Everything came to a standstill inside the trailer this morning while I was putting everything away. I had to go out the back door to get Mike as a giant spider was blocking the front door – he was massive, as big as our frogs at least, no lie. Mike told me to get him some kitchen roll so he could squash him, but when he saw him he demanded a shoe. He made several attempts on his life, missing each time, before the spider made a run for it; that was his downfall as out in the open he was no match for Mike and his croc and he was quickly dispatched, and I could breath again. Mike’s going to have to check the bed thoroughly before I go anywhere near it tonight! After the drama the rest of the packing up passed without incident and again we were on the road before 8; it seems like this site in Unadilla is a stop over site as there were a lot of other folks leaving early this morning too.
The drive today was just over 5 hours and we are now in a state that we haven’t visited before; most of the drive was through the north west of Georgia before we crossed the state border into Alabama. I don’t really know what I was expecting Alabama to be like but it wasn’t this, it’s very hilly and green. The little part of the state that we saw today was very beautiful, it’s much cleaner than I thought it would be and all the properties that we passed were well taken care of; no junked out trucks in the driveways.
We got to the camp site around half past two but turns out we’d picked up an hour and are now in the central time zone, so we arrived just in time for lunch. The site is lovely, about 200 spaces that are right on Lake Guntersville, and all the amenities are clean and in good shape. We got a nice shady spot close to the café so we can be first in line tomorrow morning for pancakes and grits. We are only spending two nights here so again we haven’t unhitched the trailer, but we have put up the awning and screen as the weather here is just perfect, a little above 80 with a nice breeze and not a bug in sight.
We took a walk along the lakefront this afternoon and enjoyed the cooler weather. It seems that most people here are from Alabama, at least they all have that southern drawl. Most of them have Crimson Tide flags on their trailers and golf carts and they all seem really friendly. I think I like Alabama.

Mike: Man kill big spider with club, UGH! UGH! Alabama, at least this part is great!

I haven’t been outside the front (or back) door today, I’ve spent most of it sitting on the sofa reading and weeping – sad I know. Last time we were here me and Tal-y spent a lot of time running around the camp ground and checking out the horses, and this time she’s not here, I miss her! She’s probably glad not to be here though as it’s too hot to be running anywhere at the moment.
While we were driving yesterday one of our drawers broke so Mike had to fix that today. Only trouble is that his batteries for his tool kit don’t seem to want to charge so he had to cut and drill everything manually rather than with the electric tools. He did finally get it fixed but it was a little more difficult than it needed to be and now of course he has to go buy a new tool kit.
We have internet here so Mike got online to make sure his PO Box was paid and surprise surprise, it hasn’t been. He spent a good while on the phone this afternoon being given one phone number after another of the person that he was assured could help him. He finally phoned the post office in Del Mar, and while the lady there couldn’t take his payment she could at least stop the box being sealed. What a cluster!
Now tonight we are having an early night as we are on the road again early tomorrow, although to be honest we’ve had early nights since we’ve been back as we both keeping falling asleep while watching movies and tv. I guess it’s only been a week, maybe we’ll get on the right time zone soon.

Mike: Man needs tools! Ugh!

Up early this morning and out of the park well before 8 o’clock. We had an almost five hour drive ahead of us plus we had a couple of stops to make along the way. The first stop was finding a post office so Mike could pay the PO Box fee. Normally he pays it online but the credit card expired and then we had trouble getting our new ones in the mail so to cut a long story short we had to find a post office with a kiosk to pay it. We stopped in Ocala, and when Mike went to take care of it the kiosk stated that it was already paid – I’ll come back to the efficiency of the post office. The next stop was Batteries Plus to exchange our computer battery. We bought a new one right before we left to Ecuador and it hasn’t ever worked properly so Mike took it back this morning. It was no bother, they gave us a brand new with a new 12 month warranty; why can’t everyone’s customer service be so good?
After leaving Ocala we spent the next 4 hours on Interstate 75; not the prettiest ride we’ve ever taken but the trip was long enough already so we stuck to the interstate. We got to Unadilla around mid afternoon; we’ve been here before too although last time we were here it was a little bit chillier than it is at the moment. This site was fairly busy but we had no trouble getting a decent space. Since we are only spending two nights here and there is absolutely nowhere around here that we want to go we decided not to unhitch the trailer, so it didn’t take us five minutes to get set up. This made Mike super happy, as besides bringing the frogs along with us again we also seem to have brought all the bugs from Florida; they don’t seem to want any part of my lily white skin, but he has big lumps all over him, poor thing.

