glancing across to where Lacey was staring into her empty cup.  “I hope so.  I’ll try to make her happy.”

“I can draw you a useful diagram, if it would help,” she said, tucking the cash into her pocket and winking at him, and he sent her a look.

“Thank you, but I think I can remember the basics.”

“Well, I guess that’s a start,” she observed.  “Don’t forget to be happy yourself, while you’re at it.”

He grinned, glancing towards the bar, where Merida was talking animatedly to Fa with extravagant hand gestures.

“Do me a favour,” he said, jerking his head at them.  “Try to get one of those two to ask the other out, they’re driving me up the bloody wall.”

“Since I’m playing Cupid today I’ll give it my best shot, but I warn you that of all the useless lesbians I’ve met, these two are by far the worst,” she said dryly.  “Now go bang your new wife.”

Weaver gave her a flat look, walking over to where Lacey was staring into space.  She glanced across at him.

“Are you wanting to head off?” she asked.

“We can stay longer, if you like.”

She shook her head.

“I’m good.  How long’s the drive?”

“An hour or so, depending on the traffic,” he said.

“No point in hanging around, then.”

She pushed to her feet, grasping his hand and calling goodbye to the others before tugging him towards the doorway.  Whoops from Merida followed them out, which made Lacey grin a little, but once outside she shivered in the cold air, and he quickly shrugged off his jacket, putting it around her shoulders.

“Car’s just around the corner,” he said, and she tucked her arm through his as they walked swiftly.

It was a relief to get out of the bitter wind, and there was silence for awhile as Weaver drove out of the city.  Lacey fiddled with the radio, eventually finding some music she liked, and settled back as the car turned onto a quieter road, tall pines flanking the edges and faint remnants of snow still visible in amongst the trees.  Lacey shifted in her seat, glancing across at him.

“So,” she said.  “That was pretty painless, right?”

“Were you expecting ordeal by fire, or something?” he remarked, and she chuckled.

“I just meant it was - quick,” she said.  “No fuss, no expense, and we’re no less married than the people paying forty thousand bucks so their guests can have personalised party favours, or whatever.”

He grinned at that.

“I don’t think we’re personalised party favour kind of people.”

“Got that right.”

There was silence for a moment, and she looked out of the window, late afternoon sunlight sending flickering rays through the dark trunks of trees.

“You’ve been to this place before, right?” she said.

“Many times,” he confirmed.  “If Nolan and I had free time in the summer, we’d come up here, bring some meat to barbecue and drink beer by the lake.  Snow always brought whatever she’d been baking that week, and we’d get a little drunk and listen to music and talk about all sorts of crap.  It’s a nice little place.  Few other cabins nearby, but enough space that you feel as though you’re on your own.”

“I’m guessing it’s probably deserted at this time of year anyway.”

“Probably,” he acknowledged, and glanced across at her.  “You don’t mind, do you?  I could have driven us down to California, or something.”

“I don’t mind,” she said, after a pause.  “A week ago I was bunked down on a packing crate, so it’s really no big deal.  I wasn’t expecting a honeymoon.  I wasn’t expecting a wedding, let’s face it.”

“What were you expecting?” he asked curiously, glancing across at her, and she shrugged, mouth pursing a little.

“Don’t know,” she admitted.  “I - I didn’t really think things through.  I just knew I had to come back.”

“Well, I’m glad you did,” he said, and turned the wheel into a long, winding bend as the car made its way up a hill.  “It’s not too much further.”

He wanted to ask her about their time apart, why she had left in the middle of the night and not contacted him until four months later.  He wanted to ask about the night their child was conceived, whether she had regretted what they had done.  Whether she had hated him for it.  He couldn’t find the words, though, and it didn’t seem the time, so he kept silent, his eyes on the road, and before too long he was turning off onto a narrow track covered in pine needles.  The track wound downhill amongst dark stands of pine trees, and turned out onto a flat, wide area where log cabins nestled in amongst the trees, the lake beyond catching the last rays of the sun in flickers of orange.

Weaver pulled up outside the Nolans’ place, turning off the engine.  Lacey had been correct; the other cabins seemed deserted, and she was out of the car before he, nose raised to sniff the pine-scented air.  He took the overnight bag from the trunk, handing over hers and picking up a cardboard box of food before nudging the trunk shut.  Lacey took the key from him, the heels of her shoes sinking into the mulch as she headed for the steps to the porch.  It had started to snow, large flakes drifting slowly to the ground around them, and she shivered as she looked around.

“Bloody freezing,” she said, and unlocked the door.

“Give me a few minutes and I can light a fire,” he said.

The cabin was cold, but at least they were out of the bitter wind.  He set the box of food on a small table, then went to the hearth, looking around for kindling.

Lacey left him to it, carrying the box of food he had brought into the small kitchen area.  It had a fridge (empty), hotplate and microwave, and cupboards filled with canned goods, dried rice and pasta, and boxes of cereal.  There were plates and cups, glasses and cutlery, and she spent a couple of minutes poking around before putting anything perishable into the fridge and heading out of the lounge area into a small, dark corridor.  Flicking on the lights, she found four doors, the first leading outside to the back porch.  Closing it with a shiver, she tried the next, which revealed a bathroom, complete with tub and shower.  Next to it was a bedroom with a wood-burning stove and a king bed covered in a pale blue woollen throw embroidered at the edges with tiny silk flowers.  She dropped her bag onto it, peeking at the room next door and finding another, smaller bedroom.

From the sound of it, Weaver was still making the fire, so she tugged his jacket around herself and tried the back door again.  The porch was sheltered, two benches set each side of a small table with a view out over the lake,and she stood there for awhile, letting the cold air sink into her and watching her breath huff out in clouds of white as she scanned the quiet landscape.  She imagined that in the summer it must be nice to sit there and watch the sunset through the trees as the heat of the day faded and the chirps of birds were replaced by the buzz and whine of insects and the croaking of frogs.  Now the woods were cold and silent, the snow soft as feathers against her cheeks as it fell, ice forming in pale fronds at the edges of the lake, where patches of old snow still clung.

“You’ll catch your death out here.”

Weaver’s voice behind her made her jump, and his hands steadied her, warm on her waist.

“It’s kind of pretty,” she said.  “In a desolate sort of way.  Like it’s all sleeping.  It’s colder up here than in the city, huh?”

“Winter was longer than usual this year,” he remarked.  “And it clings on in the mountains.  I could make you hot cocoa, if you like.”

“You got a shot of bourbon to go in that?”

She sent him a smile over her shoulder, to show she was joking, and he grinned.

“No can do,” he said.  “But I don’t mind joining you in sobriety for the next five months, if it would help.”

“Misery loves company?” she teased.

“Marriage is a partnership.”

“I’ll remind you of that when it’s four a.m. and the baby’s crying.”

“Feel free.”

She felt a rush of affection for him, and turned in his arms to twine hers around his neck, his jacket falling from her shoulders.  He was still smiling, and his head wobbled a little, as though he was extremely satisfied with something.  His body was very warm, and she inched closer, until she was pressed up against him.

“So,” she said.  “Married.  On honeymoon.  Can mean only one thing.”

She grinned wickedly, and his smile grew, his eyes glinting.

“I did say you didn’t have to share a bed with me if you didn’t want to.”

Lacey gave him a flat look.

“You think I bought new underwear for no reason?” she asked.  “If I can’t have a drink to celebrate getting hitched, I’m at least expecting an orgasm or two.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good.”

“You have to tell me if you don’t like something, though,” he added.  "In fact, tell me if you do like something, too."

“Oh, I will.”  She raised her chin.  “You can kiss me if you like.”

Weaver’s smile broadened, and he bent his head, his mouth finding hers.  It was harder than the kiss he had given her to seal their vows, and she was snatched back to the night they had last shared, to the night when he had laid her down and kissed her like it was his last night on earth.  To the night when he had made her see stars.  It made her breath catch as he drew back, and she licked her lips, catching the faint taste of him.

“Take me to bed,” she whispered.

If he remembered that she had said the same thing to him four months ago, he didn’t react beyond a faint smile and a nod.  He took a step back, holding the door open to let her inside, and closed and locked it behind them.  Lacey made her way through to the bedroom, noting that he had lit a fire in the wood-burning stove, flames crackling around the split logs in there.  He had turned on the two bedside lamps that sat on the matching nightstands, and a warm glow was filling the room as the heat from the fire began to build.  She went to rummage in her bag, taking out a hairbrush and crossing to the little dresser, where she proceeded to take the pins from her hair where Roni had teased her curls into a loose bun.

Weaver closed the door behind him with a faint click, waiting as she brushed out her hair until it shone, reddish highlights gleaming in the lamplight  After a moment of standing there, unsure of what to do, he bent to unlace his boots, tugging them off with his socks and setting them next to the door.  The wooden floor was cold beneath his bare toes, but the room was starting to warm, and Lacey let the faux fur shawl slip from her shoulders, draping it over the back of the single chair that sat before the dresser.  He watched his wife in the mirror as she removed her earrings, and she turned her head a little, sweeping her hair to one side as she glanced over her shoulder at him.  My wife.  She’s my wife.  How the fuck did that happen?

“Unzip me?”

Weaver stepped closer, reaching up to touch her, fingertips brushing the nape of her neck and making her shiver.  He drew the zipper down, the sound seeming loud in the silence of the room, and she met his eyes in the mirror as he pushed the dress from her shoulders, gently drawing the cap sleeves down her arms.  He pushed the dress over her hips until it pooled on the floor at her feet as she stepped out of it, and let out a tiny growl as her body was revealed to him, pale curves hugged by powder-blue lace, the darker peaks of her nipples showing through.  Her legs were perfection, stockings topped with white lace clinging to them, and he watched as she flicked open the buckles to her heeled shoes and kicked them off before straightening up, the light gleaming on her pale skin.

Lacey sucked in a breath as he cupped her gently, and he bent his head to kiss her shoulder, one warm hand sliding down to where her belly curved outwards a little.  She could feel the slight roughness on his chin where fresh stubble was starting to grow, a contrast to the softness of his lips.  Cold air kissed her skin, raising goosebumps on her arms, and she rubbed her head against his, closing her eyes as she felt his hands slide back up to her shoulders, teasing the thin straps of her bra.

“Take it off,” she said softly.

He kissed her again, hands dropping to the catch at the back, and she waited patiently as he fumbled with it.

“Fucking thing,” he muttered, and Lacey grinned.

“You want me to do it?”

“No, it’s fine, I — bloody hell, woman, does this thing have a combination lock?”

Lacey rolled her eyes, reaching behind to unhook the bra and let it fall, and Weaver grunted.

“Well, I guess you’re used to it.”

“Practice makes perfect,” she said with a grin, turning to face him, and her grin widened as he ran his eyes over her.  “Come on, Detective, warm me up, would you?”

He reached up to cup her face, fingers sliding into her hair, and Lacey moaned as their mouths met, his lips warm and soft.  She went to work on the buttons of his shirt, plucking them open and sliding her hands inside over his naked chest.  He was smooth and firm, just as she remembered, and she tugged him a little closer, Weaver groaning into her mouth as the kiss deepened.  He let his hands drop, shrugging out of the shirt and letting it fall, and broke the kiss, his breath coming hard and his chest heaving as he pressed his brow to hers.  His hands ran down her back and over her buttocks, tugging her against him so that his belt buckle dug into her belly, and he pulled his mouth from hers to kiss down her neck, sending a shudder of pleasure through her.

He bent to scoop her up in his arms, tossing her onto the bed, and Lacey pushed up on her elbows, watching as he unbuckled his belt and flicked open the buttons of his jeans.  He let them fall, and she licked her lips, running her eyes over the lean lines of his arms and chest and the slight softness of his belly, watching the silver chain around his neck glinting in the light.  His nipples were hard, dark peaks, and she wanted to run her tongue over them, to taste his skin and breathe him in as he pushed inside her.  He crawled onto the bed, and his eyes were dark and deep, searching out hers as he reached for her, his fingers sliding over one cheek and into her hair.

Lacey moaned into his mouth as he laid her down and kissed her hard, his tongue pushing in between her lips, stabbing and stroking, his hands caressing her face, the chain he wore cold against the base of her throat.  She let her fingers slide up his back, stroking over hot skin, need for him burning through her, and he shifted his body to the side, one hand sliding down to cup her breast.  She groaned and arched upwards, pushing against his palm, and he kissed down her throat, tongue stroking over her skin as his mouth sought her nipple.  Lacey gasped as he sucked at her, letting her head roll back against the pillows, and she opened her legs a little, eager for his touch.

Weaver swirled his tongue over her nipple, tasting a faint hint of roses on her skin from the lotion she used.  She was breathing hard, her chest heaving, and he kissed lower, lips brushing over the slight curve of her belly where his child was growing.  He pressed tender kisses to her, shivering as he felt her fingers stroke through his hair, and slid his hands up her hips to grasp the thin waistband of her lace thong.  Lacey lifted her hips a little, allowing him to draw it down, and he let out a low growl as she was revealed to him, the soft cleft between her legs glistening with fluid.

He slipped the thong down her legs and off at her feet, pushing his boxers down over his hips and tossing them aside before kneeling between her legs and sliding his hands up her inner thighs.  The lace of her stocking-tops scraped against his palms, and he pushed her thighs apart, bending to run his tongue along the crease at the top of her thigh.  Lacey let out a gasp, fingers tightening in his hair, and he nuzzled her with his nose, breathing in the scent of her arousal.  His tongue flickered out to catch a taste of her, stroking up between her legs, and she let out a cry, arching her back.

He let out a low groan of pleasure at the taste of her, salt and musk on his lips, and swept his tongue over her flesh, sliding in between her soft folds, the tip just brushing the hard pearl of her clit.  Lacey moaned, nails scraping his scalp, and he let his tongue swirl in circles, stroking against her, feeling her move beneath him as he found his rhythm.  His hand slid up her inner thigh, one finger slipping through wet flesh to tease her, pushing inside her, and Lacey bent one knee, sliding her foot across his shoulders, letting his mouth reach more of her.  He groaned and buried his face in her, finger pushing deep into her soft, wet heat as his tongue swirled and stroked, and he could hear her panting, could feel her tensing beneath him.  He licked her, the flat of his tongue scraping her over and over, and Lacey jerked against him with a cry as she came, hot fluid bathing his tongue as he drew out the finger and sucked her pleasure from it.  He pushed his tongue inside her, groaning as he licked up every drop, and Lacey stroked his hair with shaking hands, gasping for breath.

Encouraged by her response, he smiled against her skin, pressing kisses to her, lips trailing across to her hip before making his way back up her body.  He was almost painfully hard, his balls full and aching, and the urge to get inside her was overwhelming.  She was watching him through heavy-lidded eyes, perfect breasts rising and falling with her breath, and his mouth fastened over her nipple as she moaned in pleasure.  He sucked at her, tongue circling as his lips tugged at her skin, and he let the nipple slip from his mouth, glistening with saliva as he kissed his way upwards to nip at her earlobe.

Lacey closed her eyes, skin still tingling from her climax, enjoying the feel of his touch and the scent of him drifting into her nose.  Their first time had been half-drunk and frenzied, messy and desperate and wonderful, and she was looking forward to taking some time with him, to exploring and reconnecting and learning with him.  Weaver shifted, moving to the side of her and sliding one hand down over her belly to slip into the slippery heat between her legs.  Lacey moaned, head pushing back against the pillows as he slipped a finger inside her.  He pushed in another, sinking up to the knuckles, thumb flickering over her clit, and she let out a cry, pushing against him.

“That’s good!” she whispered.  “Oh God, give me more!  Make it harder!”

He pushed another finger into her, stretching her, sliding deep, and she moaned at the feel of it, remembering how it felt to have him inside her.  The fingers began to thrust in and out, his thumb circling her clit, and she could feel the throb of her pulse as her arousal grew, sensations rising up within her.  His tongue teased her ear, his breath hot, sending shivers through her as he pushed and thrust.

“You feel fucking incredible, Lacey!” he whispered.  “Let me feel you come!  I want it running down my fingers!”

She moaned, pushing against his hand, and he quickened his pace a little, fingers sliding in and out of her, his thumb sending jolts of sensation through her with every pass over her clit.  She matched his pace, hips bucking as she rode his hand, her moans increasing in pitch as she felt a wave of pleasure rise up, and she broke with a loud cry, bliss washing over her.  He buried his face in her neck with a low groan, lips sucking at her skin as his movements slowed, and then pushed up on one elbow, gently drawing out his fingers with a wet, sucking sound.

Lacey tried to catch her breath as she watched him slip the fingers into his mouth and suck her juices from them, his eyes meeting hers.  She licked her lips, glancing down to where he was pressed against her hip in a rigid line, and reached up to touch his face, fingers raking through his hair.

“I want you,” she whispered.

He sent her a brief smile, and shifted position again, one knee lifting over hers until he was lying between her legs.  She let her hands run over him, fingers catching in the chain around his neck and trailing over his chest, and his jaw tightened as she brushed his nipples.  Weaver kissed along her jaw, mouth finding hers as one hand cradled her head.  His skin was damp and sticky with her fluids, his stubble scraping her chin as his lips pushed hers apart, and she let her tongue stroke his, feeling him hard against her thigh.  Her heart was thumping, and she shifted her hips a little, trying to capture the head of his cock.  He took his weight on one arm and reached between them, hand sliding down between her legs to grasp himself, and she let out a sound of approval as he pushed up against her.

Weaver was lost in the feel of her, the heat of her skin and the sheen of sweat forming between them, the firm roundness of her breasts pressing against his chest.  He was pushing against the soft, wet heat between her legs, and Lacey let out a tiny sound of pleasure as he eased inside her, the sensation making him grit his teeth.  He let out a long, low groan as he sank into her, flesh like silk against him, and she lifted a knee, letting him push deeper.

“Fuck!” he gasped, and she let out a throaty giggle, eyes sparkling as they met his.

He slipped a hand behind her knee, tugging it higher, thrusting into her as deep as he could go, his balls rubbing against her as he pushed inside, and Lacey wrapped her legs around him, tilting her head until her mouth caught his.  A low, bass hum rumbled out of him at the taste of her, and he moved his hips in a slow circle, rubbing against her, sliding in and out.  Lacey pulled her mouth free, head rolling back as she moaned.

“Fuck, that’s good!” she breathed.  “Harder!  Fuck me harder!”

He almost lost his mind, and bit down hard on the inside of his cheeks to try to keep it together.  Lacey was arching upwards, thighs gripping him tight and the lace of her stockings scratching pleasantly, and he ran his hands up her arms, grasping her wrists and pushing them into the pillows as he thrust into her.  She moaned, writhing, and he ran his tongue up the length of her throat to taste the salt of her sweat.  Her moans were growing louder, and he could feel himself nearing his peak, pleasure stealing through him and making his skin tingle.  He bit down into her neck, swiping his tongue over the bite and kissing up to her ear.

“Fuck, you feel amazing!” he whispered.  “Gotta come, Lacey!  Gotta come inside you!”

Lacey could feel him deep within her, thick and rigid, rubbing against her as he thrust, and she held her breath, moving her hips against him, increasing the friction, willing him to come.  She was close, she knew it, and she pushed up against him, squeezing him tight as his body trembled on the edge, the muscles of his arms and chest taut and straining.  She felt him come, a loud groan bursting from him as his cock pulsed and heat seemed to flood into her, and she cried out as she followed him, pumping her hips, pulling every drop from him.  His hands were tight on her wrists, his thrusts fast and shallow, and she let a wave of pleasure drench her, electricity coursing over her skin.  He finally slowed and stopped, letting out a deep, shuddering gasp, and released her wrists, letting his head drop.  

For a moment there was silence except for their panting, ragged breathing. The room seemed very warm, the heat between them making Lacey feel lazy and contented, and she smiled, reaching up to stroke her fingers through his damp hair as they tried to catch their breath.

“Well,” she murmured.  “Married life’s okay so far, I guess.”

He raised his head at that, a lazy grin pulling his mouth up at one corner, and pushed himself up on his elbows a little more so that he could look down at her.  She could still feel him inside her, but he was shrinking, and she unwound her legs from around his back, letting him slip from her.  He was staring at her with a softness in his expression, a deep affection that inexplicably made her want to push him away, to run and not look back.  She licked dry lips, heart thumping, and told herself to calm the fuck down.

Weaver couldn’t remember ever feeling as contented as he did right then.  Their bodies were hot and sticky, slippery with sweat and their own fluids.  Lacey’s dark curls were spread out on the pillow, her cheeks flushed and her lips swollen from their kisses, and he thought she was the beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life.  His entire body was still humming from his orgasm, his limbs heavy and loose, and he reached up to stroke a stray curl from her cheek, leaning in to press his brow to hers.  Affection burst up out of him, and he nuzzled her nose with his own.

“Oh, Lacey!” he whispered.  “I’m glad you came back.  I missed you.”

Lacey seemed to freeze momentarily, and then she pushed at him, turning her head away from his, her mouth twisting.

“Don’t - make it weird,” she muttered.

Blinking in confusion, he rolled to the side and let her slip from the bed, watching as she snatched up his shirt and tugged it on before ducking out of the bedroom.  The bathroom door closed with a click of the lock, and he sat there for a moment, trying to work out what he’d done to make her bolt and coming up with very little that made any sense.  Shaking his head, he got up, snatching up his boxers and pulling them on, along with his jeans.  He really wanted a drink, but he’d promised to lay off the booze with her, and so he figured he’d make that hot cocoa after all.  Perhaps it would stop him over-analysing everything.

She was still in the bathroom when he went out, the relative chill of the corridor making him shiver.  The lounge was warmer, the fire having settled down into a pleasant blaze, and he put another couple of logs on it to keep it going, poking them into place and making sparks jump and dance.  He could hear water running in the bathroom, and after a moment Lacey came through, rubbing lotion into her hands and not quite meeting his eyes.

“You okay?” he asked carefully, and she nodded, shifting from foot to foot.

She seemed to be having some sort of internal conversation with herself, and he waited for her to say what was on her mind.  A piece of wood snapped in the fire, and Lacey finally turned on her toes to face him.

“Okay, here’s the thing,” she said.  “I - uh - I have a request.  It’s - it’s a little thing, but I think I need to tell you about it, okay?”

“Go on,” he said, and she took a deep breath.

“I know you care about me,” she said.  “I know this wasn’t what you planned, what you wanted, but I know you care about me.  I care about you too, I do.  We were friends before anything else.  We’re still friends, and - and we’ll be more than that, I know it.”

He gave her a tiny smile.

“Yeah, I do care about you,” he agreed.  “And no, maybe this wasn’t what either of us planned when we first met, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it work, okay?  I want to make it work.  For both of us.  For the baby.”

Lacey smiled a little, and there was a tenderness in her eyes he was not used to seeing.  She took a step closer.

“You’re a good man,” she said softly.  “And I’m happy to be married to you, Rafe, I am.  I’m gonna try to be a good wife, and a good mother, and I want to make you happy, too.  I want to make you coffee in the mornings and share your bed and fall asleep beside you after a night of awesome sex, I swear it.”

He sensed that she hadn’t finished, that there was something else she wanted to say.  Something she was steeling herself for.  He was racking his brains to think what it might be, and she took a deep breath, raising her chin.

“Just - please,” she said.  “Please.  Don’t ever tell me you love me.”

He could feel his mouth fall open.  Whatever he had been expecting her to say, that wasn’t it.

“Okay,” he said, bewildered.  “Uh - why not?”

“Does it matter?” she asked.  “It’s just words, right?”

He opened and closed his mouth, but didn’t respond, and she nodded.

“Good,” she said, and stepped forward, stretching up on her toes to kiss him before dropping back on her heels with a grin on her face.  “You wanna have sex again?”

He stared at her, and shook his head numbly.

“I - uh - think I’ll make that cocoa.”

“Okay, cool.”  She ran her hands over his chest, still smiling.  “Come back to bed when it’s ready, I’m not done with you yet.”

She winked at him, and took a step back, turning to head for the bedroom, hips swaying as she walked.  He watched her go, his heart thumping hard in his chest, and realised that he barely understood a single thing about her.

[jaybeartodd]

Colleagues Pt 16/17 -- Jason Todd x fem. reader

Tags: @sarcasmismyfirstlove @tsctd @multi-fandom-dumpster @wordsmusicandchocolate @cattwomannn @itstoastytodd @nicunt @browneyedangel @amnahs9695 @mad-hatter-has-nothing-on-me @prancingdestiel

Permanent Tags: @vividmjs  @alohabucky

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

Warnings: cursing, violence

A/N: Yes it’s true, this is the second to last part. So it is super late and I spent about four hours working on this SOB and I am not 100% sure I even like it but it’s whatever and I am posting it. I want to get started on a new series so if you would like to be tagged let me know or if you have any suggestions hit me up. Thank you so much to the people who have been constantly supporting me. I can’t even fully express my gratitude. And of course thank you to honestly everyone who takes the time to read any of my stuff. I love you guys and I really hope you enjoy!!! 

“48, 49, 50!” you finish Jason’s ridiculous amount of time. You then wander around the endless hallways in search of your absurd boyfriend insistent on playing hide-and-seek. Not that you protested that much.

“Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do?” you start singing softly to yourself as you enter yet another bedroom. You get several feet in when the light suddenly turns on.

“Are you seriously singing the Cops theme song?” you twirl around to find a very smug man with the side of his mouth turned up amusedly. 

“Does that make me the bad boy?” he theorizes while suggestively wiggling his eyebrows.

“Ah-ha! Gotcha!” you yell excitedly.

“Not if you can’t catch me!” he challenges and darts down the hallway laughing maniacally. 

“No fair! I found you!” you protest and swing your head around the corner watching his retreating figure. In the end, you know it is only futile so you follow his loud footsteps.

You both wind down hallways until he traps himself in a corner. You don’t even hesitate in pouncing on him and he stumbles a few steps as you grab onto his back. This is much easier without a sling in the way. You and Jason had finally decided your shoulder was healed enough to burn the bastard.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law,” you giggle into his ear. He growls and curls his fingers over your thighs securing you onto his back.

“This is an assault on an officer of the law!” You yell still laughing as he carries you towards the bedroom. He dumps you on the bed and crawls so that he is hovering over you.

“And what is my punishment, Officer?” he inquires lowly as a seductive grin taunts you merely inches from your own lips. You interlock your mouths and twist your fingers in his shaggy hair. He breaks contact panting with a playful glint in his eyes. 

“Just so we are clear, I most definitely won hide-and-seek.”

“Oh shut up and kiss me.”

“Jason, it has been almost two weeks,” you say from your upside down position on the couch. You feel the cushions sink next to you as Jason takes his spot. A piece of popcorn hits your face and you sit up to shoot him a glare.

“Stop doubting yourself. The article is amazing and they would be idiotic not to take it. They probably have a mess of emails to work through,” he says and kisses you softly on the lips. 

“I know I am just nervous,” you say biting your lip anxiously. He puts his thumb to your lip and gently removes it from between your teeth.

“I know Doll but there is only so much we can do.” You smile warmly at him and he drops his hand to grab the remote, “Now shut up and watch this movie with me.”

You roll your eyes but can’t help the grin that spreads across your face. You curl up against him and steal a handful of popcorn. You silently send a prayer thankful for having Jason with you through this whole ordeal. He has been keeping you busy with random activities so you aren’t completely driven mad with anxiety over the article and your family. 

An incessant knocking on the door wakes you from your deep slumber. You open groggy eyes to see that you are still laying on the couch with Jason’s arm wrapped around you. You two must have fallen asleep while watching the movie. The knock sounds again so you lift his arm off of you to which he only responds with a grumble. 

You rub your eyes as you walk towards the door.

“No housekeeping needed. Sorry-” You pause as you swing the door open to reveal Nick.

“Nick? What the hell?”

“Y/N! I need to talk to you!” he says looking around frantically. Suddenly you are gently moved and staring at Jason’s muscled back.

“What the hell are you doing here? Where’s Roy?” Jason asks using his authoritative voice.

“I snuck out while he was sleeping. I-I need to talk to my sister…alone,” you hear his shake voice reply. You peer over Jason’s arm that is firmly gripping the door.

“Of course you can.” “Hell no.” You and Jason say at the same time.

You glare at him and he returns with an identical one. 

“Jason, he’s my brother.” you try.

“Hm, yeah you see no one just sneaks out on Roy. What did you do? Drug him? Bribe him?”

“Jason!” you duck under his arm and turn so you are facing him.

“No, he, uh was honestly sleeping,” Nick falters. 

“Come in, Nick,” you command and grab his hand. You push at Jay’s chest and he takes a cautious step back not ever retreating his watchful eyes from Nick. Nick takes a seat next to you on the couch. Jason sits on the couch facing you, his muscles braced for a fight.

“Could I maybe have a glass of water?” Nick mumbles hesitantly. You squeeze his hand and nod your head while looking expectantly at Jay. His eyes, however, remain narrowed in Nick’s direction.

“Jay, could you get us some water please?”

He grunts and stands up obligingly.

“What did you need to tell me?” you wait for Jason to be in the kitchen and ask. You jump as Jason slams the cabinets loudly and pours the water keeping his eyes trained on the two of you. The fucking dramatics of this man.

You sigh as he returns with the glasses and resumes his seat in front of you.

“Thanks Jason,” you mumble sarcastically.

“How do you know you weren’t followed?” Jason questions intensely.

“Uh, I mean I don’t know for sure, but I checked behind me?” Nick replies nervously. Jason laughs ironically in response.

“For crying out loud why don’t you go put on your Halloween costume and check?” you snap incredulously. Jason purses his lips and you raise your eyebrows in defiance.

“Fine, but I won’t be long,” he stands up and briskly walks towards the bedroom in a huff. You run a hand over your face sighing.

“I will be right back, Nickie.”

You follow Jason into the room and close the door behind you. He is angrily undressing his sweatpants and replacing them with his Red Hood gear.

“Jason,” you quip sternly but he continues to put his gear on.

“Jason!” he looks up at you and freezes with his helmet in his hand.

“Something isn’t right, Y/N,” he declares and points his helmet, “He is up to something.”

“He is scared and confused, Jay. And I would know exactly why if you weren’t like an overprotective hound. You, sir, are the one acting crazy,” you point out and tenderly grab his arms.

He looks at the door shaking his head and you rub your hands up and down his arms, smoothing the tension.

“No, this is not part of the plan,” he grumbles and your hands freeze.

“Plan?” He snaps his head down at you suddenly looking abashed. 

“Oh, um, I mean the plan of keeping you guys separated to thwart the bad guys,” he sputters with a nervous grin.

“Jason Todd, are you seriously hiding something from me?” you swear and drop your hands to place them on your hips.

He opens his mouth to protest but is silenced by a door closing. You turn on your heel and walk out of the bedroom.

“Nick?” you search for him in the living room but he is no longer sitting on the couch. Panic starts to rise within you as you shout his name.

“Y/N,” Jason says softly. You spin around to see him holding a note out towards you. You yank it from his grasp and immediately recognize your brother’s messy scrawl. 

“Y/N, I have to do this for you and Trey. You’ve done so much and I hope Trey will always have you in his life. Tell Jason I just couldn’t risk it again. I am so sorry for everything I have done. This hopefully makes up for some of it. I love you and please tell Trey that I love him, Nickie.”

You are frozen gaping at the note.

“That stupid son of a bitch,” Jason mutters angrily.

“We have to go find him,” you exclaim without any apprehensions and walk out the front door.

“Y/N, wait! Jeezes this woman will be the death of me,” Jason grumbles following you out into the hallway. 

“I am not arguing with-” you close your mouth as a loud boom sounds off and the building shakes. You and Jason grab onto the walls to steady yourselves.

“What in holy hell?” Jason shoves his helmet on and begins sprinting down the stairs. You follow closely; well at least you try to match his outrageously long strides. You eventually make it to the streets to find them in absolute chaos.

There are people screaming as they run away from a smoking heap of rubble. Rain beats down heavy as another explosion rocks the streets and you stumble.

“Come on!” Jason yells reaches for your hand, “We have to get out of here!”

“Someone care to explain?” he inquires into his com while leading you through the insanity. He pulls you behind a building and listens intently to his earpiece. 

“I will be right there.”

“J-Red Hood, where are we going?”

“Wayne Enterprises is being attacked again.”

You swallow back fear as he tugs you forward towards an alleyway. Nightwing and Red Robin are pacing back and forth indicating you have made it to your destination. Your own exhausted panting is not matched as Jason brushes off the run as if it was nothing.

“Hey, what’s the plan?” 

“Batman is helping Gordon and the rescue teams evacuate people trapped in the buildings. We are about to join him but we wanted to give you the flash drive.” Dick says eyeing you nervously.

“Forget about it. The kid went and turned himself in. We were busted,” Jason growls.

“What the hell are you talking about?” you grab Jason’s arm and turn him so he looking at you.

“You brother was going to turn over this flash drive to Mask with fake information and it would infiltrate his data so we could get his location and take him out before he could retaliate against you over the article. But then,”

You stop Jason with a slap across the face. His nostrils flare as he looks at you.

“Now isn’t the time Y/N,” he says angrily.

“Damn straight,” you retort and turn on your heel. Jason grabs your hand and spins you back around so you are facing him. He takes in your shaking wet form and a sense of regret rises from his stomach but he swallows it back. He removes his helmet so he can look you in the eye.

“Listen, he wanted to do this. To make up for all the shit he’s done. And I am not one to stop a man from earning his redemption.” He says dangerously low.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you would never agree to it!”

“Because it’s stupid!”

Your phone rings breaking the thick tension suspended between you and Jason. You reach down ready to silence it when you read the unknown number.

“Where is he?” you demand through clenched teeth. Jason puts his ear against the phone and you give him a side glare.

“Nickie is doing fine for right now. He does miss his big sister awfully so,” the mocking voice answers from the other line. You tighten your grip on the phone.

“What do you want?” 

“I want you and your boyfriend to pay for that half assed plan to betray us. Didn’t know you were so manipulative.”

“Where do I meet you?”

“But not patient obviously…meet me at the warehouse where we had our first date.” He hangs up the phone and you shove it into your pocket. With an angry huff you take a step away from the boys.

“Where are you going?” Jason squeezes your arm as you turn away but you yank it from his grasp.

“Leave me alone, Jason,” you snarl. He rolls his eyes at your stubbornness.

