Saturday, June 2, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
London
We arrived back in the UK on Tuesday morning to a gloriously sunny day and our driver, Audley, was waiting for us at Terminal 5. It was a quick journey home through light London traffic, helped by the Chiswick Flyover repairs being suspended from now until the end of the Olympics. As a result, the long queues we have had to suffer for the past few months, on our way into London from Heathrow, were nowhere to be seen!
It is always difficult adjusting to a 'normal' life after a drive lasting a month, when virtually every day you are unpacking bags into a hotel room and moving on the next day. That being said, sleeping in your own bed again really helps!
So, what are our highlights of the drive? Here are a few - in date order.
Meeting up with our Texan friends - Kenny and Dee Anne and Fred and Ernie in Scottsdale, on the first night of the drive.
Seeing Yellowstone National Park in all its glory with its incredible geysers and scenery. The snow and then the sunshine certainly added to our sense of awe at such a beautiful place.
The drive out of Yellowstone along Wyoming's fabulous Chief Joseph Scenic Highway.
Also in Wyoming, the Devil's Tower, because it is such an impressive monument.
Next on the list are the amazing mountain sculptures in the Black Hills of South Dakota - the four presidents at Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse near Custer. They definitely did not disappoint us.
Moving on, it has to be the incredible Badlands of South Dakota. None of us could believe the amazing colours of the rock formations.
On into Nebraska to Omaha. Neither of us was expecting much of this mid-west city, but we both 'fell in love' with the place and, once again, we left there saying, 'we will be back'.
Then we come to Oklahoma and the wonderful Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. We need to come back in the late summer, when the grass is six feet high, to get a real feel for how it was when the first settlers came to the mid-west.
On into Arkansas and the great city of Little Rock. We discovered the Capital Hotel, which is now on our list of the top ten best hotels in the world. Then there was the Clinton Library and, opposite our hotel, the magnificent Old State House. Added to these the part Little Rock played in the ending of segregation in the 1960s and we came away wanting to return and see more!
My personal top highlight goes to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. So much of the Centre reminded me of my teenage years, when I avidly watched every manned space launch, from the launches of the Mercury 7 astronauts into earth orbit in the early 1960s to the Apollo astronauts going to the moon on board the mighty Saturn V rockets ten years later. More recently, I have followed every Shuttle launch, including the 1986 Challenger disaster. For me to see so much space history in one place was incredible. The day simply flew by!
So, there it is. Another wonderful drive is over. Now I have to start thinking of when and where next? 2013 is looking rather full with, among other things, our expedition cruise in August, which goes from Iceland via Greenland to Churchill on the shores of Hudson Bay, Canada. So, we may give the 'drives' a miss next year and start them again in 2014. Perhaps my longstanding wish to traverse Russia will be fulfilled. Who knows? The world is our oyster!!
It is always difficult adjusting to a 'normal' life after a drive lasting a month, when virtually every day you are unpacking bags into a hotel room and moving on the next day. That being said, sleeping in your own bed again really helps!
So, what are our highlights of the drive? Here are a few - in date order.
Meeting up with our Texan friends - Kenny and Dee Anne and Fred and Ernie in Scottsdale, on the first night of the drive.
Seeing Yellowstone National Park in all its glory with its incredible geysers and scenery. The snow and then the sunshine certainly added to our sense of awe at such a beautiful place.
The drive out of Yellowstone along Wyoming's fabulous Chief Joseph Scenic Highway.
Also in Wyoming, the Devil's Tower, because it is such an impressive monument.
Next on the list are the amazing mountain sculptures in the Black Hills of South Dakota - the four presidents at Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse near Custer. They definitely did not disappoint us.
Moving on, it has to be the incredible Badlands of South Dakota. None of us could believe the amazing colours of the rock formations.
On into Nebraska to Omaha. Neither of us was expecting much of this mid-west city, but we both 'fell in love' with the place and, once again, we left there saying, 'we will be back'.
Then we come to Oklahoma and the wonderful Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. We need to come back in the late summer, when the grass is six feet high, to get a real feel for how it was when the first settlers came to the mid-west.