Mike: I hate these nasty bugs!

We haven’t done too much the past three days really, a little shopping and a lot of eating but nothing to exciting; we saw a lot of this area when we were here last year so there isn’t too much of anything we want to do now. Mike did do some DIY; all the little things that needed fixing around the trailer like the arm of the sofa and the side of the seat are once again in working order. He also fixed the holes in the bathtub thankfully, as it’s a little difficult taking a shower when the tub has splits in it. He did check under it and he says it’s all dry under there, and then he sanded before sticking the holes with some super goopy stuff. So far so good, there hasn’t been any water on the floor tonight.
We haven’t seen any armadillos here this visit, but we have seen some tortoise out having a leisurely lunch, and the sand cranes are still here (not sure if they are the same pair). Our frogs are also still hanging around the trailer; Mike noticed the little guy when he went to lock the door.




We have a longish drive tomorrow into Georgia and so we spent some time this afternoon hooking the trailer up and packing up as much as we could. And now this is our last night in Florida for a good while. I can’t say I’m all that sad to be leaving really. We had thought originally that we might end up living somewhere in the state but after spending a bunch of time in different areas of it we both came to the conclusion that this is one state that is definitely not for us. It’s too damn hot in the summer, Mike gets eaten alive almost every time he steps outside, and the areas outside the major cities which we thought might be places we would like most certainly aren’t. So it’s off to the next places to see if we like those any better.

Mike: A homeowners work is never done!

Since we only had to make about a 20-mile drive to the next site today we were in no rush to get packed up this morning. As we were packing up it was like we’d not stopped for 7 months, it was easy to remember everything little thing that we had to do, and I discovered that I am still an expert toilet cleaner! As we were leaving we stopped off at the office and met Cassidy the labradoodle who was super cute (not anywhere near as gorgeous as Tal-y though), and spent a while talking to her, then we headed south on the 27 one more time.
Before we left Florida in January we were taking care of all our stuff and I fixed my cell phone password so I could check it from a different phone. Turned out I either didn’t fix it or I forgot the password so we had to stop at an AT&T store for them to change my password; I also needed to add international texting and calling back onto my phone. As we were a still a little early to check in Mike decided to stop on the way to the camp ground and we spent the next 2+ hours with the guys from AT&T. It was well worth it though, as I got back the texting package that they originally said I couldn’t have, got the international calling back, and got a brand spanking new phone with internet – at last I’ve moved into the 21st century. It’s excellent, now I just have to figure out how to use it.
When we finally got to check in there was nobody else in line, which was a whole different experience than previous ones we’d had at this place. Last time we were here the place was full to bursting, and although there are some folks here now there are more open spaces than full ones; I guess the heat and the bugs keep people away till later next month. We parked the trailer on the same site that we had last time. Everything looks the same, maybe a little sandier and there are some lovely purple berries on the trees, but otherwise it’s like we were here just yesterday. We got unhitched and discovered that we had two little hitchhikers with us – the little green frogs – I hope they make it to the water.
After having a late lunch we spent the rest of the day relaxing in the air conditioning cos it’s still too bloody hot.

Mike: You got a new phone, now learn to use it! I can't wait to leave this weather!

Up and at em this morning. We had another early morning, as I don’t think our bodies have adjusted yet; that’s not all bad since I had lots of cleaning and sorting to do today. After coffee and breakfast Mike took off to get Serena some new tyres; he’s been promising them for months and as she was so good starting first time he finally went to get them, and while he was gone I got to clean. The trailer wasn’t in too bad a shape but it was really dusty after having been shut up for 7 months so I got to work cleaning blinds and floors and trying to reorganise clothes. When we left all the winter stuff that was in the suitcases was put in drawers and that now needed to go back in the suitcases. So after emptying the clothes we took with us I emptied the drawers and started repacking everything. While I was cleaning I was quite surprised not to have seen any bugs, no spiders or ants or anything, but as I started moving boxes I discovered that we had had visitors of the four legged kind. There were little mouse poops all over the place and when I emptied the kitchen drawers I discovered that they had had a little chew on all the tea towels and dishcloths. Then I moved a storage box and found more poop, some blood, and what looked like bits of several of my jumpers. I cleaned it all up, found two wooly jumpers with big holes in them (I guess that had used the bits to make a nest), but thankfully no dead little mouse bodies.
Mike got back around lunch time, without lunch, so we had quesadillas; Serenas tyres had been fitted for a grand total of somewhere in the region of $700.00, but Mike was happy as he got a great deal and a nice little mail in rebate. After finishing all the cleaning that absolutely needed to be done I was hot and knackered so anything more can just wait until tomorrow or even the next day. We did put some of the outside stuff away ready to leave in the morning and we discovered lots of little green frogs hanging around the trailer. There weren’t any of those last time we stayed here but then the lake is a lot fuller this time and it’s definitely warmer at 95 degrees.