“No, listen to me Y/N,”

‘No I am done listening.”

“Fine,” he resolves. He grabs your wrist and spins you back against him. 

“What the hell? Let go of me!” you yell into his chest but he ignores you. You feel something metal clamp around your wrist.

“Jason, if you do not let go of me!” you scream but he ignores your threats and drags you underneath an overhang. He cuffs the other end of the handcuffs to a bar. 

“Tim, watch her,” he commands still ignoring your protests.

You grab ahold of his arm and sink your nails into it. He whips his head around. You flinch as the water drips down over his eyes stormy with emotion.

“I’m saving you from yourself Y/N!” He yells frustrated. You grimace at his tone and remorse immediately fills him. His eyes turn sorrowful and he leans close enough to your face so your hot breaths mix.

“I know if I don’t go trade my ass in for your worthless brother then you will. And I…I can’t handle that again.” he gives a grin intended to be snarky but instead just looks defeated, “Call me selfish I guess.”

You stare open mouthed at him and he presses his lips onto yours in a feverish kiss. He pulls back and you feel tears prick at your eyes.

“Jason, you don’t have to do this,” you pull at the cuffs knowing well it is useless.

“I do, Doll, I do,” he walks out of your grasp and turns on his heel towards his motorcycle. Dick jogs after him trying to knock sense into him but Jason just puts on his helmet and kicks off on his bike. Dick swears and pulls out his grapple gun to follow him.

You turn your head and catch Tim’s eye but he turns to the gadget in his hand obviously flustered. 

“Tim,” he looks up with a blush still on his face, “Let me out of these.”

You tug against the cuffs and he scratches his head, “Look, Jason said not to.”

“And Jason is an idiot who is about to get himself killed if you don’t let me out.”

“Red Robin, come in,” Tim looks at his com in relief and answer back.

“We need your help cracking whoever hacked into the Wayne server.”

He sighs and looks towards your smug face.

“Looks like you have better things to be doing than babysitting me.”

He looks at his com then back at you. “Fine!” he groans and uncuffs you. 

“Just don’t do anything rash. Dick will stop Jay and we will get your brother back without you risking your own neck.” You nod, seemingly complicit, but he just narrows his eyes suspiciously. 

His gaze suddenly jerks to behind you.

“What-” you turn and see that a black SUV parked itself on the street next to the two of you.

“Move!” He yells as men pile out of it packed heavy with weapons. You follow him as he runs behind a pillar and bullets spray the air.

“Bats, we need backup!” he cries into his earpiece. He pulls out his grapple gun and his eyes search desperately for an escape route that would not involve the two of you being peppered with bullets.

You glance at Tim with wide eyes as the bullets stop and footsteps approach the two of you. You hear another car pull up and you lose track of the amount of feet you hear stomping towards you.

“Weapons down Red Robin!” a voice commands. The grip on his staff grows tighter and you place a hand over top of his.

“There’s too many of them Tim,” you whisper. He turns a worried face towards you and you give him a nervous smile.

“It’s me you’re after. It’s Y/N. Leave Red Robin out of this!” you yell and step out of cover with your hands raised.

Your hands shake in fright but you manage to stand confidently in front of weapon clad henchmen. You blink the rain from your eyes and clear your throat.

“No, I suppose he doesn’t,” a mocking voice that seems to be the narrator in all of your nightmares steps up between you and the gunmen.

“Scarecrow,” you whisper attempting at hostility.

“Hello, Y/N. Long time no see,” he smiles menacingly and you cringe.

Two of the soldiers step forward and roughly grab your arms. Red Robin steps out with his staff poised. 

“Drop it or you both will be Swiss cheese,” Scarecrow warns and Tim looks hesitantly between all the guns pointed in your direction. He drops the staff to the ground and several men respond and push him down to his knees with a gun pointed at his head.

“No!” you yelp and struggle against your captors. 

“He may not be directly related to this but why pass up the opportunity to hurt the Batman,” Scarecrow’s voice cackles and he pulls a syringe from the array he has in his trench coat.

Tim watches him angrily as he approaches. You manage to plant your foot on one goon’s foot and escape his grasp only to have five more hold you back.

“Bye bye birdie,” Scarecrow says and plunges the needle in Tim’s neck. You scream as Tim’s eyes roll back in his head. The men holding him let go and he slumps to the ground. He begins trembling and you watch helplessly as the serum that almost killed you takes over his body.

“Now, we should probably get you in the car. You have a date,” Scarecrow points at you and your captors drag you kicking and screaming into the van. A heavy cloth is placed over your face and your struggles grow weak as the world fades around you.

“Jason, this is idiotic! Turn around and let’s talk about a plan!” Dick’s voice demands through Jason’s helmet. He switches it off and revs his bike to go faster. He knows exactly what will happen if he turns around and has a heart to heart with Dick that would make the Brady Bunch smile. You will somehow manipulate Tim, if you haven’t already, into letting you go and you will find yourself in Mask’s hands again to save your harebrained brother. And Jason would die twice over before letting that happen again.

He skids the bike to a stop in front of the warehouse where he accidentally revealed his moonlighting to you. Usually picturing the pissed off expression on your face would amuse him to no end but right now it is bloodied with the thoughts of you being in danger.

He kicks down the door and looks around the empty warehouse with his hands on his hips. “Honey, I’m home.” He takes notice that the rubble that had nearly buried him remains.

“Hood, good to see you. I am surprised though. My money was on Y/N beating you here.” a henchman steps out from the shadows with a sickening grin.

“Yeah well she is a little tied up right now. You know kicking ass in school, exposing shitheads to the world, it keeps a girl busy,” Jason retorts covering up his anger at him referencing you.

“Enough pillow talk, where is Nick?” Jason says growing tired of this whole ordeal. The man clucks his tongue and begins pacing comfortably in front of Jason who is clenching his fists to hold himself back from pummeling him.

“The deal was the bitch and her boyfriend. It was not an either/or.”

With lightning speed Jason has his hands wrapped around the man’s neck and pressed against a wall.

“I asked nicely which already makes it a good day for me. I wouldn’t push it, asshole.”

“Hood, drop it,” Mask’s metallic voice commands from behind. Jason presses against his neck one more time before dropping him wheezing to the ground.

“Ah, Mask, long time no see. How are the kids?” Jason asks turning to face his former ‘boss’. Mask chuckles and Jason grimaces at the grotesque noise.

“They say everyone has a soulmate, Red. And I think you may have found yours.” he continues chuckling and Jason clenches his fists, “She said the same thing.”

Someone comes out with your unconscious body slung over his shoulder. Jason’s face hardens and his hands immediately grab at his guns. 

“Put the weapons away Hood. She is all yours,” Mask says and points at your captor nodding. He tosses your body at Jason’s feet and he immediately kneels down and presses two desperate fingers on your neck. Relief floods him as he feels a pulse beating steadily. 

“Don’t worry. She will be fine. A bit of chloroform to help her remain unconscious.”

“What do you want with us?” Jason asks more urgently now knowing you are in the same predicament as him.

“Well I need you two to suffer for the dent you have put in every one of my plans. And I am thinning out the Bats’ resources while I destroy every scrap of Wayne Enterprises in this town. And to keep you behaving, I need your little girlfriend here as a persuasion tool.” 

“What do you mean thinning out?”

“I mean someone is probably already rushing to save poor Red Robin who is our test subject for the most recent fear toxin. I am sure someone is searching for you and unfortunately the Batman can’t be everywhere at once.” Jason snarls while pulling out a knife from his boot.

“Bring the boy out,” Mask commands with a flick of his finger. 

Two henchmen carry out a struggling Nick strapped to a chair. He is red-faced as his screams are muffled by duct tape.

“Now here is my offer. You can use that knife on him,” he points towards a terrified Nick, “And you and your sweetheart can walk out of here in one piece and live happily ever after.” 

“Why don’t I just plunge it into your gut?” Jason suggests. 

“Because then those guns trained on you and Y/N there won’t miss a shot.” Jason looks wildly at the two men holding guns aimed at the two of you.

“Why should I believe you would let us live?” 

“Because if you kill this man you are returning back to the Red Hood we all know and love. Except for Batman, actually. I believe there is a strict ‘no kill’ rule. Oh and not to mention she would lose a brother.” He glances down menacingly at your limp form and Jason steps up so that he is between you and Mask. His jaw tightens as his eyes wander to Nick.

“Yes, Hood. Remember this man has put the lovely Ms. Y/N in danger multiple times. He even ordered for her to be injected with the fear toxin. You wouldn’t even have to tell her. And her life will be so much safer without him in it.” Tears stream down Nick’s face as the words and the probable outcome of this sinks in.

Jason clenches the knife tighter in his hand as he looks at your sleeping face. Hair he has brushed back many times rests lightly over your peaceful face. His gaze wanders down to your shoulder that is just recently out of a sling and memories of your suffering flash before him. He flinches at the thought of him soothing away your nightmares, racing to get your depleting body to an antidote and restraining your terrified body as you thrashed against your worst fears. And then you pushing all of your own concerns away for him. It was always him that put you in harm’s way. Nick.

Jason walks furiously to Nick and puts his knife to his neck. He is panting heavily with flaring nostrils as Nick looks at him with a deflated expression. Jason searches for the pleading in his eyes but he only finds resolve. 

“Do it Red!” Mask yells. You start to stir from your state of unconsciousness at the sound of Black Mask. Blinking your eyes you turn an aching head towards the sound. Your eyes widen and you feel the protest on the tip of your tongue as you watch the Red Hood sink a knife into your little brother’s gut. 

“No!” you scream standing up shakily. Jason’s head jerks towards you. You sprint to your brother’s side pressing a hand over his wound. He looks at you with foggy eyes as his head falls to his chest.

“No! Nick, talk to me! Stay with me!” you cry with your brother’s blood falling over your hand. 

“Now let us go, that was the deal,” Red Hood’s robotic voice commands. You flinch at the coldness. How could you have ever found comfort in his words. Your hands press tighter to Nick’s abdomen as tears flood heavily down your cheeks.

“Indeed we did,” Mask acknowledges and nods his head.

“Y/N, let’s go,” Jason demands coolly grabbing your forearms from behind.

“No! Let go of me you fucking bastard!” you wail struggling against him as he pulls you away from your bleeding brother. He ignores your cries as he pulls you towards the exit.

“Take care Red Hood,” Mask boasts saluting him off.

“Yeah, we will see about that,” he whispers. You twist in his arms trying to escape his grasp. You manage to get a few scratches across his arms.

“Y/N, would you stop and look!” he hisses into your ear. You turn your glassy eyes towards where he is indicating and see Nightwing slowly making his way down towards Nick behind Mask and his goons’ backs who are focusing on the two of you.

He grabs ahold of Nick and slips something on the chair. He slings Nick over his shoulder and grapples up to a perch. 

Jason suddenly pulls you outside of the building and shields your body with his own as an explosion rips through the air. Your ears ring and your vision is obscured by Jason’s armored chest. Jason suddenly shoots up and you cough as the dust fills your lungs. 

“We have to go!” You hear Jason shout over the ringing. You shake your head and look at him fuming.

“You stabbed my brother!” you yell and shove his chest.

“I had to, to get us out of there, Y/N! He will be fine! I didn’t puncture anything vital!” Your breathing slows at this as the anger dissipates ever so slightly.

“Fine but-” you are cut off as leftover goons appear around you. Jason cocks his pistol and looks at you.

“Remember those moves I taught you Doll?” he questions. You swallow and nod your head confidently.

“Good,” the men rush forward and Jason begins taking them out one bullet at a time but not quick enough to detain all of them from reaching you.

One man approaches you carelessly, obviously not expecting much of a fight from you. So you show him otherwise. You dodge his outstretched hands and kick out his back leg. His nose breaks beneath your fist as you deliver a punch. Your knuckles ache but the adrenaline numbs it for the moment. And other men are happy to provide a distraction.

You dodge and deliver hits where Jason taught you in dizzying motions. Bulky arms wrap around your chest and you try wiggling your way out. He squeezes and you let out an involuntary cry of pain.

Jason’s focus whips towards you momentarily distracting him. You manage to jab an elbow into the man’s side and Jason smirks as he evades another hit.

Suddenly a shot reverberates through the air and Jason cries out in pain as he grabs his wounded leg. 

“Ja-Red Hood!” you shout and run towards him but another asshole steps up. You fight him off the best you can feeling your energy wavering and your attention now on Jason.

“Not again Hood!” a glitching voice hisses venomously. 

“You just can’t friggin’ die can you?” Jason exclaims dumbfounded as Mask approaches him with a gun in his hand.

Rex appears and you warn Jason just in time as he sprints at him in all his heavily muscled glory and tackles him to the ground. A hit lands itself across your jaw and you stumble back. The adrenaline is starting to wear off and you feel the aches on your body but you manage to land a swift kick to this man’s nether regions and he collapses in pain.

Rex managed to get Jason down on the ground and he is repeatedly pummeling him with his fist. His helmet has broken and Rex tosses it to the side. You flinch at the bloodied bruises littering Jay’s face but he uses Rex’s momentary distraction to grab his fist and gain the upper hand. Mask limps towards them with a crazed demeanor. You narrow your eyes and run towards him. You swing your hand hard on the back of his head but immediately regret it when pain shoots up your now broken bones.

He turns his head and looks at you maniacally. You wince at the parts missing from his face that must have been blown off in the explosion. He wraps his metallic hands around your throat and you choke as the air is ripped from your lungs.

“Did you think you could stop me? You and your idiotic brother?” he growls and you push at his hands.

“No,” you wheeze out, “Just. A. Distraction.”

His eyes widen at this and you fall to the ground as his hold is forcibly removed.

“Survive this bitch,” Jason has Mask’s head in the crook of his elbow and a gun pressed to his temple. As much as you yearn for him to be ridded of forever a nagging voice causes you to shout at Jason.

“Red Hood!” you yell and he turns his battered face towards you inquisitively. “The rule. Batman.”

He lets out a frustrated sigh and looks back down at Mask.

“You don’t deserve mercy,” he fumes but knocks him upside the head rendering him unconscious. Jason then looks at you through one hooded eye with a pained expression and spits out a wad of blood.

“Are you still mad at me?” he laughs and then hisses in pain.

“Of course,” you mumble but run up to him and wrap your arms around his body.

“Oof,” he lets out an exclamation of pain and wraps one arm around you while the other one hangs dislocated. Rex really did a number on him. He pulls your head close and presses his face into your hair relishing in your safety.

“We need to get you to a doctor,” you observe and pull away from him.

“Good thing we know a pretty good one at the manor,” he winces and you put his arm around you so he can take at least some of the pressure off of his shot leg. You help him to the side of the building and you both slump down against it waiting for backup.

You glance at Jason and see him breathing heavily through the pain. He turns towards you and his bruised lips lift into a grin.

“We did it, Dopey.”

[tirsaroundtheworld]

New Zealand - South Island

Well well, it’s been a long while since my last post! No worries though, I didn’t get stuck under a pile of snow or freeze to death - I’ve had the best time! After the most horrible journey one can possibly imagine from Bali to Queenstown, involving issues with everything from visa and onward flights issues to long delays to intense questioning and searches- all during the night - the stunning approach to Queenstown and the reunion with my favourite partner in crime made up for it. Oh how good to be back together after over two months! We have been crossing the South Island of beautiful New Zealand in the most literal way since.

After the happy reunion in Queenstown we met up with our wonderful new friends from Amsterdam, who we first met in Mongolia, then spent new years eve with in Japan and then met again in Thailand. We followed them on their tight schedule along the West Coast up north via Abel Tasman National Park and Blenheim’s wine-heaven to Picton, where their ferry to the North Island parted us after three super fun and exciting weeks.

After that we made our way back and further South, driving over almost each of the South Island’s highways. These highlights happened along the way of the past few months down under:

# Lucky enough, Lodewijk had arrived in Queenstown a few days before me and stayed with a couple who happened to sell a family-car-transferred-to-ultra-basic-campervan; just what we needed! Unfortunately the garage wasn’t in tune with this fast pace: it took 6 days from my arrival to get our Warranty of Fitness and pre-purchase checkup done. It then took another 10 minutes in the post office to register and the Mitsubishi Delica Spacegear was rightfully ours and ready to rumble. Luckily Queenstown had enough to keep us entertained during the wait: we soaked in its beautiful views while walking through the cute streets, beautiful harbour and lushy botanical garden, stuffed our faces with the fabulous hamburgers of Fergburger on four consecutive days, celebrated travelerlife with our friends in their super luxurious motorhome, made a trip to beautiful Glenorchy and collected all we needed for the roadtrip. # As soon as we were roadready, we made our way to the beautiful Milford Sounds. As we arrived in the dark, we were in for a surprise; when we woke up we found ourselves surrounded by endless majestic, lushy rockformations dotted with countless waterfalls and partially hidden under a mystical blanket of clouds. It was stunning! We went on a boat trip to get up close with the breathtaking sounds, quite a warming up to New Zealand’s beauty! # One of New Zealand’s most popular activities is tramping - trekking and camping. There are a number of ‘Great Walks’ in the country along completely stunning paths that usually take several days to complete. Now that it’s winter, many of the huts along the paths aren’t open for camping or sections of the walks are closed because of the conditions; limiting us to only go on one day walks or just parts of the great walks. The first proper trekking we did was along part of the Kepler track - following a path through different types of bush and past several Lord-of-the-Ringsy scenery before reaching the stunning Manapouri lake. A great first walk! # One of the most beautiful places that we’ve seen on the South Island is the West Coast. Also referred to as the Wet Coast, and for a good reason.. We had to dodge the occasional intense shower but hey, nothing new for us Dutchies. Apart from the simply stunning coastal scenery, we especially enjoyed the beautiful Pancake rocks, formed by the sea and its tides, the close encounters with the cheeky indigenous Kea birds and the a ma zing Fox and Franz Josef glaciers. Unfortunately the weather didn’t allow us to take a helicopter ride up to the glacier for a walk, so we had to do with admiring the blue mass of ice from the ground. Tough life! 😂 # From the West Coast we made our way up north, via the stunning Nelson Lakes National Park where we enjoyed an indoor campervan picnic admiring the rainy view, to Nelson, a proper city at the northern coast of the South Island. We planned just a short stay in Nelson to stock and fuel up before entering the more remote world of Abel Tasman National Park, but ended up needing more time to visit the Leonardo DaVinci expo at the regional museum, wake up with some New Zealand style Dutch oliebollen from the weekend’s farmers market, shopping, playing minigolf and eating the best falafel so far found in New Zealand (twice 😏). # Once in Abel Tasman National Park, a large, forresty park, dotted with deserted sandy beaches, clear blue sea and other hidden gems, we got a watertaxi to drop us at beautiful Anchorage bay. From there, we followed the end section of the Abel Tasman Coast Walk back to where we started, taking a detour to find Cleopatra’s pool, hidden in the forrest. At the end of the day we had walked for about 6 hours and mainly seen all different types of bush! In hindsight it might have been better to take a walk more to the north, or to rent some canoes and observe Tasman’s beauty from the insanely blue water. Live and learn! 🙃 # After our proper work-out in Abel Tasman National Park we figured we deserved a drink, and what better place for that than the beautiful Marlborough wine region, famous for its delicious Sauvignon Blanc! Based in boring Blenheim, we visited 6 different vineyards to taste their variety of wines and our absolute favourite was Peter Yealands. Not only did we looove their all organic and delicious wines, there’s also a self guided tour around their completely stunning vineyards; right at the cliffs to the sea with amazing views all around and crawling with the cutest Babydoll sheep on land mowing duty. Wine will never taste the same! 😂 # And then we were on our own. Our plan was to follow the east coast to Christchurch, but an earthquake had already shattered that plan over a year ago (how did we not know this?!). That meant a detour and an extra stop in Nelson for that divine falafel before we made it to Christchurch. This interesting city was largely destroyed by a series of heavy earthquakes in 2013, but didn’t lose its positive spirit. Even though the effects of the earthquake can still be seen around town, the people picked their lives back up, built a very cool mall from colourful containers, completed a half collapsed cathedral with perfectly printed cardboard and filled the gaps of destructed buildings with pieces of art. Such an interesting city! Another big plus of our time in Christchurch was of a different kind: for many tourists Christchurch was the end of their trip, so campervans had to be returned and the little fridges and wardrobes cleared out. And all the 'left overs’ were left in the camp kitchen or presented to us at our van! After a few days there we left with unopened bags of pasta, kilos of rice, different herbs and spices, fruits, fresh bread, bottles of wine, local beers, pillows, wine glasses and even a heater. Our time in Christchurch was definitely worth it!! 😂 # Right under Christchurch is the beautiful Banks Peninsula, a gorgeous piece of land that is formed long ago by two volcanic eruptions. We followed the Summit Road to get from the end of Christchurch to Akaroa - the peninsula’s main city- which, as the name suggests, took us along the edge of one of the original craters. We were blessed with one amazing view over the rugged land and bays with crystal clear water after the other; this is hands down one of our most favourite places on all the island! # We had already found out that our favourite thing to do in NZ is just to drive around and soak in the amazing beauty and insane views around each corner, again and again, and the scenery on the way to Lake Tekapo once again proved that. Unfortunately, it had been raining a lot and before we knew it we got stuck in the mud while exploring a possible camping spot in the wild. Oooops. Nowhere near civilization we were bound to try and try, stuffing branches and other debris from the forest under the tires, until we finally managed to get out of the mud, turn around, dive right back in and get out again at the other end. We aged about 10 years in that hour, gotta love adventure! And a different campsite for the night. # Absolutely the best way we found to admire Lake Tekapo is from the summit of Mt John, where the cute cafe with viewing deck enabled us to sit back, secretly eat our own lunch and sip on some green tea while soaking in the seriously eye-popping view over the snowy, hilly landscape completed with the bright blue lake. Wow! # Just when we thought we had seen the most beautiful thing on the island, we made our way to Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park. Already the drive past the stunning Lake Pukaki, which bright blue colour was completely covered with mystical mist when we first drove past it on the way to the park, got us reconsidering our favourite view. But then the sun broke through the near constantly present clouds while we hiked between the mountains through the Hooker Valley until we reached the terminus of the Hooker glacier, with views of crystal clear springs, snowy Mt Cook and floating icebergs in the impressive Hooker Lake. Yet another most beautiful view in the world! # After all that time in the mountains, we made our way to the beautiful beaches of Southland. This not at all touristy area is marked with stunning cliffs and rockformations, trees that are blown away by the heavy, salty winds and a lot of wildlife. Between the picture perfect lighthouses, driftwood filled beaches and grassy dunes we got up close with some smelly sea lions lazing around, spotted a variety of birds and, most specially, watched a couple of super rare Yellow Eyed Pinguins get back on land after a day out in the sea, wiggle ashore and retreat to their hidden nests. Wow that was really cool, even though we were quite far away in a camouflaged viewing hide not to disturb the beautiful creatures in any way. Another absolute highlight from our time in Southland was our day with Ian, the fun local we met in a bar in Colac Bay. After a drink in that bar, we got invited to his farm the next day where we got to help out with marking the new born lambs with orange hearts, re-arranging the fields and feeding the cattle. Even though we managed to mark the wrong lambs and probably cost more work than we made up for, we had a great day! Big thanks to Ian, such a rockstar! # Our next stop was in Dunedin, the 'Edinburgh of the South’, a surprisingly lively city at the east coast. So far, we hadn’t seen any entertainment after 16.00, but here were actual youngsters and students and bars and all! Nothing crazy still, but we enjoyed to be in a city again. We visited the beautiful Toitu museum, crossed all down town tracking different pieces of streetart, walked up the hilly shopping street and bought delightful treats on the Saturday morning farmers market. Lovely! # Under Dunedin is another peninsula; the Otago Peninsula. We were hoping to find some Banks-like views, but no. The road to the end was no where near as spectaculair as Banks’ Summit Road, it rained all day and the clouds prevented us from seeing any views at all. We went to see the world’s only mainland breeding place of the majestic Royal Albatrosses at the end of the peninsula, which is really cool, but probably during naptime; we barely spotted any action. You win some, you lose some, right? 😂 # We were definitely winning again when we got back up to Wanaka! We had been ready to go snowboarding for weeks, but the weather on the slopes hadn’t been good so we moved on twice before there finally was a good forecast. Not even just good; great - three times a charm! So we got ourselves gear and liftpasses and drove up to Treble Cone, where we had the best day trying out the not really fresh but still nice New Zealand snow, shredding almost alone along the quiet slopes, absorbing the sun and admiring the to die for view. Soooo worth the wait!! And as the good weather kept on coming, we went for another day on the slopes - this time at Cardrona, where it was possibly even better. The snow was fresher, the slopes were wider and their was a lot of freestyle jumping going on in preparations for the Winter X Games that would start soon. Another fantastic day, we looove New Zealand! # From Wanaka we made our way back along the stunning Haast pass to the West Coast. Instead of moving straight up north from there, we decided to make our way all the way south to the end of the line at Jackson Bay first. Just as the rest of the West Coast, the drive to get there was stunning! Jackson Bay itself was a bit sleepy, but functioned as a great place for a picnic with view on its natural harbour - the only one on the West Coast! Moving back up north from there was possibly even more stunning than the first time as we had great weather this time. Bliss! # By now we had tackled almost all main highways on the island, except for this very exiting one; Arthurs pass. Ofcourse we couldn’t let that happen, so right after Greymouth we took the exit and left the West Coast for a 'slight’ detour into the heart of the country. Our intention was just to drive through the stunning mountain pass untill we reached Arthur’s Pass village - but heavy heavy rain prevented us from properly enjoying this scenery so we decided to continue to Christchurch for the night. And it was a good choice; we got lucky with free stuff at the camping again and we woke up in bright sunshine. In the end we got to enjoy every bit of the drive back to the West Coast, from the majestic, rocky Castle Hill to the impressive viaduct in the mountains and its views to the magical world of Kumara’s Glowworm caves and to the satisfaction of ticking this one highway off the to do list. 😜 # Back at the West Coast we decided to go to the northern end of the line too. The very last stop all the way up the West Coast is Karamea. Most of the crowds (that are extremely limited in winter anyway) do not come up there, so we found ourselves between a bunch of retired New Zealanders that semi-permanently parked their huge housebuses at the cute Karamea Domain ground, ready to kick off the whitebaiting season just around the corner. The atmosphere was however fantastic and we had a lot of fun joining the oldies in their daily gettogether before dinner. Moreover, Karamea is at the entrance of the beautiful Kahurangi National Park. Along the Heaphy Track, another one of the great walks, we made our way to the beautiful Scott’s Beach, which we shared with no one but a cute little seal. Then we walked practically every short walk in the absolutely stunning Oparara basin, where we were blown away by beautiful natural arches, caves, rare blue ducks and other natural treasures. W. O. W. Those ends-of-the-line work for us! # Even though in a straight line it would only be around 75 km to the Northern tip of the South Island, there is no direct road there. From the West Coast we had to drive all around Abel Tasman National Park to reach the northernmost point of the South Island; Farewell Spit. The drive is worth it though, we passed some seriously contestants for 'most beautiful view’ and made several stops in the Golden Bay before we reached the end. Especially the walk, or more like climb, we made through proper Hobbit scenery to find the well hidden Harwood’s Hole and adjacent view over the valley took our breaths away. We ended the day with a simply perfect sunset at Wharariki Beach with its iconic arches on the shore, life is good! # The last drive we took on the South Island was probably our favourite; it took us right into the Malborough Sounds along the so called French Pass. We had attempted to take this drive after saying goodbye to our friends, but the sky was crying at the time so we didn’t see a thing and returned. This time though, it was perfect. The sky was almost clear, the gravelroad wasn’t as bad as can be and the scenery was amazing. Dramatic views of bushy, green sounds popping out of the sea, exotic emerald waters and fields with lambs all along the way. No picture would capture the beauty of this place as it is, but I tried anyway. 😜

And then we reached Picton.. After 2 amazing, breathtaking and overly satisfying months, some very dear new friends, the most unefficient route, 2 flat tires, a new waterpump, a completely new wardrobe and a new pile of memories it is time to get on a ferry for the next part of our New Zealand adventure; on to the North Island! 🇳🇿⛴🌏

[rhianonsuee]

9.28.17-9.29.17

✈️ Sgf–>Atl–>NYC–>ICELAND!!!!!

After a full day of travel we finally arrived in Iceland at 6:45am. Going on 1 hour of plane-sleep and sustaining off of protein bars, we made our way to pick up our car. It’s a 4x4, 6-speed Kia, so I was told there is no way that I’ll be driving 🙌🏼 (totally okay with that). We loaded up and hit the road to Reykjavik.

Our first stop- breakfast at the Laundromat Café. This place got rave reviews on @lifwithaview15’s blog and I can happily say I now share those opinions. My first Icelandic meal consisted of scrambled eggs, a bread basket w/marmalade, fruit, Brie, a fire roasted tomato, and Greek (why they didn’t have skyr I have no idea) yogurt w/muesli. I don’t know if it was really as spectacular as I thought it was or if it was so good because I had only been eating protein bars for the last 15 hours, but yum it was good!

Our first activity was a 2 hour walking tour of the city. In the freezing cold and drizzly rain. But hey, we got all our steps in and got to hear about the city from a local! Did you know that there is only one statue of a woman in all of Iceland and she was only just put there in 2015? Did you also know that in 2010 the tourism in Iceland was only at about 400,000 people a year? This year, 2017, they are on track for 2.4 million people to come to the country. Also- 360,000 people live in Iceland and 75-80% of them live in Reykjavik. Some random facts I know you were dying to know.

Next stop- dad and mom had to try one of Iceland’s famous hotdogs. I did not partake, but they claimed it was the best hot dog they ever had. The line for this hotdog stand was ridiculous and we were told it is like that all day long. Probably because it’s the cheapest thing to eat in Iceland at around 5 bucks.

We then spent the next few hours walking around the city, looking into the local stores, and visiting Bonus (the grocery store that everyone goes to because it’s the cheapest in Iceland). We stocked up on groceries for the next couple days, because eating out is 25-50 dollars a person. Insane!

For dinner we had dinner at an Italian restaurant. We each got a 9" pizza (and we were so starving we ate it all) and I have to say, while it wasn’t the best pizza I’ve ever had but it was pretty dang good!

After dinner we set off for Hellnar, 2.5 hours away and the site of our first accommodation. On our drive there, WE FREAKING SAW THE NORTHERN LIGHTS!!! They were very faint, white, and barely there, but you guys!!!! We saw them!!!!! I can’t tell you how cool it was. Even just that little bit was spectacular. Dancing in the sky. Ugh. So amazing.

We got to our little Icelandic cottage at around 10, unpacked the car, went out to watch the lights a little bit longer, and then I passed out so hard. After 30 something hours of no sleep I was absolutely dead.

Oh! Before I end this, I guess I should comment on the weather. For our first day in Iceland we wore what we wore on the plane, so totally not prepared. The weather here is even more bipolar than in Springfield if you can believe that. Throughout the day it was freezing with harsh winds and icy rain, then all of a sudden it would be sunny with little rain and a light breeze. Five seconds later it would be extremely cloudy and cold. I was freezing all day, but thank goodness for my Patagonia rain jacket otherwise I would have been soaked and cold, which is way worse than just cold.

[theolivechickken]

Game of Turons

May or may not be missing Filipino food at this point..

April 1

Quick day-trip to Mostar. It’s so beautiful here! We had a fresh little taste-tour of homemade and local cheeses paired with bread, paprika spread, and salami. We had the chance to try a bitter cherry drink (I thought it was pretty sweet and tasty) and also this syrupy cookie. Basically a lunch. We weren’t entirely hungry afterwards, so we grabbed a cone of gelato and sat out on the ruins of the original bridge (Stari Most) and watched as bridge jumpers collected money from tourists and took the plunge. Sugar mama Craven also needed to spend those marks, so she treated everyone to some fine souvenirs. We all got matching bracelets (yay friendship) and also got some matching copper earrings (sorry pat). I could finally see the appeal of shopping since I just had money to throw around and get rid of.

Holy hell it is hot out. A toasty 80-ish degrees. How am I going to survive when I come back home to So-Cal and Phoenix?? I used to think anything below 90 degrees was cold and now I’m perfectly warm and comfortable in 45-50 degree weather. We had an afternoon tour to learn about the history of Mostar and visit a mosque and Kajtaz house. We were also able to climb the museum tower next to Stari Most and talk to a local who had been living in Mostar at the time of the wars and helped to rebuild the new bridge despite the fact that he was held captive in the war, used as a human shield, and lost some mobility in his left arm. He was very friendly and open about his experiences.

Uno ruins friendships. We played an almost endless 2 hour game on the bus ride to Dubrovnik and the only reason we stopped (besides the fact that we were already over the game) was because the sun was going down and we couldn’t tell yellow from green anymore.

April 2

Game of thrones who?? Yeah so I still have yet to finish the show. Please no spoilers and I’m sorry that I might not be able to fully understand the settings here that were used in the show. BUT I WILL SOMEDAY.

I’m in love with Dubrovnik. I love the ocean and the sea. Basically any body of natural water. I love the fresh air and the warm sun and the salty breeze. I love the orange rooftops and the FREAKING castle in the middle of town. I love the cliffsides that are inviting us to dive into the freezing cold water.

I got wet. We went down to the rocky cliffs and I wanted to get close enough to dip my toes into the water. Welp, I did. But then the waves were excited to see me too and just whipped my legs, soaking my pants from the knees down. No worries though. There’s still enough time in the day to lie out on the rocks and let them air dry. And that’s what I did.

Please sir let me go kayaking. We still had time to kill and figured why not? It was such a challenge to figure out how to get down from the castle and streets level to the pebble beach area. We finally got down and the guy was like please don’t, I’m trying to close up shop for the day. It was 3:30pm. There’s still plenty of “day” but I guess he’s the boss of his own hours. We sat on the little pier overlooking the water and watched as the last few kayakers paddled back to shore and turned in their gear. We also saw Patrick at the top of the tower across the water! He came down to meet us at our spot. We also saw a youngish teenage boy rowing this girl to shore. Hi can I steal your boat? It was super tiny and could barely fit the two of them in it, but I tried imagining how to fit all four of us into it. We observed as he spent the next 10 minutes helping the girl out of the boat and then rowing to his parking spot, securing his boat to the ropes, and then nimbly climbing out to the pier deck. He made everything look so easy and we enjoyed playing with the idea that we’d all fall in the water or get stranded 5 minutes into rowing.

