FRIDAY 15 MAY – Our final day at sea and last chance for on board activities.  We have had a rough nights sailing and it is still a bit choppy but I am feeling much better and ready for action.  Steve is finally on a winning trivia team (they have been up as tie breakers many times but lost).  I don’t like being in the same team as him as one of the guys takes it too seriously.  British immigration officers have boarded the ship and throughout the day we take turns to clear customs.  Apparently there will be nothing more at Harwich so you can take in virtually anything on the basis that you are limited by how much you can carry.  Our final formal night and Steve must have lost a bit of weight as his trousers now fit!  Alan & Ika are absent and we are upset when she arrives and tells us Alan is ill with a lung infection and has been on a drip.  Judging by the number of “alpha” calls this sailing we have had a lot of illnesses on board and at least one death.  Guess this is a reflection on the age of the passengers and the duration of the cruise.  The “Soul Sensation” show is excellent, all our kind of music.  This is followed by the talent show with some great singers plus a comedian.

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 12 – AT SEA VIGO TO CHERBOURG

SATURDAY 16 MAY – Cherbourg FRANCE, our final port of call.  It is 15C out so we rug up with our coats on and catch the free shuttle into town.  Could easily have walked as it turns out to be very close.  It is a typical French harbour town but what we find curious is a whole street full of Turkish kebab restaurants!  Numerous motorhomes are free camping along the quay but none are British.  Back on board late morning we decide on a sauna and Turkish bath to warm up.  There are separate ones for men and ladies and I am the only one in the ladies.  I’m surprised to find that Steve is out before me but not when he tells me there was a gay guy in the men’s playing with himself whilst looking across at him – maybe he saw Steve in The Quest and took a fancy to him!  It is Steve’s turn to spend the afternoon in bed so I go along to the timed sudoku challenge but must be slipping as I only come in second.  It suddenly dawns on me that we need to be packed up before dinner, as the suitcases must be put out for collection.  We’ve bought duty free cigarettes and won 4 bags as prizes so getting everything into the bags is a nightmare.  It is good to see Alan at the dinner table for our last meal.  Apparently there is a virus going around on the ship and I suspect that I am starting with it as I have similar symptoms.  We’ve been really lucky with our dinner companions as although we are a mixed age group from different walks of live everyone has been friendly and many of us have socialised together.  Our last show is British magician “Jamie Allan” who does some amazing sleight of hand card stunts.  A handful of people gather for the late night “Family Feud”, like Family Fortunes and we both end up on teams but luckily only win runners up key rings.  Looking back over the trip we are really glad we have travelled this way, found Bermuda the most interesting port of call, like everyone on our table we felt the food was lacking and that in general cuts were being made and noticed.  Still for what we paid this is more of an observation than complaint.

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 13. CHERBOURG

SUNDAY 17 MAY – We wake up in Harwich ENGLAND where disembarkation is extremely efficient and the railway station is directly beside the ship.  I’ve got a great deal with tickets from www.raileasy.co.uk paying £19 all the way to Stoke whilst people in the ticket line in front of me pay £49 just to London.  From Harwich the line is closed on Sundays for maintenance so we are bussed to another station.  It is really funny listening to the Americans pointing out features of England – the cars on the wrong site, the tiny roads, old houses, greenery etc.  Pass through a town called Stratford and one lady shouts out to ask if it is where Shakespeare is from!  On the train to London it turns out she also thinks that Liverpool Street Station is actually Liverpool – hope she wasn’t planning on doing the Beatles attractions there.  Laden with bags it is hard work picking up the two tubes to get us to Euston where we wait about 1-hour for our onwards Virgin train.  The early morning rain has ceased and the weather is picking up a bit but it is still cold.  Arrive in Stoke on Trent at ¼ to 2 (less than 6 hours after leaving ship) and are delighted that Netty & Ian are there to meet us.  They both look really well and very happy in their newly married life.  Mum also looks well and is very pleased to see us.  After catching up on news it is difficult to know what to do next with 5 bags to unpack, 2 weeks worth of laundry to tackle, 1 years worth of mail and family and friends to contact.  Mum cooks us a chicken tikka dinner and it is tastier than most of the food on the ship.  Call round to Netty's in the evening to begin tackling the Russian visa challenge but with numerous setbacks including the fact they have crossed Steve’s and my details on the invitation letter.  I have very bad nights sleep.   My asthma is bad; I seem to have a chest infection, blocked nose and a chill.  I must look really funny in bed with a woolly hat on, 2 T-shirts, socks and in addition to the normal bedding an extra bedspread, dressing gown and blanket.  Blame it all on the air conditioning on the ship.

MARKET DRAYTON   

MONDAY 18 MAY – I have a really bad night and get up at 6am.  By the time the others get up it is pouring with rain and I’m still not feeling well.  We must sort out our Russia visa so Steve drives us up to the library to use the Internet.   Way to Russia quickly sort out the invitation problem and will E-mail new ones (good job too as they charged us $55 for the service).  I’m whacked when we get back and retire to bed for the afternoon.

MARKET DRAYTON 2

TUESDAY 19 MAY – I sleep better and get up at 8.30am to enjoy my first bath in months, enhanced with my favourite Avon “skin so soft” bath oil.  We spend the morning at the library continuing the visa application.  The new invitation arrives but I am frustrated to find “Way to Russia” direct me to “Real Russia Ltd” for application assistance.  Way to Russia charge £107.80 each for the visa including assistance but for £115.30 they would have included the invitation and this would have been a cheaper and quicker option.  Oh well, at least we can now complete and get the application in the post.  So far our cheap Russia holiday that started with £2 flights has already cost over £500 and we haven’t even set off!  If you have ever seen the movie “Terminal Man” about Tom Hanks ending up living at an airport you will understand that we are beginning to feel like “Library Couple”!  Once we get back I again feel worse and by mid afternoon am struggling to breath.  I’m sure I haven’t got swine flu but am not keen to race to the Docs but phone for advice.  They say I must phone the NHS help line for a consultation.  They are extremely thorough and more concerned about the virus on the ship but insist I must see as Doctor.  At the surgery Doctor Dean says I have lots of “grott” on my lungs and need penicillin but that everything else will clear up in time.  Bobby & Kat call round in the evening and we have a good chat. 

MARKET DRAYTON 3

WEDNESDAY 20 MAY – I’m feeling considerably better but Steve is now barking (more than normal) and wheezing.  We’re terrified of giving anything to Mum so have been trying to keep out of her way and frequently squirt with antibacterial spray.  She’s off up town to meet her mates at the Tudor House.  Steve gets up and sets to work on some jobs for Mum and U join in but we are both too weak to do much.  In the afternoon we go over to Mark & Netty’s in Dawley.  Lauren and Aidan arrive just ahead of us, Marks girls are already there and Netty has her granddaughter Amber for the evening so it is quite a house full.  Kevin & Sandra come straight from work and Stacey’s getting back from work completes the party.  It is pretty chaotic but nice to get a chance to see everyone again.  Mid evening we get a text from Claire.  Natasha has had an accident doing karate and is at hospital having stitches for a head wound.   Steve is going downhill fast so I end up driving back.  Claire tells us Natasha has needed 5 stitches but was very brave and now at home sleeping. 

MARKET DRAYTON 4

THURSDAY 21 MAY – I answer the door at 20 to 10 as Mum is expecting a pupil.  An elderly couple are standing there with a sheet in their hand and I ask if they are here for the lesson with Mum and am just about to ask them in when I hear Mum coming through.  It turns out they are Jehovah’s witnesses and must have thought I was offering them the chance to give Mum as lesson.  I’ve spent the last 3 days unpacking and sorting our stuff but must now pack for our visit to Yorkshire.  In the afternoon I drive Mum over to the Princess Royal hospital for an X-ray.  The specialist says that they didn’t replace the hip socket but he doesn’t consider it is needed and he believes her limp and pain is now down to a back problem but that is for her Doctor to figure. 

MARKET DRAYTON 5

FRIDAY 22 MAY – We are off to Yorkshire to day and Steve begins driving but gets tired on the motorway so I take over.  At Stanley Middleton’s we pick up fresh pies for lunch to take to Claire’s where she meets us during her lunch hour.  Steve spends the afternoon in bed but I have to pick up the kids at 3.30pm.  Mum joins we for the drive over to Howarth where Daniel arrives on the school bus and Daz brings Natasha to us.  Her head looks pretty good with only a small covering over the stitches and no other bruising.  Daniel looks very grown up in his Halifax Grammar School uniform.  I cook tea for all of us after which Claire takes Mum up to Mom & Dads to spend the night.  We are keeping our distance, as Mom doesn’t want us to give Dad our colds, as he is not too well himself. 

KEIGHLEY

SATURDAY 23 MAY – We’ve slept reasonably well in Claire’s bed but must come up with a better sleeping plan for Claire when we come back to stay for longer.  The kid’s rooms are really small but we talk about Daniel moving into the smallest room and Natasha into his old room where w may be able to get an extra bed.  We pick up Mum, who has had a lovely evening, and drive over to Wakefield to drop her at Auntie Pamela’s.  Onwards to Hull where we first stop to shop at Asda.  John meets us at the gate to YSS (Yorkshire Sun Society) and leads us to the new visitors caravan.  The old one got wrecked in the floods and new one used to belong to a member.  They have done a nice job making it look homely inside and we even have all new bedding, pink for Natasha and blue for Daniel.  Apart from it not having mains electric and a TV it seems nicer than the old caravan.  Tonight is the tramps ball and the kids enjoy getting dressed up then ripping their clothes and covering them in mud.  The evening begins with a fish and chip supper, £3, or sausage and chips for the kids.  There are some really funny tramps costumes and some people really get into the spirit of it curling up on the floor in boxes.  There are prizes for the best male, best female and extra one for the kids as Daniel and Natasha are the only entrants and win a box of jelly babies.   It is 10.30pm by the time we get home to bed but there is a problem with the battery so we can’t have the lights on and go straight to bed. 