Mike: Finally, tomorrow we get to continue to "see the usa in a chevrolet!"

Both of us we awake early this morning, raring to get I suspect. We had breakfast at the motel, bagels and muffins – we are definitely back in the US of A. Then off we went to see how Serena and the trailer had fared these past seven or so months. Bees office wasn’t open when we got there so we headed straight to the trailer, and everything looked fine. The cover Mike had taped over the air conditioning unit was on the floor and two of the trailer tyres needed air but otherwise it all looked in good shape. We set about getting ready to move, removing plastic and wheel covers, and Mike put the batteries back in both vehicles. We both held our breath (well I did) when Mike started up Serena but she was a total star and started on the first turn of the key – how could I have doubted her. After removing the chocks and the dead leaves, and going to check in at the office, it was decided that Mike would drive Serena with the trailer and her under inflated tyres to our site and I would drive the rental car. Off he went and I stayed at the storage space and started carrying the wood that the truck and trailer had been parked on to the dumpster. At the start of my third trip I dropped a piece of the wood and it split open to reveal gazillions of little white wriggling things. I guess termites had gotten to the wood, and there were so many that they could have picked the chunk up and walked it to the trash themselves. Needless to say I left that piece and the rest where they were and went to find Mike.
By the time I got to the site he had the trailer all positioned and partly unhitched, then began the job of getting everything set up and checking to make sure everything was working as it should. Man it was hot, and I was inside mostly witth the air conditioning on, poor Mike was outside in the heat and humidity contending with the bugs. But by early afternoon we had done as much as we intended to today, Serena was running good, the trailer was sleepable, and some guy that lives here at Bee’s was coming to clean off the truck and trailer for us. So we headed off to return the rental car, not to the airport but it did take us about an hour to get it returned. I followed Mike in the truck, the first time I’ve driven on the right hand side of the road since last Thanksgiving I think, but it really is like riding a bike.



We stopped by Walmart to get some stuff on the way back; I can’t believe how much food prices have gone up since we’ve been gone, it’s crazy. We bought just a few things to keep us going through tomorrow then it was off back tot he trailer so Ray could clean the truck. He was waiting for us when we got back having already washed the trailer; it was an okay job but it wouldn’t win any prizes. I got showered while he cleaned the truck so that I would be ready to go for dinner when it was done. We had Mexican which was lovely (I have definitely missed Mexican food) while it poured with rain outside, and then we headed back to the trailer for an earlyish night; we are both still getting used to being back on this time zone, and we have lots to do tomorrow.

Mike: I couldn't believe it, after seven months sitting in storage, not one problem with Serena or trailer!

Well after 4 months in South Wales the day for us to leave finally arrived. Our flight was from Gatwick at 1pm so we left early this morning and it was horrible having to say goodbye to mam, dad and Rosie, and especially my gorgeous girl. There were lots of tears and hugs before we bundled into the car and set off; I’m not sure when we are going to be back. The ride to Gatwick was uneventful, at least it was for me as I slept almost the whole way; there were more tears when we said goodbye to dad at the airport. After a little luggage rejigging (for the first time ever they weighed our hand luggage) we got our bags checked in and got through security. Then there was the long wait until we were called for boarding. The flight wasn’t too bad, longer than I thought but ok’ for some reason I though the flight was only 6 hours, turns out it was actually 9. I slept some of the way and then watched movies with Mike for some of the time; and of course we ate. We had ‘lovely’ asian vegetarian meals which included salad with no dressing (you only get dressing on the flights from the US, not to the US!) and fruit – why is it that if you order a vegetarian meal it is automatically assumed that you want fruit for desert – I WANT CHOCOLATE PUDDING!
When we got off the plane in Orlando and got to customs we just breezed through with about a dozen other ‘americans’; turns out almost all the folks on the plane were British, probably heading to Disney World. We got our bags and picked up the rental car and headed out of town; I don’t remember it being this hot and humid when we left here last February. The drive to the motel took us about an hour and a half, with a little detour to pick up pizza. By the time we got to the motel it was already dark but we noticed Bees RV Resort about 100 yards back south so we should get a nice early start on the trailer tomorrow morning.

Mike: I caught up on some of the movies I hadn't seen and Becc won't watch!