We took the world’s slowest taxi back up to the hotel, but at least he was a safe (unless driving too slow is dangerous?) driver. We changed into our swimsuits, excited to spend time in the pool at the hotel. I think it was old people hour though? I hope we didn’t disturb them too much. Our plan was to hang out in the hot tub but the water was lukewarm?? We sat in somewhat cool water and had jets attacking our limbs from every angle. Not really a grand time but definitely an interesting one. At one point, we gathered hands and prayed to the jacuzzi gods for the 2 seconds of warmth that would happen when the jets would first start up. 100% worth it for those two seconds.

April 3

I like the long bus rides- they are comfortable and prime time for introspection (#feeling inspired). Today’s extended pitstop is in Zadar. Home of the beautiful sunsets, Monument to the Sun, and Sea Organ. In the early afternoon, Patrick, Raine, Aubree, and I walked to the grocery store to pick up supplies for nutella and banana sandwiches (since there was no jelly). We also met up with Kaya and Sara and joined them at McDonald’s for lunch (fun fact: their cola weirdly tasted like bubblegum??)

We had Sara’s sparknotes cool-aunt version of a tour, which ended with us soaking up the sun, watching the rough waves roll and crash, and listening to the wondrous and unique song of the sea organ. We took a snack break to bring back pizza to eat while watching the red-dot sun set behind the voluptuous blue-purple clouds. The sun honestly seemed to slip away so quickly. Live it in the moment, folks. Sometimes it’s not worth it for the instagram. It’s worth it to be present.

We’re addicted to crazy 8 at this point and itching to head back to the hotel to connect to the wifi and destroy friendships. But first, gelato. Since it was late in the evening, our guy piled scoops into our cones.

April 4

Took a lovely nature stroll through Plitvice Lakes National Park! So many waterfalls gracefully cascading down. Such a pretty sight and I could never get tired of it. I just took my time walking through the paths, and at one point Sara encouraged us to spend 10 minutes sitting by ourselves in the sounds of nature. Blissful.

We had lunch outside and tried to not get dust blown into our food or get blown away from the strong winds. We let our food digest as we took a ride on the world’s slowest boat. It didn’t even feel like we were moving- the ride was almost too smooth.

When we arrived at Hotel Park, SaVanna’s mom (and her mom’s best friend) came out and surprised her in the lobby. We all couldn’t help but feel a little butt-hurt because 1. we were all on our periods (maybe Patrick too) and just emotional wrecks in general and 2. we hadn’t seen any of our loved ones for MONTHS and she had received a lot of love via care packages and letters from friends/family, her boyfriend visited her for spring break, and now her mom was here to surprise her for the weekend. Super happy for her but salty that we got slapped in the face with it.

Anyways, hello Ljubljana! Weird full circle. It’s like a combination of everywhere that I’ve visited. It’s got hints of Salzburg/Vienna/Budapest with its architecture, Amsterdam (with its bikes), Berlin (with it’s energy). Feels hip and fun. Had beers, burgers, and bomb conversations for dinner. Such a great time hanging out with the squad along the river and laughing about some of our most embarrassing stories. Afterwards we went back to the hotel and passed ouuuuut (rip crazy 8, maybe we’ll catch ya next time).

April 5

Ljubljana walking tour with another lovely guide! He was such a warm and welcoming soul, and he was very excited to show us around even though it was a wet and stormy day. I had an umbrella, but I still managed to get wet. Nike? More like yikes. Tried to keep my shoes dry but then the puddles continued to rise and my feet were already wet so might as well just go all out and step in the puddles. At the end of the tour, we had a river cruise, which turned into a champagne (booze) cruise courtesy of Katharina showing up to surprise Sara on her birthday :)

Had the most amazing falafel wraps in my life. Went back to the hotel to rest for a bit. Raine took a nap, but I just relaxed in the comfort of my dry, warm bed and watched youtube videos for a few hours.

Later, we ventured back out for dinner (at the same place that we visited the night before) and ended up staying out with the rest of the crew since they were at the same restaurant as us :)

April 6

Goodbye Ljubljana! At least it’s not raining today. One last stop before we return home: Postojna Cave. This cave is HUGE. We had to ride a little tram into the walkable parts of the cave, and I swear it was a 15 minute ride in a little cart on train tracks. It was jerky and weirdly close to the walls and I felt like I was going to hit my head every 10 seconds. Also got carsick on the ride, so it wasn’t the best tour of my life. Still, the caves were pretty impressive. How can rocks look like paper sometimes?? Our tour guide also had fun surprising us and at one point she went to the generator and turned off the lights and it was PITCH black. I’ve been in darkness before, but nothing compares to those few seconds in complete blackness. Everyone was talking and trying to find each other (even as we were standing next to one another to begin with) and I still felt like I was the only one in the area and everyone else was so far away.

At the end of the tour, we walked into a little cave room area where our photographs were up for sale. So that’s what those people were doing when we entered the tram entrance! They were literally all up in our faces with their flash photography and I thought they were trying to capture some famous person behind me or trying to get a picture of my face to document every individual who enters in case there’s a tragic emergency and they need evidence of who went in and didn’t come out, but turns out they were just trying to catch us as off guard as possible for the worst photos in the world lol

Back on the road again = back in my sleepyhead dreamland

We said our final goodbyes to our lovely bus driver Benny (rip cause these goodbyes were so short too). I’m gonna miss that Mr. Bean soul.

Yay for being home before the sun goes down for once! And hello spring in Salzburg! So excited to be here while the weather gods kindly bless us.

[paytonspassport]

A Freudian Trip: Day 35

Today had a slow start. We slept in (a lot) and took our time getting ready for the day, a chore interspersed with some cleaning and a little homework. We made an early dinner, then headed out to Prater! Prater is one of the really really popular places in Vienna that we haven’t had a chance to make it to yet. We thought it would be a little amusement park, but it was actually quite sizable. The land has been used for entertainment purposes, including hosting a world fair, since forever. It looked like rain on the way to the U bahn station, but it ended up being a really pleasant night. 

When we got to Prater, we were a little confused as to what the full protocol was. Free entry amusement parks are disconcerting. We had heard legend of a magic pass that would get you access to all the rides, but where you would buy that was very unclear. So, we wandered in to the heart of Prater and hoped for the best. The situation didn’t become any clearer when we asked one of the ticket sellers for an individual ride where you could buy the pass that got you everything and he said it didn’t exist. Eventually, we had to walk all the way back to the very beginning where we finally were able to determine that we didn’t even want that magic pass but found it to be cheaper to just follow the system and pay per ride. 

We started with the spinny swings? And while we were riding this first ride we saw spinny swings in the distance that were even higher in the air. We knew we had to go there before we were even off the first ride. 

On our way to the taller skinny swing, we decided to try an indoor rollercoaster. It was set up sort of like a spy gimmick, with “lasers” and mirrors inside, but it was so dark we literally could not figure out where doorways and hallways were. We turned on our phone flashlights to figure it out. It was a funky little 6 person car and the rollercoaster was pretty big and fun for being indoors, the room was dark with more lasers and we dropped and jerked and spun around. It ended up being really fun once we were able to find it. 

After this, we made a beeline towards the taller spinny swing ride. I wish I could’ve brought my phone up with me (I understand why not, if I had dropped it and it would hit someone, we were definitely high enough that the result would have not been good at all) because that was my favorite view of Vienna. This, the last weekend of my program, has made me all kinds of nostalgic, so the great view really just made me think how lucky I was to be there, several meters off the ground, sort of freezing, wind in my hair, enjoying a beautiful view filled with memories. 

We were approaching sunset, so we decided to walk back to the beginning of the theme park and ride the famous giant ferris wheel, the Risenrad. We had to wait in a little line then packed on to one of the pretty sizable cars with about 8 other people. The ride lasts about 15 mins and we had picked the best time to go with the sunset. We spent the first few minutes in envy of the couple that was alone in the car next to ours: it had been set up for a little table for two complete with fancy curtains and flowers and candles. We had a bench and front row seats to what was probably the most romantic date ever. You can bet we took creepy, blurry, zoomed in pictures so we can remember to be envious of how much romance exists in the world again. 

Look at them sitting there on the world’s most romantic date. They even stop at the bottom so waiters can bring in another course. 

Perfect sunset hour. Another set of great views that made me realize I am really going to miss adventuring in Vienna. After the ferris wheel, we hopped off and grabbed ice cream from the chocolate museum? There was no actual evidence of a museum or you can bet I’d be there. Instead, they had delicious ice cream (I got chocolate and vanilla swirled) and I spent the best 50 cents I’ve ever spent in my life to add chocolate sauce from a chocolate fountain. It was SO GOOD. I wanted to bathe in it, and to drink a Nalgene full of it, and to name my first born child after it. I’m tempted to go back just to get more. It was really good. 

After eating ice cream and watching bumper cars, we decided that pajamas and a movie sounded nice. On Netflix, we found a movie called “Einmal ist Keinmal” which we translated to “one time is no time” but Google translates to “Once is no time,” whatever that means. What it actually was is the movie adaptation of Janet Evonovich’s One for the Money, which is what the actual title it. It was pretty good, and it was nice to stop and take a little break from exploring. 

[peregrinetreks]

Annapurna Circuit Trek: 21 Essential things to know

 Hiking Nepal's Annapurna Circuit is one of the most stunningly beautiful, life-changing experiences you can have on your travels, and we're pretty sure that, like us, you'll be absolutely captivated by the area from the very first day.

 Winding through some of the world's tallest mountains and diverse climatic zones (from tropical to freezing alpine peaks), intensive days spent on your feet, and enjoying the beautiful hospitality of the Nepalese people and their quaint mountain villages: the 15 days you'll spend on the Annapurna Circuit trail are some of the most inspiring and challenging you'll ever encounter, and the arrival back to Pokhara will feel so rewarding.

 But while it’s super tempting to just book a flight, lace up your hiking boots, and head off into the vast wild, take it from us, wanderers: this is not a simple walk in the park, pun intended! (If you’re looking for a shorter Nepal trek, why not try the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek!).

 In fact, from preparing for altitude sickness to organising your permits and accommodation, there’s a huge amount of knowledge and planning you need to factor into your pre-trip preparation before you even take your first few steps. For a start, should you go solo or in a group? Will you be able to get snacks en route? and what time of year guarantees the best visibility?

 From two people who trekked the Annapurna Circuit successfully (but wish they’d had a few more tips up their sleeve while doing so!), here’s the essential insider knowledge you need before tackling the long, epic, and beautiful Annapurna Circuit trek for yourself.

 #1 - FAST FACT ABOUT THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT

Before we get into the nitty gritty of what you need to know about the Annapurna Circuit, here are a few quick facts about the trek for the stat-lovers amongst you!

Location | Central Nepal

Trek length | generally 15-21 days

Distance | this varies depending on route and whether you take optional side treks, but generally between 170km - 230km

Height of Annapurna 1 Main (the highest mountain in the Annapurna Massif) | 8091m

Highest point of the trek | Thorong La Pass - 5416m (17,769ft)

  #2 - KNOWS WHEN TO TREK THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT

Hiking in Nepal isn't a 'turn up whenever you like and off you go' kind of affair; seasonal changes (particularly around monsoon period) have a massive impact on where, how, and what you can hike here.

The periods for hiking the Annapurna Circuit are October - early December, and late Feb - April.

Go outside of these times and you risk the already tricky Thorong La Pass being totally snowed under (or worse, like what happened during the 2014 Nepal blizzard disaster) or heavy monsoonal summer rains causing slippery and dangerous conditions.

We did our hike at the end of Feb - March and found the weather conditions pretty much perfect; balmy and hot on the lower sections, and crisp with some light snow at the higher levels and the Pass.

 RECOMMENDATION | Hike the Annapurna Circuit in September, when the skies are clear, the mountains green, and the paths less crowded.

 #3 - THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT ITINERARY IS ANTI-CLOCKWISE

Since the trail opened in 1977, most trekkers have followed an Annapurna Circuit itinerary that begins in Besishahar and heads in an anti-clockwise direction over the Thorong-La Pass and down into the Jomsom Valley. The main reason for this is acclimatisation. When following the trail anti-clockwise, you have almost 2 whole weeks of acclimatisation (and leg-training!) before you begin the leg-and-lung-breaking final ascent up and over Thorong La (5416m).

 Going the other way, you’d only have 2 days to acclimatise, as well as tackling some intense 1700m+ incline days along steep, rubbly paths straight up.

 There’s also very limited access to teahouses in the later days, which means if you do succumb to altitude sickness due to the speed of your climb, you may struggle to find help.

 Our Annapurna Circuit itinerary is like this:

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport

Day 02: Drive to Chamje

Day 03: Trek from Chamje to Dharapani

Day 04: Trek to Chame

Day 05: Trek to Pisang

Day 06: Trek to Mangng via Ghyaru

Day 07: Acclimatization day in Manang

Day 08: Trek to Yak Kharka

Day 09: Trek to Thorong Phedi (4650m) or High Camp (4800)

Day 10: High camp to Muktinath via Thorang pass (5416m)

Day 11: Jeep driving to Tatopani (1100 m)

Day 12: Trek all the way to Ghorepani (2800m)

Day 13: Early morning hike to Poon hill, descend to Tikhedhunga and drive to Pokhara

Day 14: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu

Day 15: Departure

  #4 - YOU CAN HIKE THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT WITH A GROUP OR TREK IT SOLO

One of the most debated topics when it comes to hiking in Nepal is this: do it with an organised group, or heave on a rucksack full of your stuff and go it alone?

Personally, we opted for a group hike on Peregrine Treks’ 15-day Annapurna Explorer trek, but we definitely encountered just as many keen hikers going it alone or with a friend. In short, both are absolutely viable options, and each comes with their own merits and disadvantages.

 As two travellers used to independent/solo travel on our own terms, the thought of suddenly being bound by a group and its personalities, plus a set itinerary, and all that comes with these two things was a little daunting. But as it turns out, it absolutely needn't have been.

 See, when you hike with a group, you’re hiking with a ready-made cheer squad, a team of local guides and porters who a) know the way b) know the signs of altitude sickness (more on that below) and c) can share tidbits of info you'd otherwise miss out on.

THE PROS

·         Everything (including teahouse accommodation, permits, etc) is organised for you by the trekking company, you just need to bring snacks and money for meals / tips.

·         Travelling with a reputable travel company also means that your local guides and porters are exceptionally well-versed in local knowledge, first aid, emergency response, etc.

·         A local is always on-hand to share expert knowledge

·         Your team of porters also carries your heavier luggage, so you just need to keep putting one step in front of the other with your daypack on your back.

·         Other people to support and be supported by - which can go a long way when you're all exhausted and out of breath in the final days!

 THE CONS

·         Can be more expensive than going it alone - but we actually felt it was worth it in this instance!

·         If you're used to independent travel, being bound to someone else's plan (and group personalities) might be a shock to begin with!

  Hiking the Annapurna Circuit solo

It's definitely not rare to see people self-navigating the Annapurna Circuit by themselves, or hiking together in small groups. Given that the Annapurna trek is also one of Nepal's more popular routes, you'll also bump into a whole lot of other trekkers following a similar path, so you can either buddy up and walk together, or walk amongst the wild solo and regroup for a game of cards later that night.

 THE PROS

 ·         Having the freedom to go where you want, when you want, and without having to account for a group

·         Often a lot cheaper than booking through a tour company

·         You get the best of both worlds; solo trekking during the day and a group atmosphere at the teahouses at night

 THE CONS

·         You're responsible for carrying all your gear, finding accommodation, and organising all your permits, itinerary, etc. You'll need to work out when you'll arrive at a teahouse, and during busy periods, have a backup plan if it's already full.

·         Not having a trained professional around to help you identify potentially dangerous areas, altitude sickness symptoms, or monitor the speed/distance of your hike (it's important to go slow to avoid altitude sickness!).

·         Safety: there are risks in going it alone. While Nepal is a notoriously friendly and welcoming country, there have been instances of solo-hikers disappearing on solo treks. While these incidents are few and far between, it's worth bearing in mind.

·         For female hikers, we'd also recommend travelling with a female guide and porter, to avoid any potential harassment incidents.

  #5 - YOU NEED TO BE FIT (BUT NOT SUPER FIT) TO HIKE THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT

While you don’t need to be marathon fit to complete the Annapurna circuit, it’s definitely worth putting in some hard yards at the gym, in the mountains or around the block before you leave. For the most part the days are manageable; 5-6hrs and 10-15kms, with plenty of rest, long lunch breaks and a few rest days in between.

BUT,

Some days on your trek will involve 16 hours at high altitude starting at 4am. Other days can be over 20kms through the "Nepalese flats" (aka rolling hills) or in the snow. And then there’s the final day from Muktinath to Jomsom (you can discover all about that yourself!).

Our advice is to build your general cardio (the fun stuff!) for at least a month prior to leaving as well as a few consecutive days of long distance walking. Get your feet used to being in boots day after day. If you want to, try altitude training before you leave. We didn't do this, but we've heard good reports. You’ll be grateful you made the effort when the time comes to lace up those boots up again for the 6th day in a row.

 #6 - YOU NEED A TREKKING PERMIT FOR THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT

No matter when or how you're hiking the Annapurna Circuit, you'll need to organise both a Trekking Information Management System (TIMS) permit, and an Annapurna National Park Permit (sometimes also known as the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit).

As of 2019, the permits should set you back about USD $50 total: the APC Permit is USD $30 / NPR 3,000 per person, while the TIMS Permit is USD $20 / NPR 2,000 per person.

These will need to be checked at various checkpoints along the trek.

If you're hiking with an organised tour group, your guides will likely manage these for you.

If you're hiking by yourself, you'll need to organise these at either the Nepal Tourism office based in Kathmandu, or the Pokhara tourist office before you begin the trek.

Make sure you bring a minimum of 4 passport photos for the trekking permit too!

 #7 - IT’S LONG, HARD, AND TOUGH

"It’s always further than it looks. It’s always taller than it looks. And it’s always harder than it looks."

That’s a quote about the ‘three rules of mountaineering’. We’re not really sure who came up with it, but they’re pretty spot on except for one detail: It’s also always completely worth it.

We’re going to get all tough love on you here: the Annapurna trek is long, tiring and physically and mentally tough. Depending on which route you take, you’re going to be hiking for 13+ days - probably longer than your first high school romance.

 Some days will be really physically tough.

You’ll be living out of a backpack with a very limited supply of clothing, sleeping on some rock hard beds, eating only carbs (we didn’t say it was all bad!), drinking chlorinated or steri-pen filtered water, all while having no internet access to check your Facebook (again, not all bad).

Sound daunting?

Well yeah, maybe it is. But trust us, when you’re standing in awe of the peaks around you, bonding with your group over a cup of hot chocolate, or celebrating crossing the Thorong La Pass these challenges become so insignificant you’ll wonder why they got you down in the first place.

 #8 - THE SCENERY ON THE ANNAPURNA TREK IS INCREDIBLE

You know that feeling you get when you spot a hottie across the dancefloor for the first time?

The hairs stand up on the back of your neck, your heart pounds like a kick drum, and you have this existential crisis about being so freaking small in this universe and how could all this amazingness actually even exist.

Well, this happens every single day in the Annapurna region.

With every step the scenery in front of you changes and the mountains reveal something new; rolling clouds, the breathtaking terrain, the towering mountains or the smiling locals.

Need convincing? Here are 30 photos that will inspire you to visit Nepal!

It’s literally the definition of awe-inspiring. Them feels are good for the soul and you’ll leave feeling all giddy about the world.

 #9 - ALTITUDE SICKNESS IS REAL

Run the London Marathon? Completed the Hawaiian Ironman? Smash out spin classes four times a week? We commend you for being so awesome in your active wear, but it won’t help you with altitude sickness.

Altitude sickness can affect anyone, including the fittest athletes alive (and Sir Edmund Hillary - the first summiteer of Everest!) so make sure you take all the necessary precautions after 3000m.

That includes taking Diamox (if you wish, but consult with your doctor), staying hydrated, fuelling up and getting adequate rest. If you feel symptoms, let your guide know and take action.

This is serious shit; Miranda developed HAPE, high altitude pulmonary oedema (basically, your blood vessels constrict and leak blood into your lungs,  and left untreated, you can drown.. gross, right?) while hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in Africa, and it was a horrific, long term recovery.

 #10 - THE ACCOMMODATION IS MORE THAN DECENT

 If you're expecting to stay at the Shangri-La, you'll be disappointed. If you apply a little common sense and realise the Annapurna circuit is pretty remote, you'll be satisfied with the basic accommodation options available.

Guesthouses and teahouses are dotted along the whole trek, starting from Besisahar all the way to Jomsom. They're pretty little things made from rock and wood and provide a welcome relief at the end of a long days trekking.

Rooms at each teahouse are generally twin share, with enough space to spread out.

As the altitude increases the accommodation becomes more basic, however, the higher you go the happier you'll be with any form of bedding! Each teahouse has a common area which is usually stoked with a fire in the evening. This is where you'll spend most of your time, eating dinner and meeting fellow travellers.

Most teahouses make their money from food, so expect to pay slightly more than you would in Kathmandu. We do recommend buying food and drinks at teahouses.

Firstly, it will lighten your load, and secondly it provides much-needed income to what are sometimes fairly poor communities.

We have also heard of people bargaining for free accommodation in exchange for paying for food and drink. However, we'd encourage anyone travelling to these areas to be fair, pay for both your accommodation (not more than a few USD) and your food, and help to support communities that desperately rely on tourist dollars for their survival.

Most teahouses will have basic amenities, such as showers and toilets.

Up until Manang, you'll be able to have hot, solar-powered showers, although be prepared to fight for first position, as they do run out quickly! You do have to pay for warm showers, but it's definitely worth it.

You are also able to charge your electronic devices, although this comes at a small cost. Alternatively, we always travel with our trusty solar charger to keep our devices charged throughout the day (trust us, the sun is out in full force, even when it's cold here!).

 #11 - TAKES ONLY WHAT YOU NEED

There are legends in Nepal; super strong guys who glide up and down mountains carrying all your stuff on their shoulders and neck. They’re called Porters, and they do this so you can concentrate on accomplishing your goal without extra baggage. While their feats are super-human, they are in-fact quite human, with really human muscles and backs that are equally prone to injury. Help them out here by bringing only what you really need (10kgs or so), so ditch the hair straightener, the three pairs of jeans and the full make up bag as you won’t need it.

We've written a thoroughly in-depth Annapurna Circuit packing list to help you best prepare for this trek.

 The Annapurna Circuit bare essentials

·         A pair of good quality waterproof hiking boots

·         spare pair of inside shoes

·         6 pairs of underwear and four pairs of socks (you can wash them as you go!).

·         Two pairs of hiking pants (womens prAna pants here)

·         One pair of shorts

·         Two jumpers (fleece or woollen)

·         Two thermal tops (mens here, womens here) and bottoms

·         One goose-down jacket (Mens North Face here, womens North Face here) - you really need this!

·         One Gore Tex jacket

·         One pair of waterproof pants (mens version here, womens version here)

·         1 beanie and 1 buff

·         1 pair of thick gloves

·         Personal hygiene essentials

·         Medical essentials (like this first aid kit)

·         Reusable water canteen (this Water-To-Go bottle comes with its own purifier!)

·         Your porters (and their spines) will thank you later.

  #12 - HAVE A WELL-STOCKED MEDICAL KIT FOR THOSE UNEXPECTED MOMENTS

Picture this: you're enjoying a tasty dinner in a cute little teahouse with your group after a long day's trekking. The mood is jovial as you wolf down your plate of Dal Baht, and once you're done you play a few rounds of cards before retiring to your cosy room for the evening.

Then, at 2am, disaster - in the form of an urgent toilet trip - strikes. Ten minutes later, it strikes again. And again, and again, and again.. Until 7am rolls around and it's almost time to start hiking again, but you basically haven't moved from the toilet floor all night.

 That's pretty much exactly what happened to Mim in the early days of our Annapurna trek - though we honestly can't work out how on earth she became so ill considering all but one other person escaped without illness, and many people ate Dal Baht that night too!

 Had it not been for our trusty medical kit full of goodies (aka immodium, rehydration salts, and water purification tablets to treat water for said rehydration drinks), the chances of her actually being able to leave her bed, let alone walk, would have been pretty slim.

 Be prepare with a well-stocked medical kit for the unexpected moments, little emergencies, or bloody great big blisters, and you'll never miss a step!

 Band-aids / blister plasters (bad blisters will literally do as much damage to your trek as AMS, so be sure to have plenty of these on hand!)

·         Water purification tablets

·         Immodium

·         Antibacterial cream for scratches or cuts

·         Anti-histamine tablets - because the last thing you want is an allergic reaction or severe hayfever on the trail!

·         Motion sickness / anti-nausea tablets

·         Paracetamol or Ibuprofen for pain relief

·         Anti-inflammatory gel - if you're like Mark and have a super bad back or other injury, pack some decent anti-inflammatory cream to combat any potential flare ups

·         A spare roll of loo paper - toilet paper can sometimes be a mythical unicorn on the Annapurna circuit, so you'll be grateful you packed this!

·         pack for the planet: our eco-friendly packing guide

 -

#13 - PREPARE FOR 4 SEASONS IN ONE TREK

Trekking through the balmy temperatures in those early first days you’ll probably be asking yourself what the heck you brought all these warm clothes for. You’ll realise why when you get to 3,000m.

The Annapurna trek covers everything from tropical to alpine climatic zones. Some days you’ll be hiking in shorts and t-shirt consuming your fourth litre of water on yet another water break.

Other days you’ll be wearing all of your clothes as the brutally cold -15c wind freezes your water solid in its flask.

The range of climatic zones you pass through is awesome, and sure makes for some epic views. Just be prepared everyday and ask your guide what temperatures to expect and which essentials to throw in your daypack and you’ll be ready to face it all.

 #14 - THE FOOD IS VERY GOOD

As your mind wanders while trudging through the snow on your way to Thorong La pass, you’ll probably be dreaming of your favourite meal; a chicken parma, killer veggie curry, or Fro-Yo with all the toppings you like.

You don’t need to fear for your taste buds; the food in the Annapurna region is really freaking good, and pretty varied.

Expect a lot of carbs - our group was even treated to a Yak Burger over 3,000m altitude in Manang! - and seasonal veggies, soups, momos and the most famous mountain meal of all, Dal Bhat.

Dal Bhat is a traditional Nepalese meal consisting of rice, a lentil-based soup and other condiments, and it’s generally all you can eat so you’ll never go hungry. As they say on the mountain: ‘Dal Bhat Power!’

You'll be surprised by the amount of bakeries, stocking everything from strudel to doughnuts. We recommend stopping at each of these as they're amazing!

  #15 - ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT COST: IT’S PRETTY AFFORDABLE, BUT BE PREPARED

While the hike may break your leg muscles, it certainly shouldn't break your bank balance. As we've mentioned, we hiked the Annapurna Circuit on a group tour, which meant that everything except our daily meals and tipping was covered in the overall fee and had been paid before we arrived.

If you're hiking the circuit solo, expect to pay anywhere between USD $700-1000, which will cover your lodgings, food, and permits.

On the topic of food, budget for about $20 USD per person a day and you’ll be able to grab all the goodies including your meals, drinks and some snacks.

We'd also recommend stocking up on a heap of hiking snacks (trail mix, chocolate bars, granola bars, etc) to keep in your daypack for long walking days.

Plus we can assure you of one thing: there is nothing quite like a celebratory mars bar at the summit of your hike!

One thing you do need to note is that you won't encounter an ATM until you finish in Jomsom. So stock up on Nepalese Rupees before you start the hike. To keep that amount of money safe, stash it in your daypack, and always keep it on you.

 #16 - TIPPING IS NOT COMPULSORY (BUT KIND OF EXPECTED)

Throughout Nepal generally, tipping isn't compulsory (particularly when it comes to restaurants and drivers), but it is kind of expected when it comes to guides and porters.

Many of the locals involved in the hiking industry here actually rely upon the tips they receive from leading groups, or carrying your gear.

As a guide, for your leader you should normally set aside USD$3-4 per person, per day.

For your porters, a recommended amount would be USD$4 per traveller per day, which is split amongst all the porters on your trek.

Basically, factor in about USD$150 in cash to your budgeting, and make sure you have it separate to the rest of your cash (in case you forget and use it on all the noms!).

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#17 - YOU ABSOLUTELY, UNEQUIVOCALLY 100% NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll already know that we never, ever, leave for our travels without travel insurance (here's why!) - especially when undertaking a hike at altitude like the Annapurna Circuit.

Whether it's a sprained ankle, severe altitude sickness, or a natural disaster (let's not forget the 2015 Nepal earthquake), the unexpected can, and does, happen and it's always better to be prepared.

 #18 - RESPECT THE LOCAL CULTURE

For many people, long treks are all about mountains and self-accomplishment, and that's totally ok.

But the Annapurna Circuit is upheld as a significant cultural and sacred trail by the Nepalese, so it's important that you as a visitor also a) behave accordingly, b) show respect for various sites along the way (dressing appropriately, not littering, etc), and c) take the time to chat with the locals and trying to understanding their way of life and beliefs up here.

After all, one of the best parts of travel is the total immersion in another culture, right?

 #19 - TAKE YOUR RUBBISH OUT WITH YOU

Due to their altitude and remoteness, many of the villages on the trail don't have adequate waste disposal methods. Instead, they either have to burn the rubbish off (not ideal), or carry it off the mountain themselves (also not ideal).

In peak season, thousands of hikers traverse the paths of the Annapurna Circuit.

When you stop to think about the impact that many people are likely to have on the surrounding environment and the disposable products (in the form of plastic bottles, food wrappers, sunscreen bottles, etc) that they're undoubtedly bringing with them, you quickly realise that a lot of waste is either being burnt, or left, behind on the mountains.

Be a responsible traveller on the Annapurna Circuit: only use a reusable water bottle, pack a tote bag or two and carry all your trash out of the national park with you.

   BUY | This Reusable water bottle is seriously the best investment we’ve ever made on our travels.

We use the Grayl water purification bottles, which allows us to fill up from any water source, anywhere in the world, meaning we’ve not bought a plastic bottle in 18 months.

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#20 - YOU'LL HAVE A DECENT AMOUNT OF DOWNTIME IN THE EVENINGS

Once you've reached your teahouse for the evening and got settled in, you'll find yourself with plenty of time to chill out, socialise, eat (Mim's fave!), and get yourself prepared for the next day.

Evenings were some of our favourite times on the trek, as without all our devices and a wifi connection at hand, we had plenty of time to play cards (hint: always travel with a pack of playing cards!) with our group, or lose ourselves in a good book.

Speaking of books, we're also huge fans of reading books based in/around the places we're currently travelling through, as it really brings the landscapes around us to life. Here are some of our all-time faves:

 #21 - YOU ALWAYS NEED A CELEBRATORY SUMMIT CHOCOLATE

Every day, our group dedicated at least 5-10 minutes each day to pondering how good the summit chocolate would be at the top.

Not sure what this mysterious, albeit delicious-sounding, treat could be?!

This is the ultimate celebration at the highest peak of your trail (in this case, Thorong La Pass); your favourite chocolate bar, carefully stashed in your bag for the whole trip, and gloriously savoured at the summit.

It may seem like a small thing, but we kid you not: when mixed with the sheer elation and satisfaction of having completed the hardest part of your trek, that chocolate will taste like sheer heaven.

[travelingtheusa]

TEXAS

18 Jan 2019 (Fri) – First stop was at the Dallas Diner for breakfast next door to the Elks Lodge.  We both got senior breakfast meals – 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns, and a biscuit.  It was good. Then we did the laundry so I could have some clean socks and underwear to take with me on my trip.  While the laundry was drying, we drove to the nearest Navy FCU 17 miles away.  I deposited 3 checks and asked if they could cash a $20 check I had made out to me. For some reason, it would not photograph for mobile deposit to USAA.  The clerk said it was the background on the check that was preventing the picture (apparently, it is a common problem).  Since I don’t have a personal account at Navy FCU (just the SMART Nomads business account), she had me deposit the check in that account and withdraw $20.  It was an in-and-out transaction.

     After we brought the laundry back to the RV and put everything away, we grabbed Bonnie and drove to the park at White Rock Lake. There was a large dog park there and we wanted to give Bonnie some social time with other dogs.  There were at least 20 dogs running around the large dog park, and another 20 in the little dog park.  Bonnie wasn’t interested in interacting with anyone. She sniffed, peed, and pooped but did not play.  We took her out of the park and went for a walk along the lake front.  There were many birds on the water and in the trees. The sky was heavily overcast and the temp was in the low 50s.  The forecast for today was 68 degrees but we did not see it get that high.

     I am feeling a little anxious about my trip to New York.  Winter Storm Harper is headed to the northeast this weekend.  Temps are projected to be in the single digits with snow and sleet and flash-freeze conditions.  Why am I going back to New York in January???  We will have to adjust these visits back home for more temperate times of the year.

 17 Jan 2019 (Thu) - We went to the mall so I could pick up a few things for my trip to New York then went to AMC Movie Theater to watch “Replicas” with Keanu Reeves.  It was OK. Keanu just couldn’t pull off acting like a scientist.  We stopped at PetCo to pick up a few cans of food for the animals, and stopped for lunch at Saltgrass Steak House.  We were back home by 5:00 p.m.

16 Jan 2019 (Wed) – We packed up, made a stop at the dump station, and headed out from Caddo to Dallas.  It looked like some kind of stevedore had worked around the campground last night.  A lot of grass was dug up.  We figured it was either (or both) possums and javelinas.  They like to root in the ground for grubs and worms.  We never saw any wildlife other than deer during the 9 days we’ve been here.

     We stopped for lunch at McDonald’s.  Paul pulled into a WalMart parking lot and I walked across the street to get the food.  Of course, we had to include a burger for Bonnie and Sheba.  

     Traffic was pretty good most of the way.  When we got to the last few miles, the GPS goofed up. There is construction in that area and we guessed the GPS was trying to put us on a road that wasn’t there any more. At any rate, we managed to find our way to the Elks Lodge.

