New York here we come!!

Spent last night in Kent - more beautiful autumn trees. The leaves are now beginning to fall and are covering the ground. Got up and drove 183.4 miles (295 kms) towards New York and we are currently camped at a KOA in Newburgh (wonder if that is where Lobster Newburgh comes from hmmm) where we'll stay for 3 days. We'll get the train in each morning - will take approximately 90 minutes but we will get up early  - can always sleep on the train :) They also have the internet on the train so I can catch up with a few things. As we came into this park I thought I saw a rat or a mouse run across the road and another near our van but it turns out they were chipmunks....very cute. Also lots of squirrels around. They are much smaller than I thought. The camp is full of trees and they are all shedding their leaves and the ground is a carpet of colour. Luvverly!!

Bugs #920  O.L.D. $3.00

Entrance to the KOA park

♫♫♫In The Navy..da..da..dada da.♫♫♫

Had a bit of a sleep in  this morning and then went to the Submarine Museum in New London. Real bargain as it's free. It was very interesting, showing the history of subs and all that go with them. We also got to go on the Nautilus which was the first nuclear submarine. I always said I couldn't get into a sub because they were so cramped and I get claustrophobia but I did good and quite enjoyed it. There is no way I could sleep in one under the sea. They have a room the size of a small bathroom and 8 men sleep in there on shelves which have  about a 12" (30 cms)  gap between them.

USS Nautilus

8 Beds - shelves?

We left New London and then drove on to Yale University in New Haven. Much nicer environment than Harvard and a lot less stressful to drive around. Got a park right off and after a quick look around we had a brilliant lunch at a Thai restaurant - 2 spring rolls and this (see below) for $7.95 and it tasted wonderful. The weather today is a superb sunny day - a bit crisp but warmth in the sun. Reminds me of an Adelaide autumn day

This is what happens in New Haven if you overrun your parking meter. Clamped on all wheels.

On the road again heading for Kent to see more autumn leaf splendour and we got a bit off the track and found a beautiful little village and followed some windy country paths. Once again - beautiful.

Miles 140.3 (226 kms)  BUGS # 904   O.L.D. #   $3.00     (OLD stands for Old Lady Dollars - I want to see how much I can save by being old.

Boston - Attempt # 2

15 October - After deliberating on  other ways of getting in to Boston besides driving there was nothing really logical we could  do. Added to the fact that we couldn't stay at the Motel another night we decided to drive in but park the car on the perimeter and catch a train in. Much more amenable :) We walked around Boston Common (it was one of those "coats off then coats on" days - warm one minute - chilly the next)  and then went on to the Cheers Pub where we had lunch and a beer for Lee and a "beer" for me.

Cheers - Where everybody  knows your name

After Cheers we went on The Freedom Trail walk. Got another Senior Discount - $2 off the walk price. The walk was led by a lovely lady in costume of the time. She was very knowledgeable and the whole walk was really interesting. We saw Paul Revere's grave and Samuel Adam's. The guide debunked a lot of "old wives tales" including Paul Revere riding around yelling the "British are coming". There were actually about 40 different riders and if they yelled out the British were coming they probably would have been shot.

 The walk finished at the Quincy Market - Have I got your attention Vic????? lol There will be lots of photos on Facebook as per your request. Quincy Market had an enormous variety of foods and was full to the brim being a Sunday.

At the end of our walk we saw what we thought was a car crash and couldn't understand why there were so many gawkers and police on site. Then we found out it was a movie set and they were shooting a movie apparently starring Jeff Bridges. Will watch out for that one.

Smash! Bang!

lol This brings back sad memories

We also watched a protest march - once again lots of policemen. I'm not really sure what it was about - there seemed to be several issues being displayed on the signs.

Protest

Once again we had trouble getting a motel and eventually we gave up and parked the van in the carpark of a 24 hour Walmart in Plymouth Massachusetts No shower but at least we could use the toilet and buy anything we fancied at any hour  of the night. The double bonus was that we were also next to a Starbucks!! Miles 91.8 (147 kms) Bugs #870

16 October - Spent the morning trying to locate a T Mobile shop to get my phone recharged - money was on it but it was telling me it wasn't grrrr. Anyway - now fixed. Visited the replica of the Mayflower and was amazed how small it was - apparently some other old  ships were even smaller than the Mayflower. Must have been a scary voyage. On to see Plymouth Rock which is...a rock lol.

Mayflower Replica

Plymouth Rock

Travelled on to Rhode Island and went over some incredible bridges. I used a Google image because it was too big to photograph.

Pell Bridge

We saw some enormous - like in bloody huge!! -houses including this one, called Rosecliff,  where they filmed The Great Gatsby.

Rosecliffe

We are now just outside New London Connecticut in a motel - finally found one yay!!!

Miles 179.6 (289 kms) Bugs #890

S**t of a day :(

Spent the night in  a beautiful little motel - the Lake Inn - that we just stumbled on in the dark,wet, late evening. Lee did some clever bargaining and we got it for a great price.   Had a lovely view of the lake from our balcony despite the rain and gloom.

View from The Lake Inn

Took off for Salem Massachusetts which turned out to be a slow trip due to the heavy rain. We got there and struggled with the winding roads and tight traffic and very poor Visitors Centre. The whole witch trials aspect was poorly done - all a bit tacky.