YSS 1

£50 club caravan, £7 per couple per day visitor fees, £5 bedding pack

SUNDAY 24 MAY – We’ve all been cold in the night so are happy to get up and find it is a hot and sunny morning.  We enter the petanque competition with Natasha and I in one team and Daniel and Steve in the other.  Nat & I are consistently bad and don’t even get a point in either of our two games.  Steve & Daniel do really well and lose 15 – 14 in the final.  Sheila is so impressed with Daniel’s performance that she gives him her prize of a free drink voucher.  Spend much of the afternoon at the swimming pool.  Natasha gradually manages to worm her way further in but as it is only chest high we trust her not to wet her stitches.  The evening entertainment is skittles and Daniel enters us as “The Randomers”.  Natasha is the star of the team as the only one ever to knock over all 9 pins but even that is not enough to get us to the final.  Throughout the day the kids have enjoyed looking at the magazine adverts on the club walls, the product name has been cut out and this is the base of the competition.  The last 3 questions are in the evening in the form of tunes being played and you have to guess the advert. Daniel & Natasha draw but Daniel wins the tie breaker of how many calories in a slice of wholemeal bread and this time wins a box of liquorice all sorts.  Steve stays up watching TV in the lounge but has a big problem coming home as it is very dark and he spends half an hour being lost in the forest.  That’s all he needs as he still has a cold and fells cold and shivery but at least we have extra duvets tonight.

YSS 2

MONDAY 25 MAY – Bank holiday Monday and surprisingly the weather is nice.  We spend a lot of time at the pool and the kids enjoy being able to sit in the Jacuzzi.  Late afternoon the weather changes and it rains in the evening. 

YSS 3

TUESDAY 26 MAY – We are all getting very lazy and don’t get up until 10am.  At North Point centre we go to the clinic to get Natasha’s stitches removed.  She is very brave and the nurse comments on what an excellent job was done on the stitching.  North Point is a good shopping centre so we stock up on food before returning for lunch.  As Natasha can now go in the pool properly we spend the whole afternoon up there.  Mark arrives with his children Ethan, 10, and Bethany, 8, so it is great for the kids to have someone to play with.   Andy & Chris call for a chat in the evening as they are going away.  Spend the evening watching TV in the clubhouse.

YSS 4

WEDNESDAY 27 MAY – It is a bit of a miserable morning so we decide to have a ride out to Hornsea and begin at the Freeport factory-shopping outlet.  The kids are most interested in the amusement arcade and have had so much fun they go in another one when we get to Hornsea seafront.  It’s really cold and blustery and with Steve still not feeling well we return for lunch.  The kids spend all afternoon in the swimming pool.

YSS 5

THURSDAY 28 MAY – We all spend the morning at the pool and I put in 50 lengths.  In the afternoon we leave Steve behind and go for a ride to visit John & Maureen in their bungalow in Wawne and then to North Point shopping centre.  Britain’s got talent has become our addictive TV viewing this week.

YSS 6

FRIDAY 29 MAY – It is a glorious day so we have an early swim.  My false nails are growing out and I have a heck of a job getting them off after soaking them in remover – never again.  I attempt to clean Mums car in the afternoon but the water keeps going off and it ends up looking worse than before I started.  Plenty of time for sitting out sunbathing in the afternoon.

YSS 7

SATURDAY 30 MAY – We drive to Auntie Pamela’s in Wakefield arriving around 11pm.  Whilst eating an early lunch we catch up on their news then take Mum with us to Bradford to rendezvous with Claire.  She is going to the Midlands to Aidans birthday party, taking Natasha with her and dropping Mum at home.  Daniel has opted to come back with us to Keighley.  It is another lovely day so I get loads of washing done.  Late afternoon we receive the Tesco grocery delivery that Claire ordered on line – very efficient. 

KEIGHLEY

SUNDAY 31 MAY – We drive round to visit Mom & Dad and find them both well.  There’s a car boot sale at Bracken Bank community centre and we walk down to it but other than enjoying the exercise it wasn’t worth it with only 2 stalls.  Claire arrives to pick up Daniel but we stay on for lunch and for me to defrost their freezer.  Early afternoon we go to town to check out divan beds with drawers.  I’ve seen some good deals on line but now realise that the quality of the drawers varies and you need to see them.  Whilst Claire takes Natasha swimming Steve and I set about clearing out Natasha’s room ready for decorating.  In between all this I make use of the Internet to book our bus, insurance and other things ready for Russia.  Not sure we could keep up this pace for too long.

KEIGHLEY 2

200905

FRIDAY 1 MAY 2009 – The next stage of the motorhome sale is for Keith to get a Texas safety inspection test.  Luckily there is a garage a couple of miles away and they do it instantly.  It cost around $40 (£28) and Harry passes with no problems.  The final hurdle is registration at the county offices.  In Harris County this is at the courthouse and the appropriate office has a huge queue.  I nip to the ladies toilet and am amazed to find it a single room complete with armchair – Louise declines my invitation to come in and wait!  They only take cash for vehicle transfers so I have to draw money from my ATM to give Keith enough for the fees.  At the desk the lady begins putting the info on the computer and once Keith has signed a form to show he has no social security number everything can be completed.  Keith is presented with a total bill for vehicle registration, number plates, taxes and transfer fees etc and that completes the deal.  Returning to the campground Tom Tom gets us a little lost and we end up driving through the attractive old town of Spring.  Louise is a hairdresser and gives me a super haircut and does my make up for our night out.  We drive to Tim’s, our host whom we previously stayed with.  Since we saw him he has done a hike into the Grand Canyon and a ski trip so we enjoy looking at his photos.  Goode Company BBQ (www.goodecompany.com) is our choice for a meal and it is as good as last time.  They serve lots of smoked meats in a canteen like setting with outdoor tables and we all enjoy our food.  After dropping Tim off we head to a nightclub in the hope of surprising Wayne & Sylvia and other HHH members who are going there.  The surprise is on us, as they don’t show up.  In fact the whole thing is a bit of a waste of time as hardly anyone is there and even when we leave just before midnight it is still not very lively. 

HOUSTON 3, SPRING OAKS

SATURDAY 2 MAY – Steve & I get up early to pack our things.  Spend a little time reviewing things with Keith & Louise.  After lunch we head off to check out the “Orange Show”.  It is one of Houston’s quirkier attractions but a bit of a let down.  Many years ago a guy bought the land opposite his house with the intention of creating a show to encourage people to eat more oranges.  He bought up anything old and cheap to build a sort of theatre with tractor seats and other oddities.  Unfortunately it hasn’t quite worked out but is preserved because it is a foundation connection to the art car festival.  We try to visit Heritage Park in the centre but again Tom Tom fails us and we miss the exit and need to do another complete circuit of the city to get back but decline and return home – or should I say to Keith & Louise’s motorhome.  After a final pack up we leave Harry for the last time to drive to China Bear restaurant to meet Ineke, Jos and their girls.  The buffet is excellent and good practice for the cruise.  It is only10 months since they emigrated from Holland but Mara 11 and Jona 8 are now speaking really good English, if only we could learn half as much as they as quickly I would be delighted.  When it is time to leave we transfer the luggage and wish Keith & Louise well for the travels.  No sooner have we arrived back at Ineke’s than I realise we have left Steve’s suit hanging up in Keith’s car.  Jos drives Steve over to the campground to retrieve it and when they get back they tell us that Keith & Louise were sat down watching “Last of the summer wine” on TV.  Mara has moved out to share Jona’s bedroom giving us a double bed for the night so we settle down to our first night of being homeless!

SPRING

SUNDAY 3 MAY – Jos hated his work here as a teacher so packed it in and now has 3 part time jobs.  Today he is doing a shift at Home Depot and heads off on his motorhome bike straight after breakfast.  Ineke suggests we might like to go with them to the local church “The Loft” (www.loftchurch.com).  It is not like anything we have ever been to before.  The location is more like a theatre with a coffee shop in the foyer and free coffee if you only want the basic stuff.  You are encouraged to takes your drinks into the auditorium with a huge stage set up like a concert.  Everyone is dressed very casually including the band and the pastor who arrives in jeans.  He makes a really funny introductory speech and then the band play a rock song with religious overtones.  The service continues with the theme about God offering unlimited Grace when we do things wrong.  He illustrates the point with a story of his own life and how as a San Diego city boy he struggled with the outdoors in the army and got addicted to pornography whilst training to be a pastor.  We really enjoy it and think that if more places were like this then probably far more people would go to church.  Ineke takes us back via the best 99c (70p) store we have ever been to, they even sell fresh fruit and veg.  I can’t resist some chunky jewellery and a few other things – in fact 17 items in all!  Ineke was bitten by a fire ant recently and her foot has swollen up so she decides to shelve the afternoon trip, which also suits us fine.  Shortly after Jos returns from work around 10pm we head to bed for Steve to try and sleep and me to clock watch.