On into Arkansas and the great city of Little Rock. We discovered the Capital Hotel, which is now on our list of the top ten best hotels in the world. Then there was the Clinton Library and, opposite our hotel, the magnificent Old State House. Added to these the part Little Rock played in the ending of segregation in the 1960s and we came away wanting to return and see more!
My personal top highlight goes to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. So much of the Centre reminded me of my teenage years, when I avidly watched every manned space launch, from the launches of the Mercury 7 astronauts into earth orbit in the early 1960s to the Apollo astronauts going to the moon on board the mighty Saturn V rockets ten years later. More recently, I have followed every Shuttle launch, including the 1986 Challenger disaster. For me to see so much space history in one place was incredible. The day simply flew by!
So, there it is. Another wonderful drive is over. Now I have to start thinking of when and where next? 2013 is looking rather full with, among other things, our expedition cruise in August, which goes from Iceland via Greenland to Churchill on the shores of Hudson Bay, Canada. So, we may give the 'drives' a miss next year and start them again in 2014. Perhaps my longstanding wish to traverse Russia will be fulfilled. Who knows? The world is our oyster!!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Savannah to Atlanta, Georgia
The final posting of the trip!
All that was left for us to do today was to drive our Hertz rental car from Savannah to Atlanta, a distance of just under 300 miles. We had plenty of time, as our BA flight to London did not leave from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport until 9.20pm.
When we did the same journey last October, at the end of our Newfoundland to Savannah drive, we were both really surprised at what a lovely drive it was. We had beautiful Georgian scenery to look at for mile after mile, in gloriously sunny weather.
Well, this time the weather wasn't quite so kind, with Tropical Storm Beryl still causing havoc along the coast and with heavy rain and winds inland. However, even with the inclement weather, the drive, if anything, was better than last year.
This time we had planned a more northerly route, taking us through some of Georgia's historic towns. We left the hotel at 10am and drove west out of Savannah, on the I-16 Freeway. After about 15 miles, we turned off to the town of Millen on Highway 17, one of Georgia's Scenic Highways that runs for eighty miles through wonderful quiet countryside.
Typical skies on the journey - a mixture of rain clouds and sunny spells.
I had done some research on the towns we would be going through and discovered that Millen had been in the news last year, because it had one of the highest rates of unemployment in the nation. As we drove into the town, we were stopped at a railway crossing while a goods train shunted backwards and forwards. We waited and waited for it to clear the crossing, but in the end we decided to turn round and find an alternative route.
I think this photo was taken at the time of the third shunt across the crossing!
We didn't have far to drive before we crossed the railway line on the edge of Millen. We continued the drive to our next town, Louisville, which was the former state capital, named after Louis XVI of France. In the centre of the town was the Market House, a place where slaves were traded.
The bell hanging under the Market House had been commissioned for a convent in New Orleans. On its way from France, the ship carrying it was raided by pirates. Subsequently, the pirates were caught and the bell brought to Louisville.
We left Louisville for Milledgeville, where we stopped and had lunch at a sushi restaurant, the only place open because it was Memorial Day. We had very good tempura shrimp and vegetables with delicious fried rice. On the way out of the town, we stopped to take photos of the old Governor's Mansion.
The town had some lovely southern-style buildings, many with white columns.
The drive continued on deserted roads through beautiful countryside. We drove for about two hundred miles before we came up behind this timber lorry - the first vehicle we had to overtake!
We now had only fifty miles to go to Atlanta and, because we didn't need to check in for our flight for a couple of hours, we decided to make a short detour to Panola Mountain State Park. We parked near two very pretty lakes where people were fishing. It was a lovely place to while away a few minutes, especially as the sun was shining.
Our Hertz Toyota Corolla parked by the lakes.
I then let the Garmin direct us to the airport by the shortest route. We enjoyed a wonderful drive through the countryside, avoiding all the freeways, until we were actually at the airport!