Salem

Salem

We gave up and left for Boston. Lee wanted to see Harvard and we headed that way. Harvard is like a city in itself and the roads were even more windy and rough and it was pouring with rain and there were roadworks and people walking everywhere. It was a nightmare and I was feeling the strain. On our third attempt we got into a carpark - a multi story one where the ceiling was so low the van aerial kept hitting it and we couldn't get the aerial down. Then there were signs hanging from the ceiling that actually hit the top of the van and also pipes running along the ceiling too. The whole place was packed so tight that I could hardly get the van past the cars that were there. It was so stressful - a man was telling me to go the other way - I felt I couldn't go forward and couldn't go backward. I did the only thing I could do - I cried. We finally found our way back to the entrance and just left. We decided  to go and find a motel and get booked in and get the train into Boston tomorrow to explore. It took us 3 hours of driving to find a hotel with a vacancy. Apparently Boston's hotels and motels are always jam packed on weekends. As it is we got the last room at the Hampton Inn and could only book in for tonight - have to find somewhere else for tomorrow night. Being a Saturday I don't like our chances. I hadn't eaten since breakfast so hunger added to my despair. Solved this by having a really nice steak over the road and am now in bed watching NCIS and chilling (I hope) and listening to the thunder. Let's hope tomorrow is a better day.                     Miles # 187.3 (301 kms)  Bugs# 855

Welcome to Seniorhood

We rose and had a nutritious breakfast at McDonald's hehehe and drove around Burlington - nice town. We then made our way to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory. Very interesting and very tasty yum. So...by midday I had eaten Macca's and Ice Cream...hmmm...that should cover all the food groups :) At Ben & Jerry's I got my first senior discount - $1 off my tour lol.

lol - me and the Kid!

Went on to Mt Sunapee in New Hampshire where we booked in for the night. We  travelled though the heart of Vermont's beautiful display of autumn foliage. This was a high point of the trip for me - I loved it so much. I had no idea that there were so many hues of green and brown and yellow and orange and red - sometimes all on one tree. I've already said that any photos I take just can't do it justice and I haven't the words to describe it.

The bad news is that we also saw the after affects of  Irene. We had lunch in a beautiful place called Rochester and there were houses that had been washed away and the roads were really chewed up.

So Sad

Love the sign

The day was damp and cold and became very misty but it seemed the right sort of weather for the countryside. Vermont is a truly beautiful state and even the scars of Irene can't take that away.
Miles #  213 (342 kms) Bugs # 834

Happy 60th Birth day and a half to me!!!

11 & 12 October - have had a wonderful extended birthday thanks to 3 different time zones.  Two nights at the Tugboat Inn at Boothbay Harbour with it's superb views (thank you Lee xx), a great birthday lunch of ribs (NOWHERE near as good as Robby's), an afternoon nap looking at the view :)  ,  a nice drive around town,  lots of birthday messages from all over the world. Thanks to everyone for your good wishes.

Sorry Robby - I should have known better - I shouldn't have cheated on you!

Today (12th) we drove from Boothbay Harbour through New Hampshire into Vermont. The spectacular autumn leaves are beyond description and photos are just a waste of time. I haven't seen anything quite like it and there's more to come.

 (We will return to New Hampshire later). Currently we are in Burlington Vermont and tomorrow will be going to  Ben and Jerry's Ice cream factory..........yay......I love Ice Cream :)
The weather is starting to cool down again - crazy. One minute we're dressed like Nanook of the North and the next we are in sandals & t shirts.
Miles 267.1 (430 kms) Bugs # 825

Catch up again!! Why do motels/RV parks advertise Wi-Fi when it doesn't work grrr!!

8 October - Caught the ferry to Riviere-Du-Loupe. The trip took an hour and not only did I not get seasick - I ate sausages and eggs and beans and toast on board. lol.  Once we got to the other side it was mostly a big day's drive - 356 miles (573 kms). It was an unseasonably warm day and the trees are turning red and orange and yellow and a hundred other shades of red and brown. With all the French signs and French radio station and beautiful scenery it was again like being transported to France. We stayed in a motel at Moncton Canada with great view but the grottiest towels you have ever seen in a motel lol - lucky we brought our own.
 Bugs #788

9 October -  Drove from Moncton to Bar Harbor Maine. Bar Harbor reminds me a bit of Noosa but bigger and better. It was soooo busy as it was a long weekend - Columbus Day. Very pretty but very touristy. Went out to a hotel for the obligatory Maine lobster dinner. It was beautiful although I needed a hosing down afterwards. Slippery little suckers!! I like lobster but I still prefer crabs so will try to find a crab restaurant on Wednesday for my 60th - if I get messy I can blame it on old age then lol. Today was some kind of a record - highest temperature for October for 59 years. We must have brought some of that warm Aussie weather with us. Can't believe we were freezing at -1 just a few days ago.. The Maine coast is absolutely gorgeous - exactly as I imagined.

Beauiful Maine

ps and totally irrelevant - there are some mountains in Canada called Mont Chic Choc...sound very tasty!!
308.5 miles (496 km)  Bugs# 804 bugs

10 October - Went into Bar Harbor for a good look around. As I said it is very touristy and being the last long weekend before winter and being so warm it was extra busy.

 Then we drove  to Bangor Maine - had a look around and then went and saw Stephen King's house - quite spectacular. Then off to Boothbay and booked into the gorgeous Tugboat Inn overlooking the Boothbay Harbor. This place is what the words Maine & fishing village and boats brings to my mind. The crowds are gone and I am sitting in the room which is on a wharf looking across the bay at the the lights. Church bells were ringing and seagulls singing. I love it. Lee booked us in here so I will be here to celebrate my 60th birthday and she couldn't have found a better place. It's the sort of place I have had in my mind since I was a kid (all those many years ago) of the perfect place to live. We're here for two nights so I'm feeling very happy :)

Stephen King's House

Miles 205 (329 kms) Bugs # 810

View from hotel at Boothbay Harbor

Part of the hotel - our part is on a wharf