SPRING 2

MONDAY 4 MAY – Ineke gives us a call at 5am and half an hour later is driving us to Houston Bush Intercontinental airport.  We’ve got on really well with the family and hope our paths cross again in the future.  We’ve done on line check in so after being dropped off we only have to find a place to leave the 1 bag that we couldn’t avoid checking in.  Continental now charge $15 (£12) for the first bag but allow 2 pieces of carry on and we have 5 items.  This is probably the largest amount of luggage we have ever travelled with and it is most uncomfortable.  We also don’t look the way we normally do, Steve has his suit on and I am wearing jeans and trainers in order to wear our bulkiest and heaviest things.  Our flight leaves at 7.30am.  2 hours later we land in Miami, 10.30am local time.  We need to get to the cruise port and can take the RCI shuttle at $15.80 each, Super Shuttle at $15 each or a taxi for $24.  No contest especially as we manage to share a cab with another couple.  As soon as we get out of the cab our bags are taken from us to be sent to our cabin.  Check in for the cruise is speedy and by noon we are enjoying our first buffet meal aboard the Royal Caribbean International ship Jewel of the seas.  It is strange to suddenly hear so many British accents.  Quite a few people have done this as a back-to-back cruise following 2 weeks cruise from Miami through the Panama Canal whilst others came over on the Queen Mary 2 to New York.  At 1pm we can go to our cabin, 4014, where we are impressed by its spaciousness including a sofa in a small lounge area.  The daily list of activities is quickly studied and priorities highlighted in true Swatour style!  2pm is a mingle and meet welcome meeting with a quiz that has you hunting places for answers and thus discovering what they offer on board.  You can get a free make up at the shop so I book one for before the first formal meal.  Next we do a full exploration of the ship, which seems huge. It has a large out door pool with 2 hot tubs, a beautiful solarium with pool and a smaller pool on the top deck.  There’s a cinema, games room and plenty of other things to keep us occupied.  To lure people to the beauty salon area they hold a raffle offering prizes for many of the different treatments they offer.  We can’t hear what the last offering is but hear our cabin number and Steve’s name called out.  Turns out he has won the “exotic aromaspa seaweed wrap” valued at $195 (£140).  He asks if I can take it instead and I am delighted to find it is for the seaweed body mask followed by a head and foot massage.  The prize must be taken on land days so I book it for after our day in Bermuda.  Are we off to a good start or what?  The Turkish bath and sauna are free to use and I hop on their scales to weigh in at 146 lbs.  The lifeboat drill takes place then at 5.30pm we set sail.  Leaving Miami is lovely as we head out along a channel past South Beach.  We find a small restaurant called “Seaview Café” and can’t resist having fish & chips and onion rings to “put us on”.  Our baggage still hasn’t been delivered but our cabin steward Tetiana from Ukraine assures us all the bags are on board and we will get ours soon.  We are very happy to receive them before going out for the evening as Steve feels over dressed and I feel under dressed.  We take up the offer of free liqueur sampling before the show that introduces the entertainment staff with a brief comedy act.  We’ve changed to 6pm early dining from tomorrow onwards but tonight dinner for us is at 8.30pm.  We are at a table of 10 with good company.  Jim & Jackie are next to us and we have a great chat.  I control myself and only have 2 desserts.  Last event of the evening for us is the trivia quiz and our team are joint winners but lose the tiebreaker.  Clocks go forward another hour tonight so with 2 time changes today we head to bed at midnight.

ROYAL CARRIBEAN INTERNATIONAL, JEWEL OF THE SEAS 1

SAILING FROM MIAMI TOWARDS BERMUDA

TUESDAY 5 MAY – We have a really good sleep.  I manage to show considerably more restraint than Steve at breakfast as he has 4 different lots.  At 10am we are in the cinema watching Wall E.  It is a Disney cartoon having a pop at the Americans style of living the theme being that they have had to leave earth to allow robots to clean up the trash whilst living in space and becoming totally sedentary and obese.  It has its moments but could be better and at one point I am the only person in our row that isn’t sleeping.  Sea life must make you sleepy as we return to our cabin for a nap but get disturbed by announcements; it is starting to feel like “Hi Di Hi”.  After lunch I sit by the pool whilst Steve goes to the art auction, mainly for the free champagne.  Swimming in the pool is rather strange as it is salt water and you get waves as the ship rocks.  I take up my free make up offer before getting changed for our first formal night.  This begins in the Safari Lounge with a cocktail party and introduction to the Captain and crew.  The Captain tells us there are just over 2000 passengers on board, 1100 have sailed with RCI before and come from 55 countries.  He also informs us that the crew come from 65 different countries.  In the dining room we are seated at a table of 12 and end up between 2 Yorkshire couples - Alan & Ike who have stayed on from the Panama cruise and Pat & Dave who came over on the Queen Mary 2.   From Scotland Lyn is on board with her Mum Margaret.  Alan & Christa are from Canada, and Louisa & Francois from Belgium.  Our waiter is Clifford from India and drinks waitress Benen from Turkey.  I lack restraint and end up ordering 3 desserts to everyone’s amazement.  Funny how others order 2 or 3 starters or main courses without anyone noticing but my dessert order creates quite a stir.   

RCI JEWEL OF THE SEAS 2

SAILING FROM MIAMI TOWARDS BERMUDA

WEDNESDAY 6 MAY – After breakfast we play a round of mini golf before settling down to sunbathe.  Late afternoon we sight land as we approach the islands of BERMUDA.  The ocean here is a most beautiful inky blue and the island looks really attractive.    It is around 4pm when we are allowed off ship into the attractive Docklands area.  At the tourist information we gather maps and guide books and begin our walk around.  It is already cold and windy and when it begins to rain we opt to return to the ship.  The evening show is a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons tribute band called “The unexpected boys” and they are excellent.  After that we go to the disco for Motown hour. 

RCI JEWEL OF THE SEAS 3

BERMUDA

THURSDAY 7 MAY – We leave the ship to give us time to explore the docklands before catching the ferry to St George.  We’ve bought an all day bus and ferry pass for $12 (£8) but don’t have long enough to make the best use of it.  St George is really pretty.  There is no natural fresh water supply on the island so all the houses collect rainwater and store it in an underground tank.  To purify the water the roofs are white lime washed and this looks really pretty off set by pastel coloured walls.  Virtually every house is a different colour, which would look rather twee in England but works very well here.  We wander around the town with cobbled and narrow streets admiring the buildings.  There are lot of narrow alleys inviting exploration and we are happy to get lost whilst making our way to the unfinished church.  It takes almost an hour for us to go by bus to Hamilton and the journey is very interesting giving us chance to see more of the island.  Hamilton is the capital and the largest (in fact only) city.  Here we see businessmen in suits with Bermuda shorts and long socks.  In the City Hall there is a free art museum with a special display of painted motorcycles.  The cathedral looks rather strange being of British design but surrounded by palm trees.  We visit many nice parks and buildings but can’t linger long and hop on the South Road bus after an hour.  This time we get an overview of many fantastic pink beaches back by the beautiful blue ocean.  At the Docklands we visit the Snorkel Beach before boarding ship.  At 3.30pm I take the spa treatment Steve won.  Alexandria from Serbia is my beautician and she really wants to pick my brains about our travels doing things on the cheap.  She’s only 37 but her husband died a couple of year ago and now she is afraid to travel alone and not sure she can afford it.  Naturally I steer her in the right direction and recommend Lonely Planet and Rough Guides. Then we get down to business, I strip off and put on these black paper shorts – one size fits all and most inelegant, then lie on a table covered in foil.  Warm mud is plastered all over me then I am wrapped up like a turkey with a big duvet on top to keep me warm.  Whilst the seaweed and aromatherapy mixture takes effect I get a lovely head massage.  About 15 minutes later I clean up in the shower then lie face down for more massage.  This time it is my back and legs and so relaxing that the next thing I know I hear a bell jingling to wake me up.  I must have had a little extra treatment as it is after 5pm and should only have been a 75-minute session. Alexandria doesn’t have another client so I stay for another half hour chatting to her.  In the dining room it is Italian night with most of the food from there.  The evening show is an English man on the piano and he is very skilled but doesn’t manage much interaction with the audience.  Round of the day with the 10pm movie “Next” at the cinema.  For a ship of over 2000 passengers the cinema with around 50 seats is insufficient and many people end up sitting in the aisle or missing out.  Clocks forward another hour (BST –3).

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 4 – TRANSATLANTIC CROSSING

FRIDAY 8 MAY – What with all our activity and the time changes we don’t wake up until almost 10am.  Luckily breakfast is served until 11.30am.  In the cards room there is a backgammon championship but only 2 other players turn up so we just have a few games amongst ourselves.  Hang out by the pool enjoying the warm sun.  The afternoon movie “21” is fun and based in Las Vegas.  As Crown & Anchor (previous passengers) members we have a voucher for wine tasting saving us the $10 (£7) fee.  We get to sample 6 wines, all very expensive but none to our palate – is it possible to actually prefer cheap-boxed wine!!  A couple on our table amaze us saying they have been on 120 cruises as they live near a port and their travel agent gets them all the deals.  After thinking we had a great deal at $850pp it turns out others paid $600 and got a balcony room.  In America the best deals on this cruise seem to have been in January and February so we don’t feel too bad about it as we could not have booked that early.  The dinner table service is slackening off and after 1 hour 45 minutes we still haven’t seen the dessert menu and need to be at the Crown & Anchor member’s cocktail party.   Alcohol is very expensive on the ship so we have to grab all opportunities for free drink!  In the Coral Theatre tonight’s show is a young violinist, his playing is excellent but this is his first performance on a cruise ship and he is very nervous.  The final movie of the days is “Swing Voter” after which we retire and put our clocks forward yet again (BST – 2hours).

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 5 – TRANSATLANTIC

SATURDAY 9 MAY – I’m getting a little tired racing around to activities so have a lie in whilst Steve goes to breakfast then catch up on my diary when he goes to a quiz.  The good thing about cruising is that you can get food 24 hours a day so I can easily snack later.  During lunch on the deck we spot a tanker and a yacht, others see whales.  The afternoon comedy show is really funny with audience interaction almost taking over.  There’s a rock-climbing wall on board and I want to try it.  Having got all kitted out I find that my false nails are too long for me to use the handholds.  Few people turn up for the evening meal, the service is getting slower each day and we all agree the food isn’t quite up to expectations or other cruises.  After trivia we go to the show but they have changed it.  Bad weather is forecast so they are putting on the tango dancing tonight.  We sit out the first two dances then leave, as it doesn’t appeal to us.  The late Mr & Mrs style show is pretty funny though.  Clocks forward another hour (BST – 1 hour).  Reckon you get a better deal on the western transatlantic crossing adding an hour to each day!  Along with tomorrows programme there is a message in our cabin to say that people on board have been quarantined with chicken pox and it tells you what to look out for.

