Peachland , N. Carolina 21th Feb

Last night said goodbye & thankyou to James & Shirley by taking them out for dinner. Was a mad place with lots of stuffed animals around including armadillos and even a buffalo! Was a really enjoyable evening and a good way to round it off. Next day was the last day in Peachland. Said goodbye to the animals and the 3 of us went into Charlotte for Jenkins' goodbye lunch. We'd managed to keep the destination a supprise, and Jenkins was thrilled with where we took him. We'd managed to get aplace at the Charlotte City Club - exclusive members club only (don't ask how) It was beautiful inside with top notch decor & furnishings & a wonderful view of Charlotte as it was located on the 32nd floor. We had a lovely meal and said goodbye to Jenkins in style. He really enjoyed it (as of course we did - but saying goodbye is always hard) Eventually got the Greyhound bus for New Orleans. Feels like we're starting out the journey anew- feel abit nervous, but very excited and eager....here goes; this is the start!

New Orleans Louisianna 22nd Feb

Can't believe we just had an 18 hour bus journey..and it felt fine. Got hotel on corner of Basin St & Canal St, dumped the bags, showered & hit the streets. Had a walk all around the district..thought it would feel much more dangerous, more of an edge, but felt fine. Saw lots of lovely buildings, with iron work & balconies etc...but already seen Savannah, and that place did it with class! What New Orleans did have though was a rugged lived in sort of charm, not as seedy as I'd imagined, but leaning that way. Saw little boys dancing with taps on the bottom of their trainers, men with wash-boards around their necks - playing them, and lots of bizzare sights, as , I have failed to mention yet that it was Mardi Gras!!! By the time we had got to Bourbon street, it was just before 6pm and already heaving and roudy. Everyone was really up for some fun - big time! We got to the famous (or should I say infamous) 'Cats Meow' bar and decided the antics were too good to pass by so went for dinner on an opposite balcony to people watch. It was hysterical. People lined up on the opposite balcony and jeered and pleaded with women (any women) to flash their boobs. The women would then bargin with them for how many, or how big a set of beads they'd get if they did. Lots of beads were then thrown backwards and forwards by several people before the flash took place- ending in a huge roar from the crowd and the onslaught of flash bulbs! It was great fun to watch, and no, I didn't do as the Romans, despite being challenged! The street was so packed I couldn't belive horse & carridges were and cars were even attempting to go down..but somehow they did. Then went & watched the parade...lots of colourful floats, marching bands, cheerleaders etc. The atmosphere was graet & despite being 9pm a family occation. I felt alot safer there than at the Notting Hill carnival. Yet again, the floats were throwing out beads, and in amongst the crowd yelling for a bead or two I suddenly had fit of laughter.... I'm in the middle of Mardi Gras New Orleans, I've packed in my job, given up my home and I'm yelling at some man dressed in sequins to throw me beads! - Talk about ridiculous! The song says..New orleans, land of dreams....oh no, definately land of partying! A great time was had.

MEXICO

Bus ride to Mexico 23rd -24th

Keep this short..Bus fron New Orleans to Nuevo Larado (across the Mexican border) should have taken 16.5 hours..ended up being 19 hours. Then from Mexico border to Zacatecas should have been 8 hours but ended up being 10, so altogether spend 29 hour actually on a bus. Was ok appart from the last 2, as I began to think we'd never get there. The scenery in Mexico was amazing. It didn't take long to get into dessert. Dessert as in sandy but sparten shurbs cacti and bizarre looking tree-cacti. The landscape looked like some strange pre-historic land that time had forgotten about, and all throughout the 8 hours fantastic huge mountains..on and on. It was quite beautiful and unlike anything I've ever seen before. Arrived in Zacatecas about 7.30 (can't remember...bit spaced out) got a hotel & went to eat..basically just dropped into bed.

