Rockin' in the USA

Friday, June 17, 2011

Myrtle Beach and the giant mosquitos

A quick trip up the coast from Charleston to Myrtle Beach....Myrtle Beach is a bit of a tourist mecca - it has a grand strand which basically covers a large stretch (60 miles) of the coast and all the tacky touristy things in between. The beach is pretty nice though. It was voted in the top ten beach towns in the US and I can see why - it has something for everyone including 100+ golf courses.

On the way to Myrtle Beach I was keen to check out one of those huge plantations - they are everywhere - some are expensive so we missed the big well known ones and decided just to stop if we saw one. Well, I spotted Hampton Plantation historic site (if interested click here). So we pull off and drive into these woods - quite a way down the road. Firstly the track was sand and narrow and trees everywhere. So we ditch the RV in the middle of the track and walk. The first odd sign was the sight of graves on the trackside - bit bizarre and then the attack of the giant mosquitos.....i mean everywhere. Mike goes running back to the RV flapping. I brave on through. Get to the slave quarters - not a soul around....spooky - was windy - I find my way to the mansion - no one there - weird....it was creepy. I found the oak that Washington saved and peered through the windows of this creaking house. Then I RAN back to the RV - bitten all the way back. Was very chilling. Then we just high tailed it to the beach.

We wanted to stay on the beach - to get close you have to stay in a GIANT and I mean HUGE RV park - it is like a city within a city - often at least 1 mile from the beach to the carpark inside the RV park. For some reason we decided to stay at Pirateland....everything is to do with pirates, pretty cool pool check it out here - if you ignore the pirate bit it was pretty interesting. For starters they jam people in - hilarious we virtually backed into the neighbours backyard. Then discovered that camping at Myrtle beach requires these things:

a golf cart - essential because we have discovered in the US no one walks anywhere - no matter how short the distance. (we have discovered drive thru pharmacies, drive thru ATM machines which look hilarious when you stand in line with the cars, drive to you gyms, drive thru any kind of food you can imagine.....the list goes on)
you need fairy lights - lots of them - the more the better
of course you need your flag or flags generally
and you need a wheelie cart to drag everything to the beach on and every kind of beach toy you can imagine (stuff like lilos and noodles etc are ridiculously cheap here and there are giant shops devoted to this)

We decided to WALK yes I know WALK to King Crab and had seafood for dinner. On the way back we discovered what you do at Pirateland after 10 pm - you get in your golf cart and drive round and round one stretch of road within the camp with drinks and music and decorations - and people sit on the side of the road and watch - beats me what exactly - but hey - it was the funniest thing....

The old driveway

Checked out a golf course and a massive golf shop on the way out of Myrtle Beach and headed for North Carolina and Virginia.

Hampton Plantation - this house was built some time in 1740

The historic oak - Washington saved it from the chop in 1791 when he visited the house

The spooky driveway - don't think this is one of the most popular plantations to visit

Mike coming back from a swim

The crazy golf cart traffic jam - it's what you do you know

Crazy - golf cart boy racing at a campground

As many fairy lights as you can is the rule - this was right behind us

Rv's as far as the eye can see at Pirateland

Our piece of beach from our campsite

Doing the Charleston in South Carolina

Dropping off Suzy at the airport for an early flight meant we could get to South Carolina early enough to check out a few sites. So basically drove right through the state of Georgia stopping at Savannah for a look, see. This was a bit of a disaster as you would think towns such as these catered for RV parking - but ah no...so we saw it by driving around. Checked out the Walmart for a few supplies though....

Straight on to Charleston. This is a cool city. Clean and tidy and very picturesque....we decided to stay in a county park so headed out to James Island. Lovely and green and a huge lake. It cracked me up when in the office checking in, the lady said to a tourist who wanted to camp in a tent - yes we take tents, they have to camp in the 'primitive area'. Ha ha! Tenting is considered very primitive here and you don't see many.

Anyway, the bonus was the campground was right across the road from a water park. So the decision to sight see was delayed as the temps have been stinking hot and the lazy river beckoned..so the afternoon was spent cruising around on a double tube going over rapids and under waterfalls on the river, down a few waterslides and generally lazing about. Later on after dinner, I kicked Mike at table tennis and went for a wander around the campground - which was lovely - heaps of people and kids out biking and walking.

The next day we went into the city of Charleston - very quaint. We couldn't find a park so ditched the RV at a supermarket and headed to the apple store. Mike purchased a Macbook Pro....cheaper than home. Generally had a look around and then headed to get some more beach action at the tourist mecca of Myrtle Beach.

Savannah, Georgia - one of the main streets

Local traffic in Savannah

everyone has a flag

Our camp site in the trees at the state park, there is a pond right behind us, unfortunately no shots of the water park - forgot my camera!

