We had a very good flight back from Orlando to Manchester - only just over 7 hours - and were only a half hour late arriving 8am. The delay was due to a couple who didn't board the plane in time and their luggage was taken off.
We were amazed to see the amount of snow and ice lying on the ground - they had had over two feet of snow which is very unusual - especially in November in the UK. Fortunately, the main roads were clear and we had a good run over the highest motorway in England, getting home around lunch time. Our street was lethal - like a skating rink with very deep snow and ice, so Terry was very careful in negotiating the front so we could unload our luggage and then taking the car round the back alley to put it in the garage. It has been very cold too, but the temperature has eased up the last couple of days and most of the snow has melted. There are still patches of ice on the side roads and the pavements and walking out is treacherous . We have seen a lot of damage to roofs and gutters as the weight of the ice was quite considerable. We seem to be OK. The cold weather is due back later this week, so we may yet get a White Christmas.
We have been busy doing last minute shopping and posting cards and all the usual hoy palloy in the run up to Christmas. We are off to Derby for Christmas and then Terry and I are flying to Guernsey for New Year. Cannot wait to see all the grandchildren.
Terry has already booked our flights for the next visit to the USA - flying into Orlando on the 8th March ( we WILL be at Jim and Connie's Party - whoo hoo) and then onto Dallas on the 14th March to pick up the trailer. We will return directly from Los Angeles on the 24th May as this time as we really are heading west.
Looking back over this last trip, we have had another amazing time. We have travelled a total of 3,700 miles in the truck, 1815 miles with the trailer in tow and flown approximately 11,00 miles. We have met up and spent quality time with some of our friends and met and made some new friends. Our address book is getting quite full. We have sampled and enjoyed Cajun food, - gumbo, jambalaya, etoufee, boudin - Mexican food and Texan steaks. We have eaten lots of shrimp and Terry learnt how to prepare and cook shrimp from our expert friends. We have learnt about Cajun, Arcadian, Mexican and Texan cultures and music. We visited two State Capitol buildings and learnt about politics in Louisiana and Texas. We have seen the country changing from the wetlands and sand of Florida through the swamps and prairie lands of Louisiana, the beautiful coastal area of southern Texas to the drier hill area further north in Texas. All beautiful in their own way. We have seen fossilised dinosaur tracks, Spanish Missions, the Alamo, beautiful plantation houses, lovely rivers, sweeping plains and rolling hills, lively cities like New Orleans, Austin, Baton Rouge, San Antonio and Dallas and enjoyed some wild country in the depths of Louisiana and Texas. We have seen coyotes, snakes, raccoons, deer, opossum, armadillos, and myriads of birds from pelicans to cardinals, from hawks to eagles.
Our love of America and American people just grows with each venture into the New World.
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