The new International Terminal at Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport that opened on 16th May 2012
We arrived at the terminal to discover that the Car Rental Return was located on the other side of the airport at the Domestic Terminal! We made the decision that Wendy should stay at the International Terminal and check herself and our bags on to the flight, while I drove the fifteen miles around the airport to Hertz. I then had to wait for the shuttle bus to take me back to the International Terminal. When I finally met up again with Wendy, she greeted me with the news that we had been upgraded by BA to First Class!! What a wonderful bonus!
It has been a marvellous day's driving and, to have sleeper beds for the flight back to London, is a great way for us to end our drive across the United States.
All that was left for us to do today was to drive our Hertz rental car from Savannah to Atlanta, a distance of just under 300 miles. We had plenty of time, as our BA flight to London did not leave from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport until 9.20pm.
When we did the same journey last October, at the end of our Newfoundland to Savannah drive, we were both really surprised at what a lovely drive it was. We had beautiful Georgian scenery to look at for mile after mile, in gloriously sunny weather.
Well, this time the weather wasn't quite so kind, with Tropical Storm Beryl still causing havoc along the coast and with heavy rain and winds inland. However, even with the inclement weather, the drive, if anything, was better than last year.
This time we had planned a more northerly route, taking us through some of Georgia's historic towns. We left the hotel at 10am and drove west out of Savannah, on the I-16 Freeway. After about 15 miles, we turned off to the town of Millen on Highway 17, one of Georgia's Scenic Highways that runs for eighty miles through wonderful quiet countryside.
Typical skies on the journey - a mixture of rain clouds and sunny spells.
I had done some research on the towns we would be going through and discovered that Millen had been in the news last year, because it had one of the highest rates of unemployment in the nation. As we drove into the town, we were stopped at a railway crossing while a goods train shunted backwards and forwards. We waited and waited for it to clear the crossing, but in the end we decided to turn round and find an alternative route.
I think this photo was taken at the time of the third shunt across the crossing!
We didn't have far to drive before we crossed the railway line on the edge of Millen. We continued the drive to our next town, Louisville, which was the former state capital, named after Louis XVI of France. In the centre of the town was the Market House, a place where slaves were traded.
The bell hanging under the Market House had been commissioned for a convent in New Orleans. On its way from France, the ship carrying it was raided by pirates. Subsequently, the pirates were caught and the bell brought to Louisville.
We left Louisville for Milledgeville, where we stopped and had lunch at a sushi restaurant, the only place open because it was Memorial Day. We had very good tempura shrimp and vegetables with delicious fried rice. On the way out of the town, we stopped to take photos of the old Governor's Mansion.
The town had some lovely southern-style buildings, many with white columns.
The drive continued on deserted roads through beautiful countryside. We drove for about two hundred miles before we came up behind this timber lorry - the first vehicle we had to overtake!
We now had only fifty miles to go to Atlanta and, because we didn't need to check in for our flight for a couple of hours, we decided to make a short detour to Panola Mountain State Park. We parked near two very pretty lakes where people were fishing. It was a lovely place to while away a few minutes, especially as the sun was shining.
Our Hertz Toyota Corolla parked by the lakes.
I then let the Garmin direct us to the airport by the shortest route. We enjoyed a wonderful drive through the countryside, avoiding all the freeways, until we were actually at the airport!
The new International Terminal at Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport that opened on 16th May 2012
We arrived at the terminal to discover that the Car Rental Return was located on the other side of the airport at the Domestic Terminal! We made the decision that Wendy should stay at the International Terminal and check herself and our bags on to the flight, while I drove the fifteen miles around the airport to Hertz. I then had to wait for the shuttle bus to take me back to the International Terminal. When I finally met up again with Wendy, she greeted me with the news that we had been upgraded by BA to First Class!! What a wonderful bonus!
It has been a marvellous day's driving and, to have sleeper beds for the flight back to London, is a great way for us to end our drive across the United States.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Savannah, Georgia
Well, I knew our luck with the weather couldn't last until we fly out tomorrow night! The reason was Tropical Storm Beryl, which is just off the Atlantic coast, about 175 miles away from us. High winds and between 3-6 inches of rain were forecast for today.
