Tuesday 22 June 2010

Back on the road, again

We’re back on our travels again. Bad weather south of Newark, meant we just missed our connecting flight in Houston. Rats!

As it was one of the last flights out of Houston that night the airport was closing up around us, service staff rebooked us flights the following day, no free hotel, but we did get a discount voucher. We booked ourselves into the Best Western in Humble.

Houston was hot and humid. Walking out to the airport shuttle area was like walking into a hot, wet blanket. We had an extended stay at the Best Western in Humble earlier this year while we were sorting out BT and the Cougar and the staff remembered us and welcomed us back, which was really nice.

Would you believe our flight the next day was also delayed? We had a plane but no crew. Having a plane is good, but we’ve always found that having a crew makes the journey so much better!!!

We finally arrived in Tucson just in time to collect BT from storage, and to call at Beaudrys and discover that due to a huge lay off our service advisor was no longer there! The Cougar was there but no-one knew just where the work was up to.

But, even if the Cougar had been ready it was way too late to get set up and go shopping, so we checked into the Clarion Hotel at Tucson Airport. We’ve stayed there before, it’s a nice hotel and has a lovely pool area but we were so tired that after a couple of beers, or in my case margaritas and dinner, we headed for our comfy bed and slept like logs.

All was well the next morning as with the exception of one outstanding warranty item, which will be sorted out before we fly home, the Cougar was ready to go.

The plan, yes we did actually have a plan, was to stay in Tucson for a week, to sort out a few things, but Tucson is hot, 106F! So we decided to return to Tombstone Territories RV Park and Resort, where the mercury hovers around a mere 100F, trust me 6 degrees does make a difference!

So at the moment we have lovely mornings, very hot days and lovely evenings, the sun sets slowly over the Huachuca Mountains and turns the Dragoon Mountains beautiful colours from orange, to purple to pink.


The next plan is to head for the mountains, but watch this space!

Have fun, we are!

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Devon Days

I am way behind with updating my blog, time has just flown by and lots of things I intended to do are going to have to go on hold. Ooops!

One of the reasons for running out of time is that we took a trip to North Devon. The weather was the usual mix for an English holiday from hot water bottles, wellies, waterproofs and sweatshirts required, to shorts, t-shirts and sun tan lotion required. Thankfully more of the latter than the former!

We walked coastal paths; lazed on almost deserted beaches; visited ancient churches; luxuriated in the glorious fragrance of bluebell woods and ate truly scrumptious clotted cream ice-cream, smothered with more clotted cream and finished off with a chocolate flake, something else that’s definitely not in the weight watchers book.

North Devon Coast Path

Bluebell wood

An ancient cross in Hartland Church yard

Inside Hartland church is an almost hidden room called the Popes Chamber and Museum an old door in the wall leads up a small steep narrow staircase.

At the top of the stairs the Popes Chamber is a small ancient room with wooden floor boards and a latticed window, with an old stone fireplace that almost fills one wall.

On another wall hang the remains of a Jacobean pulpit purchased by the church in 1609 for £1. 13s. 4d. It is a very quiet room and just a little erie.


We walked and drove down narrow single track roads with lush green verges covered in wild flowers, some with grass growing up the middle of the road. Some marked ‘unsuitable for motor vehicles’ taking you down old roads now little more than tracks through small coombes and ancient woodlands. Others winding tarmac roads you venture down very carefully hoping you don’t meet another vehicle on the way, passing through hamlets so small they’re gone before you notice.


Have fun, we are!