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 6 – TRANSATLANTIC

SUNDAY 10 MAY -             We are woken early with a repeated announcement “alpha alpha alpha to cabin …”.  Suspect this was not meant as a public message but in panic someone pressed the wrong button.  Over breakfast people guess that it was a medical emergency.  At the games room you can put your name on a list for the games you enjoy playing and I have been invited to join 3 other ladies for Canasta.  Americans Fran, Gail and Andrea are travelling together along with their husbands.  Their Canasta rules are almost completely different but I manage to get the hang of it sufficiently to be invited back for another game.  We’ve found out you can take lunch in the Tides formal dining room and we enjoy this better than the buffet.  You get table service, have a chance to chat to other passengers and the food seems tastier.  We try sitting out on deck by the pool but apart from wallowing in the hot tub we are chilly.  Many people look like they are on holiday in England wrapped up in blankets.  Settle for an afternoon in bed watching TV movies.   We do the buffet for our evening meal then trivia, show (a great singer) and Mr Bean on holiday movie to round off the day.  The ocean has been getting rougher throughout the day and we have a rather pleasant rock and roll.  Maybe worse is expected as sick bags have appeared throughout the ship but we think they are going over the top when we get back to our room and find a huge plastic laundry bag on the bed!

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 7 – TRANSATLANTIC

MONDAY 11 MAY – Hard to believe we have been on board for a week, the time has flown by and we are certainly not bored. Our daily routine is now getting up late, eating, doing trivia quizzes, lying by the pool and lounging in our room.  It is formal night again and I can see we may not be going to the next one as Steve can barely do up his suit trousers!  Brenda Cochrane from Scotland is the evening show performer.  She is a singer but also has a really funny rapport with the audience.  However the highlight of the day is the late evening entertainment of the game show “The Quest”.  We have arranged for our dining table members to make up our team.  The cruise director calls out for a male or female to bring an item to him and you are awarded points for doing so and extra for being in the first 3.  Steve & Alan look really funny skipping around the room together whilst I cop it to wriggle on the floor like a worm.  Everyone helps in someway including Margaret who loans her false teeth!  When a request goes out for a women to take up 2 pairs of men’s trousers Steve is unlucky in that JohnnyO keeps his and he has to go up alone at the end to collect them.  He also ends up being our team member to be dressed up like a women and strut around.    Our team come in 3^rd and end up with medals but couldn’t have cared less as we had such a fun night.

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 8 - TRANSATLANTIC

TUESDAY 12 MAY – I join the ladies for cards whilst Steve does the trivia.  By the time I finish it is time for the movie “Lucky you” so I end up having a picnic in the cinema.  Part way through is another “Alpha” call out, the second today.  We are now picking up British TV so spend late afternoon in bed watching “Fawlty Towers” and “Allo Allo”.  The evening show is cruise director “JohnnyO” who plays the EWI (Electronic wind instrument).   It is like an electric organ and can imitate numerous different instruments.  During the show he tells the story of his life accompanied by significant songs.  The late entertainment is “Battle of the sexes” but it is not as funny as “The Quest” and we end up in the smoking section of the Safari Room so leave early.

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 9 - TRANSATLANTIC

WEDNESDAY 13 MAY – When we wake up we are docked in Lisbon PORTUGAL.  For once we get up early and by 8.30am set foot on dry land for the first time since last Thursday.  The ship have organised a shuttle bus, $6 (£4.20) to take you to the city centre.  Armed with a map from the tourist office we set off to explore.  We visited Lisbon in 1997 but concentrated on the Belem area.  Today on foot we want to explore the centre and begin heading from Praca de Comercio to San Sebastio.  The 1902 street lift is very impressive as are a number of squares with fine buildings.  Returning along a parallel side street full of theatres and restaurants we stop to look inside “Casa do Alentejo”.   From the outside it looks insignificant but inside the restaurant is done in Moorish style with lots of small restaurant rooms with walls decorated in ceramic murals, most impressive.  There are many electric cars in use here but it is still a shock to see the Police driving round in an electric golf cart style vehicle.  We both struggle to find our land legs and find it a hard climb up to the castle, made worse by getting lost and having to walk up and down numerous staircases.   We have really enjoyed wandering around but feel quite weary so catch a local bus, Euro 1.40 (£1.20) back to the ship.  Manage to get off one stop too soon and end up walking through the dockyards but Steve is happy as we pass a workers canteen where he gets a bottle of Sagres beer for Euro 1 (90p), a bargain after paying $6 (£4.20) on board for an inferior brew.  I feel quite queasy so spend the afternoon in bed whilst Steve sunbathes on deck.  Set sail around 4.30pm and we both stand on deck to watch our passage out along the river.  Feel almost envious of the motorhomes parked on the banks of the river.  Service in the Tides dining room is getting very slow (over 2-hours for a 3 course meal) so tonight we eat buffet style at the Windjammer.  The Extreme Vegas show is quite good with some magic, juggling and audience participation. 

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 10, LISBON

THURSDAY 14 MAY – Today’s port is Vigo in SPAIN.  Again we have toured the area in our motorhome so settle for a wander round the hilly town.  The weather is poor and once we have climbed up to the castle it begins to rain.  We thought we had wrapped up for the cooler weather but by the time we get back I am wet and shivering.  I go straight to bed whilst Steve spends the afternoon eating, doing quizzes and reading.  Not sure what is wrong with me but it is evening 8.30pm showtime before I get up.  Steve went to the earlier show and left after about 10 minutes.  City of Dreams has great sets and costumes but much of the singing is screechy opera style and not to my liking but I do sit it through.  Head to the Card Room and realise how week I am when I am overtaken by someone with a zimmer frame.  Round of the evening with a game of Euchre with Alan and Christa.

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 11, VIGO

FRIDAY 15 MAY – Our final day at sea and last chance for on board activities.  We have had a rough nights sailing and it is still a bit choppy but I am feeling much better and ready for action.  Steve is finally on a winning trivia team (they have been up as tie breakers many times but lost).  I don’t like being in the same team as him as one of the guys takes it too seriously.  British immigration officers have boarded the ship and throughout the day we take turns to clear customs.  Apparently there will be nothing more at Harwich so you can take in virtually anything on the basis that you are limited by how much you can carry.  Our final formal night and Steve must have lost a bit of weight as his trousers now fit!  Alan & Ika are absent and we are upset when she arrives and tells us Alan is ill with a lung infection and has been on a drip.  Judging by the number of “alpha” calls this sailing we have had a lot of illnesses on board and at least one death.  Guess this is a reflection on the age of the passengers and the duration of the cruise.  The “Soul Sensation” show is excellent, all our kind of music.  This is followed by the talent show with some great singers plus a comedian.

JEWEL OF THE SEAS 12 – AT SEA VIGO TO CHERBOURG

THURSDAY 16 APRIL – We park up by the laundry and get started on the washing.  It costs $1.75 (£1.50) to wash and $1.50 (£1.05) for a dryer.  1 ½ later we have done 3 loads of washing and 2 dries and now have everything up to date including the spare bedding for Harry’s new owners.  We do our last grocery shop at Port Lavaca Wal Mart then head towards Houston.  We stop in Palacios for lunch and make use of the free dump station in City Park.  Bay City has a Wal Mart where we can spend the night.  The parking area down the side is by a grassy park and looks very peaceful.  It is until about 5pm when trains start hurtling through about 50 feet from us.  Luckily they only run until about 10pm and go quiet in the night.

BAY CITY WAL MART

74 MILES

FRIDAY 17 APRIL – Other than a bit of rain pattering on the roof we have had one of our quietest Wal Mart nights to date.  Unfortunately the weather forecast is poor and we are heading to a naturist resort.  Natural Horisuns is easy to find near the village of Boling.  Resident Randy shows us around and we manage to get set up before the rain begins.  There’s a nice outdoor pool, hot tub and clubhouse with TV lounge.  On the TV they are showing area warnings for flash floods, heavy rain and tornadoes but we seem to be in an area on the edge of almost all of them.  Other than nipping out for a shower between showers we stay in the van.  The evening news shows areas near here with heavy snow and hail stones so we have got off lightly.

NATURAL HORISUNS, NR BOLING - $120 (£85) week + metered electric

28 MILES

SATURDAY 18 APRIL – We’ve had a few showers through the night but things get much worse during the day with torrential downpours and low light.  So much for us being at a naturist resort and outside cleaning Harry up!  When I open the bedroom blind the cord snaps and it drops shut so another job to add to our list.  Late morning when I put the kettle on to boil the socket doesn’t work and we then notice that the circuit breaker on the bathroom socket has popped out.  Exploring to find about the problem I notice wet in our bedroom and realise that I had just opened the bedroom window when the blind fell shut and I had forgotten to close it.  However compared to the people on the news who have flooded homes we are doing OK and it is a huge downpour that we get.

NATURAL HORISUNS 2

SUNDAY 19 APRIL – What a difference a day makes and we wake to a very nice morning.  I soon have the blind restrung and one of the members called Slim is an Electrician and offers to help with the socket problem.  He works out that it is connected to an outdoor socket that has got damp in the rain so easy to put right and a bit of silicone will prevent future problems.  In the evening everyone gathers at the clubhouse for George’s famous ribs.  He cooks them to a family recipe and they are the best ribs we have ever had.  People bring along side dishes and we sit with Slim and his wife Lucy and meet other members Charles, Sandy, Berth & Steve and Cille. 