     The Lodge is on the outskirts of town near Garland. There are 7 sites lined up along the back fence with water and electric hookups.  I had called two days ago and made a reservation for the one and only empty site.  When we arrived, there was a motor coach in our site.  The guy didn’t know it was reserved.  There is a sign on the front door of the lodge that says the sites are first come, first served.  It is a confusing system.  They were gracious, however, and moved over to park by the fence.  We pulled in and set up.

     Once set up, we drove into town.  It seems like all the stores we shop at are close by on the main road.  Kroger is two buildings over.  U-Haul (where we get propane) is a mile and a half down the road.  Between here and there, there is a PetCo and a Lowe’s along with dozens of other stores and restaurants.  Very different from the last place we camped.  lol.

     We got the propane tank refilled, refueled the truck, and picked up groceries at Kroger.  We also picked up dinner and took it back to the RV.  After we ate, we went into the lodge.  The parking area is gated and we needed to get a key card for the gate.  We also asked about extending for an additional 3 days.  We had reservations through to January 25.  I will be in New York from the 19th to the 24th.  The weather forecast is for a fierce winter storm to hit the northeast.  We figured we should extend a few days to the 28th just in case my return flight gets delayed by the storm.  There was a little confusion as to who had reserved the site, but the gal finally said they hadn’t paid so we were set.

    The lodge cooks dinner every Wednesday night. Tonight’s meal was tomato soup and grill cheese.  We had already eaten so we passed.  Next Wednesday Paul will be able to enjoy a meatball sandwich if he wants.  They are also having a steak dinner on Saturday.  I called and made a reservation for him. We had a drink and returned to the camper.

15 Jan 2019 (Tue) – Again, we stayed in the campground.  Temps never got over 50 today and the sun never showed its face.  We have been using a 30’ leash to walk Bonnie.  She has been enjoying the extra freedom very much. It’s also given us a better walk. We don’t have to stop all the time so she can sniff at something.  She has room to walk ahead, stop to sniff, then catch up to us without getting pulled on the 6’ leash.  Everyone is happier with the walk.

 14 Jan 2019 (Mon) – We stayed around the campground today.  Temps still cold and skies overcast.  A second camper showed up overnight.  Now there are four of us in the campground.  The tenters left.

 13 Jan 2019 (Sun) – We stayed around the campground today. The temperatures remained in the 30s all day.  A new camper showed up and the motor home left.  I spotted a campfire on the point where the tenters had been.  Guess more tenters are staying here for the weekend.

12 Jan 2019 (Sat) – We drove 45 minutes north to Graham today.  The Post Office Museum and Fine Arts Center was closed.  There wasn’t anything else to see in the town.  We drove around looking at the buildings and homes.  It looked very much like a western town – not rich, not poor although there were some very run down areas.  

     We stopped at the number one rated restaurant (according to Trip Advisor) for lunch.  Neri’s on the Square was housed in an old historical building that has served as a mortuary, an antique stop, a hardware store, and a restaurant.  The building was large and very open.  There were paintings right on the walls and a set of stairs going to the second floor.  The waitress was a little weird.  Paul thought she was mentally challenged.  I thought she was a young kid who was just given the job, was coached to be upbeat and smile all the time, and then was let loose.  She was extremely enthusiastic, gesticulated a lot, and ended every sentence with a breathless smile.  The food was good and we enjoyed the meal.

     On the way back to the campground, we took time to drive around Possum Kingdom Lake.  We drove through neighborhoods and summer retreats that were pretty deserted.  We found the Brazos River Authority Observation Point and Possum Kingdom Reservoir created by the Morris Sheppard Dam.  The dam was built as a flood control and water conservation project in 1941.  It is over 2,700 feet long and 190 feet high. A very cold wind was blowing so we did not walk around the observation point for very long.  

     We stopped at WalMart to pick up some nice crusty French bread to have with the potato soup I made yesterday.  They had French bread but it wasn’t crusty.  They need to come to New York to see what REAL French and Italian bread is like.  We settled for a frozen loaf of garlic bread.  It was OK but didn’t hit the mark.

11 Jan 2019 (Fri) – It rained during the night and intermittently all day today.  We drove south to the town of Breckenridge.  First stop was at the Swenson Memorial Museum.  The museum was all about Stephens County.  It consisted of two floors located in the former First National Bank building.  The place was packed with artifacts and photos.  There was a resident of the town who was an amateur photographer who took pictures of everything.  Because of that, they have pictures of every aspect of life in the late 1880s through the early 1900s.  It was a very interesting museum.  We spent about two hours wandering among the exhibits, followed (most of the time) by the curator who kept up a rambling story about the town’s history and its colorful occupants.  The curator recommended two restaurants for lunch and also suggested we go to the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center after the Swenson Museum.  We thanked her and left.

     We had lunch at the L&L Family Restaurant. It was very local.  Paul and I both got fried chicken with mashed potatoes and cole slaw.  The potatoes automatically came with gravy without the waitress even asking if we wanted it. We were able to bring home enough left-overs to have supper later.

     After lunch, we drove to the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center.  What a great stop!  The ladies of the town compete in the Festival parades in San Antonio and Tyler. They donate their beautiful gowns to the museum for display.  The curator brought us back into the exhibit room where we could see the gowns close up.  The gowns are worth thousands of dollars and reminded us of the costumes they create for Mardi Gras.  Another room had a doll collection on display, and another had the most beautiful and stunning water colors we have ever seen.  A temporary exhibit had paintings by an impressionist artist who actually came in to get her pictures just after we finished viewing them.  Talk about timing!

     When we got back to the campground, we did the laundry in the campground’s two washers and two dryers.  An RV was just pulling in.  The other two that were here left yesterday.  It is pretty deserted in the campground now.  The distance the park is from main routes might have something to do with the lack of campers.  We are enjoying the beauty of the park and the lack of crowded facilities.  The weather has been more in the normal range – high 60s in the day; 40s at night.  The weather forecast for the weekend is for lows in the 30s.  Looks like we will have to turn off the water at night again.

 10 Jan 2019 (Thu) – We drove into the town of Mineral Wells today, 51 miles northeast from here.  It took almost an hour just to drive the park road to get to the main route.  There wasn’t much to see in town.  It is obvious the town is barely hanging on.  There were many stores closed up and dilapidated buildings with broken windows lined the streets.  The Baker Hotel, which opened two weeks after the great crash in 1929, was boarded up and the inside gutted.  We walked around it.  Then we drove to the original Mineral Water Company.  They produced Crazy Water in both liquid and crystal form.  The water from wells in the area had several elements in it, to include lithium.  Early settlers found the water made sick people better.  Soon, in combination with the oil boom, Mineral Wells swelled to a population of 30,000 people.  People came from all over to drink and bathe in the water.  Then the FDA was formed and better medical treatments were discovered and the town kind of faded away.  We stopped to eat at the Mesquite Pit.  The food was good.

     We got back to the campground a little after four. Paul said we drove 117 miles for lunch.

 9 Jan 2019 (Wed) – We spent the day relaxing. Just stayed in the campground and enjoyed the day.  There are only two other RVs in the park.  Paul spotted a couple of tents on another point.  They had a campfire going.  We agreed we needed to get some firewood.

 8 Jan 2019 (Tue) – We packed up, used the dump station, and hit the road at 9:20 a.m.  It was a long drive from San Angelo to Caddo (5 hours).  We stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch.  The food was good as always.

     We pulled in the Possum Kingdom State Park campground at quarter after two.  The campground is very far off the main route and away from any local towns.  It was 17 miles on the park road from the main route to the campground.  The town of Caddo was very small and Trip Advisor has nothing listed for it.  We might explore some of the small towns around the area but there isn’t much here in this part of Texas.

     Our campsite is right on Possum Kingdom Lake. So far, we have not seen any opossums but there are lots of deer in the area.  There are only 2 or 3 other campers here.  It is pretty isolated.  We have electric and water hookups and will have to find a dump station when we leave.

 7 Jan 2019 (Mon) – We went out to get fuel and groceries in preparation for our move tomorrow.  We stopped at the Pack Saddle for lunch.  Their ribs were so good last time but not this time.  The meat was tough and less flavorable.  That was very disappointing.

 6 Jan 2019 (Sun) – We spent the day hanging around the campground today.  Made a reservation at our next campground – Possum Kingdom State Park in Caddo, TX. I wonder if there are a lot of opossums in that park?

5 Jan 2019 (Sat) – We went to the Railway Museum of San Angelo this morning.  It was a small museum located in an old depot.  There were several train setups but only one worked.  The most interesting thing was the list of depots between the start of the line in Kansas City to its terminus in Mexico. Almost every station had its name changed over time, which seemed unfair to earlier settlers.  Stations would be named after a family member or someone who settled the town then years later it would be changed to honor someone who served on the railway board or donated money.  Outside were five rail cars – two engines, one caboose, and two cars.  

      After the museum, we went to the Cork & Pig Tavern for lunch.  It was odd to have a place with such a name and there was very little pork offered on the menu.  Paul and I wound up sharing a pizza.

    Following lunch, we went to the Chicken Farm Art Center.  It was a former chicken farm that has been converted to an artists’ compound.  Some artists live on the property; two of the chicken coops were divided into small shops.  Most of the wares were handmade items – soap, jewelry, ceramics, clothing, etc. There was a group of musicians sitting around in chairs in the courtyard.  It was more like a jam than a performance.  

     On the way back to the campground, we stopped at PetCo and WalMart.

4 Jan 2015 (Fri) – We went to lunch at the Pack Saddle BBQ at noon.  The ribs were excellent!  Paul had a brisket dish, which was also very good.  We returned to the campground where Paul continued to insulate all the cabinets in the RV.  

     I got a notice from USPS that our forwarded mail would arrive on Monday.  I had asked for it on Saturday thinking they would send it out on Monday and it would arrive on Friday or Saturday.  Escapees didn’t send the mail out until yesterday so it won’t arrive until Monday. Consequently, I had to go to the office and extend our stay here for one more day.  We were planning to leave on Monday but now our departure date is Tuesday.

     The weather was soooooo much nicer today.  It was 33 degrees when Paul got up this morning and it climbed all the way into the high 60s today.  Hopefully, the cold front has passed and the weather is returning to normal.    

3 Jan 2019 (Thu) – We drove into town and had lunch at Miss Hattie’s Café and Cathouse Lounge.  It was in an old bank building built around the late 1800s.  It had the original tin stamped ceiling and red brick walls.  I had pot roast and Paul had fried shrimp.  The food was good.

      After lunch, we walked down the street to Legend Jewelers where we bought tickets to see Miss Hattie’s Bordello Museum.  Three more people joined the tour and we all walked up a double flight of stairs over the jewelry store to where Miss Hattie ran her bordello.  There were some original pieces from the actual bordello, and the rest was furniture and artifacts from that time period.  We looked into bedrooms where there were story boards recounting the tale of each of five mistresses.  It was a very interesting tour.

     We then drove to San Angelo State Park on the outskirts of town.  It was a very large park with two separate entrances.  First, we went through the south entrance.  There are long horn steers and bison kept in this area.  Unfortunately, neither were near the road.  There were some pens in the distance and it looked like several bison laying on the ground nearby.

     We then drove back out onto the main road over to the north entrance.  There were campgrounds on either side of a creek but not many people camping.  We poked around then left.

2 Jan 2019 (Wed) – It was 30 degrees when we went to bed and it was 30 degrees when we got up this morning. Brrrrrrr.  WTH???  It’s not supposed to be this cold way down south here in Texas!  There have been all kinds of winter advisories and storm warnings for the past two days.  The weatherman reported today that temperatures across the nation are 20 to 30 degrees below normal.

     We went back to Lowe’s today and picked up half-inch pipe insulation tubes and stuffed them under the edge of the kitchen slide. There is no insulation under that slide and it is noticeably colder in the kitchen area.  Paul completed insulation of all the cabinets and closets today.  We’ve had to disconnect the water hose for the last two days.  The water pump is an on-again, off-again, affair.  When the weather gets warmer, Paul will try to figure out why it keeps shutting off.

     I looked up the number one restaurant on Trip Adviser and we went there for lunch.  What a weird experience!  The name of the place was listed as Peasant Valley Restaurant but the sign outside said PV Deli.  It was an old house-turned-restaurant.  We walked through the main door into a large dining area.  To the left was another room with a couple reading a menu on a chalkboard.  We assumed it was the lunch menu, so we walked over and read it, too.  Then a mentally challenged young man told us that was the dinner menu (it was just 11:45 a.m.) and he handed us some photocopied menus to choose from.  We walked back into the main dining room, took a table, and reviewed the menu.  The young man tried to answer questions but he was extremely difficult to understand.  Every time I asked him to repeat himself, he said something different. I tried to order a chicken salad sandwich but he said there was no chicken.

     I was beginning to feel really uncomfortable and somewhat annoyed about the whole place and told the young man we were leaving because I wanted chicken but they were out of it.  Then a young woman came into the room, stated that the young man was her brother and sometimes talked too fast, and said there was plenty of chicken; just not chicken salad.  Too embarrassed to leave, we sat back down to look over the menu again.  She told us when we decided what we wanted, we should walk down the hall and place our order at the counter.  We got up and walked down the hall to place our order.  There was a sign on the wall that said if you didn’t know what you wanted, get out of the line and don’t come back until you know what you want.  I wound up ordering a Rueben sandwich.  The whole thing was just weird.

     When we got back to the campground, we packed up the dirty clothes and did the laundry at the campground.  They have two washers and two dryers, which is enough for us. While the clothes washed and dried, we tried to put together a puzzle.  There was a shelf in the room with books and puzzles.  We didn’t have much luck.  Neither one of us had our glasses and got a headache after a while.

     The temps never got out of the low 30s today. Paul spread cat litter on the steps because they were slick with ice.  Hope this cold spell passes soon.

 1 Jan 2019 (Tue-New Year’s Day) – It was very cold today.  We went to Lowe’s and picked up some silver insulation sheeting to put in the windows. I worked on the caravan book for May; Paul measured and fit the insulation in the windows.  It’s a little disturbing not to be able to see out the windows.  One of the best things about this RV is the panoramic views out the windows.  Oh, well.  If it keeps us warmer, I guess it’s a good thing.

31 Dec 2018 (Mon) – It started raining last night around 8 or 9.  Some times we had thunder and lightning; sometimes there was just a gentle rain. The ground was pretty wet this morning.

     We drove into town to the post office and got the address to have our mail forwarded.  Then we drove to Fort Concho.  It is the most intact Indian Wars Fort in the U.S.  There were about 20 buildings arrayed in a horseshoe around a large parade field.  A couple of the buildings were open to tour but most were closed up.  There were more than 40 buildings on the fort at one time but many were torn down over the years.  Like many frontier posts, it was only in service for 23 years then abandoned by the military.  We walked around the fort, looking in the few buildings that were open.  There was also the Museum of Telefony located in one of the old buildings.  It was quite interesting to see all the very old phones back from a time when telephones were first invented.  Today’s kids wouldn’t know what to do with them.

     After exploring Fort Concho, we went to lunch at the Angry Cactus.  It was a bar and grill decorated in some very unusual ways.  There were pots turned upside down hanging from the ceiling as lights. They used old fashioned light bulbs to give an old look to the place.  They had a special - $5 margaritas all day along with tacos or taco salad.  We found the food very good.

     On the way back to the campground, we stopped in the San Angelo Nature Center.  It was a parking lot fronting on a lake.  Not much wildlife to look at.  We stopped at the Hotel Concho.  It is now out of business.  The first two floors are used by local businesses.  They were setting up for a wedding at 5 p.m. today.  It was a beautiful old building.

     We also stopped at H.E.B. and picked up groceries then ran to PetCo to pick up pet food.  The town of San Angelo has almost 96,000 people, yet much of the town is run down with many broken windows and boarded up buildings.  It feels like they are struggling to keep the town going.  Hope they make it.

 30 Dec 2018 (Sun) – We took Bonnie on a long walk around the campground.  It was 37 this morning and never got warmer than 45 degrees.  When done, we drove into town to the San Angelo Visitor Center. It was a very fancy building with a small office.  There were two elderly gentlemen there who were very happy to tell us everything there was to know about the town.  After getting a handful of brochures and flyers, we walked down by the Concho River. There were Christmas light displays set up.  We decided to come back after dark to see the light show.

     We had lunch at Zero One Ale House.  It was an old building with a tin ceiling and brick walls.  I had roast chicken with seared asparagus and deep fried potato balls.  Paul got a signature sandwich.  Everything was delicious.  We brought a pint of potato soup and left-overs home for dinner.  

     At 6 p.m. we drove back into town and drove through the Christmas lights display.  It was especially nice because they were set up along the river and the lights reflected in the water.  It was like a two-for-one show.  Bonnie seemed to enjoy the ride.

29 Dec 2018 (Sat) – We packed up and pulled out of Fredericksburg at 10 a.m. The weather was cold – in the 30s all day.  We drove three hours to arrive at Goodfellow AFB Recreation Area a little more than three hours later.  There are two parts to this campground – a new part and an old part.  The old part has full hookups and looks like it’s full of long-termers.  That area has lots of trees.  The new part is in a parking lot with just electric and water hookups.  There are no trees and no wifi either.  After set up, we drove to the office and checked in.  Then we drove over to the base (the campground is five miles off base), and shopped for a few things in the base exchange. We returned and just tried to hunker down and stay warm.  WTH?? This is Texas!

28 Dec 2018 (Fri) – After Bonnie’s walk, we went next door to Nury’s for breakfast.  I tried something called Divorced Eggs and Paul had biscuits and gravy. The food was good (again).  Sorry we discovered this place so late in our stay. We would have eaten a few more meals there.

     At around 1:00 PM, there came a banging on the door.  A campground employee was asking when we were leaving.  Apparently, the schedule said we were leaving today when we thought we were leaving tomorrow.  We walked up to the office and found conflicting information in the files – one item said we were leaving today; another said we were leaving tomorrow.  The clerk told us the winter Texans were coming in today and the campground was full.  After some discussion, we had to move from site 80 to site 1.  We called and made a reservation at our next place arriving tomorrow so we needed to stay here one more night.  Luckily, they had a spot.

27 Dec 2018 (Thu) – We spent the day taking down the Christmas tree.  We sure do have a lot of ornaments!  We also went next door to Nury’s International Restaurant for lunch.  It turned out to be something like a Mexican restaurant but with an eclectic menu.  There were the usual tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas, but there were also some other more exotic offerings – coconut shrimp, egg rolls, etc.  The food was good and the staff was super friendly.

26 Dec 2018 (Wed) – At noon, we rode into town for lunch.  We wanted to go to a barbecue place but it was closed for Christmas vacation.  That was disappointing.  So we stopped at Hilda’s Tortillas.  The parking lot was full, which is always a clue that the food is good.  And it was. We took a quart of chicken tortilla soup home for dinner.

    Thunderstorms rolled in tonight. There was also some hail.  The TV news reporters were all warning about heavy hail and tornados.  It was a little scary.  

25 Dec 2018 (Tue-Christmas Day) – We stayed in the campground today working on putting together the caravan book for next May.  At 12:15 p.m.  I prepared green beans for the potluck luncheon and at 1:00 p.m. we went to the community center for the campground Christmas meal.  I think everyone in the campground must have been there along with a few family members.  The hall was full!  We haven’t seen that many people at the other two events we have been at.  I would have made more beans.  As it was, the meal was delicious.  The choices were very plentiful.  The dessert table was laden with goodies.  We came home stuffed.

24 Dec 2018 (Mon) – We did the laundry today. At 6:30 p.m. we went to the Fredericksburg United Methodist Church for their traditional candlelight service. It was similar to home with a few minor differences.  The minister went on a little too long with his sermon but it was a good message.  I always loved the Christmas Eve candlelight service.  It became especially important to me as my children grew up and left.  Our daughter would come back and attend the service occasionally.  At those rare times, I would feel close to her again as we sang “Silent Night” and hugged one another.  There is no more closeness with my children today.  Not like it was when they were bound to me as children.  Now they have families of their own and that special parent-child closeness is gone, only to be recaptured in rare moments like the Christmas Eve service.  I miss my babies.

 23 Dec 2018 (Sun) – We stayed around the campground today.  At 5 p.m. we went to a Christmas Eve Eve party.  Everyone was supposed to bring an appetizer and grab bag gift.  Unfortunately, the “bag” was supposed to include a gift bag to put your gift in.  We just wrapped our pathetic little gifts and they were the last ones to be chosen. Now I know.  The appetizers were all good and included a couple of dessert items.  We both got wine for our gifts.

 22 Dec 2018 (Sat) – We went to Becker Vineyards at 11 a.m. for a wine and food pairing.  It was very nice.  There was just one other couple and us in the “special room” where we had our tasting. A young woman gave us samples of five wines, each with a special tidbit to eat with it.  It was all very good.  Afterward, we went into the general tasting area and bought a glass of wine to drink out on the patio.  We also picked up some water crackers, fig jam, and truffle honey as well as three bottles of wine.

     We then drove to the grocery store and picked up some items.  This time we remembered to pick up some meat to put Bonnie’s pills in.  We also drove down the road to find the United Methodist Church in town.  Now that it’s located, we will attend service on Christmas Eve.  We stopped for lunch at a very German restaurant – Friedhelm’s Bavarian Inn.  The food was very good.

     I started a diet on December 10th.  I had a great initial start – lost 8 pounds in 4 days.  Then I lost not an ounce for the next 7 days despite strict adherence to the program.  When you don’t see any progress like that, you feel like giving up.  Who starts a diet just before the holidays any way? Unless you deliberately want to sabotage your efforts.  Yesterday’s appetizer event followed by last night’s outing to the Airport lounge was the final straw.  That break with the diet was cemented by today’s exotic food samplings.  Guess I’ll have to get back on the diet train as a New Year’s resolution.  *sigh*

21 Dec 2018 (Fri) – We drove into town and picked up a few items at WalMart.  Then we drove out to the Old Tunnel State Park, about 12 miles out of town.  There was a short hike down the trail and back.  They have benches where people can sit and watch the bats emerge from the tunnel at night.  Just like they do at Carlsbad Caverns.

     The 920-foot tunnel was originally built in the 1910s by the townspeople themselves.  They needed a route from Fredericksburg to San Antonio.  It ran for three years then was scrapped in the 1940s.  Now the tunnel is home to 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats from May to October each year.

      We discovered a café next door.  When we checked Trip Advisor, the café was rated 5 out of 89 restaurants in Fredericksburg.  It was a small café with yellowed signs on the walls.  There was a wood burning stove sitting in the middle of the room and a column supporting the main support beam with signatures all over the column.  I ordered chili and Paul got a ham sandwich. His sandwich was huge.  My chili was very spicy and I could only eat little more than half of the bowl.

     At 5 p.m. we went to the community center in the campground for social hour.  We made prosciutto and melon for our contribution to the appetizers.  We met an interesting couple from Iowa.  They invited us to join them at the Officer’s lounge at the airport for drinks later.  At 6 p.m. there was a golf cart parade.  It consisted of six carts decorated with lights and other items that slowly wound their way back and forth among the RVs.

     After the parade, we took Bonnie for a quick walk then drove to the Airport lounge.  A man who has been blind since birth was playing the grand piano in the lounge.  He was very good.  We stayed for about two hours.

20 Dec 2018 (Thu) – After Bonnie’s long walk this morning, we drove into town.  First stop was at WalMart to pick up a few items.  Unfortunately, we forgot to get something to give Bonnie her pills with so we’ll have to go back tomorrow.  After WalMart, we walked up and down the Main Street looking for gifts. We will be attending a Christmas party here at the campground and everyone is supposed to bring a grab bag gift. We also stopped by UPS to mail off the last of our Christmas packages.

     For lunch, we went to The Auslander.  It was an old historical building built of stone. Inside were several cuckoo clocks on the wall.  None of them chimed on the hour so I guess they were turned off.  There were animals heads mounted around the restaurant – a moose, an elk, a deer, and a long horn cow.  I cannot understand the need to cut the head off something and stick it up on a wall.

     As we’ve been driving around town, we are discovering there are many lodges, inns, hotels, motels, and B&Bs.  I guess this really is a destination place.  Last year, someone told us that they have a big population of college students here during spring break.

19 Dec 2018 (Wed) – We’ve fallen into the habit of taking Bonnie for a long walk each morning.  She eats.  We have our breakfast.  Then around 9:30/10:00 a.m. we go for a 20-30 minute walk.  She looks forward to them very much.  She’ll start barking at us when she’s decided it’s time to go.  It’s funny.

     We spent the day in the campground.  At 4:30 p.m. we brought Bonnie to the vet.  He found she has a UTI and put her on antibiotics. We dropped Bonnie off back at the campground, then drove into town for dinner and the show.  There are not that many restaurants on Main Street, as we discovered when we went looking for one.  We finally wound up at The Rathskeller, a basement eatery in what used to be a hospital back in the 1800s.  There wasn’t much of a menu choice but we managed.  When done, we went to the Rockbox Theater where we spent two watching a musician who looked like John Denver play those great songs from the 70s.

 18 Dec 2018 (Tue) – We drove to Fredericksburg today and are staying at the Fredericksburg RV Park.  It is a higher-end campground.  The nightly fee is normally $49.  We got a weekly rate that equals $45 a night, and then a daily rate of $49 for three nights.  We wanted to stay through until the beginning of January but they only had a site available until December 29.  Guess we’ll spend New Year’s somewhere else.  This campground is pretty nice.  They have excellent wifi (we haven’t see THAT in a long time), and a good selection of cable TV channels.  We have full hook-ups.  There is a dog run in the campground.  The place is neat, clean, and orderly.

     While thumbing through some of the literature we picked up in the office, Paul spotted an ad for a John Denver Musical Tribute tomorrow night.  We drove into town, bought propane, then went to the theater to buy tickets.  They weren’t open.  We got the website address then went back to the camper and ordered two tickets online.  It sounds like a great show.

 17 Dec 2018 (Mon) – Bonnie has a urinary infection.  She paced, didn’t seem able to sit still for long, and whined to go out every hour or two last night.  She kept us going all night long.  We pulled up stakes today and drove to Luling.  It was a one night stay on the way back to Fredericksburg for the holiday.  Bonnie was better this morning.  Now I think she might have had a kidney stone that she passed.

16 Dec 2018 (Sun) – I called the next campground and made a reservation for tomorrow night.  We still need to decide where we are going to stay after that. We drove into town to make a deposit at Navy FCU.  I got two checks for dues to the Nomads in yesterday’s mail delivery. Unfortunately, the bank would not accept the deposit through the ATM because I did not have the ATM card with me. Aaarrrgggghhhh!  We then drove to Pet Smart and picked up about ten days worth of food. Fredericksburg (where we are ultimately headed) does not have a Pet Smart or PetCo close by.  We then got fuel and stopped for lunch at the Long Horn Steakhouse.  The food was just as good as it was the other day.  We both took leftovers home to enjoy again.  We returned to the camper and began to make preparations to move on tomorrow.  Yay!!!  It will be fun to be on the move again.

 15 Dec 2018 (Sat) – We hung around the camper all day.  I worked on the books for the Utah caravan.  Paul did some work on the computer and around the RV.  We got our forwarded mail from Escapees.  There was a delightful ornament from our dear friend, Jan, back home in New York.  It made us both happy to be remembered and sad to be apart.  We also got some towels and placemats from Paul’s sister, Joan. They are so “us” with an Americana theme.

14 Dec 2018 (Fri) – We went shopping today for jeans and shoes.  Their “shopping mall” was nothing like it is back home.  It seems to be stores that were separately built and slowly connected over time by additions, overhead bridges, and tunnels.  We turned into Dillard’s parking lot thinking it was the anchor store for the mall.  We walked through the store only to come out into the parking garage.  No other stores.  WTH?  Across the street was a 25 story building titled Galleria tower (as in administration). We crossed the street and walked behind the tower and found the mall in buildings that interconnected in back. The mall itself was four stories high. There was an ice rink on the lowest level.  We wandered around trying to find shoe stores.  The mall is billed as an upscale mixed-use urban development retail complex. Most of the stores were higher end (Dillard’s, Nordstrom, Neiman-Marcus).  We stopped in several shops before we got what we wanted.

     On the way back to the RV, we stopped at Saltgrass Steak House for lunch.  Everything was delicious.  When we got back, we fed the animals then went into the Elks Lodge to get our mail and pay for another three nights here.  We had planned to leave on December 13th but we have been held up waiting for all our packages to arrive.  All that’s left is our forwarded mail, due to arrive tomorrow.  We’ll move on Monday.  

13 Dec 2018 (Thu) – It rained on and off all night.  At 2:00 AM, the skies opened and came down in buckets.  At 4:30 AM, the water sensor alarm in the basement went off.  Paul put on his swim suit and rain jacket and ran out to reset it.  He no sooner stepped back in the RV when the alarm when off again.  He went back out into the deluge and pulled the alarm out. He was soaked.  The entryway was soaked.  The towels to dry everything off were soaked.  What a mess!  It finally stopped raining around 6:00 AM.

     Paul replaced the water pump this morning.  It went on a kind of strike.  When we were hooked up to a water source, the pump worked. When we were not hooked up, it would not work.  It seemed to forget that its whole purpose in life is to pump water from our onboard tanks when we don’t have a water source.  Paul also tried to find out where water was leaking into the basement.  The basement door has shifted downward a bit. Apparently just enough to let a heavy rain drive through it.  

     I got a text from Best Buy that the laptop was ready for pickup.  That was unexpected (but welcome).  We drove over and picked it up.  Also stopped at the post office to mail off the additional Christmas cards I wrote out, and at the UPS customer center to mail off a package to our other grandson. I also picked up some lottery tickets to mail as a gift.

     Now, the weather forecast is for winds coming down from Montana.  Wind speed projected to be between 10 and 25 mph with occasional gusts up to 40 mph.  

 12 Dec 2018 (Wed) – It was a busy day today! I finished most of the Christmas cards and we went to the post office to mail them off along with a package to our grandsons.  We then stopped at Pet Smart, Kroger, and Total Wine where Paul finally found 43 (he loves that stuff).  I needed to pick up more Christmas cards so we made a stop at Dollar Store.  There was a pleasant stop at Long Horn Steakhouse where the food was exquisite.  We also dropped the laptop off at Best Buy and asked them to clean it up – remove viruses and malware.  The tech said they were busy and wouldn’t have it done until Saturday.  

     The weather forecast is for rain tonight going right into tomorrow morning.  The ground around here is already so soaked.  Guess they’ll have more flash flooding.  Hope things don’t get too bad.

 11 Dec 2018 (Tue) – We spent the day at the camper today.  I spent it working on Christmas cards.  Paul worked around the RV.  We got our new laptop computer this afternoon and now Paul is working on getting that set up.

10 Dec 2018 (Mon) – We went out to get propane today.  There was also a stop at the post office to mail a card, then a stop at Office Depot to pick up ink and labels.  Then I spent the day working on Christmas cards.

9 Dec 2018 (Sun) – We drove 45 minutes to Tomball to go to the German Fest. It was a street fair with a Christmas theme.  There were elves, a Santa, and a snow queen.  Musicians dressed in colorful costumes roamed the walk playing Christmas music on accordions.  There were also five tent areas with musicians and dancers entertaining the crowd.  The festival was set up on Cherry Street and ran for about 4 or 5 blocks.  The booths were interspersed with vendors and food.  There was a good mix of items.  The people who coordinated the festival made sure there were very few duplicates.  That made it very interesting.  There was lots of food – I think a food vendor was in every fourth or fifth booth. We stopped in Brautigams Barn Grill for lunch.  It was an old building decked out in western style.  We tried mulled wine at one booth and sampled delicious tarts at another booth.

8 Dec 2018 (Sat) – It really poured most of the night.  The rain was thrumming on the roof and there was thunder cracking every so often.  The ground was good and soaked this morning with lots of puddles around.  Some areas around Houston experienced flooding.   The news showed pictures of cars and streets underwater.

     It didn’t rain today but it was heavily overcast and chilly.  The temperature was in the high 40s with a crisp cold wind blowing in from the west. We went to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch. That is such a great place.  I hope they expand to Long Island soon.  I think everybody back home would like them very much.  

     After lunch we went to the movies to see “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”  The plot was hard to follow and the English(?) accents made it hard to understand some of what was being said.  The graphics were very good but overall, we didn’t really enjoy the show.

     We stopped at WalMart to pick up a few groceries. After we put them away, we stopped in the lodge for a nightcap.  They had a steak dinner last night and about 25 people showed up for it.  We didn’t want to leave the camper in that rain so kudos to those guys!

 7 Dec 2018 (Fri) – Paul picked up a few items at Home Depot in order to clear clogs in the bathroom and kitchen sinks. At noon, we went to Best Burger for lunch.  It was like a Chinese restaurant that wasn’t making it so they added burgers and tacos to the menu.  We both got burgers but we could just as easily have ordered goo gai pan or chicken chow mein or any one of a dozen other Chinese or Mexican dishes.  

     We drove to the UPS distribution center to pick up packages.  They were Christmas gifts we ordered and had to put a hold on.  There were three packages to pick up.  We will get two more packages but they’re going to be delivered to the lodge.  Had we known the lodge accepted mail, we would have sent everything there.  This will teach us to ask first before placing orders.

     We drove to the BAPS Shri Swaminariyana Mandir Hindu Temple.  They open the niches where the religious statues are kept at specific times during the day.  We were not there at those times.  The temple was absolutely striking.  The inner or bottom portion of the temple is made of Italian marble.  The outer portion of the temple is made of Indian sandstone.  The carvings were exquisite.  The docent told us the marble was sent to India for carving by craftsmen.  It took two or three years for the work then the temple was shipped in pieces to Texas where it was put together.  We had to remove our shoes before entering the building. There was a separate room for men and for women.  You took your shoes off and then had to walk back outside and up the temple steps before entering the building.  It was raining when we came out and we had to walk on the wet cement in our stocking feet. We were not allowed to take pictures inside.  There was a separate building that housed a gift shop that was full of food items, incense, and other items from India.

      Thunderstorms rolled in at night and it was pouring when we went to bed.  There were many warnings coming over the TV and phone warning about flash flooding.

