Tuesday 28 December 2010

'Rolling Turdsville'

A premium site in a Florida RV park.

Epcot - we have arrived!

Monday 27 December 2010

Sunday 26 December 2010

Friday 17 December 2010

The "Rolling Turd" in the morning snow

Our USA Adventure - part one!!

Belinda's e-mail to friends reproduced in full below:

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Hi Everyone,

I have been wanting to write this email for a few days now but lack of time has prevented me from doing so.  I hope that you enjoy reading my ramblings and sorry if I have left anyone out of receiving this email... it's a bit late!!

Day 1
We left Sydney last Thursday at noon and set off for our great adventure.  We were on a 747 and it was full to capacity.  I was sitting next to a lovely little boy whose family were scattered all through the plane and it was going well until we hit turbulence and he felt like vomiting.  Anyway, we made it through the trip and arrived in LA feeling stunned as it was the middle of the night our time.  We got through all the security checks and made our way to the plane to get across to New York.  It was a 5 hour flight and I think we all slept more on that flight than our first one (all except Simon who is very proud of his record of not sleeping for 24 hours).  We arrived in New York (JFK Airport) and got all our winter coats out (thanks to the Irvings) and got the shuttle to the hotel.  After we checked in we endeavored to find some dinner - which was a challenge as the hotel was near the airport and therefore no fast food outlets.  The lovely lady at reception helped us locate a pizza delivery place and we ordered 2 pizzas and some garlic bread.  Well as many of you know (which we didn't know) pizzas are huge and one would have done us.  We laughed and laughed and there was still some the next day for breakfast (not all of us partook) and then even more left the next day for breakfast - at which time we threw it out.  We went to bed at 8.30pm and slept through to 9.30am the next morning.

Day 2
We headed off into New York negotiating the subway (wow was it complicated) and walked around near some shops including Tiffanys (which we just had to walk into and have a look).  We also went into the Apple store and Wes got himself an Apple iPod Touch which he has been using continually ever since to take photos.  Then we headed up to Central Park in the freezing cold and then to the Museum of Natural History - for two reasons - 1. we had heard so much about it and 2. because it was indoors.  We as a family have become great at finding any source of heat and lingering for long periods of time in such places.  Then in the evening we went to Time Square and Macy's and that general idea until we were so cold and exhausted and then back to the hotel.  I must say we really enjoyed Time Square despite all the other people that were there too.

Day 3
Time to move to another hotel so we packed our bags and set off on the subway again (quite something with suitcases in tow!) and checked into the Marriott Hotel near Brooklyn Bridge.  It was an interesting part of town with much activity and many interesting looking people.  At this point it might be good to mention how many police there are around.  They are everywhere.  In the centre of NY they are literally on every block and there are police cars parked all over the place.   There are also security guards on subways, shops etc.  After we checked in we went straight back out again and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge into the city (we have done so much walking the children are convinced that we are not gaining any weight from the food that we have been eating - although some days we haven't eaten that much because the food has been so expensive to feed a family of 5).  We went to look at the 9/11 memorial and World Trade Center region and then walked around to the Staten Island ferry to have a trip past the Statue of Liberty.  Then we walked all the way back to the hotel finding dinner on the way and collapsed in bed.

Day 4
This was the day that we were going to go up the Empire State building - however it was raining.  So we did all our subway trips and walking in the rain and the cold and the rain and the cold... We visited the building and took photos but were advised not to go up because there was no view because of the clouds.  Then we walked to the Rockefeller Centre and saw the icerink and Christmas Tree and had lunch and did a bit of shopping, then we walked to the Grand Central Station which was very dry and warm and an incredible piece of architecture. After that we walked back to Time Square and went to Madame Tussaud's wax museum which was warm and dry (notice a theme here?) and we had a wonderful time in there.  I have always wanted to go to one of these and it was just fantastic.  It was so unnerving to walk into each room full of people and not know which were real and which were wax statues.  We spent ages in there.  Then we decided to try to find Chinatown to have some dinner to have a break from bread type things (i.e. burgers) and that was a huge trek.  We were walking in the rain again through an extremely 'interesting' area with even more police around.  However, we found a restaurant and had a quick meal and then headed back to the hotel.  Another huge day.

Day 5
A slower start today as all we wanted to achieve was getting out of the hotel and finding our way to pick up the motorhome (rv) so off we set again (on foot, on the subway and the rail line with all our luggage).  We got to the rv place and picked up our rv (which we did not call 'rolling turd' as in the movie, but 'piece of junk')  We then decided that we had had enough of NY and decided to head out.  Oh dear the traffic - I think that the holiday was relaxing up to that  point...  Anyway, because Wes is amazing we managed to make our way through the city - remembering that we are driving a 30ft 'truck' and cannot go through any tunnels because of the LPG on board (!!??) After etching more terror lines into my face we were somewhere (who knows where) out of NY city although there were still just as many cars and trucks (have you any idea how many trucks they have here) we decided we needed to stop for the night.  We had no linen etc on board (as we decided that it would be cheaper to buy our own than hire it - and it actually was!) however we could not find the ellusive Walmart anywhere.  We looked, we tried, we searched but they were nowhere to be found.  So Kmart it was - and with a little help from fellow shoppers, we managed to interpret sizes and buy all our linen etc.  Then we went in search of dinner.  We found a Mexican fast food place which was great (and Thomas ate and drank so much he was nearly sick) and we met a man there who kindly drove us to a parking area near a 24 hr pharmacy where we were able to stay overnight.  We found ourselves loitering inside the pharmacy in order to use their toilets before going to bed.  It wasn't a good night's sleep.

