Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off.......we go again

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Hello everybody
Well, we are on the road again, this time to the USA with a brief sourjourn into Canada - three months in all.
However, we have been on the road for what is now our 4th day but feel that the holiday proper hasn't started yet.
Being the airline tart that he is Paul has again sought the cheapest options to get us to our start destination, in this case Atlanta. For the leg across the pond this turned out to be using WOW Air, from Gatwick to Boston via Reykjavik . And so, after an overnight B&B stay near Boston airport we are now waiting on the Boston/Atlanta leg.
When you factor in that we had, as usual, to go via Manchester on Sunday to deposit cat and car with Simon, and then on Monday travel by train down to Gatwick you see that it will have taken us 4 days to get to car pick-up at Atlanta. Oh well.
One key difference to our recent travels, in this case the first two weeks, is that our son, Simon, is with us.
Why? Well, not only is it nIce to have him along on a family holiday ?? but also the timing for these first two weeks is designed to catch the Total Eclipse that sweeps across America, from West coast to East, on Monday 21st August. So Simon is with us until then before flying back to Switlzerland/France that week for a close friend's wedding.

Broadly speaking our trip will be Atlanta - New Orleans - Memphis - Nashville for the eclipse where we are booked into a motel that is practically on the centre line - Atlanta to drop off Simon. Then we go into Texas - Dallas and Houston - slowly back though the Deep South, turn into Florida down to Key West, back up Florida, up the East to Washington, to Cleveland / Paul's brother & family, into Canada / Ottawa and Pip's aunt, finishing in October with 3 weeks or so in New England for the Fall Colours.

Highlights we anticipate in addition to the eclipse, include Dallas/JFK assassination, Memphis/Civil Rights Museum, all the food and music in the Deep South, a Grand Old Opry concert, a rocket launch AND landing at Cape Canaveral, the raft of museums in Washington, Roger Waters gig in Ottawa as well as a Major League baseball match, and NFL match (both booked) and, fingers' crossed, an NBA basketball match in Boston if we can get tickets.

At least the travel so far has been straight forward and without any hitches. We saw Baldrick - actor Sir Tony Robinson - on the train to Gatwick!

The WOW trip was very slick, on a smart, clean, new aircraft with colour changing mood lighting, but they charge for everything. Extra carry on, sandwiches - €10 euro! - entertainment i-pads.....

Border crossing into the States was painless, if somewhat humourless. Our airport B&B would have benefitted from a makeover, and was very expensive for what it was, but was the cheapest Paul could find nearby. It did, however, allow us the opportunity for a beach walk with wonderful views towards Logan airport & the Boston skyline beyond. Breakfast this morning included 'Popovers', basically Yorkshire puddings (some cheese-flavoured-isn't everything over here!!) cooked in muffin pans. Delicious, though would have benefitted from the addition of some golden or maple syrup!

Last night's food was typical American BBQ and very good too. Especially the dry rubbed ribs that Simon had, and the bar-made ginger beer for Pip with a good kick.

Our first proper stay, 3 nights from tonight, is a 'cabin in the woods' north of Atlanta. Check out the film title reference if you don't know it ? I can hear the banjos now.

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Comments

[Pete]

Flight
Good to see you arrived okay. Those flights can be long.