Still, as we looked out from our hotel at the Talmadge Bridge and the docks beyond, it wasn't raining yet, although there were heavy clouds. We left at around 10am for our short drive across the bridge and into South Carolina, to see the Savannah Wildlife Refuge. The refuge covers nearly 30,000 acres of wetlands and is a haven for wildlife, including a large population of alligators.
Entering South Carolina, our 21st state - not previously included in our itinerary!
Before we went into the refuge, we had to fill our rental car with fuel so that we had sufficient for tomorrow's drive to Atlanta. As we drove from the gas station to the refuge, it started to pour with rain. Thankfully, it didn't last long and, as we started the 4 mile gravel loop road through the refuge, the sun started to shine again.
The refuge is a birdwatcher's paradise. Here are a few of the birds and wildfowl we saw.
The red-winged blackbird.
We are not sure what the name of this bird is. It was drying its wings in the sunshine and looked like a cormorant. It is possibly an anhinga, which we read about in the information leaflet.
The waters were dotted with lovely white water lilies.
Unfortunately, this was the best photo we managed to get of these two ducks as they flew off before Wendy could take any more. Checking later on Google, we discovered they were black-bellied whistling ducks.
The gravel road through the refuge wound its way on a raised bank above the water, so that you had a magnificent view over the wetlands. At some points, we went through wooded areas where we saw these two birds.
First, this magnificent pileated woodpecker.
Second, this duck with bright red webbed feet sitting on a branch high up in the trees.
At times, we went through trees covered with Spanish moss. It was very atmospheric as it hung down from the branches and waved in the wind!
More lovely-looking waterfowl.
About three-quarters of the way round the loop road, we saw other cars parked by the side of the track. We stopped and saw this alligator in a small pond. A man told us that there had been six babies in the pond the previous year. I estimated this alligator to have been about six feet long.
We had a hugely enjoyable couple of hours in the refuge before driving back to Savannah.
Returning to Georgia....
... and back over the Savannah River on the Talmadge Bridge.
We didn't have any more rain and, contrary to the forecast, we have had a lot of sunshine. So, once again, luck seems to have been with us!
In the afternoon, we walked along the riverfront to the statue of the Waving Girl, Florence Martus. She took it upon herself to greet all the ships entering Savannah. She died in 1943, at the age of 74.
We then walked to the Olde Pink House to 'try out' the Planters Tavern. The Tavern is a bar in the cellar of the house. We had great wine and a very good cheese platter. As a result, I don't think we need to have dinner tonight!!
Tonight is our last night in the USA and so we will raise our glasses to make two toasts of thanks. The first, to all those Americans who have made the trip so memorable, and the second to our great travelling companions - Bob and Thelma and Kenny and Dee Anne.
Still, as we looked out from our hotel at the Talmadge Bridge and the docks beyond, it wasn't raining yet, although there were heavy clouds. We left at around 10am for our short drive across the bridge and into South Carolina, to see the Savannah Wildlife Refuge. The refuge covers nearly 30,000 acres of wetlands and is a haven for wildlife, including a large population of alligators.
Entering South Carolina, our 21st state - not previously included in our itinerary!
Before we went into the refuge, we had to fill our rental car with fuel so that we had sufficient for tomorrow's drive to Atlanta. As we drove from the gas station to the refuge, it started to pour with rain. Thankfully, it didn't last long and, as we started the 4 mile gravel loop road through the refuge, the sun started to shine again.
The refuge is a birdwatcher's paradise. Here are a few of the birds and wildfowl we saw.
The red-winged blackbird.
We are not sure what the name of this bird is. It was drying its wings in the sunshine and looked like a cormorant. It is possibly an anhinga, which we read about in the information leaflet.
The waters were dotted with lovely white water lilies.
Unfortunately, this was the best photo we managed to get of these two ducks as they flew off before Wendy could take any more. Checking later on Google, we discovered they were black-bellied whistling ducks.