 6 Dec 2018 (Thu) – The day started out drizzly and overcast but cleared up in the afternoon.  We took Bonnie for a walk and wandered through the Chung Mei Buddhist Temple across the street.  It looks like it started out really nice but they just didn’t have the money to keep up with things.  It is neat and attractive with a large tiled roof and a tea house inside.  Across the street from that is a columbaria.  It is an ornate building with a tiled roof and lots of terra cotta animals.  There is a nice garden walk with statues in concentric circles.  There were several concrete pads with no statues on them. Guess they’re waiting for people to buy the space.  It looked like the statues opened up and you could put an urn in.

     At 6:30 PM, we drove to the Houston Zoo for the Zoo Lights display.  It got warmer and the walk was pleasant.  The place was pretty full but not packed like it would be on the weekend.  The zoo collects used lights and refurbishes them (I guess) to put around the walkways for the holidays.  We bought a spiked chocolate for me and a Christmas for Paul and we sipped while we walked along the pathways.  It was all very pretty.  We even took a ride on the carousel.

 5 Dec 2018 (Wed) – I had an appointment with Dr. Ahmed at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center this afternoon.  The results of the bone marrow biopsy will not be back until next week so we made a date for a telephone appointment.  The doctor didn’t want me to have to pay a co-pay just to hear those results.  That was very thoughtful of her.  The bloodwork was mostly within normal limits.  No problem there.  The CT scan showed one particular lymph node in the abdomen has been growing.  It is now 7cm x 5cm.  It is starting to press on my bladder and left ovary.  The one that was supposed to be 8cm turned out to be maybe 1.8cm.  Looks like a typo.  The doctor wants me to have another scan in three months.  She gave me a list of symptoms to watch for.

     Paul and I finally figured out the shuttle bus system. We park in an open lot at the Texas Medical Center.  They run shuttles on a blue and a white route.  One stops in the back of the hospital; the other stops at the main entrance. We take the blue bus to get in the entrance easily, then take the white bus because it has a shorter route and we get back to the parking lot faster.  There is a pay-for-parking machine where you put in a poker chip called a SMART chip, pay with cash or credit card, then take the chip to the gate. The machine did not cooperate with me and wouldn’t accept my credit cards (I tried 3 different ones and a debit card).  Paul was able to get the machine to work.  Technology can be very frustrating.

      On the way home, we stopped at Corelli’s Italian Café for dinner.  I have not eaten pasta is a very long time.  I gave in and had lasagna.  We had to ask for Italian bread.  It was not the nice crusty type but more like a white bread.  It was still good.

4 Dec 2018 (Tue) – We went to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center this morning.  I had a bone marrow biopsy/aspiration at 8:30 a.m.  After that, I had a CT scan.  The doctor wants to verify the size of the nodes.  My last PET scan states that one node is 8 cm.  She thought that was very large and should be prominent, but it’s not.

     After all that stuff, we stopped at Pappas Bar-B-Q. It is a very old looking restaurant with lots of cars in the parking lot.  There was a female guard standing outside the restaurant.  I was curious as to why they had a guard.  Was the area dangerous?  When we came out, I asked her: “Do you stand security here all day?” She pointed at some tables on the patio behind her and said that she sits down when she gets tired.  Paul thought her answer was so funny that he had to walk away without laughing in her face.  I spoke further with her and explained that I was curious about why there was a guard in the parking lot.  She said she was responsible for watching over the parking to make sure people didn’t back into each other as the lane between the rows is narrow.  I didn’t ask her why she needed a gun to do that. There is a large number of homeless people around.  They hang out around the intersections with their cardboard signs and down trodden eyes. You can see where they sleep up under the bridges.  Paul has taken to giving them a bottle of water.  Soon, he’ll be known as the Water Man.

      The Elks Lodge had dinner tonight.  They were serving red beans and rice.  It was pretty good.  They had cornbread with it instead of the one slice of white bread all the other barbecue places give you.  That seems kind of dumb because you can’t even make a sandwich with the one slice of bread.

 3 Dec 2018 (Mon) – We went to the National Museum of Funeral History.  We didn’t know what to expect but it turned out to be quite interesting.  It was a large museum with many exhibits.  There were hearses, stories about burials, coffins, mourning clothes, urns, and storyboards.  A crematory was set up to look at and placards explained how cremation works.  It takes the human body two to three hours to be reduced to ashes.  The bones are then put in a pulverizer and everything is reduced to a fine, sand like texture.  In Japan, after the body is reduced to ashes they are given to the family with the bones. The family uses chopsticks to pick out the bones to transfer to an urn.  They make sure the feet go in the urn first and the head goes into the urn last. This is so the dead doesn’t go into the urn upside down.

      There were some of the most beautiful urns on display as well as the many ways people display the ashes of loved ones.  There was jewelry, and hair ornaments, and monochrome photos made from ash.  There was a section named Thanks for the Memories.  Inside were videos, photos, and storyboards dedicated to famous people who have passed on – Marilyn Monroe, Adam West, Bob Hope, etc.  Another section discussed the burials of popes and another addressed the treatment of presidents.  A bunting that has hung at the White House in the past had been borrowed for display at President George H.W. Bush’s coffin tomorrow.  The whole museum addressed the culture of death and burial/cremation with respect and professionalism.  It was very informative.

2 Dec 2018 (Sun) – We stayed around the camper today.  Paul tried to place an order for a laptop with Dell.  What an aggravating experience!  He tried to place the order online but there was a technical error. So we called Dell.  Of course, the rep we spoke with had very poor English skills (that always drives Paul crazy).  They needed to verify our information on file so they wanted to send a code to our email on file.  We no longer have that email address.  They wanted to send a text message to the phone number of file.  We have a different number now.   The agent then suggested sending the code – by mail – to the address on record.  Of course, we no longer live in New York.  It was maddening.  I told him to cancel the order and hung up.  

     A few minutes later the phone rang.  It was the salesman we had initially placed the order with over the phone.  He was appalled to hear of the problems we were having and suggested we open a preferred account in my name.  That would give us a year to pay for the computer with no interest charge and gave us additional discounts off the price.  It was a creative solution.  There’s nothing like a hungry salesman!

     We placed other orders online.  And I spent some time corresponding with our new tailgunners.  We went for a walk this afternoon.  While walking, we found a bunch of mail on the ground.  It looked like someone had stolen it then dumped it, or a postal worker had decided not to deliver it and just threw it out the window.  There were some advertisements but also statements from various companies.  It was all addressed to different people who live on the same street.  We collected it and will try to notify the post office about what we found.  There were some red ants crawling on the mail and I got bit several times.  Ouch!

1 Dec 2018 (Sat) – We did laundry today.  That was quite an experience!  We were driving along, looking for a laundromat and saw “Washateria.”  We stopped and went it.  It was a large facility and entirely Spanish.  The signs were Spanish; all the people in there were Spanish; the only language being spoken was Spanish.  We found two washers open and put our clothes in.  The laundromat was in a small strip mall on a corner.  We walked down to a café next door and got lunch.  The menu consisted of a large batch of pictures on the wall with descriptions in Spanish.  Paul got a quesadilla and I got something with corn tortillas, beef, beans, rice, lettuce and tomato.  

     We made several other stops  - RV store, groceries, vitamins, fuel, and pet food. It was a pretty busy day.

 30 Nov 2018 (Fri) – We spent the day again restricted to the RV.  Finally, Ford called at 3:30 p.m. to say the truck was done.  The shuttle service stopped running at 3 p.m. and there was none over the weekend.  We pressed Ford on the topic and the agent relented and sent a mechanic to pick Paul up. There was a hose and clamp that needed replacing and a bad sensor.  Total repair cost = $780.

     The Elks Lodge had a dinner tonight.  It turned out to be a hamburger and fries. Wasn’t that good but it was a meal.

     I got an email from Jon & Nancy, volunteering to be the tail gunners on our caravan.  They have led three caravans – two to the Maritimes and one to Calgary – and offer great experience.  We gladly accepted.  We will have to figure out when we can get together.  They agreed to take on the responsibilities for the campgrounds. Carl & Gwen have all that information so they’ll have to figure out how to get that info from them.

29 Nov 2018 (Thu) – Paul dropped the truck off at the Ford dealer this morning at 7:30 a.m.  A shuttle brought him back.  We spent the day in the RV, having no transportation to go anywhere.  Also, it started raining in the afternoon.  The weather app is warning about thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes tonight and tomorrow.  Oh, boy.

     The tail gunner on our Utah caravan called tonight to say they had to step down.  Gwen’s mother has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and has been given 6-9 months to live.  That would be about the time our caravan is scheduled to go.  We wished them our best.  I’m starting to think this caravan is cursed.

 28 Nov 2018 (Wed) – We drove into Houston proper today to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.  We pulled into the parking garage that was posted at 7’0” clearance.  Three floors up, it changed to 6’10”.  We couldn’t fit under that so we had to turn around and go back down.  We stopped at the office and got a map taking us to an open parking lot a couple of blocks away.  After we parked, we caught a shuttle on the Texas University Medical Center bus that dropped us off near the main building entrance to the cancer center.

      We found our way up to the sixth floor and the Lymphoma/Myeloma Center.  I checked in at 9:25 a.m. (appointment was for 9:30 a.m.).  I didn’t get called into the registration office until 10:00 a.m. I grabbed the wrong purse and did not have my driver’s license or insurance cards with me.  I felt so stupid!!  Instead of turning me out on my ear, the nurse checked me in and let me use my Army ID. After registration, I went back to my seat.  Then I was called in for weighing, height measurement, temp, oxygen measurement, and blood pressure.  Then it was back to my seat again.  Finally, even though my doctor’s appointment was for 10 a.m., I was called into the exam room at 11:30 a.m.  

     A soft spoken Vietnamese young man with an accent and a face mask checked my records.  He was hard to understand but we got through it.  That was followed by a young female P.A. who reviewed my medical history then did a perfunctory physical exam.  A doctor from the research department came in and asked if I would consent to donating my bodily fluids and left over blood for research. I said yes; she recorded my answers; then left.  Finally! The doctor arrived.  It was a middle aged woman who was impressed with our lifestyle.  After talking about how she and her husband would like to explore the country, we got down to brass tacks.  She wants to do a CT scan to verify the results of the last scan I had. She is also ordering a bone marrow biopsy in order to see what kind of cancer I have.  Apparently, there are some markers that indicate whether a cancer can be cured or if it will come back after treatment.  I made the appointments for next week.

     After navigating our way out of the building, we boarded a shuttle and got a ride back to the parking lot.  When we pulled in, we got a SMART chip (which looks just like a cheap plastic poker chip).  When we left, we put the chip in a machine, paid with our credit card, and received the SMART chip back.  We used that to exit the parking lot.  It was all quite an experience.

     We stopped at La Gallitas for lunch.  It was a Mexican restaurant with excellent margaritas. The food was good, too.  Then we drove to a local U-Haul and got our propane tank refilled.  After that, we stopped at a Ford dealership to make an appointment to get the truck repaired.  The CHECK ENGINE light has been on for about a month.  Also, we are still getting a coolant leak from the radiator.  The Ford rep told us we did not need to make an appointment.  Just bring the truck in and drop it off in the morning.

27 Nov 2018 (Tue) – We packed up and pulled out of our campsite at 9:30 a.m.  After a stop at the dump station to empty the tanks, we left Fort Hood Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area and headed out to Houston.  It was a long drive – five and a half hours!  We stopped once to use the restroom and once to pick up lunch at Checkers.  The weather was clear and the traffic was good until we hit the outskirts of Houston. As with all big cities (and this is the third most populated in the U.S.), the traffic was slogging along.  We arrived at the Elks Lodge in Stafford (a suburb of Houston) at 3:00 p.m.

     After set up, we went into the lodge to pay for our site.  They have a daily rate of $25, a half-month rate of $250 (number of days are dubious), and a monthly rate of $500.  We paid for half a month.  We’re guessing that’s 16 days.

     Next, we drove to MD Anderson Cancer Center to see where it is.  Oh. My. God. The number of medical buildings in the one area is humongous!  I had to find Parking Garage 10.  We saw signs indicating there were over 23 entrances.  We found the garage but the height is too low for the truck.  It looks like we’ll have to use the valet tomorrow.

     The lodge hosted a chicken and dumplings dinner tonight.  It was pretty good.  Everybody was very friendly.

26 Nov 2018 (Mon) – We drove into Temple today to see the museums but they were all closed.  That just didn’t seem fair.  They were already closed for the Thanksgiving holiday – Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Why should they be closed on Monday, too?

     We finally gave up and went to H-E-B.  They have a counter where they serve a lunch meal. We had something to eat before shopping, and then picked up some groceries.  Afterward, we got fuel and headed back to the campground.  Paul got a campfire going and we enjoyed the heat as the temperatures have dropped in the last two days.  After it was dark, we took a last drive through the Christmas light display around the lake.  It was all very pretty. With Christmas music playing on the radio, I think we are getting into the seasonal mood.

25 Nov 2018 (Sun) – Many of the RVs left today.  After they were gone, Paul walked around the campsites and collected firewood people left behind.  He brought it back to our site and we enjoyed a campfire all afternoon.  We spent the day in the campground.  We walked Bonnie down by the lake to see how much the water has receded.  Part of the roadway are still underwater.  Some of the picnic tables and barbecues are starting to come out of the water.  The water level is dropping about four or five feet a day.  They have quite a while before everything resurfaces.

 24 Nov 2018 (Sat) – We went out at lunch time to the Dead Fish Grill for lunch.  After sunset, we walked out around the campground to look at the Christmas lights.  A lot of cars were driving through the route.  We watched “A Christmas Story” tonight.  That was a pretty funny movie.  We enjoyed another campfire.

 23 Nov 2018 (Fri) – We went out for lunch at Benny’s Ristorante.  We tried going to two museums in the area but they are closed for the holiday weekend. Bummer.  We drove around Belton Lake and checked out the two campgrounds around the Belton Dam before returning to the campground.  The campfire was so nice last night that Paul bought more firewood and we had another fire tonight.

22 Nov 2018 (Thu-Thanksgiving Day) – We stayed in the campground today.  I cooked a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, green beans, and gravy.  I tried some desserts ketogenic style but they didn’t turn out very good – blueberry pie and chocolate coconut milk ice cream.  Yuk.

      We went for a walk at sunset.  The light show was just coming on.  We were surprised at the number of cars driving through.  We thought nobody would come on a holiday.  We were wrong!  When we walked down by the lake, we saw signs of recent flooding.  The road is actually underwater by the lakefront so we can see why the lights down by there have not been turned on.  It looks like they either started putting up the light show when the flood started or it was set up when the flooding happened.  Either way, the roadway leading down that way is cordoned off.  It was pretty to look at the lights that are on.  They have miles and miles of Christmas lights lining the road and then loads of lighted figures.  It is all very nice.  We could hear the kids excitedly exclaiming about the things they were seeing as they drove by. 

      We had a campfire tonight.  It was so pleasant.  When we camped during our work years, it was such a pleasure to disconnect from the TV and radio and just enjoy nature.  Now, since we are living on the road full-time, campfires are rare.  And we use the Internet every day to check on the weather, to explore campgrounds, to find out news, to see what’s happening back home, etc.  Things are very different between full-time and just camping.

      We watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” tonight.  That’s my favorite Thanksgiving movie. 

 21 Nov 2018 (Wed) – Last night, we took a ride through the Christmas lights display.  It was pretty awesome.  LEDs have sure made for brighter and better light shows as well as making the cost so much cheaper.   There were some, but not many, cars driving the course.  We suspect it will be really busy over the weekend.  There is a part down by the beach with trucks set up to sell food that was closed.  It is probably only open on the weekend.  We’ll see.

     We drove over to Fort Hood today.  That base is huge!  It has to be the largest military base we have ever been.  We drove in and out of gates on different segments of the base. We finally found the campground we wanted to stay at but couldn’t because they were full.  The clerk in the office gave us a base map and showed us where Club Hood was as well as the PX, commissary, and museums.  We drove over to the Museum of the 1st Cavalry Division. The museum was small but comprehensive. Outside were dozens of tanks, APCs, trucks, cars, and helicopters.  We strolled around the concourse reading the descriptions of the displays.

     When done, we found our way to Club Hood. That was also very large!  After wandering around the halls and peeking into ballrooms set up for banquets, we got to the office and asked about Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  They have 80 tables set up and will have two servings – one at 11 a.m. and the other at 2 p.m.  Unfortunately, they were full and no reservations were available.  They told us we could go to any of the mess halls to eat as they do a nice meal set-up, too.

     We left the base and found a barbecue place to have lunch.  It was small and was one of those places where you order by the pound at a counter. Paul got pulled pork and I got ribs. The food was OK.  The clerk taking orders was an Asian woman who barely spoke English.  She was very hard to understand.  There were also religious pictures hanging in the bathrooms.  It was all just weird.

      Next stop was at H-E-B. for groceries.  The place was so packed.  It seemed like everyone was doing their Thanksgiving shopping. We returned to the campground. They had closed part of the roadway for the light show and it bypassed the entrance to the area of the campground where our rig is parked.  We had to drive around a bunch of cones then drive the wrong way on a one-way road to get home.  Ugh.

20 Nov 2018 (Tue) – We left Fredericksburg at 9:30 a.m.  The temperatures were in the low 40s.  The sky was clear.  Traffic was easy.  Three hours later we arrived at Fort Hood Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Annex. The campground is not on the actual military base.  The road into the camp area is decorated with Christmas lights.  Apparently, they use the road into and within the campground to do a drive through the lights like many other places do.  It is open to military and civilian alike.

     Our campsite is a back-in on a concrete pad. Trees are heavy around the area and we had to adjust entry to avoid overhanging branches.  We only have 30-amp electric and water hookup – no sewer. According to Trip Adviser, there really isn’t anything to see in Killeen.  And we’re here for a week!  Oh, boy. Priority for now is to find out where the dining facility is so we can enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.

 19 Nov 2018 (Mon) – We drove to the Texas Ranger Heritage Center expecting to tour a museum about Texas Rangers.  It is something in the process of being developed but there was no museum to tour.  There was a large open area where a band was playing music too loudly.  We left there and drove to the Pioneer Museum. This is a 4 acre complex that has several original buildings to the town.  Two are sited on their original places.  We read a plaque that said over 6,000 Germans came to America to start a new life.  They didn’t get picked up and taken to their new land as was agreed, and many died of starvation and illness at the port.  Finally, some pioneers decided to go to their new land on their own rather than waiting to be picked up.  They made their way to Fredericksburg and created a new settlement.  

     We then decided to explore some of the wineries in the area.  There are about 30 to 40 vineyards on Route 290 coming into the town of Fredericksburg. We went to three of them and bought several bottles of wine.  We also enjoyed a cheese and meat board for lunch.  It was a pleasant day.

     We stopped to get our propane tank filled and then at the gas station to top off for tomorrow’s move.  We also went to Tractor Supply to try and find some food for Bonnie.  There is no PetCo or Pet Smart in town and her being on this special diet makes it difficult to find food for her.  We picked up two cans of fish and potato, hoping that there will be a better supply in Killeen.

 18 Nov 2018 (Sun) – We went back to the National Museum of the Pacific War to finish touring the exhibits.  Again, there were people hanging around all over the sidewalk waiting for the tour buses to go to the wineries. 

      After wandering around the museum for two hours, we walked uptown to the main street.  We looked in the many storefronts and restaurant windows finally stopping at the Auslander Restaurant for lunch.  The food was authentic German fare and was very good. 

      We drove out to Enchanted Rock.  This is a large monolith dome that second only to Stone Mountain in Georgia.  The tail up to the dome was very steep so we did not climb it.  We came.  We saw.  We left. 

17 Nov 2018 (Sat) – We went to breakfast at the Airport Diner.  Right across the street from our camp area (you can’t really call it a campground), is a small regional airfield with two old hangers converted to lodging and entertainment venues.  The diner was at the end of the hanger facing the airfield.  We watched some planes come and go.  A P38 Mustang was giving a ride to a customer.  When we were done eating, we walked over to the Airport Hotel to look at it.  The Officer’s Club was a delightful room with small intimate areas for playing cards, having a cigar, or sharing a drink.  There was a balcony on the second floor where we went out and watched the planes.

     We drove to the Museum of the Pacific War where they were doing a reenactment of a battle.  There were between 50 and 60 actors dressed in period uniforms.  The session began with an explanation of the gear soldiers wore followed by a demonstration of each of the rifles and pistols marines and soldiers used during World War II.  They also paid tribute to the women who participated in the war.  Once all the descriptions of equipment, uniforms, and personnel were done, the actors engaged in a very realistic battle.  There were tanks, a trench, a bunker, a “cave,” and lots of weapons fire.  The entire demonstration took about an hour and a half and was great!  We enjoyed it so much.

     After the battle, we walked back and began to tour the museum.  It is huge with tons of story boards, equipment, artifacts, videos, and recordings. We walked for about two hours and were only half way through the museum when we called it quits for the day.  We walked down to the main street and had lunch at the Fredericksburg Brewing Company.  The beer cheese soup was so good that I took a quart of it home for supper tonight.  We left the restaurant and strolled down the street, popping in and out of stores to see interesting displays.  In the MarktPlatz, the town already has their Christmas tree and giant German figure candle erected.  We looked through the Vereins Kirche – the oldest social structure in Fredericksburg.  

16 Nov 2018 (Fri) – We packed up and left Austin at 9:30 a.m.  After a short stop at the dump station to empty the tanks, we drove for two hours to Fredericksburg.  We are camped at the Gillespie County Fairgrounds.  There are 20 sites lined in a row along the road with a large open field in back facing a race track with bleachers.  There are no trees but we do have full hook up with 50-amp service.  I hate when we have 30-amp because I forget and wind up blowing the breaker.  The temperature has been getting warmer each day and today it was 41 when we got up and reached 70.  

     After set up, we drove into town to do some laundry. We drove around to look at some of the older buildings.  This town, like so many others we’ve been to, was settled by German immigrants.  They seem to like stone very much as most of the buildings and homes are built with it.  We had lunch at the Backwoods BBQ.  It was a large barn like structure where you ordered the meat by the pound at a counter with some sides.  The food was excellent.  All the sides were outstanding, too.  They had creamed corn, cheesy green beans, and loaded potato salad.  There were pinto beans on the side board.  

     We stopped at the visitor center to see what is happening in town.  The agent gave us a whole schedule of events for the week as well as a map of everything in the area.  We watched a video about the town.  Their depiction of the Christmas holidays was compelling and we are going to come back here for the holidays.

 15 Nov 2018 (Thu) – We went out for lunch to Kerby Lane Café.  Afterward, we stopped at WalMart to pick up a few grocery items.  When we got back, we took Bonnie with us and hiked a trail around the McKinney Falls.  It was not easy to get near the river since a lot of the area was either fenced off or fallen in.  There was a very interesting rock ledge overhanging the trail.  It was big enough that someone could live under it.

 14 Nov 2018 (Wed) – We toured the Capitol today.  Standing outside and counting the floors, the building is ten floors high.  We discovered that they outgrew the building (which, by the way, was the tallest in the U.S. at one time), they decided to go down rather than up or out and change the shape of the original building.  They dug down 62’ and built another huge area underground.  The original building was erected in 1853.  It burned down like so many buildings of that time period.  A temporary capitol was built across the street from Capitol Square.  The new capitol building was completed in 1888.  In 1993, the underground Capitol Extension was completed which added two lower levels.

     After the Capitol, we went to the Scholz Biergarten for lunch.  The hall is supposed to be the oldest biergarten in Texas(?).  We’re not exactly sure where.  We shared a sausage platter.  There were three kinds of sausage, three kinds of mustard, sauerkraut, red cabbage, and potato pancakes.  It was all very good.

     We then drove to the Texas Military Forces Museum.  There was no charge for admission.  The museum was housed in an old hangar and was located on Camp Mabry, home of the Texas National Guard Headquarters.  It was an excellent museum.  There were storyboards, equipment, and artifacts that told the story of Texans involvement in all the armed conflicts around the world. There was excellent coverage of the war between Mexico, Texas and the United States.  Texas has flown six different flags – Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America.  Inside the museum was also the French Gratitude train car (Merci Boxcar).  It was sitting at an American Legion post for years before it was restored and moved to the museum.  

     When we were finished touring the museum (I think we walked around for about 4 hours), we drove to the Texas State Cemetery.  There were three buses parked outside and groups of school children touring the cemetery.  It seemed like a strange field trip.  We parked and walked around the cemetery.  There are many famous Texans buried there, including Stephen Austin who’s considered the Father of Texas.  It was he who convinced the Mexican government to allow American citizens to settle in the territory.  Austin died at the battle of the Alamo.

 13 Nov 2018 (Tue) – Gremlins are certainly in the works.  The furnace stopped working overnight.  When Paul got up, he turned it on, it ran for two minutes, then shut off.  He turned it on again and it ran most of the afternoon.  It again shut off on us a few more times.  It was 35 degrees outside and 55 in here when he got up.  Brrrrrrr.  We’ll have to make sure we put out the ceramic heater tonight.  We have to be careful with the electric since we only have 30 amp.

     We ran to the post office this morning to check on our forwarded mail. The mail clerk told me there was nothing.  I pushed back, saying the two packages had been mailed a week ago from Livingston. He went back and looked again and found the packages.  They had been put in the wrong place.

       We packed up and left Canyon Lake a little after noon.  Aside from the cold, the weather was good and the drive was about an hour and a half to Austin.  We pulled into McKinney Falls State Park around 1:30 p.m.  When we checked in, the clerk asked us if we wanted a pull through or back in.  We said a pull through would be convenient so she assigned campsite #59.  We also bought a Texas State annual pass for $70. That gave us a discount on the fee and paid the daily entrance fee of $6 per person.  

     We got to site #59 only to find out that it was sharply curved and we couldn’t fit in it.  The campsite next to that one, #60, was a back in but would fit our rig. So we pulled in there and tried to call the office to see if we could change.  After trying to get through for half an hour, we dropped the trailer and drove back to the office.  There were now two clerks at the counter.  It was apparent the second girl is full time because she knew right away that #59 wouldn’t fit our size rig.  The other clerk is a volunteer and doesn’t know the campground that well. At any rate, we got reassigned to #60. We returned to the campsite, Paul sawed off an overhanging branch, and we set up.  It was really cold so we stayed in the rest of the day.  We had to turn off the water again tonight because of a freeze warning.  The temperature is supposed to drop down to 29 degrees.

12 Nov 2018 (Mon) – The day was cool – overcast and misty. There was a freeze warning in effect but it never got below 40 degrees.  Paul turned off the water overnight just in case.

     We’ve been having problems with the water pump.  Paul thinks it is a loose wire in the pump.  It’s buried deep inside the bowels of the RV so it will be a major job to repair or replace it.  That’s a job left for when I fly back to New York.

     At 11:30 a.m. we drove into New Braunfels and I got a haircut.  The girl did it just right!  I get so many bad haircuts that it is delightful when I get a good one.  We then drove over to Gruene.  We walked through some of the stores then went to the Gristmill to await Jim & Theda. They arrived and we had a wonderful meal together.  They were the tailgunners on the Canadian Maritimes caravan this year and they will be the tailgunners on the Alaska caravan next year.  Lots of exciting trips for them.  They are full timers, like us, and are wintering in San Antonio near their kids and grandkids.

 11 Nov 2018 (Sun) – We spent the day hanging around the campground. At 4:30 p.m. we drove into town and had dinner at Gennaro’s Trattoria.  The waiter was great.  Zach started out by describing the specials in such a way that your mouth was watering by the time he was finished.  He was attentive, efficient, and funny.  Paul had a lamb chop and I had a grilled fish.  Everything was excellent.  The evening was delightful.

     I got a call from Jim & Theda.  We met them on our Alaska caravan in 2015.  They winter in San Antonio and invited us to meet them for lunch tomorrow.

 10 Nov 2018 (Sat) – It was in the low 40s this morning.  We brought out the electric heater last night. It will soon be time to put the flannel sheets on the bed.  We went to Willie’s Grill & Icehouse for lunch.  The restaurant was in a large, newly built mall.  It looked like the typical restaurant-in-an-old-warehouse with the customers ordering their food at the counter.  But at least they had regular items to order; not the meat by the pound option.

     After lunch, we decided to go to the movies but had to wander around for over an hour until the film started.  We went to Hobby Lobby where Paul decided they are rally a craft store; not a hobby store.  We watched the new Disney movie Nutcracker & the Four Realms.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t fully enjoy it because the seats in the theater were in such bad condition.  They were ripped and taped and worn and the back of the seat was broken so that if you tried to lean back, it was like falling over.  We stopped at the UPS Store to fax off some medical records to MD Anderson Cancer Center.  I am trying to get bloodwork done and they want me to see a doctor and review my case. It’s all about the money!

     We returned to the campground and stopped at the camp store to get our propane tank refilled (we ran out of propane overnight).  It was 3:45 p.m.  The clerk told Paul they stopped filling tanks at 3 p.m.  He just didn’t want to get up and walk outside.  The lazy bum!

9 Nov 2018 (Fri) – It rained pretty hard last night.  We had thunder, lightning, and hail.  A cold front has moved in and the temperatures are now down to the 50s in the daytime and low 40s at night.  We spent most of the day just hanging around the campground.

     At 4:30 p.m. we drove to San Antonio for dinner.  We ate at Saltgrass Steak House right on the San Antonio Riverwalk.  We were on the patio with the heaters going.  The boats riding by on the canal had all different kinds of colored lights. The walkway was very busy with all kinds of people walking by.  All the restaurants were very busy.  Our meal was delicious.  Afterward we walked along the Riverwalk with all the other tourists.  It was a very pleasant evening.  

 8 Nov 2018 (Thu) – It was a cold, gray day today.  We spent most of the day hanging around the camper with the fireplace on.  We brought our laundry over to the Fort Houston Army campground.  There are two washers and two dryers in our campground but the washers are out of order.  The laundry room in the other campground has five washers and five dryers.  We put the wash in and sat in the rec room watching TV or playing around with the stationary bikes.  When the wash was done, we put the clothes in the dryer then drove to the Post Office to pick up our mail that was forwarded here.  I got the birth and baptism certificates for my grandmother.  That was exciting to get.  I now know my great grandmother’s name!  She and great granddad both emigrated from Ireland (not together).  Now I need to work backwards in Ireland.  I hope I can find the information.  We got our laundry and returned to the campground where I spent the evening exploring Ancestry.com.

 7 Nov 2018 (Wed) – We went to Granny D’s for breakfast this morning. The food was so good.  Paul got biscuit and sausage gravy.  It had loads of meat!  I had a bacon omelet.  It was full of chopped bacon.  It was cute to hear the waitress addressing us a y’all.  Paul saw corn chowder on the menu so we ordered a quart to take home. It turned out to be a roux that we would have to add milk to.

     We ran back to the camper to drop off the chowder then drove to the Texas Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country.  The website said it was open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  When we arrived, a sign strung across the fence said it was open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Bummer!

     We then drove into New Braunfels to the Sophienburg Museum.  It told the story of how a prince brought 202 royal families from Germany to America.  Prince Carl of Solms and his group of colonists came to escape war, taxes, and religious persecution.  They were deeded half acre town lots and 10 acre farm lots by the Mexicans in 1845. Mexico was trying to bring settlers to the area to prevent the new America from attacking if its own citizens lived there.  That didn’t work.  lol. At any rate, over 7,300 Germans emigrated to Texas over a 3-year period.  The museum displayed lots of artifacts from the royal families.  Storyboards told how they formed new societies here.  It was very interesting.

     After the museum, we decided to drive the Devil’s Backbone Scenic Drive.  While it looked nice driving over the hills, it was nothing like the views we’ve seen elsewhere.  If hard pressed, I could buy a house on one of the hills overlooking Canyon Lake.  

     At 2 p.m. we stopped at the Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country. It was a tiny little house telling mostly the story of how they found fossil footprints on the property in the early 1980s.  When the owners realized what they had, they stopped clearing the land and contacted the local college.  Archeologists have been coming to the museum on a regular basis with their classes to teach their students about the animal prints found there.  In 2008 a pavilion was built over a portion of the track bed to protect it from the effects of the elements.  A walkway built all around the area allows visitors to get different views of the track bed.

     We got back to the campground around 3:30 p.m. and let the babies out to play.  I feel like we are living in the middle of a deer sanctuary.  Wherever you look, there are white tail deer.  It’s ridiculous!  I hope we won’t have any tick problems.

6 Nov 2018 (Tue-Paul’s Birthday) – There was a nice, thick fog this morning.  We left at 8:45 a.m. for a 10:00 a.m. appointment in San Antonio.  It was over an hour to get there – the traffic was heavy. I had a lymphatic drainage massage at Oak Haven Massage.  I endure these massages because it (hopefully) cleans out the lymph nodes and robs the cancer of a place to live.  I got completely undressed and lay on a heated table covered with a sheet and blanket.  The massage therapist methodically worked on each limb and my head, each time moving the covers over so she could work on my skin.  When it came time to work on the underarms (the groin, neck, and underarms are concentration points for lymph nodes), she left the sheet in place and massaged the skin through the sheet.  She did the same thing with my stomach.  All other therapists I have been to work the entire body with direct contact.  This experience was weird.

     After the massage, I got a chiropractic adjustment.  Oak Haven Massage not only has 60 therapists on staff, but they also have a chiropractor.  And the first appointment is free! The doctor was from Iowa, moved to Minnesota, and now lives in Texas.  We talked about the Midwest and Minnesota in particular. Since we just toured that state this summer, it was fresh and delightful to talk about.

     When I was all done with the workup, we were going to go to San Antonio to the Riverwalk but Paul decided he wanted to go to a town we passed yesterday.  It looked like it had a historic area with several old buildings.  When I put the name of the town in Trip Advisor – Gruene – nothing came up.  It turned out that the City of Gruene is no more.  It became part of New Brunfels and now it is just a tourist area called the Gruene Historical District.  There are a couple of blocks with old style buildings; some built new to look old and some original from the late 1800s.  We ate in a restaurant that looked like a renovated and converted barn but turned out to be newly built.  It was like some kind of sham!  We walked along the main street, stopping at a winery for a tasting.  It was an enjoyable day.

