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Driving across the USA
  • Elisa Gatti

Driving across the USA

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti
    1

    Arches National Park

    29 апреля 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We left the apartment just after 9am, final destination Moab, Utah with a stop at Arches National Park.

    Moab was not originally on our itinerary but after hearing about it and the 2 national parks in the area, we decided to do 1 less night at Mesa Verde and have one night in Moab to be able to visit Arches National Park and Canyon lands National Park. Elisa really wanted to do a jet boat tour on the Colorado River but no tour company would take anyone under 4 years.

    The park was busy and even had it's own radio station. We were able to do a scenic drive through the national park but we also did 3 hikes.

    The hikes were relatively easy and less than a mile. Brandon did great. Sand dunes arch was our favourite as the sand was fun to walk in.

    Brandon received his junior ranger badge and to get this one he had to sit for 10 minutes and just listen to the environment, and he did it.

    That night we made it to the Moab KOA about 5pm, put up tent and blow up beds and was at the Moab brewery for dinner by 630. The brewery was busy and we had a nice dinner.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Canyonlands National Park

    30 апреля 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Zion and Bryce were amazing but Canyonlands National Park was immense. It made you feel how small you are against these massive boulders, mountains and canyons.

    We left Moab KOA by 10am, even though Inara was up at 630am ready to chase wild jack rabbits. Elisa was able to pack up most of the inside of the tent while Brandon slept through it. This is starting to be a theme now.

    We headed South to the Needles area of Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands is divided into 4 parts. Island in the Sky is the most traveled being closest to Moab, Needles is less traveled and more wild, while Maze District is the wildest area and one of the most remote areas in the nation. The 4th area is the Colorado and the Green river which divide the 3 land areas.

    Most of the day was driving throughout the park and getting on and off. The boulders or mountains before we actually got into the designates park area was impressive and we were on awe. We did a few small walks/trails which were great for the kids. The cave spring walk was awesome as it had 2 ladders we needed to climb and even showed wall art.

    Brandon got his 4th junior ranger badge, of course. The kids were good all day and in the car as well as we had another 2 hour drive or so to Mesa Verde National 2.

    After Canyonlands we made our way to our home for the next 3 nights, Mesa Verde National Park. We are camping in the park where we can see wild animals and be as much in the wild as you want with 2 kids.

    We made it for check in and dinner made at the campsite. The camp ground just opened up a few weeks ago as the weather is cold. It is also bear and mountain lion country. The pamphlets advise to keep all food, drinks (including water) , soaps and lotions in the car so the animals aren't drawn to the tent site. We also need to collect any food off the ground from eating , which happens a lot with a 2 year old, and wash our dishes in dump areas and the dirty flushed in the toilet. The toilet blocks are flushing toilets and t r showers are up the registration area with the small grocery store.

    This may be the coldest tenting of our trip and we dressed the kids in 2 layers of PJs along with sleeping bags. Tonight is the warmest of the 3 nights so we hope we can handle it.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Mesa Verde National Park

    1 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Today we woke up in a National Park, so it was nice to be able to start our day trip without an hour or so drive to the destination. We let Brandon sleep in, and the rest of us saw deer hanging around 2 campsite away.

    It was a cold night, but it would have been colder if the clouds didn't cover the Sky. We were all dressed pretty warm so we didn't wake up freezing.

    Our first stop was back down the mountain 6 miles to the visitors center to get Brandons junior ranger booklet.

    The hikes here are all very long and there is really only 3 hikes that we were able to do with the kids. There was a lot of stopping and getting out of the car to see the pueblos, pit houses and cliffs dwellings. The day started out cold and windy but warmed up enough to wear jumpers and not jackets and the wind relaxed.

    The cave dwellings are impressive. We didn't go on any of the guides tours as they were all an hour plus and didn't think it was going to be a great idea with the kids. We did watch a 25 minute introduction movie at the museum and both kids sat through it all. Brandon answered his questions in the junior ranger booklet from what he learned at the museum. Brandon got another junior ranger badge to his selection at the end of the day.