Charleston

Charleston street

Cool bridge in Charleston, heaps of interconnected islands and bays in this city

Jacksonville - nothing to do with Michael

Ok - so off we drive across the top of Florida to Jacksonville on the East Coast of the US - hence the map in the previous post - phew made it!

To be honest there is not a lot to report here. We stayed out of the city on Flamingo Lake. Two days of not doing a lot really. Mike and Suzy borrowed the sheriff's boat and all his gear and went fishing on the lake (while I worked - sob sob) - not a fish to be seen but lots jumping and laughing at them. This place was very quiet. We caught a cab with a guy I couldn't really understand (but worked out) to a steakhouse which had awesome food - celebrated Suzy's birthday a few days early. Got up at 4.30 am to drop Suzy off at the airport to fly to Camp America - bye Suzy....we miss your driving....

Fishing on the lake with the sheriff's gear

awwwww

Monday, June 13, 2011

Our path from the West to the East

Check this out......our path so far....6008 miles!!

Panama City Beach on bikes….

So after Destin we decided we still wanted beach so headed south a bit to Panama City beach. Here we took the scenic route through some picturesque villages that started out as just sand spits and visionary couples turned them into towns (kind of like the Pauanui story but better). One place was called Seaside – it featured in the movie The Truman Show – you know the scary coloured cottages all looking the same – it does exist! But man what a spot if you owned a house on the beach. We checked prices – a one bedroom 2 bathroom furnished would set you back $1.5 mill US…..Seagrove and other spots all the way down the coast on the I30A road were cute and the beach stunning. Highly recommend a visit.

Panama City beach was a little rustic. Stayed in a big RV park closeish to town so hired some bikes to get around. Biked to Wonderworks – this is an interactive museum thing housed in an upside down building that had some cool interactive stuff (not my choice this time!) and played mini golf on a cool pirate course – Suzy and I tied for first and both bet Mike – he had to buy lunch! Panama City Beach loves mini golf – courses everywhere. Pauanui mini golf should use these guys as the model he he!!

Headed to Pineapple Willy’s for lunch – on a pier right on the beach and then lay on the beach for a while…just stunning. Headed back for a quick dip in the pool then played the new game called Quelf – watch out when we get home – it’s pretty random but pretty funny.

Staying in Florida but will cross over to the other coast to Jacksonville – and touch the east coast! Yes – have then driven from the West to the East coast of America! Here we leave Suzy who flies from Jacksonville tomorrow to camp America in Maine. Mike and I carry on and head for our next two sporting events, first stop will be the US Golf Open in Maryland to cheer on poor old “should retire” Michael Campbell and then Rich and Gee bought Mike tickets to the Boston Red Sox in Boston on Independence Day for his birthday – so that will be our last sporting event. In between that time we will check out North and South Carolina, hugging the coast though and then up through Washington DC and Boston to Maine – visit Suzy at camp (as that was really our purpose of the trip) and then back to Boston to drop off the RV. Will keep you posted…..

Mini golf haven here at Panama City Beach

Our cool bikes

Bed of nails - ouch!

Mike's face pressed into nail like thingeys

Blast off

Wonderworks - quite cool

Yea giant cocktail on the beach

Panama City Beach

Free for all in these waters....

Aha – now we’re talking….Florida and the beaches

So this is what camping is really all about. After New Orleans we hit Florida – and beaches!!! We decided to spend time on the panhandle – which is the skinny flat bit on the top of Florida before it drops down. This area is called the Emerald Coast and boy do we recommend it. It is amazing. The beaches are green and crystal clear, lovely white clean sand, cheap food and factory outlets to die for….We chose the Destin area which is kind of like a sand spit connected to the mainland by a bridge – my nirvana! The first time in the sea for ages…we stayed on Miramar beach (he he for us Wellingtonians!) If only Miramar had a beach like this!

We stayed in this cool RV park where you can camp right on the beach I mean right on, in amongst the sand – check out the photos. We were one row back and I could hear the sea from the bedroom – heaven….

A bit of a fishy tale – Mike jumped in the sea and there were people fishing off the beach for a fish called pompano which is good eating. They started waving at Mike – he thought something was up and swam to shore – just to see a shark brush by his legs. I don’t think it was a human eating shark but obviously after the fish they were pulling in….eek

Didn’t stop us swimming though. We headed to a place called Baytown for dinner – kind of like what sanctuary cove in Aussie should be really. Cool bars, restaurants, bands and area for movies and picnics on a giant screen outside, so many things for kids to do – jetty and pier with jumping fish and a marina with some nice boats in it….apparently some of the top golf courses too. Loved it…am definitely coming back to Florida.