NATURAL HORISUNS 3

MONDAY 20 APRIL – Considering we have been doing odd jobs for the last week or so there is still a lot to do.  As I go through each cupboard I put the things we want to take over the cab and can soon see that we are going to have package problems. Accustomed to travelling light it will quite a novelty for us to check in baggage and look like a proper tourist when we board the cruise ship!  We both work hard but break at 3pm to sit by the pool.  Slim & Lucy have an Internet card and offer us use of it so we do a quick message check and time our visit to them felling a dead tree.  Unfortunately Slims plan to tie the tree to his truck, to ensure the direction of the fall by driving off, backfires as the rope is too short and the branches land on the back of his truck.  

NATURAL HORISUNS 4

TUESDAY 21 APRIL – Another hot day and more jobs to do.  Again break off for late afternoon by the pool.  One of the members comes over to see the work we are doing on Harry and comments that he thought it was a new vehicle so obviously our hard work has paid off.

NATURAL HORISUNS 5

WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL – Now down to the odd jobs I defrost the fridge and freezer then join Slim & Lucy for a ride to Wharton Wal-Mart.  They take me on a scenic route through town where there is a most attractive courthouse.  Steve stays behind to finish polishing before it gets too hot.  Usual afternoon by the pool including a few cooling dips.

NATURAL HORISUNS 6

THURSDAY 23 APRIL – Lucy has a washing machine and dryer in their trailer and offers me use of it.  We continue past their place to walk the nature trail and spot a deer in the woods.  Onto the last leg of the jobs we are a little disappointed that it is a cloudy day as we planned to spend most of it topping up our tans.  Late afternoon I manage to gather a few people by the pool for a photo shoot to go with my TAN article.  Our last night alone in the motorhome and last night in the queen sized bed as we are going to let Keith & Louise use it when they arrive. 

NATURAL HORISUNS 7

FRIDAY 24 APRIL – Time to move off and our journey should take less than 1 hour to Brookshire but with our exploratory detour it takes 1-¾ hours.  Arrive at 12.15 and passing Orlando’s Pizza we can’t resist their $4.99 (£3.50) buffet.  There are salads, pasta and 12 different savoury pizzas and 3 dessert pizzas so it is great value.  Finally arrive at Wayne & Sylvia’s, we visited in October so it is great to see them both again as they have the day off work.  Catch up on recent news then take them out to a new Mexican restaurant nearby for a meal.  With Internet at our disposal we check out flights to Russia and get a good deal with Austrian Airlines via Vienna.  The flights are actually only £2 but with taxes come to £129 each and we go on 11^th June so another trip to look forward to.

BROOKSHIRE, WAYNE & SYLVIA’S

SATURDAY 25 APRIL – We enjoy a cooked breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and biscuits with delicious gravy – actually a creamy sausage sauce.  Sounds like we just got out of Mexico in time, as swine flu is becoming a major problem there.  After lunch we head off to Houston for the Healthy Hides of Houston toga party.  Felix and Ernie (Ernestine) have a lovely private property with pool, spa and games room so perfect for a gathering.  Having been to one of their parties last year we recognise a number of people and also make new friends.  With tons of food even with a small helping of everything leaves us overeating (good practice for the cruise!).  The fancy dress parade is really funny with some very innovative costumes.  It is almost 1am when we arrive back.

BROOKSHIRE 2

SUNDAY 26 APRIL – We don’t wake up until 9.30am then spend the day pottering around.  Sylvia offers to merge my laundry with hers and does a fantastic job sorting it all and processing it correctly unlike myself who chucks it all in together.  Having got the cheap flights to Moscow and a host lined up we are frustrated to find out how expensive and complicated the visa situation is – guess that is why few people go their independently but we’ll figure it out.  In the evening we play Mexican Train with Wayne & Sylvia’s rules and find it a little less challenging with the version using the doubles as a block but still fun.

BROOKSHIRE 3

MONDAY 27 APRIL – Wayne leaves for work early so he can fit 10 days hours into 9 days and have alternate Fridays off.  Sylvia doesn’t leave until 8.30am so we get to see her.    We are really tight on luggage space to do a mock pack and find we can just about squeeze in everything we need and don’t have enough left over to warrant buying another bag and paying $15 to check it in.  In the afternoon a storm begins to brew and by the time Wayne arrives back around 5pm we have torrential rain and lots of wind.  Sylvia phones to say she will be late so just Wayne joins us in Harry for a Chinese meal.  As the evening progresses the storm worsens so we are all glad to see Sylvia arrive home safely.  Spend the evening doing a quick slide show of our Mexican trip; already I have forgotten so much of what we did. 

BROOKSHIRE 4

TUESDAY 28 APRIL – The storm wakes us all up and at 4.30am it is like a hurricane with garden chairs having been blown into the pool.  There’s a bit of a lull and Steve dashes out to check that Harry is OK and is pleased to find no leaks.  When we get up later we learn that a tornado passed this way at 4.30am so that was probably the worst of the storm.  Many areas of Houston are flooded and people are trapped in their homes.  They are saying it is worse than the hurricane Ike so we are lucky to have escaped with no real damage.  We are surprised to find a damp area on the carpet in Harry, as there is no evidence of rain coming in.  Eventually we figure it must be from when Steve dashed out to check the van and the water ran off him onto the floor then pooled in one area – he was like a drowned rat when he got back into the house.  The weather picks up and we have a few spells in the afternoon when we can sit out sunbathing.  Wayne arrives home and brings 3 juicy steaks that he cooks on the
BBQ.  Tonight Sylvia gets back sooner than anticipated so she could have eaten with us.  Enjoy our last game of Mexican Train together.

BROOKSHIRE 5

WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL – We are sad to be leaving our friends again as the time has flown by and we haven’t even managed to fit in a dip in their hot tub or a game of petanque.  Our journey towards Spring takes us out in the country where fields have become lakes and small lanes are like rivers.  At the Wal Mart store I treat myself to solar nails ready for the cruise.  I’ve never had it done before and am fascinated by the process.  The beautician is a Vietnamese man who used to be a computer technician!  To begin with my nails are smoothes and filed down then really long tips are glued on.  These are cut shorter and a sort of pink paste is applied to the bottom half of my nails, smoothed then cut into the correct shape.  On the tips a sparkly white paste is blending onto this.  Much filing and polishing follows but I do end up with some really nice looking nails for $32 (£23).  Spring Oaks RV park is only a couple of miles down the road and we have booked on for 1 week, $150 (£100), to enable Keith & Louise to deal with registering Harry etc.  This is our final trip in Harry and I tot up that we have covered 22713 miles in 22 ½ months so pretty much bang on the 1000 miles a month as usual.  The wi-fi at the park is not working but receptionist Linda is very helpful and offers us use of the office computer.  On the TV news they say the first death in America to swine flu has occurred with a toddler dying in Houston.  At 5pm we get a text to say Keith & Louise are here and just off to pick up the hire car.  They arrive just after 6pm and we are soon showing them around.  Keith is struggling with flu and coupled with jet leg is finding it hard to take everything in.  We have a few snacks then to keep him awake for a little longer, and to practice driving, we suggest a trip to the Wal-Mart.  It works for a short time but they are both asleep in the bedroom within minute of returning.

SPRING CREEK MOBILE HOME PARK, $150 (£100) WEEK

51MILES

THURSDAY 30 APRIL – Keith & Louise are awake early so once Steve and I wake around 7am we get up and sit out having breakfast and talking things through.  A few people walk past and everyone is really friendly and stops to chat.  On the computer we complete the balance of the sale using an instant UK bank transfer.  As part of the sale deal with have offered to help them getting the van on the road so our first task is to get Keith an American drivers licence for cheaper insurance.  Rather than face Houston traffic we suggest going to nearby Conroe after buying a Tom Tom navigator from Wal Mart.  We get bad news at the driving test office, under new rules Keith cannot take a driving test in America on his B2 tourist visa and is also told he can’t even drive on his British licence on an International Driving Permit.  This is a huge problem as IDP’s can only be bought in your country of residence whilst you are there.  However reasoning that Keith had already hired a car using his British licence this does not add up.  Call in at Best Buy for them to buy a laptop then back to the campground for a re think.  On the computer I fill in an application for Keith’s insurance through Progressive using the section for him to enter a foreign drivers licence (no mention of an IDP). Surprisingly even with the British licence the premium is only around $670 (£500), so not even worth the hassle of Keith taking the American test.   We are trying to meet up with our friend Tim but the office with the phone is closed.  Neighbour John offers us use of his mobile and comes round for a chat.  I cook my last meal in Harry, chilli pasta that we eat at the picnic table.

HOUSTON 2, SPRING OAKS

200904

WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL 2009 – We have a very quiet night with just the occasional donkey braying to disturb us.  Our plan is to set off across country tomorrow to avoid the rush traffic for the beginning of the Semana Santa holiday this weekend.  We’ve still got some vegetables left and cannot take raw ones into the States so spend an hour or so preparing them for the freezer but also doing a batch of home made potato crisps, most of which we eat during the manufacturing process.  Cruise ship of the day is or should I say are Sapphire Princess and RCI Mariner of the Seas.  There’s a big hill at the end of the peninsula and we climb this to get superb views in all directions.  Throughout the day we see the tourists doing horse rides along the beach, quad biking, water sports and walks around the island. 

