Here we go...................

I am embarking on blogging again - this time to maintain a record of our time travelling across the USA in our 'new' (used!!!) Motor home. I was going to affectionately name it Tara in honor of the Motor home we used in Australia in 2007 - but decided since I haven't seen it yet and only Jim and Maur have had any experience with it - I would wait to name it till I get to Michigan and get the feel for it.

As for this trip - we have already had quite a few adventures even though we have only been 'officially' on the road since Tuesday afternoon...Scotland has been blanketed with some severe weather over the past few weeks - Edinburgh airport was closed last week as well as Monday of this week - the train service between Dundee and Edinburgh had been cancelled and generally it looked like someone or something was desperately trying to put enough road blocks in our way to prevent us from leaving. But - we had a Sir Galahad in our corner under the guise of our neighbour Brian who volunteered to challenge the road closures and took us down to Edinburgh where we had booked into a hotel for the evening before the flight. Good thing too as we would never have made it the next morning for a 9am flight with all of the luggage that we had decided to take.

One strange but true point I want to make about luggage...no matter what the weight of the bag in your home - by the time it arrives at the airport and is about to be checked in - it is always 1 to 2 kg over weight - even though you had plenty of spare weight when you last checked. I think the problem is that when you weight it and see that you are under by 4 to 5 kg - you remember just 1 or 2 things that you really wanted to take and WHAM - it is over before your know it...

We had dinner with Karen's Auntie Liz in Edinburgh on Tuesday night and that is when some things started to go just oh so slightly wrong. Karen ordered pate that while not smooth - wasn't that rough either and somehow managed to split a tooth. She immediately recognised that it was going to be a problem - but had no idea how big of one - (more on that later). In the morning we somehow got all of the bags to the airport and onto the flight with what turned out to be minimal hassle...The flight was uneventful - actually quite pleasant as we had an extra seat in our row that allowed us to spread out a bit. Got into Newark - and fairly quickly got to our connecting flight to Savannah. The tooth bothered Karen somewhat - but she was fairly stoic about it and I can only appreciate what that must have been like. By the time we got to Savannah - what would have been so easy 5 years ago seemed like a trip to the moon today. Couldn't believe how tired it made us - me in particular. But we got here and by Thursday morning - all the memories of the trip were only good and the view from the deck still as amazing as ever. Saw dolphins right away - plenty of pelicans fishing and it just brought a calmness over me like it always does. In fact - I took a picture of the view and have loaded it for all to share...

We caught up with some friends - Felice and Lucy dropped by - and Karen decided to try and deal with the tooth issue before it got worse. Somehow (God only knows how) Karen managed to find a dentist who said if she could get into the office in the next 15 minutes (it was 2:30pm by then) - he could take a look. She did and he dropped the bombshell that she was going to need a crown with post - along with a root canal - and proceeded to handle it there and then - all the time with me waiting in the car. 2 1/2 hours later - out she comes - definitely worse for wear and a lot poorer - with a prescription for pain medication and an appointment in 6 months to finish the work once she is back in Hilton Head. How's that for a start to a 6 month adventure...

So - we are back to square 1 - ready to begin. I have already had to change my plans and am now going to Michigan earlier than planned. I will be leaving here tomorrow for Michigan and Karen will remain in Hilton Head till the 21st of Dec. when she will join me. That way - we will get things done here that we were planning and I will get a chance to see Mom and Dad a bit earlier. So - keep tuned to this space and we will try and keep all updated as to what is happening...