The gravel road through the refuge wound its way on a raised bank above the water, so that you had a magnificent view over the wetlands. At some points, we went through wooded areas where we saw these two birds.
First, this magnificent pileated woodpecker.
Second, this duck with bright red webbed feet sitting on a branch high up in the trees.
At times, we went through trees covered with Spanish moss. It was very atmospheric as it hung down from the branches and waved in the wind!
More lovely-looking waterfowl.
About three-quarters of the way round the loop road, we saw other cars parked by the side of the track. We stopped and saw this alligator in a small pond. A man told us that there had been six babies in the pond the previous year. I estimated this alligator to have been about six feet long.
We had a hugely enjoyable couple of hours in the refuge before driving back to Savannah.
Returning to Georgia....
... and back over the Savannah River on the Talmadge Bridge.
We didn't have any more rain and, contrary to the forecast, we have had a lot of sunshine. So, once again, luck seems to have been with us!
In the afternoon, we walked along the riverfront to the statue of the Waving Girl, Florence Martus. She took it upon herself to greet all the ships entering Savannah. She died in 1943, at the age of 74.
We then walked to the Olde Pink House to 'try out' the Planters Tavern. The Tavern is a bar in the cellar of the house. We had great wine and a very good cheese platter. As a result, I don't think we need to have dinner tonight!!
Tonight is our last night in the USA and so we will raise our glasses to make two toasts of thanks. The first, to all those Americans who have made the trip so memorable, and the second to our great travelling companions - Bob and Thelma and Kenny and Dee Anne.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Savannah, Georgia
The final task of the drive was completed this morning - delivering the car to JAX Auto Shippers in Savannah.
We packed into the car all the clothes we didn't need to carry back with us on the plane and cleared the car of all the 'valuable' items like the Garmin and other small electronics that are easily stolen.
Once this was completed we drove to the local Hertz rental location, where I had booked a car for us to drive on Monday to Atlanta airport. Wendy noticed that the licence plates of our rental car, a Toyota Corolla, were from Ohio. We don't seem able to get away from the Buckeyes!!
We collected the car, which I drove to the shippers, while Wendy followed me in the Landcruiser. It's always sad to say goodbye to our reliable 'steed', but also exciting to think that we can now start planning where our next drive will be.
The two Landcruisers parked at JAX before they are 'stuffed' into a 40ft container for the transatlantic crossing to the UK.
Once we had dealt with handing over all the paperwork that the shippers need to ship the car out of the US, we drove in the Hertz car back to our hotel.
Shortly after we had returned to our room, we saw this container ship passing down the river. It is an impressive sight to be so close to these giant ships as they pass by.
We decided to have a walk around Old Savannah and our first stop, where we had drinks and a snack, was the Olde Pink House restaurant and bar, suggested by Brett and Amanda when we met them on Captiva Island.
From there, we walked across Reynolds Square. In the centre of the square was a statue to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. He was the leader of the Georgia colony between 1736 and 1737.
Across the square is the Owens-Thomas House, a famous old Savannah home. We could have taken a guided tour but, as that took 40 minutes, we decided against it.
We walked on through the lovely tree-lined squares with their grand old houses. Savannah is a very beautiful city.
We walked the short distance to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
The 2,081 pipe organ made of solid White Oak.
We then turned round to return to our hotel. Near to it is the City Hall, with its golden dome..
When we were nearly at the hotel, Wendy decided to have some 'retail therapy' in the antiques mall next door, while I went back to our room to post this blog.
Tonight we are driving out to Tybee Island, which is known as Savannah's beach, to have dinner and watch the sunset.
Finally, I must thank Wendy for all today's photos, as I had decided not to take my camcorder with me.
Postscript.
We had a lovely evening meal at AJ's Beachfront restaurant in Tybee. We drove the 18 miles from Savannah to Tybee Island and arrived at the restaurant just before 7pm. We were told that there was at least a 90 minute wait for a table. We went and sat in the outside 'waiting area' and had a drink and a spinach dip. As the day became cooler, it was the perfect way to enjoy the evening. After just over an hour, we sat down for our meal as the sun was setting.
