Stories on the Road and in the Parks

Sometimes, I am so tired when blog time comes, that I forget to tell the stories.

Our ride to San Antonio began with a road runner-yup, the real thing-crossing in front of the Cronemobile. It happened so fast there was no getting the camera out, but there was no mistaking that long tail. I didn't hear the, "beep-beep", however.

I've also met some interesting people. In Tempe I met a grandmother from Australia. We were at the laundry together. Her son and his wife own a campground (caravan park) in Ballarat, Victoria, near Melborne. http://www.ballaratwindmill.com.au/index.php Apparently there is a huge Campgrounds of America convention in Tempe every year, and the Aussies had come to check out how we do campgrounds.

You know, the next best thing to traveling is seeing ones own culture through the eyes of a traveler, so interviewing grannie nanny was quite fun for me, and she certainly had the gift of gab. The three grandchildren were almost totally mute-perhaps because they were children who were raised to be seen and not heard, or perhaps because they were mortified as granny nanny went on. I heard about the skills of these children-how they help run the park and know how to get their own tea (that would be-make dinner for themselves).

Of course they were ga ga at the size of the RV's (caravans). They were in a 30ft CruiseAmerica rental (driving from LA to Tempe on the "wrong side of the road"). Because the park was full of Campground owners, there were quite a few really big rigs including the million dollar + 40+ft diesel towing a Hummer that pulled in next to them. Granny was quite astounded and asked me what such a thing would cost. Since the kids were around, I didn't tell her that the inside probably looked like a bordello, and the glass cabinets were just not suitable for food-who wants to look at the Cherrio's all the time!

Since the Caravans in Australia are smaller and tend to be vans or Class C RV's, the parks provide the bathrooms and showers. Granny and Company were astounded to find that our park only offered two bathrooms with showers-one for each gender.

I heard about the football boys that travel to Europe and cause quite a stir, and then remembered that we saw them at the baths in Budapest, and they were causing quite a rucus and we were glad to see them go. Granny says that they love their boys, and she says this with enthusiasm, but they really have to learn to behave more properly when traveling abroad.

Apparently gas/petrol is about $2 a liter-that would be about $8 a gallon in Australia, so there would be no complaining about US gas prices from me. I wonder how the Canadians and Aussies can hold back their excitement as they fill their vehicles at US pumps! I would probably be jumping up and down and singing-especially now that the Canadian dollar has passed the US dollar.

The family had plans to take the kids to the Grand Canyon and on up to Disneyland before heading home. I do worry about them a bit if they decide to go to Bryce. Those switchbacks are hard enough when you feel comfortable driving on the right.

I'll try to remember to share my visits. Stella is a great facilitator of people meeting.

KG