Day 6
Our first night in the rv over and it was -6 degrees Celsius when we woke up.  We were cold and so we got up and ate some cold cereal and then headed off again.  True to our usual form we found a McDonalds for a hot drink and loitered there for quite some time (as well as using the toilet facilities).  Then off on the highway again.  I don't like the highways here.  At this point it would be good for me to mention Lola our resident GPS -she has been amazing and has successfully led us wherever we have wanted to go.  (Scott, Wes has assured me that ours works well due to expert programming by himself :-)) I also should mention that the rv was a 'piece of junk' and we decided to phone and complain and request a different one.   It was not clean from the last people, there was a whole sheet of glass missing from the shower, the windows had been taped closed by the last people and they had torn all the tape off so it looked disgraceful and let in a lot of air and rattled terribly when we were on the freeway and the 110 volt power system didn't work.  We prayed and the people agreed to trade it for another one.  We would need to pick one from the other side of Washington and we would do that tomorrow.  We then drove to Washington to the rv park (which are hard to find because so many of them are closed because it is winter) and checked in.  The kids had a ball in the indoor hot tub and I caught up on all the washing.

Day 7
We slept in - we didn't mean to!  We headed off to change over the rv and that took all morning.  This one is so much better and lets in far less air -which Bethany is so thankful for since she is sleeping next to a window.  After we picked up the rv we found a Costco and had a look around although we didn't buy anything since you have to pay $50 to be a member and we don't think we'll get our money's worth.  Then we found our way to Arlington Cemetery - although that was a bit stressful since Wes, Lola and I all had a different opinion about how to get there.  We found it particularly cold walking around the Cemetery at around -4 degrees and it was also windy.  It was very interesting though and we saw much, including the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The view back over Washington DC from Arlington was spectacular!  Thomas and I have shoes that don't have much tread on them so our toes and the soles of our feet were so cold they were burning.  Then we headed back to get dinner at an Applebee's restaurant and stay at the rv park.

Note:  During this trip I have been making a list of jobs that you really don't want to do - here's where I am up to:

1. The man at the petrol station who fills up people's petrol tanks for them (how cold was he?)
2. Be a street vendor selling anything from your little cart (they are standing there in the snow)
3. Be the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier pacing up and down (in all weather, 24 hours a days)
4. Be a valet parking attendant standing getting shelter in shop fronts while waiting for restaurant patrons to come and go (cold again)
5. Be a toll collector in your little hut in the cold

There's a definite theme....

Day 8
We hopped on the bus and subway into Washington today and as we came out of the subway it started to snow.  Amazing!  We instantly headed for Starbucks and had a hot drink - I think that it was purely psychological to need shelter and a hot drink - but it was nice anyway.  Then we headed off (walking of course) through the snow to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.  We were able to spend all day there and it was great.  Wes was like a pig in mud and the rest of us trailed around after him glancing from time to time at the beautiful snow falling outside.  It was just like you see in the movies or on Christmas cards - just beautiful.   After we finished there we headed off to the Smithsonian American Portrait Gallery to have a look until they closed at 7pm because we had bought an off peak ticket to get into town and you cannot use it before 7pm!  When this place was closing we went to find dinner at McDonalds and then headed home (there was a policeman stationed inside the restaurant - just in case) Thomas was feeling sick - probably because he hadn't had much to eat today and also his socks were wet so he was not too good by time we returned to the rv - which was buried under snow and freezing).  He is feeling much better now.

That's it up to this point.  Tomorrow we have another day in Washington and then on Saturday we head south for a few days with Murray and Ash Smith and their girls.  I'll try to put 'fingers to keyboard again' soon.

If you would like to have  a look on Wes' blog he has some photos on there.  The address is http://wesdart.blogspot.com/

Love to you all.

Belinda xx

Tom checking out Louis Armstrong's horn...

Simon in the Incredible Hulk's clutches

Beth meets Miley Cyrus - or does she?

Brooklyn Bridge

The Eagle has landed - so excited to be at the Air & Space Museum

A massive man bag courtesy of the NoPS

Starbucks Chai Latte - It's snowing in Washington DC!!!

Wednesday 15 December 2010

On the way to Washington DC

When we awoke this morning it was -6c and no heating. But at least the sun was shining.

When Belinda said it could be worse the kids asked how? And she said "we could be in a tent in Burra SA in the rain at -2c!"

Sent from my iPod

Saturday 11 December 2010