We both had wonderful-tasting fish - mahi-mahi and flounder. Adding to the occasion was a live singer, whose songs included Don Maclean's 'American Pie'. With the sun sinking below the horizon, what more could we want?
We packed into the car all the clothes we didn't need to carry back with us on the plane and cleared the car of all the 'valuable' items like the Garmin and other small electronics that are easily stolen.
Once this was completed we drove to the local Hertz rental location, where I had booked a car for us to drive on Monday to Atlanta airport. Wendy noticed that the licence plates of our rental car, a Toyota Corolla, were from Ohio. We don't seem able to get away from the Buckeyes!!
We collected the car, which I drove to the shippers, while Wendy followed me in the Landcruiser. It's always sad to say goodbye to our reliable 'steed', but also exciting to think that we can now start planning where our next drive will be.
The two Landcruisers parked at JAX before they are 'stuffed' into a 40ft container for the transatlantic crossing to the UK.
Once we had dealt with handing over all the paperwork that the shippers need to ship the car out of the US, we drove in the Hertz car back to our hotel.
Shortly after we had returned to our room, we saw this container ship passing down the river. It is an impressive sight to be so close to these giant ships as they pass by.
We decided to have a walk around Old Savannah and our first stop, where we had drinks and a snack, was the Olde Pink House restaurant and bar, suggested by Brett and Amanda when we met them on Captiva Island.
From there, we walked across Reynolds Square. In the centre of the square was a statue to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church. He was the leader of the Georgia colony between 1736 and 1737.
Across the square is the Owens-Thomas House, a famous old Savannah home. We could have taken a guided tour but, as that took 40 minutes, we decided against it.
We walked on through the lovely tree-lined squares with their grand old houses. Savannah is a very beautiful city.
We walked the short distance to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
The 2,081 pipe organ made of solid White Oak.
We then turned round to return to our hotel. Near to it is the City Hall, with its golden dome..
When we were nearly at the hotel, Wendy decided to have some 'retail therapy' in the antiques mall next door, while I went back to our room to post this blog.
Tonight we are driving out to Tybee Island, which is known as Savannah's beach, to have dinner and watch the sunset.
Finally, I must thank Wendy for all today's photos, as I had decided not to take my camcorder with me.
Postscript.
We had a lovely evening meal at AJ's Beachfront restaurant in Tybee. We drove the 18 miles from Savannah to Tybee Island and arrived at the restaurant just before 7pm. We were told that there was at least a 90 minute wait for a table. We went and sat in the outside 'waiting area' and had a drink and a spinach dip. As the day became cooler, it was the perfect way to enjoy the evening. After just over an hour, we sat down for our meal as the sun was setting.
We both had wonderful-tasting fish - mahi-mahi and flounder. Adding to the occasion was a live singer, whose songs included Don Maclean's 'American Pie'. With the sun sinking below the horizon, what more could we want?
Friday, May 25, 2012
Titusville, Florida to Savannah, Georgia
It's over!!
We have reached the finish! After 27 days of travelling, covering 6,470 miles, we have traversed the United States from the Pacific to the Atlantic. What a great trip it has been. I will do a final summing-up after we return to the UK so, for now, I will just describe our final day of driving.
We left Titusville at around 9.30am for the 300 mile drive due north to Savannah. We first drove through the downtown area of Titusville.
Once we left Titusville, we drove north and Wendy noticed that we were about to reach 10,000 kms for the trip. As the Garmin's odometer only goes up to 9,999, she took another photo as 0000 was displayed!
After about fifty miles, I realised I needed to fill up with diesel, so we drove into Daytona Beach, famous for its motor racing history, to find a gas station that sold diesel.. The coastal strip of Daytona Beach is a long island and its beach is lined with high-rise condominiums..
We finally found a gas station that sold diesel and then we drove back across to the mainland, taking one of the beautiful curved bridges.