5 Nov 2018 (Mon) – We went to the office to extend for three nights. Looking at the calendar, we realized that this coming weekend is Veterans Day.  A three-day weekend down here will surely make it hard to find a campsite so we want to stay here through Tuesday.  The woman in the office told us we had to go to the other campsite where the manager works.  He is the only one who can change campsites.  Someone is scheduled to come into our site this weekend.  But the person in Site #9 left early so they could put that person in #9 and leave us in site #7.  So we drove over to the camp store and spoke with the manager.  He said that he will not change people’s campsites unless under extremely dire circumstances.  It was done in the past and people got very upset.  However, he told us we could move into site #9 if we wanted to and we could do it today, why wait?  So we went back, packed up, and moved over two spaces.

     After lunch, we drove to New Braunfels to the Wurstfest.  We got there at 3 p.m. only to find it didn’t open until 5 p.m.  There was a nearby park with a natural spring, a swimming pool, a volleyball court, and a small scale train that circled the park.  It was quite large and we spent an hour strolling around it.  At 4 p.m. we returned to the gate, took a seat on the bench, and waited until they opened.  The line started to grow until it was all the way down the block.  The gate opened at 5 p.m. and we entered. First thing was to buy drink tickets. Then we found our way to biergarten to get a beer and glass of wine.  Then we sat in the great hall and listened to the German band and watch people moving about the large dance floor.  When our drinks were done, we went out to the concessions stands and bought a dinner to potato pancakes and sausage.  We went back into the great hall to eat and listen to the band.

     The Wurstfest is the biggest Octoberfest we’ve ever seen.  There were dozens of concessionaires – many of them run by nonprofits (Boy Scouts, Elks, Masons, Children’s Hospital, etc.).  We found a place selling Christmas ornaments and was able to buy one for Wurstfest 2018. We wandered around and listened to the different bands playing around the facility – there were six of them.  It was a delightful evening.  We left at 6:30 p.m.

4 Nov 2018 (Sun) – We let the animals play outside this morning. Every once in a while, a deer would run by and both the dog and cat would freeze and watch them.  It was funny to see.  At noon, we tucked them safely in the trailer and went out for lunch. First stop was at Granny D’s but it was so crowded and we could see people waiting outside (we forgot about Sunday brunches) so we passed on it.  We then continued on to Alpine Haus Restaurant.  It was an old house converted to restaurant.  The walls, inside and out, were all brick.  The place was small but exquisite.  The menu was very German and our meal was delicious. We made sure to take left-overs home for dinner.

     After lunch, we drove around New Braunfels.  They are having a Wurstfest this week.  From what we could read online, it is an annual festival that is like an Octoberfest but bigger.  There is free parking Monday through Wednesday so we decided to go tomorrow or Tuesday.  

     We drove to the overlook on Canyon Lake.  They built two dams.  We looked at one and then walked across the point to look at the other one.  There is a huge earthen dam on one side and a spill way going down into a gorge on the other side.  We drove past the gorge and weren’t impressed at all.  We’ve seen much better in many places.  

     While we were out, we stopped at a Buc-EE’s.  Several people have told us that they love the place. It was like a gas station on steroids. Outside were about 120 gas points. There were two long rows with two gas pumps at each column and about 30 columns in each row.  Inside the store, it looked like a WalMart.  There were loads of snacks, many cashiers, about a dozen coffee dispensers, refrigerators with drinks and food, clothing, shoes, souvenirs, and tons of “stuff.”  It was a department store at the gas station. And the place was buzzing with people everywhere!

     When we got back to the campground, we took Bonnie for a long walk along the lakefront and through the other campgrounds.  It looks like they used to have trailers but pulled them out and built cabins.  There are a bunch of trailers stacked in the woods at one corner.  It was a nice and easy day.

 3 Nov 2018 (Sat) – We packed up and left Kingsville at 10:00 a.m. It was five and a half hours to our next campground – Joint Base San Antonio Sunnyside Park in Canyon Lake. It was a long drive on back roads through small towns and past many farms and ranches.  Randolph AFB and Fort Sam Houston Army Base were joined.  They both had campgrounds out on Canyon Lake. Now they are JBSA-Sunnyside Park (8 spaces belonging to the old Air Force Base) and JBSA-Hancock Cove Park (60+ campsites belonging to the Army).  It appears that the Army Corps of Engineers built two dams creating Canyon Lake. They then gave the land down the center to the military and the land on either side to the civilians.

     When we arrived at the gate, a lady checked us in.  The Sunnyside Park only has 9 campsites.  We got the last one as they are fully booked for the weekend. It is an old campground and the sites are narrow and close together.  There are loads of bushy trees in the area and deer are everywhere. Four were grazing next to us as we set up.  They have absolutely no fear of people.  That’s bad for the deer.

      After set up, we walked around the campground.  We are right next to the lake.  There is a marina with about two dozen boats docked at a pier but you can’t get to them.  The walkway out to the dock fell into the water.  You would have to swim to get out to your boat.

2 Nov 2018 (Fri) – We drove to the Big House BBQ for lunch.  It was not their usual order-by-the-pound place. We actually got to sit down at a table and order from a menu.  The tortilla soup was so good that I ordered a quart to take home for dinner.  Paul had roast chicken and I had ribs.  There was so much food that we took leftovers home to go with the soup.  Everything was delicious.

     After lunch, we drove to the King Museum Henrietta Memorial Center. It used to be an ice house and was donated by the King family.  It was a huge building!  We spent about an hour and a half wandering around the place, looking at the displays, watching videos, and reading storyboards.

     When we got back to the campground, I tried calling Fort Sam Houston and Lackland AFB to get a campsite but they were both booked.  There were three Joint Base campgrounds on a lake but they closed at 4 p.m.  I’ll have to call on the way there tomorrow.

 1 Nov 2018 (Thu) – We drove to IHOP for breakfast.  The place was terrible.  We were seated quickly and got our menus right away.  Then it took a while to give our orders and it was about 20 or 30 minutes before we got our food.  One waiter walked around with one hand in his pocket all the time.  I thought he was holding his phone to see is he got a message or call.  Paul thought he was holding up his pants.  lol.  Whichever it was, it was weird to see a waiter with his hand always in his pocket. While waiting, I looked around and realized that the place was filthy.  An overhead beam and fans had dust and dirt dripping over the edges, a light was out, windows were filthy, the baseboard near our table had all kinds of stains on it including ketchup (at least I HOPE it was ketchup).  When Paul unrolled his silverware from his neatly wrapped napkin, he found the spoon and fork to be filthy.   I ordered corned beef hash, eggs, and hash browns.  My meal arrived with a big serving of hash browns covered with corned beef hash and the eggs on top.  This came with a side order of hash browns.  Why?  Were they trying to empty the potato pantry?  The food was OK but I felt skeevy eating it.  What kind of dirt was in my food?  We waited for the bill and after a while, the manager ran over with the bill and included a military discount.  Paul thinks his frown was what brought the manager running.  Apparently, the entire restaurant staff is under threat.  They were nervous and asked if we enjoyed our meal. I thought our waitress was going to cry.

     After breakfast, we drove to the King Ranch.  The ranch is comprised of more than 825,000 acres. That’s bigger than the state of Rhode Island!  The King family started the ranch in 1853.  They grew to have businesses in many states and foreign countries at the peak of their ownership.  Today, their income is derived from four primary sources:  raising, training, and selling quarter horses; growing corn and sorghum crops; providing hunting areas for sportsmen; and oil operations.  They bred thoroughbred race horses until 1989, and had one Triple Crown winner (Assault) and one horse that won two of the three key races.  They gave that up and now just breed horses for ranch operations.  We took a one and a half hour bus tour of the ranch.  We saw the Santa Gertrudis cows, which are a breed that was developed by the King family.  They also have wildlife areas on their property.  One such property is a major stop along the migration flyway. The business is now run by seventh generation descendants of the Kings.

     We left the ranch and drove into town to look at the King Saddle Shop. It was a small shop that sells many leather items, cowboy outfits, and other items with the running W brand embossed on them.  I thought everything was expensive.  After wandering around the store, we drove around town for a little bit than stopped at the King Museum.  It was 3:00 pm and the museum closed at 4:00 pm.  So we decided to return tomorrow.  

     We got back to the campground and did the laundry.

31 Oct 2018 (Wed) – We packed up and hit the road at 10 a.m. The drive was only two hours.  The weather was good and the traffic wasn’t bad at all.  On the way, I called a couple of campgrounds only to be told they were all full.  As we were casting about for a place to go, we happened to pass a campground with a sign outside that read NOW OPEN.  Paul turned at the next road and we went around the block to get back to it.  There is a Valero gas station in front, a Mexican restaurant, a hotel, and a campground in back.  We parked and wandered around the place trying to find the check in point.  We finally wound up in the restaurant where the on-site manager had to call the owner to see what the rate was.  We went back out to set up while they made contact.  There are 58 sites; three were taken right up front. We backed into a site in the center of the campground but found out the electric was not on yet.  The place is so new that they haven’t even finished all the hookups.  We pulled out and parked in front near the other RVs.

     After set up, we went back into the restaurant and ordered lunch.  I had tacos and Paul had enchiladas.  The manager came over and said the rate was $30 a night.  We paid and left.  First stop was at the Naval Air Station to see if they really were full.  There was only one open space and it was too small for us so they were right.  Then we drove into town where I mailed off some cards at the post office.  Next, we wandered around the historic district and main roads.  The I-77 (like in so many other places) bypassed the main street and there were many closed stores.  I guess they’ll try to bring the district back in a few years.

 30 Oct 2018 (Tue) – Hank & Brenda picked us up at noon and we went to Smoke Texas BBQ for lunch.  It was a large warehouse converted to a restaurant.  You ordered at the counter: meat by the pound and small, medium, or large sides.  That style restaurant seems to be popular down here.  There was a counter serving the food along the back wall.  In the center of the room was a square bar with beer and liquor.  We had a great time visiting with each other.

     After they dropped us off at the lodge, we drove to H.E.B. and picked up a few items.  Then we dropped off letters at the post office and got fuel for tomorrow’s drive.  We had planned to head southwest to Laredo but that migrant caravan is headed toward the border.  President Trump is sending 5,000 troops to join the DHS and Border Patrol forces. We don’t want to get caught in that mix up so we’re heading back north to Kingsville.

29 Oct 2018 (Mon) – We drove to the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park in Brownsville.  It was the site of the decisive battle of the Mexican-American War in 1846.  We walked along the battle trail, envisioning the bloody battle that took place there almost 200 years ago.  The result of that battle was that the U.S. doubled in size and Mexico lost half its territory.  We got 7 states out of that conflict.

     After the battlefield, we went to lunch.  We were following a suggestion by Siri when we passed McCarthy’s Irish Pub.  Being lovers of Irish food, we did a quick turn around and pulled into the restaurant. When we walked in the door, the first thing I noticed was that everyone in there was Mexican.  Few people were speaking English.  The menu didn’t have a single traditional Irish meal on it. There was a soup billed as Irish Soup but it was “delicious onion soup with garlic, served with bread croutons (is there any other kind?) and gouda smoked cheese.”  There was a large display case on one wall that had “Luck of the Irish” posted above it.  Nothing in the case had anything to do with Ireland or the Irish.  There was a Norman Rockwell picture (maybe he was Irish?), a doll dressed in Mardi Gras costume, a lamp with flowers in the base, an Antiques sign, etc.  It was so funny.

     We went back to the Marine Military Academy and toured their small museum. It was tiny but jam packed with all things Marine.  Many historical pictures covered the walls and artifacts were stuffed into display cases.

     At 6 p.m. Hank & Brenda picked us up and we went to La Playa for dinner.  It was a Mexican restaurant with a large menu.  Everything was very good.  We got margaritas and there were olives in the drinks.  When we returned to the RV, we all went into the Elks Lodge for drinks. It was a pleasant end to a pleasant evening.

 28 Oct 2018 (Sun) – We went to the Koffee Klatch for breakfast. It was a little house with the porch walled in.  Cute. And the food was OK.  We then drove over to the Marine Military Academy.  It is a private high school with a military focus. On the parade field across the street is a large statue of marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima.  This model was used as the basis for the monument in Washington, D.C.  We arrived at 12:30 p.m. but a sign on the door said they were open from 1 to 4 on Sunday. So we drove around the school grounds. Also, the airport is adjacent to the property so we took a quick swing through there (it is a very small facility). We walked around the monument and read some of the memorial plaques around the area.  At 1:05 p.m. the museum still was not open.  I went on the website to double check the opening time and it said they were closed on Sunday.  Somebody needs to fix the sign on the door!

     We stopped at H.E.B. for groceries and Pet Smart to pick up pet food. At 4 p.m. we drove to Hank & Brenda’s home for steak on the barbecue.  They have a lovely home in a 55+ community.  It was a delightful evening.

27 Oct 2018 (Sat) – Hank & Brenda picked us up at 11:00 a.m. and we drove to South Padre Island.  First stop was at the Padre Island Brewing Company for lunch.  I ordered fried flounder and got a plate piled high with two large filets, a crab cake, and three large shrimp – all accompanied by a Caesar salad and grilled vegetables.  It was enough for three people! I took most of it home.

     After lunch, we drove down the Beach Blvd to a parking area with access to the beach.  Three of us took our shoes off (Hank had compression socks and couldn’t take them off) and we walked up the beach wading in the warm Gulf of Mexico waters.  We watched dogs and people cavorting in the water, saw pelicans diving into the water for fish, and searched for shells. We topped the day off with ice cream at one of the local parlors.  A gift shop was attached to the ice cream parlor and I was able to pick up a Christmas ornament while Brenda found that perfect pair of flip flops.  It was a very enjoyable day.

26 Oct 2018 (Fri) – We packed up and left Corpus Christi at 10 a.m. Wouldn’t you know it?  The sun was out and shining brightly!  The drive was three and a half hours past many acres of ranches, farms and refineries.  It was mostly two lane highway that passed through occasional towns but there’s not a lot of population down this way.

                                           sunrise this morning 

    We pulled into the Elks Lodge in Harlingen about 1:30 p.m.  We are about 20 miles north of the Mexican border. There is a caravan of 7,000 to 10,000 South Americans headed toward the border right now.  President Trump has called out the military to join the Border Patrol and National Guard.  All this on the eve of Election Day.  I just hope no one gets killed in the fray.  It is tense!

     We went into the lodge to pay for five nights lodging.  It was $60 ($12 a night).  The “campsites” are composed of a row of hookups aligned along the edge of the parking lot in the back of the lodge.  We have 30 amp and water hookups.  There’s no worry about a sewer dump.  There are dozens of campgrounds down here along the border. This is where the Winter Texans come from December through April (they don’t call them Snowbirds, like we do on the east coast).

            There’s only us and one other RV.  The rest are in storage.

     At 6:30 p.m. we went into the lodge for their fish fry.  The Bush Riders (a local band) was playing cowboy music. Our friends, Hank & Brenda, joined us.  They live in Harlingen and offered the names of places to see and eat at.  They will go to South Padre Island with us tomorrow. We met Hank & Brenda on the Maritimes Caravan and reunited during the National Muster in Mineola this year.

     As I sat there and watched the couples dancing, I was struck by how people’s bodies change but their spirits remain the same.  Almost all the folks on the dance floor were in their 60s and 70s (maybe even 80s).  Everyone held their dance partner and moved around the floor – some quite lively and some just scuffing along due to stiff joints and other elderly ailments.  There was one really rocking mama who looked like the typical grandma – short, gray curly hair; glasses; pointy chin and wrinkled face.  Yet she wore white jeans and boots and was gleefully dancing away with her more reserved partner.  She was 16 years old inside!  When a group of folks got up and did some line dancing, a rather grumpy looking old man with a paunch joined them.  He was very adept at the steps and was singing along with the band.  I would have imagined him just sitting in a corner grouching about the world at large if I hadn’t seen that.  It was another reminder not to judge people by the way they look.  Especially older folks!

25 Oct 2018 (Thu) – The day was warmer – in the high 60s.  It was also drier but still overcast.  The forecast predicted sunshine this afternoon but it never happened.  At 2:30 p.m. we drove over to Mustang Island and had lunch at Fin’s Grill & Icehouse. We sat out on the deck and watched barges moving up and down the canal.  Afterward we drove around the area.  The ferries at Port Aransas were incredibly busy.  Cars were coming in non-stop from both sides.  They had six ferries working at the same time.

     On the way back to the campground, we stopped at WalMart to pick up a few items then fueled up in preparation for tomorrow’s move to Harlingen.

24 Oct 2018 (Wed) – We toured the U.S.S. Lexington today.  It was an aircraft carrier built during WWII and decommissioned in 1976.  They had several TVs around the ship at strategic places with someone telling a story about that part of the ship.  There was also a 25-minute 3D movie that showed a joint naval training venture of the U.S. with other countries in the Pacific.  I was blown away by all the technology and mission operations depicted on the screen.  We spent four hours exploring the ship.

    Before we went to the U.S.S. Lexington, we had breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  It was like coming home.  I love eating at that place!  The day was foggy and overcast and it started to rain softly in the late afternoon. There is a hurricane that hit Mexico on the Pacific Coast and will be crossing South America and coming up into Texas.  The forecast is for rain the next two days.

    Before we went to the U.S.S. Lexington, we had breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  It was like coming home.  I love eating at that place!  The day was foggy and overcast and it started to rain softly in the late afternoon. There is a hurricane that hit Mexico on the Pacific Coast and will be crossing South America and coming up into Texas.  The forecast is for rain the next two days.

23 Oct 2018 (Tue) – The day was overcast, windy, damp, and cold. We hunkered down inside our nice and cozy trailer until 2 p.m.  We drove over to the post office on base and mailed off Halloween packages to the boys and a birthday package to Caiden.  We then went next door to the Navy Exchange (NEX) and bought another external storage device.  Now when we save our pictures, we will save to two external storage devices.  The laptop will also be backed up by Carbonite, an online storage system in the cloud.  If all that back up doesn’t work, we’re in big trouble.

     When we were finished at the NEX, we drove into town to Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q.  It was a gas station with a restaurant.  The restaurant was like a big barn with long picnic tables covered with white and red checked tablecloths.  Everything was ala carte.  You ordered the meat and whatever sides you wanted and a drink to go with it.  The food was pretty good.  You then took your food from the counter and sat down at a table in the dining room.  Signs all over the place said “Your Momma Does Not Work Here – Clean Up Your Own Mess.”

     We had been hoping the weather would get better.  When we first got here, the forecast was for the weather to clear up on Tuesday and Wednesday.  We left our visit to the USS Lexington for the nice weather.  Unfortunately, things have not cleared up.  In addition, there is now a hurricane hitting the coast of Mexico that will move up and right into our area in the next day or two.  The weather is only going to get worse. Guess we’ll have to tour the USS Lexington despite the bad weather.

22 Oct 2018 (Mon) – We went to the Texas State Aquarium this morning.  There was a dolphin show and we got splashed several times.  We spent the rest of the time drying out.  It was chilly!

      After the aquarium, we drove over Padre Island to Mustang Island. The water and sky were gray and the waves were very rough.  There is evidence that they got hit with a big storm – I think it was Hurricane Harvey in September of last year.  There were a couple of resorts that were closed and undergoing some repairs.  Some houses had blue tarps on the roof.  Some buildings were destroyed and simply closed.  We stopped at a restaurant right on the beach – Mikel Mays – and had an early dinner.  A long pier ran about a half mile out into the water but there was a charge to walk on it.  That ticked me off.  I refuse to pay to just walk out on a pier so we didn’t go.  Everywhere we look it is obvious that Texas has gotten more rain than it needs.  Besides getting occasional warnings about flooding on my cell phone, many places have water overflowing their area.  

      We stopped at H.E.B. Plus on the way home to pick up some groceries. That place is huge!  It is a combination giant supermarket with a giant department store.  We found every single thing we wanted.

21 Oct 2018 (Sun) – We didn’t do much today.  At 11:30 a.m. we ran to the commissary and picked up some groceries.  We also shopped at the Navy Exchange (NEX).  I got a fitbit and Paul picked up a grill.  The day was overcast and drizzly all day.  The weather is a real disappointment.  We are in some of the most beautiful coastal areas in the U.S. and the crappy weather is degrading the experience.

 20 Oct 2018 (Sat) – We went to the Art Museum of Texas at 12:30 p.m. after doing laundry this morning.  I can never figure out why art museums have so much wasted space.  The art is displayed on walls in big halls. Most of it was head scratching kind of stuff.  A few pictures were nice but most of the artwork made no sense to us.  Guess we’re just not artsy types.

     We had lunch in the café of the art museum.  They were hosting a wedding there today so a couple of the floors were closed to the general public.  When I complained about having half the museum cut off, the clerk let us in at no cost.

    After the museum, we drove across the channel to Padre Island.  It was ten miles over undeveloped land to the visitor’s center.  We got there at 4:45 p.m. and they were closing at 5 p.m.  We did a quick walk around the gift shop, picked up an ornament and patch, then walked out on the deck and admired the water. We then drove through two campgrounds on the island.  They were pretty rustic.

19 Oct 2018 (Fri) – We packed up and left Galveston at 9:05 a.m. It was 220 miles to our next destination.  The route was mostly two lane highway past miles of open grassland, grazing cattle, crops, farrow land, and occasional small towns.  There was high water everywhere and some roads were threatened by flooding.  There were many oil refineries.  They are such a maze of pipes and columns that they look very sci-fi.  I bet when they film movies like Mad Max, they use old oil refineries as their setting.  The weather went through sunshine, clouds, and bouts of rain during the six hour drive to Corpus Christi Naval Air Station.

     We checked in at the RV Office and the gal told us we could choose from five open sites.  When we got to the campground, we saw that one was undergoing some kind of construction project, two were under water, and one had a very narrow driveway.  The one that was left had a low hanging tree.  We pulled in at an angle to avoid the tree and are on the grass and not the hard pack.  Since the ground is soggy from lots of rain, Paul put boards under the levelers.  There is more rain in the forecast and I hope that won’t cause us any problems.  Our campsite looks out at a bay.  It looks like there used to be a runway that was used by water planes that landed and drove up concrete ramps onto the former runway. There is a laundry room with free washers and dryers.  The wifi is excellent!  We will be here for a week.

 18 Oct 2018 (Thu) – We drove to the Bryan Museum this morning. It was a former orphanage-turned-museum. The building was gorgeous.  It had originally been built as a non-denominational orphanage (there were two Catholic homes in Galveston).  The museum showcased the history of Galveston and the American West.  It was a beautiful house.

     After the museum, we drove to The Moody Mansion.  The Moody family was among the wealthy citizens of Galveston. They owned many businesses around town – banks, hotels, etc.  The 32-room mansion was built in the late 1800s.  The last of the family left the home in 1984 when the home was donated to the historical society.  The house was gorgeous.  There was silk wallpaper and exotic woods everywhere.

     The next stop was at the Bishop’s Palace.  The 19,000 sf house was made of stone and was able to withstand the hurricane of 1900 that wiped out most of Galveston. It was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese in 1923 before it opened to the public in 1963.  It cost $250,000 to build the house and today’s value is over $5.5 million.  You pay the admission fee and get a hand held player with numbers on the screen that match numbers posted in the various rooms.  You press the appropriate number and a narrator tells you someone about the history of the family and diocese.  It was OK but we really wanted to hear about the house and its architecture, not the comings and goings of the original owners.  The Moody Mansion used the same system to tour that house as well.

     It was now mid-afternoon so we stopped at Willie G’s at Pier 21 for drinks and appetizers.  We sat out on the patio.  Although the sky has been overcast and threatening for the two days we’ve been in Galveston, the wind was balmy and our seat on the patio was pleasant.  Paul ordered Story Point Cab-Sauv.  The waiter brought Story Point Chardonnay instead. It turned out they were out of the Cab-Sauv and the bartender just chose the other wine.  The waiter replaced the wine but in the meantime, I sampled the wine and found I liked it.  I now have another favorite wine.

      Before we returned to the truck, we walked The Strand.  That is their historical main street with many warehouses converted to restaurants and shops.  In the late 1800s, The Strand was known as the Wall Street of the Southwest and Galveston was the second most active port for immigrant arrivals after Ellis Island.  In 1871 alone, over 41,760 passengers arrived by sea.  We wandered into a shop and wound up buying two jackets with world maps printed on them.  I also found a Christmas ornament for Galveston.

17 Oct 2018 (Wed) – We packed up and left Livingston at 10 a.m. The sky was overcast and there was some fog initially.  There was also some rain on the way.  We arrived at Galveston Island State Park at 1:00 p.m.  The park has two campgrounds – one on the ocean side and one on the bay side. We were told when I made the reservation that there were no sites available on the ocean side. Furthermore, there was space on the bay side but only Wednesday and Thursday night.  The campground will be completely booked for the weekend.

     After we crossed the causeway, we saw no signs for a campground office so we headed toward the bay side.  There were two circles, each with 20 campsites in them.  Neither had a single camper in it.  There was no office either.  So we drove back to the other side of the island to the park headquarters office.  We were able to complete our registration there.  The clerk – a very lovely and friendly young woman – chose the perfect spot to view the bay.  With our site assignment in hand, we drove back to the bay side campground and found our place. The site faces the bay on an angle. Unfortunately, the campsite was on an angle.  The side facing the water only has one small window.  We chose another spot and parked there.  

     Once everything was set up, we drove back to the office to let the clerk know that we changed our assigned campsite.  She was not happy.  She lectured me for five minutes on how I should have called first before changing sites, that someone else might have been assigned to that site, that there are more people coming in today and we shouldn’t have been fooled by the emptiness of the campground, etc., etc., etc.  When she was done giving me her tongue lashing, I was given new paperwork for the site we now occupy.

     We then drove into town to have lunch at Landry’s Seafood Restaurant. It sat right on the coastal highway and had a great view of the Gulf.  Although the place was expensive, the food was good and we enjoyed the meal. Afterward, we drove to PetSmart to pick up food for Bonnie.  They had her can and dry food but no venison treats.  We’ll have to look somewhere else.

     We then drove around the area.  There is some flooding and I keep getting notices from the weather bureau warning of such.  Most of the houses in the area are on stilts.  Galveston Island is very much a beachy town like so many others we have seen. Lots of hotels, souvenir shops, palm trees, long beach front, and houses on stilts.

16 Oct 2018 (Tue) – It was in the 50s and drizzly this morning. The sky was overcast and the air has a chill in it.  There is a smell of sewer around the campground.  It’s probably caused by all the rain and the waste lines being overtaxed. My phone keeps getting notices from the weather station about flooding in the county.

     We took a tour of Escapees Headquarters this morning.  After five years of having our mail handled by this organization, we finally got to see the operation and how they do it.  It was so fascinating!  They have a machine they dubbed “Howee” that sorts 300 pieces of mail in just 3 minutes.  They have three large rooms filled with buckets of mail.  There are about 900 people who have their mail scanned and at least 14,000 who have their mail forwarded.  They get huge containers of mail every day from the local post office. They have so much mail that they qualified for their own zip code.  

     I am glad we stopped in Livingston to visit the Escapees Headquarters. This is an incredible operation. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the U.S.  We will probably come back to volunteer just to help them out.

     After the tour, we drove into town to pick up a few groceries. Then we went to Patron Grill for lunch. They had regular and grande size margaritas.  Paul went big; I went regular.  The food was good.  I had so much, I took leftovers home for breakfast tomorrow.  

 15 Oct 2018 (Mon) – It was a pretty light day.  There is a cold front moving in.  The temperature dropped from 71 in the morning when we got up to 57 tonight when we went to bed.  There was rain on and off this evening and even a brief thunderstorm that sent Sheba bolting for the closet.

     We took a tour of the Escapees Care Center this morning.  The Club provides a place for RVers to stay when they can no longer RV or just need a place to sit while they recover from illness or accident.  Volunteers who work at the center can get a free space with full hook up and three meals a day.  They provide a bus (driven by volunteers) that takes people to doctor appointments or shopping. They even provide an adult day care so caregivers can get a day off.  It was quite impressive.

14 Oct 2018 (Sun–Birthday) – Paul took me down to the Courthouse Whistle Stop Café for breakfast.  It was a really old building with lots of historical pictures on the walls. Connected to it was a gift shop with loads of knicks knacks.  

     We went back to the campground to get Bonnie then headed for the Lake Livingston Dam Observatory.  When we got there, the road to the observatory was closed by an electric company doing some construction.  Paul thought they were building a power plant.  We drove along the lakefront looking for a way around the construction but couldn’t find anything.  We discovered a campground and drove through that.  It ended at some cabins on the water.  We parked and walked along a pathway.  Lake Livingston is the largest reservoir in Texas.  It was a lovely day.

13 Oct 2018 (Sat) – We packed up and left Bullard at 9:35 a.m. The drive was easy as the weather was good and the route was direct.  We arrived at Livingston at 12:30 p.m.  We pulled into the Escapees HQ campground called Rainbow’s End.  It is a large campground with both transient and long term RVers.  Our campsite is a back-in on worn gravel.  The interior roads are asphalt.  There are trees around the area.  It looks like it’s been around for a while.  We have full hook-ups and access to Wifi (but very slow).  They also have a laundry room and a pool.  We ‘ll be here for four nights.

12 Oct 2018 (Fri) – The cat threw up on the bedspread during the night.  We pulled the bedspread, blanket, and sheets off the bed and threw them in the wash.  We got the bedspread with our very first fifth wheel camper in 2006.  It was time to replace it.

     We drove to several stores looking for a new bedspread.  I wanted something to cover the bed but not be too warm at night; more of a decorative cover.  We looked in Kirkland’s, Burlington, Bed Bath & Beyond, and WalMart.  A stop in World Market found us delighting over a deeply discounted favorite wine on sale.  We didn’t get a bedspread there but we did walk out with eight bottles of wine. WalMart finally yielded something close to what I wanted.  

      We grabbed lunch at Whataburger.  There was a sign outside saying it was the Hot Rod Café.  There were 1950s themed model cars and decorations all around the eatery. It was cute.

     Last stop was at Brookshire’s.  We picked up groceries then got fuel at their gas station.  We had accumulated over 500 points which resulted in our getting 50 cents off a gallon.  That saved us about $15!  Now we get ready to move on.

 11 Oct 2018 (Thu) – I had an 11 a.m. appointment at the dentist today to have my teeth cleaned.  After that, we stopped at Cork Food & Drink for lunch.  It had a very eclectic menu but the food was good.  The service, unfortunately, was sooooo slow.  There was a smoker outside emitting all kinds of mouthwatering smells but there were no smoked meats on the lunch menu.  That was disappointing.

     We stopped at another modular homes center to look at some homes.  The saleswoman kept telling us about models then saying she didn’t have any on the lot to show us.  We looked at two or three models, then Paul told her the workmanship was shoddy and he wouldn’t buy the product.  We walked back to the office in silence and said a terse good bye.  He was annoyed by her pointing out all the things we wanted on paper and telling us to go online but then showing us homes that were bigger than we wanted.

10 Oct 2018 (Wed) – We worked around the camper today.  Paul focused on stuff around the rig.  I worked on writing the documentation required to get the Women Veterans chapter of SMART established.  We both got so involved in our projects that I missed my dental cleaning this morning. My appointment was at 12:15 p.m. The office called at 12:25 p.m. to see where I was.  I apologized profusely then we jumped in the truck to get there in time for Paul’s appointment at 1 p.m.  He got his teeth cleaned and a fluoride polish applied.  The tech told him not to eat anything crunchy or hard for four hours. That killed lunch!  My appointment was rescheduled for tomorrow at 11 a.m.

     After the dentist, we stopped at a couple of modular home centers – Solitaire, Pratt Homes, and Clayton Homes.  We looked at several models and are slowly forming an opinion of what we would like in a house when we decide to come off the road.  It looks like we’re interested in a house between 1,300 and 1,600 square feet.

     When we were done exploring model homes, we stopped at Clear Springs restaurant for dinner.  It had a statue of a swordfish out front.  Tyler is just about as far away as you can get from the coast in Texas. I had salmon and Paul had a combo of fried chicken and shrimp.  The food was good and plentiful.  We both took left-overs home.

9 Oct 2018 (Tue) – We dropped Bonnie off at the vet this morning at 7:30 a.m. (*yawn*).  We then went to WalMart to get an oil change on the truck.  While we waited, we had a bite to eat at Subway then strolled around the store, picking up a few things here and there.  When the truck was done, we drove to the bank and got the paperwork notarized that we’ve been trying to complete.  It only took six trips to the place to get it done!  Next stop was at PetCo where we tried to find exotic food for Bonnie.  We wound up buying a sweet potato and venison menu for her.  We got both can and dry food as well as treats (the vet said everything had to be the same).  We also picked up a glucosamine for her stiff joints and some omega-6 vitamins for Sheba’s dry skin.

     About then, the vet called to say that Bonnie’s teeth cleaning was done and we could pick her up.  It turned out that she has a skin infection around her rear end and that was probably causing all her scooting.  We got an antibiotic for the infection, a steroid to reduce the swelling, and a cream to put on her yoo-hoo.  Animals can be such fun.

     At 3 p.m. Paul and I had appointments at a local dentist for exam, x-rays, and to schedule teeth cleaning.  The receptionist had us sit in front of computers and fill out medical histories (I guess it was faster than having her do it).  She then walked us around the place introducing us to all the staff.  All the women were Miss So & So and the men were Dr. So & So.  I am now curious about this “Miss” thing.  Is this a cultural thing?  Am I supposed to call them Miss So & So?  She introduced us as Paul and Melody.  Not Mr. or Mrs.  I’ll have to ask somebody about this.  They had the most modern technological tools.  The tech took x-rays with a portable machine and never left the room.  Then she took digital pictures of the inside our mouths.  She capped it off with a picture of us to put in the file so the staff would know what we look like.  The dentist came in, poked around, and said everything was fine.  We made appointments to come back for the teeth cleaning.

     After the dentist, we went to the Texas Roadhouse right next door for dinner.  They sure make good steaks there.  Clouds had moved in and it was raining pretty hard when we came out.  Later, sunset was gorgeous with the horizon turning orange then red as it shone out from under the dark storm clouds.  

8 Oct 2018 (Mon) – We took the animals to the vet this morning. Sheba’s exam went fine and we picked up some heartworm medicine for her.  Bonnie’s exam found lots of plaque on her teeth so we scheduled her to have a teeth cleaning tomorrow.  Also, she has put on ten pounds in the last five months.  That’s quite a bit and we are eager to see what the bloodwork shows. The vet suggested we feed her exotic meats like bison or venison.  We’ll try that.