ISLA DE LA PIEDRA 3, BENJIS

THURSDAY 2 APRIL – We are up just before 6am ready for our big journey.  It’s not that we have a really long drive towards Durango but it is on very twisty mountain roads.  It takes almost an hour to get to the start of Mex 40 and sure enough we begin climbing and winding our way into the Sierra Madre almost immediately.  The road is good with lots of lorries using this route but progress is slow and the driving tedious.  We pass one Quebec camper en route.  There are far reaching views but nothing spectacular to see.  We pass the Tropic of Cancer at 1700m then reach the summit and cross into DURANGO state around 2620m complete with military checkpoint (clocks forward 1-hour).  We are now on a plateau with stretches of excellent new road going through the pine forest and logging the main industry.  Billboards tell us that the development of the next 45km will include 38 tunnels and 34 bridges.  Around km 57 we stopped at Parque El Tequan.  Signs tell us it is open Thursday – Sunday from 8am – 10pm but we still have to shout through the gate to be let in even though it is 12.30pm.  For P50 (£2.50) we can stay overnight and we walk around before picking an area at the lower level by the basketball court and near the chalets.  After lunch we are ready for a nap.  When I set out for a late walk I find that the Quebec camper van is here and parked further along as they have a 4wd truck.  Even with that the road leading to the dried up lake was too bad for them to continue.  Jacques & Jeanne are very interesting people.  She is Belgian and was raised in Belgian Congo and he is French but they moved to Quebec 50 years ago.  They still have a motorhome in France and have take it down to Morocco and other north African countries and have taken this camper all through South America so lots of inspiration for us.  Our days are now numbered so we start to work out way through our DVD’s and watch a Barbara Cartland “The Lady and the Highwayman after supper.

PARQUE EL TEQUAN, KM 57 MEX 45 – P50 (£2.50)

165 MILES

FRIDAY 3 APRIL – It has been a really cold night and is still only just above freezing when we wake up so we get chance to give the central heating a run.  As Jacques & Jeanine are leaving they tell us it went down to –4C.  We really like it here; it is so quiet and the only noise in the night was the occasional distant truck using air brakes.  In reverse of recent days when we have sat out in the morning before it got too hot here we are sit in for the morning until it warms up then outside in the afternoon but boy is it hot then.  One car comes in to check the place out but other than that we have the place to ourselves unless you count all the deer in the enclosure. 

PARQUE EL TEQUAN 2

SATURDAY 4 APRIL – Today is the start of the main Mexican holiday but we can’t get on the road early, as the park gates don’t open until 8am.  The by pass round Durango is excellent and we pick up the free road to take us across country with comparatively little traffic.   The “periferico” around the tri cities of Ciudad Lerdo, Gomez Palacio and Torreon is good and fast although there is a lot of traffic.  We are now in COAHUILA state, along with Durango sited by the Americans as dangerous places to be!  We stick with the free road and this merges with the main road in many places.  It is easy driving on good roads across a flat barren landscape with lots of saltpans, much like central Australia.  Heading towards Saltillo on the free road we hope to find a place to stay overnight.  The hotel in Saltillo is our banker but time is against us.  Options are very limited with just roadside parking by very poor housing communities.  Truckers are using these places but we’ve learnt they often just stop for a few hours so we could be left alone and safety is our primary concern.  We are very happy to see the only Pemex en route about 50km before Saltillo.  It’s 6.15pm so we take it and settle in at the back of the parking area.  The gas station closes from 11pm to 7am but the attendant lives here and tells us truckers usually park up as well so we feel safe. 

PEMEX, 50KM BEFORE SALTILLO ON FREE ROAD

344 MILES

SUNDAY 5 APRIL – With our 7.15am start we are around Saltillo before any traffic builds up.  Good job too as the signs for Monterrey are terrible, you have to turn off the ring road but the signs are at the bottom of the off ramp.  Call in for a last shop at Soriana only to be disappointed when they refuse to sell me booze on a Sunday.   Enter the state of NUEVO LEON and make good progress until the Monterrey ring road where we miss a sign (or there was a sign missing), overshoot and have to double back.  Last year we paid to use the toll road towards Laredo but know it was very expensive so opt for the free road.  All goes well until we reach Sabinas Hidalgo with a diversion from the main road.  This leads us right into the centre of the bustling little town on small roads but with no signs to get us out.  We keep asking directions and with great difficulty make it back on track.  Enter our last Mexican state; TAMULIPAS then pick up the road out to the Columbia Bridge exit point west of Nuevo Laredo.  It’s fairly busy with lots of Mexicans heading into the States for holiday week.  Leaving the Mexican side is easy as they have a booth where they remove your vehicle sticker after checking that you are taking out the same things you brought in – laptops, TV’s etc.  After turning in our tourist cards at the office and paying P50 (£2.50) bridge toll we cross the Rio Grande to the USA.  Getting through with the vehicle is easy including a sniffer dog check and so far we have only been about ½ hour in total.  The final hurdle is American immigration where we queue up and then fill in the Visa waiver forms.  At the desk they ask us lots of questions but we were prepared for this after our last entry difficulties.  This time they really get stuck in and accuse us of living at our friends Texas address.  Worse is to come when they ask for our drivers licence as there are now special Texas visitors’ licences but when Steve got his back in 2002 we were issued with a residents licence.  They imply that we obtained the drivers licence under false pretences so we have to explain exactly how we went about getting it.  There are 3 officers on our case and talk of refusing us entry and sending us back to Mexico but we explain that we have sold our motorhome and have a flight and cruise booked out of the States.   They then ask us for our vehicle registration documents which are in the motorhome.  Steve goes off to get them but my mind then goes into a panic imagining us trying to explain why the vehicle is registered in Florida with our friends Miami address.  A computer printout shows them all the times we have visited the States and I talk the officer through the scenarios and explain that on our last entry it should have been logged on the computer what our ongoing plan was.  The offices huddle together talking our scenario through and seem to reach a decision before Steve gets back.  Fortunately they agree to grant us entry with a 3-month stay.  All that is left is for our 4 fingers then thumb to be fingerprinted and a photo taken before paying $6 (£4) each visa charge.  Welcome back to America!  So we are now in TEXAS and suddenly find our clocks have gone forward an hour for daylight saving time so it’s after 5pm before we leave the border.  Realise now that I definitely made the right decision not to go back for my sisters wedding as re entering twice would have been must too much for them.  The exchange rate is now around $1.40 = £1 and the first gas we see is $1.89 (1.30) gallon.  Luckily we have a free camping spot in mind; the Texas Welcome centre at junction 18 on the I35 and it’s a great spot.  We’re too late for the visitor centre but they have free wi-fi and a nice seating area in gardens complete with pretty pools.  We chat to some truck drivers and learn that the new vehicles are so automated that the engines must be left running at all times for cab temperature control.  On hearing this we clear it with the rest area security guard so we can park where the cars go.  Not sure whether this was a good move or not as just after settling down to sleep we realise we are right beside a railway.  Between midnight and 1am 3 noisy trains go past and this is why I am now sat up at 1.15am writing my diary!  At least trains in Mexico never bothered us – they don’t have any.  I do some figures out of interest and find out our time in Mexico averaged out at £125 week, that’s for food, meals out, sightseeing, petrol and everything.  Within this figure is the Central America 2-week trip and there we spent £500 in 2 weeks so the real Mexico figure is even lower and what a great time we had as well. 

NORTH OF LARDEO, I35, EXIT 18 TEXAS WELCOME CENTRE REST AREA

270 MILES 

MONDAY 6 APRIL – Claire’s birthday so we are happy to be able to chat with her on Skype.  She’s off work for 2 weeks partly because it is the school holidays but she is also studying for her Chartered Accounts exam next month.   Leaving the freeway we are impressed by how little traffic there is on the minor roads, how smooth the road surface is and how quiet it is inside Harry.  Stopped at a junction we cannot even hear the engine running.  Although distances are now marked in miles we seem to travel them faster than the same in kilometres in Mexico because the roads are so good and there are no topes to bring us to a halt in the towns.  In Beeville we do a Wal Mart grocery shop, it’s actually quite hard not to stock up as there is such a wide choice of stuff compared to Mexico but with only 3 weeks to go I have to show some restraint.  I’ve been having problems with my new laptop and Victoria is the nearest major city with a Best Buy so we aim for there and are impressed by the RV Park on the edge of town.  It’s a grassy area by a stream at the edge of the City Park and only $12 (£8.50) night with full hook ups.  It is now light until around 8pm so we potter around outside until that time.  Then with unlimited water and electric I use the kettle for hot water to do lots of inside cleaning jobs.  Digital TV did not begin in February as planned and so we wind up the evening watching telly.

VICTORIA RV PARK - $12 (£8.50)

209 MILES

TUESDAY 7 APRIL – We want to go back to Mexico, can’t handle the cold nights and last night was almost freezing.  Once the day warms up we get the hose going and give Harry a good clean outside and what a difference it makes.  Head off along Navarro, the main road with big stores and Malls.  Best Buy admits there is a problem with my laptop screen but would have to send it back to Toshiba and it would be away for at least 2 weeks.  The only solution is for them to fill out a fault report form so I can deal with it back in England.  By dropping into different stores we manage to get many of our odd jobs done.  A few small things broke in Mexico and it was just a matter of getting the right parts to fix them up.  Surprisingly the running around takes all afternoon so we return to the RV Park to take in the last of the sun.  We are happy that it is less cold in the evening and night so maybe we will stay!

VICTORIA RV PARK 2

20 MILES

WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL – Heading off just before lunchtime we stop at Pizza Hut to partake in their $5.99 (£5 inc tax) buffet lunch and as usual manage to overeat.  Coming out of Mexico our attention is immediately drawn to the amount of obese people in America, especially at the all you can eat buffets!  We move on to “Buffalo Wings” car park as it is a sport bar showing the Liverpool match.  Whilst Steve spends him money in the bar I head to the shops to pick up a few new clothes for our cruise back to England.  It is easy to lose track of time in the Malls, as they are somewhat like casinos with no natural light and few clocks.  Consequently Steve is back before me and not a happy bunny after they lost.  Even worse the waitress chose the moment Liverpool scored to come over and chat to him so he missed the goal and the replay!  Wal Mart will do us for overnight; the number of RV’s surprises us. They are all from Quebec and gathered together for a happy hour with their chairs set up in the car park, in our opinion abusing the hospitality offered by Wal Mart.  I manage to buy a few more clothes in the store to complete my new wardrobe and now just need shoes.  At this stage Steve knows he needs stuff but just can’t be bothered to shop for it.