The previous evening, Bob had called us from St. Augustine and said we had to visit this town. We learned that it is the oldest continuously occupied town in the US and was founded in 1565. We drove through the centre of the historic district and were amazed by the city's wonderful old buildings, which were very Spanish in design.
We then stopped at the old fort, the Castillo de San Marcos. It is a National Park, manned by volunteers dressed in old military uniforms.
We were most impressed with the fort, which has been restored and gives a very good idea of what it was like in its heyday, when it defended the city from attacks by the British.
One of the magnificent Spanish mortars that could fire a cannonball a distance of over a mile.
Views from the ramparts down into the moat and across to the lovely stone bridge across the river in the distance.
A notice explaining that Sir Francis Drake set fire to the city, as well as to a wooden fort in 1586.
We left the fort and drove down to a small bay to have a snack lunch, before driving the remaining 180 miles to Savannah. About halfway to Savannah, we reached the outskirts of Jacksonville. We skirted the city on the I-95 freeway.
A few miles further on, we reached the state border with Georgia, the final state of our drive.
About an hour later we drove into Savannah.
We reached our hotel, The Bohemian, at about 4.30pm. Our drive is over! We checked into the hotel and congratulated ourselves on completing another wonderful drive. It had exceeded our expectations in virtually every respect.
As we started to unpack, we heard a ship's horn sound and we went out on our balcony to see this cargo ship sailing down the Savannah River.
We now have to get the car sorted out, so we can deliver it to the shippers in the morning. This is because Monday, when I had planned to deliver the car, is Memorial Day and the shippers are closed. So, there is not much time to get everything organised.
We have reached the finish! After 27 days of travelling, covering 6,470 miles, we have traversed the United States from the Pacific to the Atlantic. What a great trip it has been. I will do a final summing-up after we return to the UK so, for now, I will just describe our final day of driving.
We left Titusville at around 9.30am for the 300 mile drive due north to Savannah. We first drove through the downtown area of Titusville.
Once we left Titusville, we drove north and Wendy noticed that we were about to reach 10,000 kms for the trip. As the Garmin's odometer only goes up to 9,999, she took another photo as 0000 was displayed!
After about fifty miles, I realised I needed to fill up with diesel, so we drove into Daytona Beach, famous for its motor racing history, to find a gas station that sold diesel.. The coastal strip of Daytona Beach is a long island and its beach is lined with high-rise condominiums..
We finally found a gas station that sold diesel and then we drove back across to the mainland, taking one of the beautiful curved bridges.
The previous evening, Bob had called us from St. Augustine and said we had to visit this town. We learned that it is the oldest continuously occupied town in the US and was founded in 1565. We drove through the centre of the historic district and were amazed by the city's wonderful old buildings, which were very Spanish in design.
We then stopped at the old fort, the Castillo de San Marcos. It is a National Park, manned by volunteers dressed in old military uniforms.
We were most impressed with the fort, which has been restored and gives a very good idea of what it was like in its heyday, when it defended the city from attacks by the British.
One of the magnificent Spanish mortars that could fire a cannonball a distance of over a mile.
Views from the ramparts down into the moat and across to the lovely stone bridge across the river in the distance.
A notice explaining that Sir Francis Drake set fire to the city, as well as to a wooden fort in 1586.
We left the fort and drove down to a small bay to have a snack lunch, before driving the remaining 180 miles to Savannah. About halfway to Savannah, we reached the outskirts of Jacksonville. We skirted the city on the I-95 freeway.
A few miles further on, we reached the state border with Georgia, the final state of our drive.
About an hour later we drove into Savannah.
We reached our hotel, The Bohemian, at about 4.30pm. Our drive is over! We checked into the hotel and congratulated ourselves on completing another wonderful drive. It had exceeded our expectations in virtually every respect.
As we started to unpack, we heard a ship's horn sound and we went out on our balcony to see this cargo ship sailing down the Savannah River.
We now have to get the car sorted out, so we can deliver it to the shippers in the morning. This is because Monday, when I had planned to deliver the car, is Memorial Day and the shippers are closed. So, there is not much time to get everything organised.
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