     We returned to the campground and packed up.  We were supposed to move to another site tomorrow but we decided to do it today. Once we were set up again, I worked on completing the current roster for the Nomads and sent it to the membership by email.

7 Oct 2018 (Sun) – Paul and I worked on sorting out all the paperwork for next year’s caravan.  We created two binders with various materials.  Then I spent a couple of hours creating a suspense roster for all the things we have to follow up on.  At 3 p.m. we ran out to Brookshire’s and picked up groceries.  It was a pretty quiet day.

6 Oct 2018 (Sat) – We drove to the bank today to try making the deposit to the Nomads account (again).  I could not remember the PIN number so I couldn’t make the deposit (again). We then drove to Camp Ford.  It was the largest Confederate POW camp of the Civil War west of the Mississippi.  It was only open from August 1863 until May 1865.  A storyboard described a large cabin but there were only logs laying on the ground.  Either they intended to build it or someone took it apart and lined up all the logs. The camp grew to 11 acres before being closed as the prisoner population swelled to 5,000.  It is now a public park and has been allowed to fall into neglect. The asphalt walkway was broken and full of debris.  There were three small cabins on display but they were falling apart.  It is a shame.  Thousands of men suffered terrible deprivations and hundreds died. The only reason the death toll was higher was because the first prisoners built catch basins and their drinking water never got contaminated.

     After the park, we stopped to look at some modular homes.  They were interesting.  Next stop was at a shopping mall where we had lunch at the Mandarin Express.  Then I picked up some items at Dillards.  We drove through the town of Bullard just to look around.  The town is small but cute.

     Before returning to the campground, we stopped at the M6 Winery. The owner’s name was Moody and there were six brothers in the family.  We tasted several wines.  I bought three bottles; Paul bought one.  We came back and took a nap.

5 Oct 2018 (Fri) – I spent the morning trying to find various services in the area.  I made an appointment to bring the dog and cat to the vet on Monday, and to bring Paul and me to the dentist on Tuesday.  I also spent an hour working on documenting the monies brought in during the Nomads musters and trying to find a Navy FCU to make a deposit.  There is no credit union in this area.  I contacted an agent online and was told I could deposit the money at a Texas Community Bank.  When we got to the bank, I was told to put the money in the ATM.  They don’t touch it.  (But don’t they take the money out of the box at the end of the day?)  I was very confused.  At any rate, I went around to the ATM only to find I needed an ATM card to make the deposit.  I did not have it on me.  I’ll have to come back tomorrow.  Ugh.

     We went to F.D.’s Grillhouse for lunch.  It is rated #3 of 302 restaurants in Tyler by Trip Advisor.  We both got firecracker shrimp for an appetizer then a modified Philly Cheesesteak – cubes of steak with onions, green peppers, and mushrooms covered with mozzarella cheese on Texas toast.  The side was roasted corn trimmed from the corn cob today.  Everything was excellent.

     We then stopped at Best Buy so Paul could buy an adapter for the video projector.  We were going to loan our projector at the National muster but it turned out we didn’t have the right cables to connect the laptop to the projector.  We stopped at Brookshire’s to pick up a couple of items then drove to Keipersol Winery.  They have wine tastings and right next door is a distillery with rum and bourbon tastings. We went to both places and bought some wine.

     The campground is starting to fill up for the weekend.  All our friends left today and it feels a little lonely.  I went over to the office today to extend our stay.  They would only let us go to next Saturday.  There is a rally coming in on Tuesday so we will have to move to another spot for three days.

 4 Oct 2018 (Thu) – Eight of us took a ride on the Texas State Railroad from Rusk to Palestine.  It was an old diesel engine and historical cars.  Paul’s comment was that we’ve seen better scenery on the commuter train from Long Island into New York City.  There was really nothing to see from the train during the hour and a half ride.  When we got to Palestine, there was a grill serving food at exorbitant prices - $8.50 for a hotdog and $11.00 for a hamburger.  We were a captive audience as there was nowhere else to eat.

     We had happy hour at 4 p.m. then drove to Jalapeno Tree for dinner.  It was the last night of the Nomads post muster before everyone heads to the four winds.  It was a good time.

3 Oct 2018 (Wed) – Carl & Gwen came over early and we worked on the plans for the caravan next year.  At 10 a.m., we took a break and carpooled with the group over to Love’s Lookout.  You were supposed to be able to see 35 miles but, frankly, the view wasn’t that grand. I guess we’re spoiled.  We’ve seen some breathtaking views.

     We left the overlook and drove to the Catfish King.  It was a restaurant that specialized in (you guessed it) catfish.  Paul and I have studiously avoided catfish for the past 40 years.  We gave in and each had the lunch special that included 3 pieces of fried catfish, pinto beans, cole slaw, and hush puppies that looked like fried mozzarella sticks.  The food was actually quite good.  We were glad we tried it.

     After lunch, we drove down the road to the Texas Basket Company.  It was a real country store with all sizes of baskets for sale along with lots of other bric-a-brac and other items.  We then left and rode (with Carl & Gwen driving) to Brookshire’s where we picked up some groceries.  Once our groceries were put away, we resumed working on the plans for the Utah caravan.  Carl & Gwen will follow up and contact all the campgrounds to verify information and let them know of the change in Wagon Masters and Assistant Wagon Masters (Tail Gunners).  We will handle the restaurant and entertainment venues.

     At 4 p.m. we went to happy hour.  After an hour, we all dragged out the leftovers from our dinner yesterday, reheated them, and had a second potluck dinner.  Everything seemed to taste better.  Guess the food had a chance to sit and strengthen the flavors.  Later, Paul and I went for a walk with Bonnie around the campground. There is a small lake advertised on their website as a fishing spot for anglers.  There was a sign on the fence saying an alligator had been spotted in the water and no one was to kayak or row boat out into the water.  We didn’t know gaters came this far north.

     Mike hunted us down and said there were several people going on a train trip tomorrow.  He invited us to join him.  We said we’d go.

2 Oct 2018 (Tue) – We did laundry this morning.  Then I cooked some cornbread for the potluck dinner later. Paul went into town with some of the other guys to a liquor store to buy some “supplies.”  Since this is a dry county, they had to drive to the next county to make their purchases.  At 1 p.m. Carl & Gwen came over and we worked on the plans for the Utah caravan next year.  We got through the first four legs then took a break.  Happy hour was at 4 p.m. then dinner at 5:30 p.m.  After dinner, we had a quick Nomads meeting.  Our errant RVer who had the starter problem returned to the campground today.  They spent the night in a hotel.  The RV repair center found that the problem in his motor coach was a bad relay.  It was a simple fix and they’re back on the road again.

 1 Oct 2018 (Mon) – We ran down to the post office to see if our external storage device had arrived yet.  The clerk told me the package was returned to the sender (she didn’t know why). I called UPS to see if we could intercept it and they said the package was refused by the post office. Aaaaargh!!!  

     We made a quick stop at Brookshire’s to pick up some items for the pot luck dinner tomorrow and returned to the campground.  Most of the RVs had already left.  We hooked up and were on the road at 11 a.m.  The drive was a little over an hour from Mineola to Bullard. We are staying at Bushman’s Camp & RV Park.  One of the other members of our group who is camping here (this is the Nomads post-muster) was stuck in the driveway.  Apparently he burned out his starter and had to call for a tow truck.  

     We checked in and drove to our pull through site.  This is a very nice campground.  The interior roadways and campsites are poured concrete.  We have full hookup and there is low band Wifi available.  They have a laundry room and a meeting room for our group.  There is an indoor pool and hot tub as well.  There are dog pens with a sign saying dogs can be left there for up to one hour.

     At 4 p.m. we went to happy hour.  There are twelve rigs, 21 folks here.  At 5:15 p.m. 16 of us drove to Jalapeno Tree (a Mexican restaurant franchise) for dinner. Bullard is also a dry county but that restaurant serves margaritas.  They were very good.

30 Sep 2018 (Sun) – SMART breakfast this morning was a sausage casserole.  There wasn’t much sausage in it.  After breakfast, there was a general membership meeting where the leadership talked about what the Board of Directors has been up to.  Awards were given for recruiting and as outstanding chapters.  Following the membership meeting, a member of SMART got up and recounted stories of his trip around the U.S.  He has a motor home that is painted in Americana style with eagles, freedom quotes, and the five military service symbols.  Everywhere he goes, people come over to look at his coach and share stories of their military service.  He’s met some pretty interesting folks in his travels.

     After a break for lunch, we went to a seminar for wagon masters.  It was interesting.  We knew most everything that was covered.  We learned by either being on a caravan or discussing issues or planning our own caravan for next year.

     At 4 p.m., I called for a meeting of women veterans.  We want to start a new chapter and I agreed to prepare all the paperwork and file for the charter.  While looking over the paperwork, I found we needed a minimum of five members and we only had the four who said they would be officers (President, VP, Secretary-Treasurer, and Muster Master – I volunteered for Muster Master). I asked for a committee to develop bylaws and standing rules.  I volunteered to head the committee.  We have to find a name for our group (the Women Veterans Chapter just sounds too plain) and agreed to think on it.  At next year’s national muster in Urbana, VA, we will have a formal installation of officers.

     Social hour was 4 to 5 p.m. followed by a SMART dinner of pork loin, rice, green beans, dinner roll, and chocolate cake.  There were more door prizes and 50/50 drawings.  The civic center where we are holding our national muster also awarded door prizes.  Finally, it was over and everyone bid each other fair winds and safe travels.

 29 Sep 2018 (Sat) – There was a SMART breakfast this morning. Eggs (powered), sausage patty, and pancakes.  After breakfast, Paul and I attended some more seminars.  At 4:00 p.m. we met with other people from the Nomads and ran through the talent show skit we are doing tonight.

     After the “rehearsal” we went back to the RV and reheated leftovers for dinner.  We returned to the

Auditorium at 7 p.m. for last minute checks on our props and participants then settled down to watch the show.  There were some interesting things.  One man played the ukulele and harmonica as his wife strolled across the stage. Three women draped in very glittery capes performed a lip sync of a Supremes song.  There were also lots of door prizes and as always, the 50/50 drawing. Our skit was the last one to perform. We did a spoof of Jeff Foxworthy’s “Ten Indications You Might Be A . . . .”  We were “SMART Long Time RVers.”  It was pretty funny thanks to one particular member of our group who was very hammy. Everyone had a good time watching as well as performing the skit.  We ended by commenting on how we see more things in one year than most people see in a lifetime.  That was followed by everyone singing America the Beautiful.

 28 Sep 2018 (Fri) – We attended some seminars today.  I met with Michelle and Ed about the talent show we are putting together for tomorrow.  No one else showed up despite my email asking them to do so.  Woooh, boy.  I sure hope this thing comes off ok.  There were the men’s and women’s luncheons.  The guys had hot dogs and hamburgers at the pavilion; the women had chicken Caesar salad with a cookie for dessert.  We were supposed to have a guest speaker but he cancelled out at the last minute.

     The SMART dinner tonight was Tex-Mex.  It was a chicken and cheese enchilada with soupy beans, chips and salsa. There was apple pie for dessert. There were about a dozen door prizes awarded and three winners from the 50/50 drawing.

     After dinner, we all went outside and spelled out the word “SMART.” Paul and another guy sent their drones up in the air and took a picture from the air.  It came out looking really cool!  After the picture taking, SMART folks conducted a flag retirement ceremony. This is where they take flags that are no longer usable and ceremoniously burn them in a formal ceremony.  It was very moving.

27 Sep 2018 (Thu) – There was a panel discussion today about RV Tips at 8:30 a.m.  I was on the panel with three other people.  About 20 people attended the seminar.  We shared our experiences with the audience and they shared their experiences with one another.  Even I picked up a few tips!

     When I came out of the center, Paul was walking up.  It turned out that the projector is not compatible with our laptop.  As we thought about it, we bought the laptop about six years ago and have not used the projector with it.  The cables don’t work between the two.  Paul will not be able to do a slide show on the screen.  How frustrating to spend hours preparing the show and not be able to project it!  We’ll bring the laptop and just let people look at that on the computer screen.  It won’t be as big as a projector screen but it’s all we’ve got.

     We drove to Canton to a flea market billed as the biggest one in the U.S. (does Shipshewana know that?)  We stopped for lunch before going into the market at a place called Dairy Palace. It was an old, kind of run down place but the parking lot was full.  That usually means a place has good food so we stopped in.  It was a farm-to-table place serving beef that has been free ranged and not given any drugs or antibiotics.  I got a patty melt; Paul got a spam burger.  We have never eaten chicken fried spam.  It was different.

     The flea market was huge!  It was laid out helter skelter.  As we wandered in and out of large buildings and hundreds of booths, we gradually moved deeper and deeper into the bowels of the place.  Paul finally got his hands on a map but it was difficult to read.  We were lost among the booths and with some trial and error, found our way out after two and a half hours wandering around the market.  My tootsies were singing by then!  We picked up a few things for the grandkids.

     There was a SMART dinner tonight.  They had hamburger steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, gravy, and a dinner roll.  The food was good.  After dinner, they did a 50/50 drawing and awarded many door prizes.  Following that, a DJ and entertainer played 50’s and 60’s music for the group.  It was heart warming to see so many older people dancing.  You could almost imagine them as they were when they courted each other back in the 40’s and 50’s.  Young teenagers in love starting out on their life paths.  Now here they were 40, 50, 60 years later still holding hands and dancing in each other’s arms.

 26 Sep 2018 (Wed) – There was a SMART breakfast this morning. There were scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, gravy, and a biscuit.  After breakfast, Paul and I attended a meeting of the Travel Committee.  The Assistant Travel Coordinator wanted to meet with the wagon masters and assistant wagon masters for the upcoming caravans.  He had suggestions on planning and directing a caravan.  There were questions and answers for an hour.

     Following the meeting, we returned to the camper.  Paul worked on putting together a slide show for the caravan seminar on Friday. I worked on completing some paperwork for the bank and our mail forwarding service.  Mail has been arriving at our mail box addressed to the SMART Nomads.  Some kind of postal regulation is violated in some way and I have to get a form notarized swearing that the mail is not for a business.

     There was a chapter fair at 4 p.m.  This was an opportunity for each chapter to describe their activities to potential members.  We did not have anyone approach us.  I have already signed up 24 new members over the past few days.  That’s quite a lot!  The Nomads had a meeting at 5 p.m. tonight.  Mike chaired the meeting; I took minutes.  We didn’t have any food tonight so there were less than half of the folks we had three days ago and the meeting was done in half an hour.

     When the meeting was over, several of us planned to go out for margaritas. Since this is a dry county, none of the restaurants in this area serve alcohol.  We finally found a restaurant in Lindale, about 15 miles away.  We drove to Posados, a Mexican restaurant. The food was good, the margaritas were excellent, and the waiter was a hoot!  Nine of us had a great time.

 25 Sep 2018 (Tue) – We went on a tour of Tyler today.  The bus left the campground at 8:30 a.m.  The drive was about 40 minutes.  First stop was at the Tyler Rose Museum & Gardens. One-third of all the roses sold in the U.S. come from Tyler.  Quite a celebration takes place every October where they elect a Queen of Roses and have a big parade.  There is also a football game takes place during the celebrations.  It’s quite an event and reminded us of the Mardi Gras celebrations.  We walked around the gardens but there were few roses in bloom.  The season is well over.

     We then drove to the Brook Hall School.  There was an American Freedom Museum.  The tour was delightful.  They had two rooms.  One recounted all the conflicts America has taken part in, from the War for Independence through to today’s Afghanistan/Iraq conflict.  They had many original artifacts that were very interesting to look at.  The second room was the Hall of Presidents.  Starting with our first president, George Washington, there was a biography of each one along with parts of speeches they made and statements they made about their faith.

     The last stop on our tour was at the Goodman-LeGrand Home.  It was built in 1853.  Three generations of a family lived in it until 1963 when the last descendent passed away.  She left the home and all the furnishings to the city with the stipulation that the house be maintained in its current state and kept open to the general public. That makes it pretty unique as far as old homes go because all the original furnishings have remained with the house from the very first day the state took possession.  The house was originally built as a one-story, four-room home with a center breezeway.  The family that purchased it completely changed it – added two stores, sweeping staircases, wrap around porch, etc.  

    We returned to the campground at 4:30 p.m. then quickly changed and fed the animals, and went to the Opening Ceremonies of the National Muster. The meeting opened with a posting of the colors, prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and singing of God Bless America. I can’t tell you how moving such events are.  With all the controversy going on around the Pledge and other American traditions, everyone spoke louder and sang stronger than I have ever heard before.  Over 300 voices raised in unison in patriotic song gave me goose bumps.

     The mayor of Mineola spoke as did the director the civic center where we are having our rally.  The guest speaker was Sheriff J. B. Smith.  He was a sheriff of the county for 36 years.  What a phenomenal speaker!  He had us laughing, crying, nodding, and sighing with jokes, reminisces, and stories of his days in the military and law enforcement.  He has written two books and was selling one at the dinner.  Then it was time to eat.  There was brisket, sausage, turkey, potato salad, baked beans (the standard Texas fare), and fruit cobbler.  The food was excellent.  After dinner, there was a 50/50 drawing and then about a dozen door prizes.

 24 Sep 2018 (Mon) – We ran out to the laundromat this morning. After putting the clothes in the washer, we went for lunch at Taco Bell.  After returning to put the clothes in the dryers, we drove to WalMart and picked up some groceries and other items.  We then returned to the laundromat, retrieved our clean clothes and returned to the campground.

     There was a hot dog barbecue hosted by the past presidents at the pavilion at 4 p.m.  We brought our chairs over because there weren’t enough picnic tables for everyone. It rained while the barbecue was going on and we had to pull our chairs under cover.  

 23 Sep 2018 (Sun) – It rained last night (again) and was cloudy all day with sprinkles on and off.  We drove into town and had lunch at Whataburger.  It was OK.  We returned to the campground and worked on getting ready for tonight’s Nomads meeting. We sat in a quick meeting of the Travel Committee.  They discussed some changes to the policies regarding carvans and will pass the suggestions on to the Board of Directors (BOD).

     We had social hour at 4 p.m.  Following at 5 p.m., we had a dinner for the Nomads. Shirley picked up the brisket from the BBQ place.  Mike, Cheryl, Paul, and I worked at setting up and serving the food.  After dinner, we held a meeting.  Mike presided, VP Rider joined us, and I took minutes.  The meeting was over at 7 p.m.  Whew!  It was a long day.

22 Sep 2018 (Sat) – It rained all night long, moving from a light sprinkle to heavy downpour alternately.  We drove into Dallas this morning.  It was almost two hours to get there.  There was flooding everywhere.  Several of the lower, smaller roads were under water.  All the creeks and rivers were swollen and breaching their banks.  I kept getting notices on my phone that there was a flash flood warning in the various counties we were passing through.

     We dropped the external storage unit off at Ace Recovery Services. We were going to stop at Cracker Barrel on the way back but the place was crowded with people spilling out of the restaurant and waiting outside.  We continued on and finally stopped at a Mexican restaurant.  The salsa was very good.  Neither of us was fully satisfied with our meal but we ate it.

     At 4:00 p.m. we went to happy hour for the Nomads.  We have picked up 16 new members during this muster. I coordinated with the president, Mike, on picking up the food tomorrow.  Paul sold 50/50 tickets and I continued to accept advance payment for tomorrow’s dinner.  

21 Sep 2018 (Fri) – Paul has spent the last couple of days working on creating a video of our Maritimes caravan from 2016.  Luckily, he had transferred the pictures he wanted to use onto the hard drive before our external drive broke.  It is an 8 terra byte storage device and it won’t power on.  I called Western Digital (makers of the drive) and got some tech in India.  I asked for someone else to speak with since I couldn’t understand her and she transferred me to her Level 2 tech who was even harder to understand.  I pushed for someone who speaks English well and he gave me a phone number for corporate headquarters in San Jose, California. When I called, I got the usual voice offering an array of buttons to push.  When I pushed #4 for tech support, a tech in India picked up the phone! Aaaaargh!!!  I complained and was transferred to a Level 2 tech in India. *sigh*  I gave up and tried to work through the problem.  Western Digital warranties the hard drive but we will have to pay to have the data stored on it recovered by a company recommended by them.  I stated that I bought the item to store AND retrieve data and the cost of recovery should be covered by them in addition to replacing the drive.  The tech essentially told me “too bad” and after telling him I wanted to make a formal protest, we went on to exchange the necessary information for a replacement.  They will send the drive with instructions to return our defective drive.  He took my credit card information for a security hold until they get the drive back. It must be returned within 30 days.

     I then called Ace Data Group/Recovery and was told they will do a free evaluation to assess the problem.  If they have to recover the data, the charge will be $149 per hour with a minimum of 3 hours up to 18 hours.  I said that was ridiculous!  I only paid $200 for the drive and I’ll have to spend at least $450 to get the data off it???  We HAVE to find a better solution.

     In the meantime, Paul had been making a video of our Maritimes caravan from 2016.  When we tried to play it, the format wouldn’t work.  Paul then told me to open it with Windows Media Player.  I did that and the video played.  He was not able to save it on a CD (he kept getting an error message). He saved it on a stick.  But by having changed the format, he was unable to go back into the file and make any changes.  And some of the pictures he had wanted to include in the video weren’t there but we can’t get them off the storage drive.  I have a headache.

     We drove into town with Mike & Cheryl (President of the Nomads and his wife) for lunch and ate at the Golden Chick.  He wanted to see how the food tasted in case he wanted to change our order from beef brisket to chicken for the Nomads dinner on Sunday. The food wasn’t that good so we’ll stay with the brisket.

     After they dropped us back off at the campground, Paul and I drove to the post office and picked up the mail we had forwarded.  Then we stopped in at Brookshire’s Supermarket to see what the cost would be to buy some items to go with the brisket.  We knew Brookshire’s would be more expensive than WalMart but it was just to get a cost estimate.  

     We had the Nomads happy hour at 4:00 pm.  A few more people showed up over yesterday and several brought snacks.  I collected money for the dinner and dues.  Paul got wrangled into selling 50/50 tickets.  Mike gave me two of the three Nomads shirts I ordered.  One is the wrong design – it is a woman’s shirt. I do not wear women’s polo styles because they are too tight across the shoulders and back (caused by my weight lifting days).  It was a frustrating day today.

20 Sep 2018 (Thu) – We ran some errands this morning.  First stop was at the post office for stamps. We did try to visit the local RR Museum but it either wasn’t there or was too small to bother with.  Paul picked up some steel wool at Ace Hardware. We also picked up a few groceries at WalMart.  For lunch, we ate at Mack’s Split Rail Pit BBQ.  The brisket just fell apart but Paul felt it was too dry.  My ribs were delicious!

     There was a lot of running around talking to people about Nomads issues. The President and VP arrived today and I spoke briefly with them.  We met with Shirley who is the muster master for our pre-muster (meeting of the Nomads before the National muster begins).  She was trying to coordinate for a fried chicken dinner but couldn’t find a decent place to buy the food.  After the president asked her to try to coordinate with a BBQ place, she arranged for beef brisket sandwiches.

     At 4 p.m. the Nomads gathered in the Dogwood Room (that was changed from the Pecan Room) for happy hour.  At 5 p.m. Paul and I left and drove to the local VFW Post.  They invited SMART to dinner for $10 pp.  The place was crowded with SMART members and a few lodge members.  They served fried chicken and brisket, potato salad, baked beans, cole slaw, and iced cake (seems to be standard Texas fare).  We returned to the campground at 8 p.m.

19 Sep 2018 (Wed) – We left Shepherd AFB FamCamp at 9:30 a.m. The ride was basically uneventful and took about three and a half hours.  We stopped at a gas station to get fuel and I got a sandwich at Subway.  Paul does not like Subway (they have too many choices) so he didn’t get anything.

     We pulled into Mineola Civic Center at 1 p.m.  We were directed to our “parking area.”  The main camping area is basically a wagon wheel with campers parked back-to-back on the grass.  We are in the inner circle.  The sites are very close to each other.  We got a site with a telephone pole next to us so there are no campsites right there. There is someone parked in the campsite on the other side of the pole but that leaves us room on that side to put out our awning and camp chairs.  This is a dry county and we were warned to be discreet with any drinks.  Keep beer cans in cozies and wine in paper cups.

     After set up, I walked over to examine the pavilion where the Nomads will be meeting.  Then Paul and I walked over to the main administration building.  The two gals from HQ were in a small room getting set up. We got the name tags we ordered and a refund check from our Minnesota caravan.  Whenever there is money left over, they send it back to the participants. They refunded $172 per person. That was a pleasant surprise.

     We returned to our rig and found that Carl & Gwen had arrived. They weren’t expected until tomorrow. Sandy & Tom had to step down as Wagon Masters of our Utah caravan next year.  We are now the Wagon Masters and we asked Carl & Gwen to be our Tail Gunners.  They agreed. We will have to find time during this National Muster to fill them in on what we have put together so far.

 18 Sep 2018 (Tue) – We left the Elks Lodge in Guthrie, OK at 9 a.m. It was a four hour ride to Shepherd AFB Recreation Area in Whitesboro, TX.  We stopped at a travel plaza run by the Chickasaw Nation.  They had some kind of fried burritos that were overcooked. Boy, these long runs sure result in our not eating very well.

     We arrived at the turn off for the FamCamp.  It turned out to be nine miles off the main highway along narrow country roads with overgrown trees and sporadic potholes.  The campground is beautiful.  It sits right on Lake Texoma.  The area was built by the ACOE and then given to the military in the 1950s. It has a rustic feel to it but the pull through site had full hookups.  There is no wifi in the campground.  We are so far away from everything, we didn’t even leave the campground.

[drtanstravels]

We returned a little over a week ago from our final trip for 2017 which revolved around Anna speaking at the Fifth International Congress on OCT Angiography, “En Face” and advances in OCT, an annual conference held by the American Society of Retina Specialists, on this occasion in Rome, Italy.

We’ve been to Italy before, back in September of 2012 on a trip that took us through Florence, Rome, Pisa and Milan for another of Anna’s conferences, although that little adventure is a bit of a blur for me. This time we’d be spending four nights in Rome and although I knew I had been before, it still all felt completely new to me. We have done quite a bit of flying this year so we were able to upgrade to Business Class for the flights both there and back, which is great for a 13-hour overnight flight to Europe. We were supposed to depart at about 1:50am on Friday morning, but it was probably closer to about 3:00am by the time we took off. It didn’t matter to Anna, she fell asleep almost immediately, however, I had to wait until we were airborne and my “bed” was laid out before I could drift away, the last thing I heard being a small Chinese lady who had walked down the aisle to yell at her husband in the seat next to mine, “Cover your stomach!”

Friday, December 15 Due to the seven-hour time difference, we touched down in Rome at about 8:30am and were out of the airport relatively quickly. It was about a 45-minute taxi ride due to the morning traffic to where we were staying, the Ergife Palace Hotel, which was also where the conference was being held. The entire drive there I had this playing on loop in my head:

Sure, I realise it’s not about Rome, but it’s a homophone and that makes it close enough for me. Anyway, before long we arrived at our hotel and one thing soon became glaringly obvious — There is not a whole lot to do in that part of town. It was a bit before 10.00am when we got there and our room wasn’t ready yet, but Anna was happy because she wanted to attend her professor’s talk which began at 10 o’clock. All she needed to do was freshen up a little and change her clothes, something she was able to do in a bathroom in the lobby. Anna attended the talk while I sat in the lounge area with a coffee or three and read my book. I saw Anna chatting with her professor at about midday so when she saw me we tried to check into our room, only to be told it still wouldn’t be ready for at least another hour. We decided to have another latte each and waited for the buffet lunch to begin at 12:30, which was complimentary for speakers at the conference. I on the other hand, had to pay €20.00 (approximately AU$30.00) for some pretty average food and there was no way of faking my way through this one, I clearly didn’t appear to be a doctor, although I did kind of blend in Italy; I was decked out in a pair of black Adidas track pants, a t-shirt with dinosaurs on it, and a cap. Add to this the fact that I was slowly marinating in my own juices from our flight over and smelled more than just a little rancid, most in attendance probably just assumed that I was some homeless guy that Anna had taken pity on and decided to give a free meal.

A sure sign that apartment prices are going to double in the next five years.

Our room was finally ready by the time we had finished lunch so I eventually got to peel off my soured clothes and scrub off a layer of grime. Anna cleaned up too and went back to the conference, leaving me with a few hours to kill so I decided to check out an area of town that had a few shops I wanted to have a look at. It had been raining quite heavily for most of the afternoon so I jumped in a cab that was out the front of the hotel and went to Quartiere XI Portuense. Clearly this was a recently gentrified area, as I was immediately greeted the second I stepped out of the taxi by a bucket surrounded by syringes with an old belt for a tourniquet and some used tissues inside (left). Nice. I continued looking around the shops for a couple of hours, dodging the intermittent downpours, and then spent almost another hour in the rain trying to find an ATM that would accept my card and then attempting to flag down a taxi back to the hotel. It’s quite difficult to get a cab in Rome so I ended up getting an Uber, but that took about twenty minutes because of the traffic. In fact, the Uber booking came with a warning that the driver was either deaf or hearing impaired so I wasn’t quite sure how to respond when the driver called me on my phone; trying to communicate with a deaf person on the phone has trouble written all over it, but one would expect it would be even more difficult as a foreigner. Fortunately, everything went fine, he was calling me to say that he would be at least another 10 minutes, then he called me again when he arrived to ask what I was wearing so he could pull over and pick me up.

When I arrived back at the hotel, Anna had been looking at places to eat and suggested going to the very area I had just come from. I explained that there didn’t really seem like much in the way of nightlife in that spot and fortunately people eat quite late in Italy so we went and grabbed a drink at Matrix Bar, a dive bar down the road from our hotel and really the only bar in its general vicinity, while we looked for somewhere else to go for dinner. Matrix Bar wasn’t a particularly classy establishment, averaging a whopping two stars on Google Reviews, the first of which just reads “Sad and dirty,” but we were glad we stopped by for the amusement alone. We both ordered a beer and cringed as an angry guy played the poker machines while a heavily pregnant woman and her mother both chain-smoked and drank. As for food, there was a pizza restaurant out the back and a fridge full of desserts in the bar that inexplicably had the entire range of Magnum ice-creams without wrappers. That’s right, to choose your flavour of unwrapped Magnum, you had to read the sign in front of them.

Anna out the front of Matrix Bar

My beer

Some of the entertainment options available

Possibly counterfeit Magnums down the bottom

We eventually decided that we would have dinner at Ditirambo, a great looking restaurant in Campo de’ Fiori, and we definitely didn’t regret our decision. We ordered some ham and burrata, then we got our mains. Anna had homemade tagliolini with pork cheek, artichokes, and sheep’s cheese and I got the same pasta but with drunken octopus and it was all spectacular! The only problem with proper handmade pasta is that is so filling and sometimes the portions here are enormous. It was a Friday night and there was a cool shisha bar a few doors down in the square so we dropped by for a drink but there were a few drawbacks. First, it was freezing cold, we had to sit outside and, although there were heaters, we were still a little underdressed for the conditions. There were giant clear screens around us to block the breeze, but huge gust of wind came up and blew over the one behind us, shattering it! The other problem was that we were both still running on Singapore time so it was the equivalent of being about 6:00am and we aren’t that young anymore. The jet-lag had caught up with us both and Anna had a presentation to give the following day so we finished our drinks and caught an Uber home for the earliest night we’ve had in quite some time. A few sights from that tiring evening:

Anna and her dinner

Mine

She’s always loved the old Fiat 500

In the square at Campo De’ Fiori

Where we attempted to have a drink before realising we were too tired

Saturday, December 16 Anna was giving her presentation just before 9:30am, immediately after two of her former colleagues and good friends from New York, Chandra Balaratnasingam and Rosa Dolz-Marco, who we had recently visited in Spain. I couldn’t attend so I chose to sleep in, but I was told Anna’s talk went exceptionally well and was sent some photos. The pictures aren’t particularly clear or flattering, but it should give you the general idea:

I always feel kind of proud when I see these

Anna is bottom left

Doing her thing

After it was over we decided not to have the free conference lunch, but maybe go to the market around the corner to get a bite to eat, but upon arrival it was somewhat of a letdown. A lot of the stalls weren’t open and very few of the ones that were had food, however, I would’ve had no problem getting a birth certificate printed there for some reason. Instead, we walked further into town and had more pasta, more cheese and a Roman artichoke.

Anna still had a bit of spare time before she had to go back to the conference so we walked around and looked at some of the shops in the area, mainly secondhand and vintage stores. First we went into a place that had a lot of cool secondhand clothes where Anna bought a really nice dress and I tried to purchase a Vegas-era Elvis statue to no avail, then we found what is the epitome of my kind of store — Mercatino Compra Vendita Usato, a giant thrift shop the size of a department store and it sold everything, including an old slot-machine. Unfortunately, the slot-machine was too heavy and too expensive so I just settled for an enormous Spanish tambourine that’s about 45cm (18″) in diameter that Anna talked me into buying, as well as a couple of records. Anna left before I did to get back to the conference, while I took my time and then enjoyed the walk back.

Some of the services available at the barely-open market

It’s a shame we wouldn’t be there for the opening

A Roman artichoke

Elvis wasn’t leaving that building

At the entrance of a store where I could happily spend all day

Old record player

The slot-machine

The tambourine with Anna’s hand for perspective

This looked kind of cool

Is there a correct term for a group of nuns?

One that strayed from the flock

I got home and we had plenty of time to relax for an hour or two before it was time to go out for dinner again. One of the speakers that Anna has worked with is from Rome so he booked a restaurant for a group of us, including Rosa and Roberto, her husband, as well as Chandra and his family, however, Chandra, his wife, and his son had all developed an awful stomach virus and would be unable to make it, instead opting to try and get in better shape for their long flight back to Perth, Australia the following day.