VICTORIA 3, WAL MART

THURSDAY 9 APRIL – We’ve done all we wanted and more in Victoria so head off to the coast to Magnolia Beach.  Again the place is full of predominantly Quebec vehicles.  Unfortunately it is extremely windy and not so pleasant to be outside plus the mosquitoes are a bit of a problem.  On the other hand we have a lovely view and the price is right.

MAGNOLIA BEACH

47 MILES

FRIDAY 10 APRIL – The wind dropped in the night and it is a glorious morning.  It is Good Friday an American holiday and many families arrive to camp at the beach.  They come towing boats and jet skis for a fun day in the water.  There are loads of people camped up here and we’ve walked around but not seen anyone we knew.  However we missed Paula who comes over to chat to us, we met her and Serge at Tenacatita Beach in Mexico.  The rest of the people here have been too afraid to go into Mexico so spend winter in the south of the USA.  They don’t know what they are missing!

MAGNOLIA BEACH 2

SATURDAY 11 APRIL – It is windy again so we take a walk into Magnolia.  This is a really strange town that doesn’t seem to know whether it is coming or going.  The store and gas station have closed down but a laundrette has opened in a hut and plots of land are being marked out for sale.  Many people seem to move here in their RV and then build onto it.  By the time we get back many of the motorhomers have left and it is much quieter other than Linda from Thunder Bay who comes round for a chat.

MAGNOLIA BEACH 3

SUNDAY 12 APRIL – The weather has got worse and we’ve had a little rain in the night and wake to a dull drizzly morning.  A few families brave it and are rewarded when things improve dramatically and we end up with a superb hot afternoon with clear blue skies.  There are 2 Mexican families, from Victoria, next to us and they entertain us with their Easter egg hunt and deliver some eggs to us.  The family business is making tacos and this uses lots of eggs.  For the last few weeks they have been careful removing the egg through just a small hole.  Having washed the eggs they decorated them, stuffed them with a type of confetti and sealed the top with tissue.  During Easter they go up to people and pretend to crack the egg on their heads at which point all the confetti flies out.  It is so hot in the afternoon that we have to keep going to the water for a cooling dip.  At one point a dolphin can be seen swimming out in the bay and late afternoon we see a couple of oilrigs being towed into Port Lavaca.

MAGNOLIA BEACH 4

MONDAY 13 APRIL – We sure are getting a mixed bag of weather here.  Today we have clear skies and sun but with wind coming along the shore.  Someone who stayed here all winter said it had been cold but at least they hadn’t any rain.  A local tells us they have a small problem here with mosquitoes in the summer – from March to December!  Still we manage a few hours sat out sunbathing in the afternoon.

MAGNOLIA BEACH 5

TUESDAY 14 APRIL – Many more vans leave and we are now down to single figures.  Get on with a few more clean up jobs; the outdoors furniture sure gets grim.  Manage to get on the Internet in the evening, the nearby campground has wi-fi and the password is their phone number!

MAGNOLIA BEACH 6

WEDNESDAY 15 APRIL – Usual day bit of cleaning bit of sunbathing, lots of doing nothing.  Linda & Brian leave, they look like a convoy as they have a truck towing a 5^th wheel towing a boat, in total of about 54’.  They make us laugh when they say they have only used the boat once all winter. 

MAGNOLIA BEACH 7

MONDAY 16 MARCH – When I check my E-mails there is a special on a transatlantic cruise from Miami to England on 4^th May.  This would fit in nicely with our onward plan so we contact Keith & Louise who put another payment down so we can get things booked.  By the end of the day they have also booked their travel arrangements and will arrive in Houston on 29^th April and will stay with us on a campground in Houston.  On 4^th May we fly Continental to Miami (£73 pp) to pick up a transatlantic cruise to Harwich arriving on 17^th May with Royal Caribbean, outside stateroom for $850 (£620).  From there we take a Virgin train package to Stoke on Trent for £19 so I think it is fair to say I had a busy day at the office!

MIRAMAR 3, PARAISO MIRAMAR RV PARK

TUESDAY 17 MARCH – We set off early for our journey up the coast.  Aticama is a cute little village and just beyond there we reach the Bay of Matanchen and see motorhome camped on the beach.  There is a sort of proper campground with swimming pool but just next to it informal camping behind Restaurant Paraiso Escondido and this is where we settle.  We’ve come all of 6 miles so our early start gets us here just as everyone is getting up!  Ole & David are here long term with their micro lights and do tourist flights along the coast.  The beach is a hive of activity with Mexicans erecting palapas all the way along, 4 rows deep, in preparation for Semana Santa.  We are very glad we didn’t stay on the campground as a “Soleil Mexico” caravan arrives with 27 rigs, all jammed in closer than on a car park.  There are a few bugs around sunset but we just hop inside at that time.  In the evening we watch “The last king of Scotland” about Idi Amin and can now add another country to our list of places we’d like to visit.

PLAYA MATANCHEN, RESTAURANT PARAISO ESCONDIO – FREE

6 MILES

WEDNESDAY 18 MARCH – It’s the time of month when we exercise our generator but we have a little trouble getting it started.  Les & Don come over from the campground and help Steve to fix it.  They stay on for a beer and a chat.  I learn that a couple living on the campground have Internet and I go over to buy some time.  Angel is in a huge motorhome and with her partner is buying a share in a cattle ranch here.  She charges P20 (£1) per day for Internet. Just as I am leaving I tell her I half recognise her and then realise we met at Tecolote Beach on the Baja last year.  They have upgraded from their small old rig to this beautiful “A” class but her partner isn’t there.  I have had my hair cut so it took a while for us to recognise each other.  When I get back Steve is talking to David who tells us of a nice free camping spot just south of Mazatlan on Isla De La Piedra.  I go inside to use Internet and have a message from Diana in New Brunswick to say her son Cory is in Mazatlan and we should visit.  Contacting Cory I learn that he has a house on Stone Island and by sheer coincidence the Spanish name for the place is Isla De La Piedra, the very spot David has just recommended.  The sunset this evening is stunning, it just gets better and better as the clouds take up the pink colour.  Don & Laura call round for a chat, as they also want to explore one of the beaches we have heard about up the coast.  We are staying another day for Sandra & Robert to arrive. 

PLAYA MATANCHEN 2

THURSDAY 19 MARCH – Other than the micro light guys virtually everyone else leaves.  The ocean here is the warmest we have encountered in Mexico and much like a warm bath.  Late afternoon Sandra & Robert arrive but decide to stay on the campground next door P190 (£9.50).  They bring round the “pina coladas” and Angel joins us with a brew of her own.  I’ve prepared a “Shepherds Pie” for supper after which we play games

PLAYA MATANCHEN 3

FRIDAY 20 MARCH – Steve heads off up the beach chatting with David.  He’s a really interesting guy around our age.  He was always into art and got lucky when he designed T-Shirts for “Grateful Dead”.   Other projects with the band followed then he used his money to buy ranches in Oregon but has now scaled down in order to travel.  I join Sandra for a drive back to Aticama, although it is only about 200 metres along the beach the road takes you inland for about 3km.  In the afternoon Mexicans arrive by the coach load and we think this is the start of the weekend influx so are surprised when they leave at sunset.

PLAYA MATANCHEN 4

SATURDAY 21 MARCH – Heading north we rejoin the main highway but then turn off to explore Playa Novillero.  Judging by the signs they are hoping to turn this into a resort beach but at the moment there is almost nothing there.  It is almost at the northern end of the longest beach in Mexico and very attractive.  You can drive on the beach as the sand is packed hard.  Sandra & I set off in the car to check out parking places and we find a piece of grassy land belonging to a hotel and the owner says we can park there.  Steve & I head in first but soon realise we are sinking.  As I was not on foot checking out the area I didn’t walk over the ground to check out how firm it was and now we know it is not.  There’s a restaurant opposite and the guy and his sons come over with shovels.  Robert & Sandra arrive and help out by offering their skid block but we still can’t get Harry out.  Robert tries pulling us with his motorhome but the rope snaps.  At his point we realise that we need a truck and chains and restaurant owner “Gasper” indicates he knows the man.  In Sandra’s car we head of with him to enlist the help of the local tractor owner.  Steve has already cleared most of the sand behind the van and underneath where it could catch anything so it’s really easy for the tractor to just pop us out.  We ask the tractor man if we can pay him and he says to speak to Gasper who asks for P500 (£25) to share between them.  A bit steep by Mexican standards but at least we got out without any damage.  The Hotel owner comes over and suggests we park on the more solid ground at the back of his lot and this is where we end up in a nice L formation.  Sitting out during the afternoon we see a 56-seater coach drop off its passengers then head onto the beach only to get stuck as we did.  Luckily his passengers are all young lads who can easily push him out.  Yesterday Sandra bought a large fish and they BBQ it and share it with us as a delicious summer taken sat out in candlelight.