Zacatecas Mexico 25th feb

Wow what a lovely city. Gosh, already feel so relaxed and comfortable. Don't feel out of place at all despite being the only non-Mexicans here. Winding streets and old grand colonial buildings give it real character. Coloured flat topped houses and busy bussling streets of all types of people. It's very family based, and Sunday the whole family are out enjoying themselves. Walked up and down the steep streets..haven't noticed the altitude change too much. Took a cable car ride to Cerrode la Bufa - mountain with great view of..well everything really! Lovely suprise courtyard on top with pretty church, square, imposing statues and little markets. Simon and I had a huge taco thing piled with all vegetables & salsa etc. Was a strange taste, but quite nice like a pickled root veg - very unusual. Was hungry so wolfed it down... I'd half finished mine , when Simon started to pull a face - didn't taste right, he thought it was meat, but I didn't coz it wasn't chewy, so he went & asked. He came back....two words...pig fat! Well that's the first time in about 9 -10 years since I've had any animal. Felt very queesy at the thought of it - but I'm still here! Spent the whole day there, so lovely and relaxing.
Today been walking around, the place has so many beautiful lush squares to sit in, kept in pristine condition. Read our books to plan the next couple of legs of the journey. Already more tricky than anticipated coz the country is so sparcely inhabited, bus routes aren't direct, so already had to change the plan so as not to spend the whole time on the road. Will be leaving tomorrow night 11pm to Mexico city & getting a bus straight out to the major ruins Teotch... can't remember the name! Staying there then back to Mexico City to come straight out again to Taxco, stay there, then back again to M C and onto the Yucatan Peninsular. ( you can't get anywhere without going trough MC, but we didn't want to stay there due to all the bad publicity it gets.) Been a great intro to Mexico, feels brill, and already Simon looks like one of the locals with his long mustache (though a bit pasty) and I must say, he's been doing very well with the Spanish - there is no English spoken at all, but we expected that. (I can count to 10!)
Well thats it I'm afraid - places to go, things to see! Won't write now for a while - probably from the Yucatan. Take care all.
So, said goodbye to Zacatecas with it's bustling markets selling fruit & cactus chopped up, traditionally dressed indians selling their handmade jewelry, old men with their huge cowboy-type white hats, the noise & music, the vendors with tacos, nuts, candyfloss or balloons, the squares & gardens, the huge yellow butterflies and the happy fiesta atmosphere of the people.

Unionville N.Carolina 18th Feb

This is my version of events. Hope you can keep awake!

AMERICA:
Washington, DC 16th Jan

Finally arrived in the US after what seemed like an eternity of last minute running around and sorting out.The last 3 weeks in England were just mad.
Washington was busy getting ready for the inauguration of Bush, but even still it was nowhere near as busy as London is. Everyone/thing moves at a much slower pace. Stayed in a hotel just a couple of blocks from the Whitehouse, which made it easy to stroll around and take in the sites.The whole city seems like it was built at the same time, as it's all the same style and colour.Was great waking up the next morning and looking out of the window to the street below...new sites, new sounds and new smells.

Roanoke, Virginia 17thJan

In the afternoon caught the Greyhound bus to Roanoke (how did I stop myself from breaking out into that famous Simon & Garfunkel song "To Look For America"?)Simon wanted me to see the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia (are you picturing Laurel & Hardy?) But unfortunately the day was overcast, and as we hit the mountains a dense fog covered the whole of the view. I couldn't believe they were out there apart from the odd glimps...which really got the imagination going as you could easily picture American Indians riding through there. At Roanoke we stayed in one of those roadside motels like in "Thelma & Louise" or "Pulp Fiction". Cool.
The next day we wanted to go to Radford where Simon went to college, but nolonger buses there which was a shame...so near yet so far! So we looked around Roanoke and amused ourselves with various quirky goings on, which seem a bit cruel now that I go to type them..so I won't.

Charlotte & Peachland,N.Carolina 19th Jan

Caught the 4am Greyhound this morning..it was a long journey to Charlotte, but at last we got to meet up with our long and dear friend Jenkins (with whom we'll be staying with) Much to my elation Jenkins not only has 2 dogs but also 9 puppies...cute little black fluffballs that want to drown you in affection. mmmm, 7th heaven!
What have we been upto while we've been here?
Well mainly relaxing...big time! We have also visited lots of Jenkins' family, who have treated us like long lost relatives. They have all been so warm and welcoming...maybe that's the famous Southern hospitality? We have been to parties,family gatherings,trips,stayed over with various people and have had so many meals out that it would be impossible to count!
We have been on lots of drives to look at the different villages (or Communities as they are called here) There is so much space between properties, and each house is a different style with it's own unique character ( except of course for the open porches that every house has, so that it's owners can sit out in their rocking chair, sip iced tea and watch the world go by)
The colours out here are amazing; long bold shadows cut across gentle but saturated deep siennas,rich russets,burnt ochres and soil as red as at Tara. Come sunset, the sky is ablaze and echoes the colours of the earth.
People...like they have just walked off a film set...actually that's not true,they are too obvious and too much like typical characatures to be given credability.- but very sweet.
Also been doing the odd sketch. Don't get me wrong, I'm no Van Gogh, but at least I'm catching things I wouldn't get from photos.
Animals...(apart from puppies!) They have a beautiful bird here that's called a Cardinal, which is bright orangy-pinky-red. Not seen much wildlife, but pleanty of roadkill; dogs, cats, squirrells, foxes, possoms and racoons. Also seen Buffalo... someone keeps them a couple of roads from Jenkins' house.

