New Orleans

In a frenzy of blogging, or rather just having Internet access two nights in a row...we thought we would put up a few pictures of our fabulous visit to New Orleans...

We took a trip on the steamboat Natchez - Francesca saw little of the view as she has become an overnight bookworm - she even fell up some steps trying to read Enid Blyton in the street!  Little B found the steam whistle somewhat overpowering, the gumbo too spicy and the street performers hilarious.  We all loved the jazz band accompanying a passing wedding procession, but Libs thought that the guests were all waving white hankies to surrender and save the bride - too many battlefield tours probably.

From Old Smoky to Ol' Man River

A day of downpours gave us the excuse for a hop, skip and jump to the Great Smoky Mountains at the southern end of the Appalachians. Fortunately it was just one day of rain and we were able to enjoy a couple of long (if you’re 4) hikes in the still-colourful wooded mountains. We were particularly proud of the girls climbing to the top of the Chimney Tops – 5 miles and 1,300ft in elevation, with barely a grizzle. It helped enormously that walking sticks can be transformed at will into unicorns or ponies and therefore both girls could “rest their legs” by “riding” on their mounts. Half way up, Francesca had cottoned on that this was a bit of a trick, but it saw Libs back to the camper van at top speed!

Heading West to Nashville, we made a spontaneous detour through Kentucky to the Mammoth Caves National Park. We took a guided tour through about 2 miles of the 367 miles of known caverns that make this the longest system in the world. Francesca has decided that she wants to be a spelunker and find fame by discovering the end.

On Halloween we drove through Nashville to Franklin and spent the afternoon at their Pumpkin Festival, which involved a lot of candy, tattoos, bouncy castles and a giant pumpkin sent down from Ottawa!

Heading West again the following day, in urgent need of new rear tyres, we spent a couple of nights in Memphis doing the traditional tourist things – Beale St, the Civil Rights Museum (situated in the motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated), Graceland, etc, as well as tracking down the elusive 15” light truck tyres.

Turning south, we picked up the Natchez Trace, a 450 mile Parkway following the route of early traders who returned on foot after floating their wares down the Mississippi and selling their barges for lumber. Being free from commercial traffic, a leisurely drive through its swamps, woods and meadows is a real pleasure.

We detoured off the Parkway to visit Vicksburg, another Civil War battlefield which held the key to control of the Mississippi. The usual countless cannons were supplemented by the USS Cairo, an 1862, armoured paddle steamer, which was sunk by a mine and has since been raised from the river.

Yesterday we spent a relaxing day in the Grand Gulf Park on the banks of the flooded river, discovering giant spiders and thankfully avoiding the numerous snakes we had been warned about – Ellen is now, more than ever, glad we aren’t in a tent.

Beaches, Battles and Bears

Its been 9 days since our last blog entry.  In that time, we have travelled down Long Island, through New York and some of the Civil War battlefields, and along the spine of the Appalachians.

We spent a wet day in Groton, CT, visiting the USS Nautilaus, the first nuclear powered submarine. Suddenly our camper van felt terribly spacious.  A ferry over to Long Island saw us celebrating Tony's birthday by the sea.

Having explored the length and breadth of Long Island, from the rural villages of the Northern tip to the affluence of the Hamptons (where we were reduced to sleeping in a car park) - we moved on to the urban contrasts of New York City (where we were reduced to sleeping in a hotel!)

We had great fun in Central Park - check out Liberty's hula action - she looked the part but it was all rather ineffective!  We hadn't mentioned the Statue of Liberty to the girls, but they spotted her the moment we stepped on the Staten Island Ferry. There was much excitement about the multitude of "Liberty" products in New York, but none were worth photographing until....

Onwards, ever onwards, visits to the Civil War battlefields of Gettysburg, Antietam and Harper's Ferry proved educational for all. Harpers Ferry, a preserved 19C village on the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, was also the site of John Brown's pre-war insurrection -  though not his grave.

The last couple of glorious autumn days were spent in the Shenandoah National Park...

New England

After weeks of packing, unpacking, reorganising, disorganising and general chaos we finally left Ottawa on our grand tour, last Saturday. Francesca had planned ahead and organised a sleepover for our first two nights – comfortable beds, home-cooked food and even a hot tub, all courtesy of Anne, Judd and Morgan in Burlington, Vermont. So a huge thank you to them from all of us, but we aren’t sure how much it has eased the transition to living in a large tin can!

The foliage and weather were spectacular but the rain, chill and even a little snow set in whilst we pottered across New Hampshire and Massachusetts to Cape Cod.

We spent a couple of very English days on the beach before heading off for New Bedford, MA, a 19th century whaling town and the inspiration for Moby Dick – one of the girls’ current favourite stories.

Yesterday was spent visiting Newport, Rhode Island and its ostentatious, ‘gilded age’ mansions, very much at the other end of the spectrum to the working fishing wharves of New Bedford.

For those of you who are interested, the girls have even begged for more ‘mummy-school’ on a Saturday! Long may it last...

Getting Ready...

It is the girls' last day of school today and we are starting to pack up the 'famous van'.

2 more nights in proper beds....