PLAYA NOVILLERO 1

111 MILES

SUNDAY 22 MARCH – We’ve had a very quiet night so will stay for a few more days.  Walking in the bit of the village we meet Vicki who has been coming here for years from Arizona.  She says this place is about to take off but at this stage only has a couple of basic shops and a few restaurants.  The beach further south does not have a completely sealed road and little direct access to the beach so this is definitely the best place for us.  I cook us all a pasta lunch, which goes down well washed down with red wine whilst admiring our beach view from the palm garden. It’s a busy day on the beach with cars constantly coming and going completely churning up the track.  Late afternoon we go for a drive to San Cayetano, a small village at the northern most end of the beach but actually on the riverbank.  Beyond the village you reach a few bars and they are quite busy.  The waiter Victor gives us a bit of a show with his pole dancing to Mexican music, Speedy Gonzales will always remind us of him.  Local kids swim in the river whilst some young girls play hopscotch across the boats.  Here you get “botanos” (free snacks) with your drinks.  The snacks are fantastic, whilst the men get through 3 drinks each and Sandra and I 2 we receive 4 small fish, 4 plates of chips and prawns, taco chips, dips and a plate of 12 oysters.  The bill is P120 (£6) but we then find out that the oysters are P30 (£1.50) extra as Victor got them for us from the restaurant next door.  By the restaurants are about a dozen buildings made of fibreglass, domed and cross-shaped.  The sad remains of what were holiday bungalows but now in total disrepair. 

PLAYA NOVILLERO 2

MONDAY 23 MARCH – I join Robert & Sandra for a ride into Tecuala for shopping and Internet.  It’s really big busy town but with no signs of tourists or tourism at all.  In the church there are boards displaying children’s pictures and poems about their families.  Late afternoon Steve & I take a walk to visit Vicki who lives in the hotel opposite the church.  We find the place but it looks derelict however we see a Mexican inside doing some painting.  She tells us this is the right place and leads us through to where Vicki is staying.  Originally a very upmarket hotel with swimming pool etc it was damaged in the 1994 hurricane and seems to have had no work done since.  The downstairs rooms are still fairly solid and occasionally let to travellers whilst Vicki has taken over a section at the end for her art studio and home.  During our conversation we find out she knows our friend Cory whom we are on our way to see near Mazatlan.

PLAYA NOVILLERO 3

TUESDAY 24 MARCH – We have a bit of a lazy day.  In the afternoon Robert & Sandra go off on a boat trip (I did it last year from Teacapan) and can’t resist returning to the bar for drinks and snacks.  In the evening we introduce them to the old British comedy “Yes Prime Minister”.

PLAYA NOVILLERO 4

WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH – Vicki calls round to say farewell and give us the Bill Bryson book “Notes from a small island”.  I’ve read it before but know it is worth another read as it is so funny.  On the road at 8.30am we are stopped at the SINALOA border and asked, in Spanish, if we have any fruit.  Steve says no then I cringe as we drive past the with bowl of fruit in the kitchen window at their eye level.  We head out to Teacapan and find ourselves behind a work truck full of tar.  Loads of men are taking it off to fill the holes in the road.  Robert & Sandra need a full campsite so peel off at Villa Onac whilst we continue to what was Playa Las Lupitas but is this year called Playa Hermosilla trailer park.  The new name comes with a price increase from P80 to P100 (£5) due to new owner but the caretaker Valerie is the same one as last year.  There are only 2 other rigs here so we get a prime spot overlooking a private beach with a palapa.  We walk towards town and see many new homes going up.  There are 2 camping areas with 2 vans on one and 1 on the other so it seems many Americans have gone home early due to the news scares about violence in Mexico.  Sandra & Robert drive down late afternoon and tell us how fantastic Villa Onac is and that they have negotiated for us to stay there from tomorrow onwards without electric for P100 same as here.  We go for a drive into town to the new supermarket and along the front before returning home.  Bob tells us that the whole coast leading into Teacapan is earmarked to be the next Cancun with a huge development plan for the next 20-years.

TEACAPAN, PLAYA HERMOSILLA P100 (£5)

86 MILES

THURSDAY 26 MARCH – We take an early morning walk up the beach towards one of the other campgrounds.  Tambora has now been split into two sites but both are empty.  Returning along the beach we see a dead porpoise.  Villa Onac is surprisingly busy, normal price is P175 (£8.75) so reasonable consider they have a fabulous pool and are on the beach.  Unfortunately the beach area here has had hundreds of dead fish washed ashore during the night.  It’s quite a sight and as far as you can see in both directions and strange as there are numerous different types of fish in all shapes and sizes.  We guess they have been poisoned or something as none of the birds show any interest in eating them.  There are a couple of parking areas and we chose the quiet one with just a Canadian ex English couple called Ian & Anne in their VW camper.  I put in 20 laps in the pool mid afternoon then return for happy hour with Robert & Sandra.  They have just left when Don & Laura arrive with their drinks.  Playa Novillero also caught them out and they got stuck in almost exactly the same spot that we did so we compare photos.  They were lucky to get towed out for P300 (£15) by a truck.  Mexican Train is our evening game and Robert fools us all having taking all the double dominoes out before we arrived – he’s a bit of a lad on the quiet.

TEACAPAN 2, VILLA ONAC – P100 (£5) without electric

FRIDAY 27 MARCH – I’m up early thinking about my sister Annette who is getting married to Ian in England.  I spend most of the day on the Internet trying to speak to someone at the wedding and finally get through early afternoon to hear it all went well and everyone has had a great time.  Robert & Sandra head off towards San Diego in the hope of buying a new car.  Taking a beach walk we see that there are even more fish today and also lots of snake like looking eels.  Many crabs have tried to drag the fish down their holes but got them stuck so all you see is the fish tail sticking up in the air.  Late afternoon some officials arrive to check out the problem and they tell us it extends for between 10km and 15km with between 50 and 60 tons of dead fish.  They think red algae or plankton has caused it.  Anne & Ian have joined us for happy hour and we are entertained by the beach officials antics at trying to get their 4WD off the beach.   

TEACAPAN 3, VILLA ONAC

SATURDAY 28 MARCH – It’s a misty morning when I get up early but I do manage to catch Ian & Annette at the airport for a brief chat on Skype.  Claire sends me lots of wedding photos and I see that everyone looked really nice.  People attempt to clean up some of the fish but each tide brings in more.  A friend has researched it and it sounds like it was caused by a “red tide”, a natural thing that occurs under certain conditions including drought and hot water temperatures.  After joining us for happy hour we have a most enjoyable game of Canasta with Ian & Anne.

TEACAPAN 4, VILLA ONAC

SUNDAY 29 MARCH – It’s becoming a twice-daily thing to go down to the beach at high tide to see what is coming in.  Today there is a huge eel and a fish with blue lips.  There must be dozens of different varieties of fish in all shapes and sizes.  Judging by the quantity being washed ashore you would think that under normal circumstance fishing in these waters would be extremely lucrative.  Unfortunately in the heat of the day they are starting to get a bit smelly and flies are gathering.  Lots more vehicles leave and at once stage we are down to 3 before the new arrivals.  Ian & Anne join us for dinner followed by cards and again in the evening for snacks and cards – it’s rare we find people who can play Canasta so we have to make the most of such opportunities.

TEACAPAN 5, VILLA ONAC

MONDAY 30 MARCH – Ian & Anne make and early start and although this is what we like to do we realise just after 9am that we need to move to get away from the terrible smell.  Heading towards Mazatlan we turn off toward the airport then just before it at a sign to Isla de la Piedra.  The road turns to dirt and for almost 40 minutes we crawl along before reaching the village.  Isla de la Piedra is a peninsula with a small island attached and having driven into the village we find that Cory lives on the island part.  We pull up and Cory comes out to meet us, not the least bit surprised that we are a day early.  2 years ago we met him and his family in Canada and have kept up with him on Facebook since then.  We meet his friends Hjeron and girlfriend Christina.  Hjeron runs a theatre company www.mythmaker.com and shows us lots of pictures of his past productions.  He is here doing research for a future play.  This house is known as La Casa Del Mayor (the Majors house) or Case de Mi Amigos (House of my friends), and was built by Jaime who we meet.  He used lots of concrete to create unusual shaped rooms and beds, has left the floors as uneven dirt, and the rooms surround a most amazing jungle setting waterfall.  He is also building a future house and takes us to look at it.  Apparently in Mexico no one owns land that is covered by water so he is using this as a loophole to push out into the swamp and build on free land.  His visions are incredible and having seen his original house we are sure it will be impressive.  In the afternoon we go on an exploratory walk around the main village.  There’s a fantastic beach and part way along “Tres Amigos” campground with a surprising number of vehicles on it but all parked close together like solders.  David told us we could free camp by Benji’s pizza restaurant and this turns out to be at the far end of the bay on a rocky peninsula but much more to our liking.  Just to make sure we will like it we linger over a ham, prawn and garlic pizza and a few drinks.  By the time we complete the circuit round the hill back to Cory’s it is late afternoon and we both fall asleep.  Cory is having a party tonight and comes over to ask us to join in.  A few friends have brought along drums and Cory performs with his hula-hoop.  We are the first to leave feeling quite tired but finding out it is 11.30pm we are not surprised.  

ISLA DE LA PIEDRA 1, LA CASA DEL MAYOR

TUESDAY 31 MARCH – We are up before everyone else and walk down to the waterfront to see a huge Norwegian Star cruise liner in port.  Once the others emerge we learn they are going over to Mazatlan today so we tag along and begin by taking the boat across to the city, P5 (25p).  Cory wants to go to the park to find out about getting bamboo plans and to meet up with children from a local school.  He negotiates for a “pulmonia” (VW purpose made kind of street golf cart) to take us P60 (£3).  He sorts out the bamboo but finds we are too late for the school kids but still manages to get us into the park free.  Hjeron wants some bird feathers for his production and thinks they should be easy to get in Mexico but we are still surprised when they tell him to go into the aviary to collect them.  Cory’s planned trip to an island doesn’t come off so we all go our own separate ways and we make our way back.  We move over to Benji’s where we have a nice view.  We watch the cruise ship leave then settle down for a movie.

ISLA DE LA PIEDRA 2, BENJIS PIZZA RESTAURANT.