Roberto had the brilliant idea of having a look at the landmarks and ruins around the city before dinner to see what they look like at night, something I would recommend to anyone visiting Rome, be it for their first or fiftieth time, for several reasons; not only does everything seem to have a much more spectacular appearance under lights, but also you’re free from all the annoying people trying to sell you stuff and offer completely unwanted assistance, as well as the other shady individuals that seem to migrate towards the world’s tourist attractions. Roberto, Rosa, Anna, and myself started out at the Colosseum, down past the Basilica Aemilia and the Imperial Forum, to the Altare della Patria and then slowly made our along the Tiber river, taking in all of the sights along the way en route to the restaurant. Once there, Anna’s Italian colleague chose a selection of his favourite dishes for us and we just ate and drank until we could no longer move. This might seem like a lot of  pictures, but it is merely a taste of what we saw, ate, and drank that night:

The Colosseum

Arch of Constantine

There are shoes hanging from power-lines in every city, but the ones here are really nice too!

Making our way up the street

Still going…

Campitelli

Some columns near Basilica Aemilia

More of Basilica Aemilia

Rosa, Roberto and Anna

Still more…

and more…

Julius Caesar

Still walking

A fountain on the side of the Altare della Patria

The Altare della Patria

A column near the Alter

Up close

Some ruins around the back

More ruins

Near Capitoline Hill

The view across the Tiber

What’s left of a bridge

More of the Tiber

And more of that broken bridge

Anna and Rosa chatting and eating

The whole gang… and I

Sunday, December 17 Today was to be the first of only two full days Anna and myself would have to ourselves this time and part of that would consist of changing hotels. The Ergife Palace wasn’t a bad place, but there was just nothing nearby, the nearest areas worth visiting were a 90-minute walk or a €20.00 (AU$30.00) taxi or Uber away. Fortunately for us, Anna had found the QuodLibet Guest House, located a relatively short walk from the Vatican and it was an upgrade we definitely welcomed. We checked out of our hotel and caught a cab straight to the QuodLibet, but initially it was a little difficult to find the Guest House. It turned out we needed to go through a common doorway for several other business and then take a tiny vintage elevator with inward-opening doors to the fourth floor, but once up there the place was beautiful. It had a bunch of uniquely themed rooms and the owners were great, really friendly and offering us heaps of free croissants and coffee.

“Hey Denim Dan, where’d you get the Canadian tuxedo?”

Once we had settled in we took a walk into the city, but made a point of avoiding the Vatican as one can only imagine how crazy that gets on a Sunday. Instead, we opted to check out some of the markets and then go into town and spend the afternoon just shopping, eating, and taking in the sights. The markets were a bit of fun, although there was not a lot there that really appealed to us. What does become abundantly clear when you spend a bit of time looking through markets and vintage stores in Rome is that there must’ve been a period of time around 15-20 years ago when the place resembled an entire city full of at-liesure Jay Lenos (right) — There is so much secondhand denim available! It’s not just jeans, shirts, and jackets, pretty much any wearable item was available made from denim at the turn of the century in Italy. People often consider Italy one of the world’s fashion capitals, admittedly they are generally referring to Milan, but let’s not forget that there was a time not too long ago when visiting one of the most historically significant cities on earth may have easily been mistaken for a trip to the mechanic’s.

We walked into Campo Marzio, one of the main historical districts that also has an abundance of great restaurants and pedestrian shopping avenues. The first thing to greet you as you approach these streets at any entry point will be at least one military vehicle and a bunch of heavily armed military personnel, obviously in place to prevent a vehicle attack, as has been one of the more common terrorist methods of late, such as that which occured just before we visited Barcelona, Spain earlier in the year or in my home city of Melbourne, Australia just days before Christmas, which several friends of mine witnessed. Needless to say, we felt exceptionally safe with these guys around so we just relaxed and did what we set out to do; spend the afternoon eating, shopping and exploring, including looking at some of the same sights again, this time during the light of day. Another huge bunch of photos:

Walking to the market from our place

In the market

Selling pastries

In Piazza del Popolo

Anna hangin’ out

One of many water features

Another obelisk

They actually make you feel pretty safe

Walking around

My octopus

Lamb and artichoke

A Cardinal doing his thing

STEAK!

Trevi Fountain

More of Trevi Fountain

Anna striking a pose

The side of the Altare della Patria

Some more columns

Part of the Forum

Some horses

If I had a vespa, it would be this one

We were planning to have dinner and some drinks with Rosa and Roberto again, but first we had a look at some of the shops and bars in a kid of hipster district called Monti. There was a brilliant artist’s market there that we spent a lot of time in, then it was off for a couple of libations at a bar that had some great beer and some even more controversial local art. When it was time, we met up for dinner and then headed to the same shisha bar, this time well-rested and better dressed to handle the cold. Here is a sample of some of the paintings from that bar, as well as the token shot of us all drinking:

Frida Kahlo shaving

Pimpin’ ain’t easy

Doing what we do

Monday, December 18 It was our last day to soak in everything Rome had to offer and we both had only one thing on our collective minds to begin the day; breakfast. Anna told me she had found a place simply called Eggs and as a part of their essentially egg-based menu, they apparently serve ostrich eggs for breakfast! We tried to make our way down there posthaste, but there was one minor setback we hadn’t considered; we had to walk past the Vatican, which meant we were going to get hassled constantly. “Why?” I hear you ask. Well, here’s a little background on the Vatican:

Vatican City is a country located within the city of Rome. With an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and a population of about 1,000, it is the smallest state in the world by both area and population. However, formally it is not sovereign, with sovereignty being held by the Holy See.

Within Vatican City are religious and cultural sites such as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. They feature some of the world’s most famous paintings and sculptures. The unique economy of Vatican City is supported financially by the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications.

They even make phone covers of these guys!

What that means is that there is a never-ending throng of people trying to sell you shit and they don’t quit! Without any exaggeration, there is one of these guys, some of them local, but many of them foreign, standing every four or five metres along the footpath in the general vicinity of the Vatican, some trying to sell stuff, others trying to point you toward the entrances for museums, chapels, and other tourist attractions, most likely in an effort to get tips from American tourists. They just assume the only reason everyone is there is to do the touristy stuff and they will do anything to make a buck, especially off the Sistine Chapel. “Sir, the entrance to the Sistine Chapel is to the right. Sir? Sir…?” said one as we walked past him and was approached by another. “Sir, if you are looking for the Sistine Chapel, it’s just to the right,” said the next one, “Sir, do you need help?” inquired another, but my favourite had to be one we passed while walking through St. Peter’s Square; “Sir, this is not the Sistine Chapel.” No shit, Sherlock, I was able to figure that one out for myself because probably the most famous visible feature of the Sistine Chapel is its ceiling, covered by a world-renowned and critically-acclaimed painting by Michelangelo, consisting of nine scenes from the Book of Genesis. We, on the other hand, were standing in a sprawling outdoor area with an unobstructed view of a cloudless blue sky. Anna remarked that the Vatican had been cleaned up a lot since we were last there. Sure, the people trying to make a buck are a pain in the ass, but she told me that there aren’t as many gypsies, pickpockets, and criminals in general there. Just people bugging the shit out of tourists or trying to sell cheap souvenirs and fake handbags and quite a few homeless people and beggars. Apparently, last time we didn’t feel particularly safe in the Pope’s neighbourhood, but that wasn’t a problem this time so we took a couple of photos. Maybe it was just the time of the year, but it was a good thing we didn’t want to visit any of the sites because it was crowded as hell and this was on a Monday. Just look at the queues to get into the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica! I guess those annoying bastards are earning their keep:

Ann in front of a small portion of the queue

Panoramic shot of St. Peter’s Square

And another

That’s a long-ass line!

In front of the Obelisk at St. Peter’s Basilica

Back to the mission at hand — Getting those eggs. We were still perpetually getting hassled and I almost got to the point of asking the next person who inquired if I “need any help” if they happened to know how to get to the place that fries ostrich eggs, but I thought it was best not to encourage them. We eventually found our way to Eggs on our own, the walk there was beautiful, but the restaurant didn’t have ostrich eggs. They had the shells of ostrich eggs out the front, but the sole woman who who worked there spoke very little English so I pointed at the shells and she shook her head. Whether they don’t serve them or they just weren’t available that day is still a little unclear, but I still enjoyed the breakfast we had.

After breakfast we just walked around the city, checking out a different district to previous days, especially the market stalls that sold wine, cheese, ham, and salami, but one of the best decisions we made was going into Antica Salumeria, right near the Pantheon. Their website describes the place as follows:

Historical family from Norcia dedicated to salumeria for many generations.

Over the coure [sic] of the time it’s extended its branches in baking, food and pastry.

Loved by their loyal customers and by many tourists who rush into the store.

Screw the baking and pastry, if you love ham, salami, and cheese, this place will be to you what the Vatican is to Catholics! When we walked inside there was prosciutto and salamis hanging from the ceiling, as well as entire walls of cheese.

On our way to Eggs

The Pantheon

Out the front of Antica Salumeria

Once inside

Don’t worry, you were very tasty

Those black things up the top are wheels of cheese

Hemp cheese

We were given plenty of free samples and ultimately bought several shopping bags full of meat and cheese. The shop owners were extremely generous, giving us free bottles of olive oil and biscuits as we left.

We strolled around, another afternoon spent looking, eating, and shopping, be it for ourselves or buying gifts for friends and family back home. We found some interesting products available including a carrot sharpener (left). Judging by the text on the package, this product was most likely Danish, as opposed to Italian, but you never realise that you are coping without something until you first discover it. Still, with my giant tambourine, there probably isn’t enough room in my luggage for a carrot sharpener so I am destined to a life of blunt carrots.

Soon we were getting a little peckish again and it occured to us we still hadn’t had pizza since we had been in Rome. Neither of us felt like a big meal as we had already planned what we were having for dinner so we went to Alice Pizza. It may not have been traditional Italian pizza, more along the lines of fast food, but it was pretty damn good and with some kind of absurd flavours available, although it is hard to find a menu, leading me to believe that they change a lot of them daily. We went back to our apartment to relax for a while before dinner and before too long it was time to eat again, this time at a place that Anna loved last time we were in town.

After relaxing, we went out for dinner at Sorpasso. Sorpasso is split into two different places; Passaguai, which is mainly just a wine bar, and Sorpasso, the kitchen and restaurant area of the wine bar. We pulled up a seat and instantly recognised a couple of the waiters so Anna asked how long they had worked there and it turns out it was highly likely they were the ones that served us five years ago. Just as on that occasion, this time we ate like kings too.  We started off with a prosciutto platter, then had steamed cod with artichoke and some braised beef, followed by some pasta and a cheese platter. Have a look for yourself:

A carved tree stump near by

Anna insisted on a selfie

Ham platter

braised beef

Cod and artichoke

Some awesome broccoli pasta

Dinner was perfect, but our final night in Rome was only getting started. We went to a small nearby bar and sat in the main bar area, but it was little cramped and a tad depressing. It seemed like all the action was happening in the room next door, however, there was a sign that said it was a private function. The waitress said that it didn’t matter and that we should pull up a table and have some fun if there was a spare one. It turned out that there was so we crashed an office’s Christmas karaoke party and to say that it turned out hilarious is an understatement. Initially, we were welcomed with this group rendition of Wham’s seminal Christmas staple, Last Christmas:

The drinks flowed and the singing continued, some of it terrible, some of it quite decent, and on one occasion it was phenomenal. I’m referring to an African girl probably no older than about 12 or 13, the more-than-likely adopted daughter of one of the older employees, who did a mind-blowing rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s I will Survive. Things really got truly entertaining when, during a male employee’s heartfelt rendition of I’m Yours by Jason Mraz, it seemed that an incredibly drunk girl across the room (right) was flirting with me. She was constantly looking over at me, stroking the stem of her wine glass and occasionally mouthing the lyrics while staring me in the eyes, that kind of thing. Anna noticed as well and it was a running joke for us for the remainder of the night, but it was when I had to break the seal that it became clear that she was somewhat serious. The bathrooms in the bar were just two separate stalls side by side. I was in the midst of taking a leak in one stall when the door of the other stall closed and a woman’s voice began to sing seductively, “♫I’m yours…♫.” At first I thought it was just some regular drunk chick in the bathroom singing to herself, but when I went back to my seat I noticed the girl was no longer in hers. Anna then told me that the girl had got up just after I did and walked over to the direction of the bathroom. I informed her of what had happened while I was inside and neither of us could stop pissing ourselves for the rest of the night. Of course, the multitude of beer and wine certainly helped. We eventually staggered home, still laughing, and packed our stuff when we got back. Our flight was at around 11:00am the next morning and we don’t have the best track record when it comes to making flights comfortably on time so we figured we had better get some sleep.

Tuesday, December 19 I don’t usually make a big deal of writing about the day we leave, but in this particular case I’ll make an exception. We got up, enjoyed some of the free coffee and croissants that Gianluca, our host at QuodLebet, had prepared for us, accepted his parting gift of some traditional Roman Gentilini biscuits and half a kilogram of Gragano pasta from Naples and we were on our way to the airport. We got there with plenty of time to spare so we checked in and then went to the duty-free section to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Once that was completed we went up to the lounge and waited for our flight. In yet another example of our incredibly consistent ability to steal defeat from the jaws of victory at airports, we waited for the final boarding call and went to walk down to our boarding gate, which required us catching an elevator. We got in what we thought was the correct lift, albeit one with a bit of an industrial feel, and pressed the button for the floor, but it wouldn’t open when we arrived. Anna pressed the emergency button which rang an extremely loud bell, but the doors also eventually opened. We were then in an unfamiliar area so she pushed the handle on the first door in front of us, setting off a siren. It turned out that that door was to allow employees to access the tarmac. Oops We somehow found our way back to our gate, although we were the last to board our flight again, met with the same looks to what we experienced when we did something similar in Sweden. We made the 12-hour flight home, laughed while we were landing as a Chinese man who was at least in his mid-40s bawled while watching a documentary on the death of Princess Diana, and arrived back at our place at about 6:00am. I showered and, before going to bed for a nap, thought I’d weigh myself. Despite walking anywhere between 10-14 kilometres (6.2 – 8.6 miles) per day, I had still managed to pile on four kilograms (8.8 lbs)! I’m going to put it down to water retention from the flight or possible muscle development in my quads and gluts from all of the walking and climbing. No way was it all of that pasta.

Our second trip to Rome was a blast, just as we expected, but there were a few surprises, coincidences, and things we just generally don’t understand in Italy.

Pineapple, bitches!

First of all, despite all of the memes and everything else you may have read on the internet, yes, you can get pineapple on pizza in Italy (right). This one, however, might be a unique occurrence because it came from that Alice Pizza place and they did have some odd choices (banana pizza anyone?). Also, we never saw an actual Hawaiian pizza anywhere, but if this one exists, then there is nothing stopping anyone from adding a little ham to it.

Quite a lot of Uber and taxi drivers are called Massimo. In fact, almost every driver we had was called Massimo! The reason we noticed was when we ordered out first Uber, Anna said to me, “You’ll never guess what our driver’s name is.” I honestly had no idea what she was getting at so I just said something stereotypical like ‘Geppetto.’ “No,” Anna responded. “But do you remember The Bold and the Beautiful…?” It was hilarious at the time, but the reference lost its edge after we kept constantly encountering Massimos.

The final thing is quite a simple one — Why don’t public toilets have seats? Were people stealing them or something? I do everything I can to avoid a public toilet situation where I’m required to sit, but I think it would make the whole situation a little more tolerable if there were a seat. I’m not particularly good at hovering and that porcelain has to get a little cold on the cheeks during Winter.

Anyway, until next time, Italy, thanks to everyone who helped us out while we were in town and if you visit Rome make sure you stay at QuodLibet Guest House, you won’t regret it. The next time you’ll probably hear from me will be in a couple of weeks after I spend four nights in Bangkok with my mate, Owen.

Want to Gain Weight Rapidly? Visit Rome! We returned a little over a week ago from our final trip for 2017 which revolved around Anna speaking at the 

[chucksandjeans]

Hawaeeeee

October 16

We started the trip and early on the Monday and Ubered to the airport. Our Uber guy, Jermaine, was super nice and chatty which started our trip off right. It was pretty early at the airport but for some reason the border control line was super long and I had to line up by myself for 45 minutes or so. I think something must have happened because everyone was on high alert. It was a safe flight so that is all that matters. We had a short layover in Chicago where we stuffed ourselves with food and stole some cup noodles for the next 9 hour flight to Honolulu. This was a smart move because United did not give us food as it was considered a domestic flight (we’re going to try avoiding United from now on…). We watched Pacific Rim which ended up being amazing!

We finally landed in Oahu at around 2 in the afternoon and waited in line for our rental car. They didn’t have our compact car so gave us a Hyundai Santa Fe SUV and it was huge! But overall a fun ride. We quickly found the R&B / hip hop station, found some party jams (Bank Account – 21 Savage; Rake It Up – 21 Yo Gotti; Bodak Yellow – Cardi B; Young Dumb & Broke – Khalid) that stayed on repeat the entire trip. The freeway to our first resort, Aulani Disney, was on the west side of the island. We arrived around 4, got lei’d up properly, and found ourselves in a beautiful room overlooking the pool. Changing quickly into our swim gear, we walked around the beach / infinity pool / lazy river, ate some food, and made a reservation to eat at the restaurant downstairs. At 6 or so, we took a nap and set an alarm for 1 hour, just, as a power nap before dinner. However, the alarm didn’t ring and we woke up at 11 and missed dinner entirely. LOL! We kept sleeping.

October 17

The morning started off nice and early with some good, ol’ Mickey D’s (thanks jet lag). They served spam with the classic Big Breakfast and the most unexpected taro pie (they didn’t have the haupia pie). It was flaky, crispy and gooey inside – yum. We stopped by Pearl Harbour “just because” but it was a bit underwhelming despite its historic influence. The morning was still young so we quickly hopped on the highway and drove to the north shore. The Dole Plantation was our next stop and we got there just as it was opening. No lineups! We took a train ride around the plantation and ate some Dole Whip – it was delicious! So sweet that the pineapple stick on the side seemed sour in comparison, but perfectly cold for the hot day. The crowds and tour buses poured in after so we quickly drove to our next stop, the famous Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck. Celine had the original flavour (a garlic version) but I decided to try the spicy, which came with a warning that you couldn’t get any refunds for it. Big mistake because it was so HOT, I drank the entire bottle of Powerade. We then visited some nearby shops and continued driving along the north shore until we reached the Banzai Pipeline. This is where people surf Hawaii’s biggest waves! It was intense. In our sweaty clothes, we walked around the outlet shops and at night, drove back into Honolulu to eat at this amazing Japanese restaurant called Sushi Murayama. The 10-course omakase dinner was $75 per person and it was amazing and totally worth it! We left full and happy. There was plenty of food, super fresh ingredients, and an entertaining sushi chef. Vince can’t stop thinking about the king clam sushi we had. It was probably one of my best experiences eating. See our food video for highlights. Oh yea the car was parked in one of those automated stacked parking lots which was very cool! Very SF.

October 18

The agenda for this day was optimistic and we accomplished it all! Kick-starting it all was a drive through the rain across the island, through Honolulu and to the east end of the island to hike up the Koko Crater Railway Tracks. We thought starting early would allow us to finish before the sun hit its peak but unfortunately for us the sun started beating down on us as the thousands of steps slowed our pace. The tracks quickly turned from a comfortable walk to almost climbing vertically and at some points, it was dangerous to cross between rails. It was so hot, Celine felt a little lightheaded – definitely different from hiking in Scandinavia! Regardless, we made it to the top and the view was breathtaking from all sides. We saw the entire coastline and enjoyed the fresh air and celebrated our triumphant ascent to the top. Going down was another struggle LOL. By the time we got down it was lunchtime so we ate at a local sushi restaurant.

The next stop was Hanauma Bay to snorkel but the parking lot was full. We ended up driving the cost to the Lanai Lookout and made it all the way to Alan Davis Beach / Pele’s Chair. This tiny beach was certainly off the beaten path and was known for mini cliff diving. It was essentially an edge where you could jump into the ocean, and the rocks off the shore were big enough to block all oncoming waves. It was super fun and we got some great Go Pro shots! Afterwards, we chilled out at Sandy Beach, apparently the beach with the most number of injuries per year due to its dangerous waves. We sat on the beach and watched surfers get battered. Before dinner, we stopped across the resort to buy some magnets and then ate at the Makahiki Buffet inside Aulani. All-you-can-eat oysters! Poke! What a great spread. We tucked in for our last night in Oahu.

October 19

Our flight to Maui was in the early afternoon so we had some time to grab a bite in Honolulu after grabbing breakfast to go from the Ulu Café. We ate at Marukame Udon, one of Celine’s favourites, before taking a short flight to the next island. Our rental car here was a sedan so driving was easier. We got some shave ice, which had peach, strawberry and other citrus flavours, from Ululani's, dropped our stuff off at our hotel – the Maui Beach Hotel (ghetto AF) – and drove up Haleakala National Park to see the sunset. The rode up was very windy and took over an hour. By the time we got to the top, we had to fully gear up and wear every piece of clothing available. The parking was horrendous and most people just parked randomly in the lot or on the winding mountain road. The sunset was beautiful and I would have enjoyed it way more if I was freezing, literally. Vince even put up his hood. I was exhausted on the drive down the mountain and since we arrived at Mama’s Fish House (widely known as the best restaurant on the entire island) an hour before our booking, we took a nap. It was glorious. Much needed before our meal! The cocktail and plates were exceptional, and service was entertaining. I would definitely go back.

October 20

We found this amazing bakery / diner called Stillwell’s in Kahului and had breakfast there. We ordered spam and stuff and a baked good to celebrate Celine’s 28th birthday! Yay! Then we drove around aimlessly to look for the Lahaina Pali Trail but did not find it so ended up getting to Wailea Beach Resort earlier. We dropped down our stuff and went to the beach beside Turtle Town and relaxed a bit. The water was so nice but unfortunately we saw no turtles. Then we went back to the resort and got our room. It was so nice! Architecture and design was minimalist and contemporary and we loved it. We spent the next little while on the private Wailea Beach (which interestingly enough had no little rocks anywhere and had the most perfect sand bottom so you could wade out) and then changed to film our Save the Date video. The sound was prerecorded so we just had to do the video portion – a trade secret. It was a race against time because the sun was setting and every second counted! We finally found a great spot down near the water where the waves were crashing gently against the rocks. It turned out amazing, as predicted. Next we made our way to dinner at the Morimoto at the Andaz Hotel to celebrate Celine’s birthday! We had a fabulous meal of tuna, foie gras and duck, and it was great, but not as surprising and delightful as Murayama.

October 21

Breakfast was memorable this morning. We ate at Nalu’s South Shore Grill where I had an acai berry coconut flake granola bowl. SO AMAZING! Celine chickened out and got an ahi tuna benedict. Then we made our way up the north-west shore of Maui and passed by some really neat little towns. We stopped by the Lahaina Front Street and did some outlet / street shopping. Then we grabbed some poke from a highly-rated alcohol store on Yelp (Tamura’s Fine Wine), dropped off our stuff off at the Aston Maui Kaanapli Villas, and went to our pre-booked Old Lahaina Luau. The weather was perfect and we walked in as VIPs to the luau. It was a premium buffet that featured a roasted pig with a long show showcasing traditional dancing and chanting. It was really beautiful, watching the sun set in the background and having unlimited drinks…except for the men thrusting their junk everywhere during their solo dance and us sometimes getting cramps in our legs because we were sitting in the traditional style on the floor instead of at the tables and chairs. We drove quickly back to Kaanapali and settled in for the night.

October 22

We woke up a bit early to hit the beach first thing before the crowds. The water was a bit chilly but still fantastic. Packing up quickly, we grabbed food at Mickey D’s again before visiting the Dragon’s Teeth attraction beside the fancy, Ritz-Carlton Resort in north Maui. The rocks were jagged and impressive but the most impressive were the waves that devoured the rocks below. I did not want to fall in. Next, we drove up to see the Nakalele Blowhole and heart rock. The sun was brutal but we made it. Sweaty and stuff, we ate back at Lahaina at Longhi’s, and then found a public beach shower to clean ourselves before the flight home with the toiletries from the resort. We found a nice shower that was away from the crowds but still on the edge of the highway. The water was cold but all in all it felt great. Worth it! First time showering in public! Before the flight, we had to eat but Kahului was literally foodless. There was a highly rated sushi restaurant in a nearby town but we drove by and it looked sketchy AF. We ended up eating at Whole Foods: ramen, mochi and a delicious smoothie. Then we flew home.

Hawaii is awesome. We think it was our best trip to date, and thank goodness we both got a tan!

[mnranger5]

Family Weekend & MLS Bass Tournament, Mille Lacs Lake, 8/24/17 - 8/27/17

We decided to make a big family weekend at Mil Lacs for the MLS Fishing Tournament.  Dyan found an amazing log cabin near Isle where we would call home base for three nights.  

The tournament was on Saturday, and we arrived on Thursday so that we could get a little pre-fishing in.

Rachel, Madison, Morgan and Denise arrived at the cabin first, with Dyan, Scarlett, Felicity and Aidan pulling in shortly after.  The kids spent the sunny afternoon playing on the perfectly sandy beach.  Mike arrived around 7:30, and I pulled in last around 9PM with Ashlynn and Brianna.  

The cabin was simply amazing although nothing about it was new, or recently remodeled.  It was a small log home with a giant family room and kitchen overlooking the lake.  

The cabin had two bedrooms upstairs that also looked out over the lake.  The yard was expansive, and flat with a fire pit centered halfway between the house and the lake.  As I already mentioned, the beach was sand – without a weed or rock in sight – perfect for the kids.  

The sand extended out at least 50 yards, as the kids walked out that far, and it was only knee deep.  

The shallow sand would provide a challenge to get the boat in and out of, but a long dock would easily take care of that problem.   If this property would have been for sale, I would have considered putting in an offer…

Once the girls and I arrived on Thursday night, the kids played outside and inside while we enjoyed the bonfire.  

The kids all slept in tents under the stars the first night.  They loved that they were “on their own!”

Mike and I launched both of our boats on Friday morning at 6AM out of Liberty Beach.  We brought both of our boats so we could cover twice the water while pre-fishing.  Mike headed south to Hawkbill Reef in the SE corner of the lake, while I headed north to Lakeside Reef.  The weather had changed considerably overnight.  The calm, warm sunshine was replaced with cold, clouds and wind.  And while I cursed the weather a bit, I would have gladly taken it over what was in store for us on tournament day.  The national weather service was calling for a windy, cold, fall-like weekend with 1-2” of rain.  

For three hours, I fought the wind while dropshotting the rocky points in about 10-15 FOW.  My little Ranger was taking waves over the bow, and I was not even on the windy side of the lake.  I felt bad for people on the west side.  Oddly enough, the wind was out of the E/SE, which is kind of rare.  The strong winds out of the east prevented me from going to the west side of the lake. That would have been a miserable ride.

Generally speaking, this time of year, drop shotting is the main deal on Mil Lacs.  Sure, you can pick up fish using other tactics, but the finesse tactic of drop shotting certainly seems to lands more fish.  However, the massive cold front that had come through had shut down the smallmouth.  After not even picking up so much as a bite, I needed to try something new. Crawfish are the primary source of food for smallmouth this time of year, and when crawfish begin molting  (shedding their skin), they turn bright red.  

I tied on the Rapala Scatter Rap Deep Crank  in Dark Brown Crawdad color.  

This crank is awesome!  It has scooped bill that creates an erratic motion in the water and runs about 10-12 feet deep.   I went with this color because the underside of the lure is bright red.  My plan was to match the hatch.

While playing with the settings on my Helix 9, I dropped the crank in the water and slowly trolled with it. I could not get the setting rights so all my attention was on the Helix. Then, I got a jolt at the end of my line.  At first, I thought I snagged a reef, but then the tugging started!  I reeled the fish in easily and was surprised it was a 15” walleye.  

I continued trolling around the the point, still refining my graph settings when I felt a familiar punch on my fishing rod.  It was another walleye, and this one a bit larger at 17”.  I continued doing this for another 30 minutes, picking up two more walleyes, one being 18” and the other being 20”.  These would have been great eaters, but Mil Lacs currently has a ban on walleye possession.  While they were not the fish I was looking for, it was still fun to catch something. Just before heading back to the cabin for breakfast, I hooked up with a larger fish, likely a pike or muskie, and it bit my Rapala off.  Dang, that was my only one in that color!

After a delicious homemade breakfast burrito (thanks to Rachel!), we headed into town to Reeds Sporting Goods to see what tackle we could find.  Lucky for us, Aidan found 3 more Scatter Raps in the clearance bin, and they were the right color!  Score. We also got Aidan a deer target poster for his BB gun.  

We then headed back out on the lake for some more fishing.  I was drop shotting a point looking for smallies while Aidan sprayed the lake with his brand new crankbait.  Aidan was freezing, so I bundled him up in some of my foul weather gear. It was a bit big, but at least he was staying warm.  

After a couple of more hours without getting bit, I told Aidan I would troll him around until he got a walleye.  Within 5 minutes of trolling his Scatter Rap, Aidan felt a bite, but it did not appear like the fish was hooked.  We continued trolling.  Once we reached the end of the point, I told Aidan to reel in so we could see if he had zebra mussels or weeds snagged on his bait.  As he was reeling, in, his bait hit the surface, and we could see he was dragging in a walleye.  He said it was his first walleye ever!

While we were out fishing, Dyan took all the kids into town to get them Mil Lacs sweatshirts and lunch at Eddy’s (deep fried duck wings, YUM!).

We headed back home for a late lunch and found the kids playing out in the lake.  

Brrrrrrrr!  No thanks!   We had another tasty meal of warm roast beef sandwiches (thanks again Rachel!) before cranking up a big bonfire. We sat around the bonfire all evening while the kids played in and out of the lake and Aidan took target practice.

The kids also scavenged for crawfish and constructed a makeshift prison for the feisty little pinchers.

Rachel prepared a spicy chicken tacos for dinner and we retired fairly early.  Storms looked like they were blowing in, so we packed up the tents and brought the air mattresses in side.

Right on cue, strong thunderstorm moved over Mil Lacs around 2AM and rumbled throughout the early morning. Mike and I launched his boat around 6 at Nitti Hunter’s resort just a mile north of our cabin.  We were one of the first boats to launch as the rain fell moderately.  

The rules meeting was at 6:30, with about 80 guys hunkered under a small tent in an effort to stay dry.  The tournament director was hopeful all the anglers would remain safe and stressed that the wind gusts would likely approach 40 mph today. 

At 7AM, we launched as boat #14 in 48 degree temps, rain showers and strong winds.  The boat ride into the Isle area was dismal.  At one point, our bow crashed below and through a large wave sending a wall of water over the bow and onto Mike and I.  While we both had rain gear, the rain gear isn’t designed to withstand hundreds of gallons of water dousing it at once. After that single wave, we had standing water in the boat.  Luckily, my Simms gear did a great job of keeping a majority of me dry.

Our first spot was Hawkbill Reef.  We only lasted there for 30 minutes.  With the strong wind and waves crashing over the bow, we could not keep the boat in position and kept drifting off the spot we needed to fish.  Not picking up any bites, we moved south, closer to the shoreline – an area that was a bit more protected from the fierce winds.  

We fished rocky reefs near Spider Island before running over to Upper Twin Island.  We stayed on the north and west sides of upper twin fishing large boulders, but could not buy a bite.  We were three hours into the tournament and hadn’t found any fish.  We both felt that if we were going to find fish, we were going to have to tough it out and battle the heavy wind and waves in the open water.  So, that is what we did.  We headed back out to Hawkbill.  Both of us were throwing drop shots.  There was another boat, probably 200 yards to the west of us also throwing drop shots. We saw them land one fish and put it in the livewell.  Seeing them catch a smallie got me optimistic.  The fish were here.  Then Mike got a bite.  With a ferocious hookset, I quickly grabbed the net.  Mike forced the fish to the side of the boat only to see it was a 15” walleye.  Darn! Ten minutes later, Mike set the hook again.  Another walleye.  Then another walleye.  Ugh!  Where were the smallmouth?  Finally, I felt a light hit on my dropshot and set the hook.  Boom!  It was a big one.  I was casting out of the back of the boat and the fish was in front of the boat about 25 feet down.  Mike quickly changed spots with me and so that I could try and get the fish safely to the boat.  If it was a smallie, it was the giant we were looking for.  As I fought the fish, the line wrapped around the trolling motor prop. Mike slowly raised the trolling motor and fished the line out of prop.  Crisis avoided.  Finally, the fish tired and I began to make progress on getting her off the bottom of the lake.  Mike scooped the net into the water just as we got our first visual.  It was a big walleye, about 23”.  

My heart sank.  With only three hours left to fish, all we could muster was 4 walleyes.  It was that moment I began to realize we were in big trouble.  Neither of us knew what to do.  All of our prime spots that we were confident in were on the opposite side of the lake – which we could not get to because of the rough water.  Mike threw out the idea of maybe trying to find some largemouths around docks and grass up closer to the Hawkbill shoreline.  So we went shallow.  Gave it about 30 minutes of flipping vegetation but came away empty handed. We then took the bumpy ride north to Agate Bay, and fished the rocky reefs.  As we drifted with the wind my drop shot got a hit, albeit, a small one.     I set the hook and reeled it in easily.  It was a smallmouth, but only 12”.  Our first smallie of the day.  We tossed him back and continued our drift without picking up another bite.  

Unfortunately, we did not weigh a fish for the tournament, and were a bit embarrassed by it. However, when the weigh-in was all said and done, 17 of the 38 boats did not weigh a single fish.  I guess I don’t feel so bad after all.  Misery loves company!  The guys who were fishing right next to us at Hawkbill said they only had 6 bites all day, but they were huge bites.  They said they only fished two boulders the entire day – “one was the size of a Chevrolet Trailblazer, and the other was the size of a Silverado.”  All their bites came off those two boulders. They weighed 5 fish for over 23lbs placing them 4th.  

The first place team weighed 5 fish for over 26lbs.  

The big bass for the tournament came in at 6.97lbs.

Mike and I sat at Nitti’s Hunters bar for about an hour after the tournament warming up with a few beers but continued our losing theme for the day as we dropped $40 on losing pulltabs.  We headed back to the cabin to get some dry clothes where we were greeted with an AH-mazing spaghetti dinner put together by Dyan.  Not gonna lie, Mike and I had it pretty easy over the weekend.  We fished, ate and had zero responsibility when it came to the kids for three days straight!  Once again, we built a giant campfire and enjoyed our last night as the rain gently fell.  The following morning, we all got up early and headed home.