Myrtle Beach, S.Carolina 31st Jan

Decided to go to the beach. James (Jenkins' brother) was kind enough to lend us his pick up truck. The drive was lovely as the roads were big with hardly any other vehicles on them. The beach was practically deserted which I found strange until I remembered that it's actually winter. Spent the day walking around the town and strolling up and down the beach. Ahhh, fresh sea air! Later we went to dinner at a huge and wonderfully decorated seafood restaurant. We went for the "eat as much as you can" option as there were 170 things to try...and we nearly died trying them all! Then we rolled our way to the Carolina Opry.It's like a variety show with lots of Country singing,Bluegrass music and dancing etc.It's the big thing down here.
Next day we went to a beach further up, and then I wanted to go to Cape Fear. It was a really sweet little place, not at all scarey as there wasn't a single psycotic murderer in sight!

Unionville, N.Carolina 2nd Feb

That night we stayed at James and Shirelys and the next day their son Rick picked us up. We spent the day with them, went out for lunch, had a few beers, and spent the night at theirs drinking and chatting. It was good fun...and not too much of a hangover the next day!

Maggie Valley, Smokey Mountains 3rd Feb

Spent some time in the mountains. James and Shirley have an extra house up there which they let us stay in - and they also lent us the truck again for the week. The house is huge- 4 bedrooms,2 livingrooms and 2 bathrooms all to ourselves, and a balcony porch running round the house with a view of the mountains. It was a great time there..the mountains are magnificent. It's very high up and as far as the eye can see...mountains. It's like there are no towns, villages, houses or even roads...you can't see them, it looks totally uninhabited and natural. The weather has been glorious - I've been in T-shirt or vest! However, on the sides of the mountains that are in the shade, there are bits of snow and long icicles. Each day we drove miles and miles and saw quaint houses and farms,streams and rivers, waterfalls, vast lakes and National parks.
We went to a cute little village that had a railtrack running through the middle of the street, the trains were old steam trains in pristine condition. We also went to Cherokee to the Indian reserve.
Had such a lovely time up here, we've both really enjoyed it.

Peachland, N.Carolina 9th Feb

Back in Peachland again and planning more trips...
....watch this space!
Take care all till then.


Savannah, Georgia 14th Feb

Late last night I went into the bedroom to find a note on the bed saying "pack an overnight bag, we're getting up at 5.30am, and you'll find out why..." So, I did just that!
Slept most of the drive down..and at last arrived at my Valntine supprise destination....Savannah.
Oh what a beautiful place this is.I don't think I will ever beable to say the word Savannah again without it being accompanied with a sigh. It's houses are elegant,grand,sweet and picturesque all at once, with pastel or Mediterenean coloured walls,intrecate and impressive wrought iron balconies and wooden window shutters to keep out the burning Georgia sun. The streets are quite small and covered in trees, which are in turn covered with a draping moss that looks like pale green wisteria. You couldn't get an image of more faded romantic beauty if you tried. There are 21 squares in the district, each with it's own statue remembering some important general or historic figure, flowering magnolia bushes, the most bright and vivid green grass I have ever seen, and of course; trees and trailing moss which create an ideal canopy from the heat of the sun. Although it is only February, the temperature was 76+ and so humid that it was like breathing in steam - scented with pine and moss. - As you can tell, I rather liked the place! Spent hours strolling around, trying to take in as much as possible and letting the pace of the south seep in. In the evening we went down to the harbour and had a meal outside on a balcony overlooking the huge cargo ships,old fashioned sail ships and steam paddle boats cruise up and down the river. It was such a lovely day.
Next day just did more of the same...walking, looking, enjoying. Sitting in the squares and watching the old trolley buses and horse and carridges ride up and down, I felt so relaxed and happy in this intimate and atmospheric city.It has been a wonderful place to while away a couple of days - and I could see how that could easily become a couple of years. Ahhhh, lovely faded old southern belle - Savannah!

Ashville, N,Carolina 17th Feb

First of all I must appologise for going a bit over the top with my description of Savannah ... hope it wasn't too sickly to stomach! Today we went to Biltmore House in Ashville in the mountains. Jenkins took us. It's like the Blenheim of America. Has huge grounds and wonderful views of the mountains (looking from a balcony we saw 3 deers running across the lawn) Inside the rooms are stunning with ornate original furniture. Also got to see the kitchens and servants' quarters etc. We had a meal at the restaurant which was once the stables and ate our food in one of the horses stalls (sounds a bit crank I know, but it was really nice) Lovely day and great to spend some tim with Jenkins.

NOTE : Simon and I will be moving on to New Orleans and Mexico etc around this Wed (21st) From then on I should imagine we will have less opportunity to get to a computer, so the site will be updated less regular. Please keep looking though...and don't forget to email us any of your news and gossip.
Take care all.








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