    Near the end of our visits and a 45 min back to the tent site, we saw 5 deer grazing on the bushes next to the road.

    Brandon got to scooter a bit and we all had a nice walk to the general store after our dinner of pasta and cleaning the dishes in the sink in the heated laundry area.

    It's an early night tonight, as its getting windy and most nights kids aren't in to bed until 9pm each night.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti
    3

    Durango , Colorado

    2 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Today we woke up covered in snow. We knew it was going to snow, but not like this. It was about 3 inches of soft dry beautiful snow. We weren't freezing as we had a snow blanket covering the tent. It was awesome and very inconvenient at the same time. We were not prepared for snow. We don't have gloves or boots for any of us. Inara was intrigued by the snow, Brandon didn't like the cold.

    The reception cafe did an all you can eat pancake breakfast so we jumped in the car, with pajamas on, and headed there. It was a busy place as the other tenters had the same idea.

    We then got in the car and drove about 40 miles east to a town called Durango. It was not as high in elevation so the snow turned to rain. The kids and Josh got dressed at the bathrooms at the kids discovery Center. It was too cold to change in the tent.

    We spent 2 hours or so at the kids discovery science center in town. It was busy with school students and they were all excited with many things to do. Brandon dressed up as an astronaut, made a rocket out of paper and launched it from the launching pad, built mountains and oceans in the sand topo map installation, used a bike to power up light globes and pushed the piston in and out to spin a little carousel. Inara played at being a vet, found nemo (clown fish) and blue frogs, had a go at building circuits and enjoyed the magnetic fidget spinners.

    After the science adventure we took the suggestion from the staff to have lunch at Streamworks brewery. It was a big place and pretty busy for a wed afternoon. The adults split a flight of beer to get a taste of the many different selections they had. The meals were huge and delicious. The kids meals were great, and Brandon's hot dog was in a pretzel bun for something different. While having lunch the rain came down harder and really was a miserable day.

    Durango, from the short visit, seems to be this rugged mountain town with endless outdoor adventure stores. There is a river that runs through the town that can be kayaked /canoed and not very far from ski mountains. The buildings in the center of town were historical looking but well looked after. It would have been nice to explore the center when it wasn't cold and dreary.

    After lunch we drove around and went to the Durango mall, which consisted of maybe 10 shops. We were on the lookout for gloves for all and a pillow for Elisa, as Inara steals her pillow every night. Josh was the only one that got lucky with gloves.

    We got back up to Mesa Verde National Park and stopped in to check the night weather. It was going to be a low of 28 F or -3, a few degrees colder than last night and 60% chance of snow. It wasn't snowing when we got back and the tent was as dry as it would be, so we did a mad dash, got everything packed. Elisa took the kids scootering to the laundry room, where it was dry,and warm, while Josh and his new gloves put the tent away and packed the car. Snow flurries started happening during the pack up. On the way to the sheltered laundry room, we saw 5 deer near the path. With the snow starting, it was a perfect moment.

    The kids had vegemite sandwiches for dinner, as by the time we left the national park, it was 7pm. Our next destination was originally to be Albuquerque, but there was no way we could put up a tent 4 hours away at 11pm. We stopped at a town called Farmington in New Mexico at the very busy Motel 6.

    The drive was easy and we saw some beautiful cloud and colorful sky's from the sunset.    Читать далее

  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Driving to Albuquerque

    3 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Today we have been traveling for 4 weeks and have driven over 3000 miles/4800km mark today. We left the motel warm,clean and well slept. We had breakfast at Sophie' s diner where the pancakes were bigger than Josh's head.

    The drive was probably the most boring drive with not much to look at. New Mexico, as far as we can see, is portrayed like the movies. Pick up trucks and cowboy hats. The drive was rolling prairies, little vegetation and many shouts for pointing out cows and horses. As we drive through different Indian Reservations we also passed a good few casinos.

    We got to the KOA, North of Albuquerque, in time for a late lunch. This KOA is small, with only a few tent sites. It has paved roads which is great for the kids to scooter. There is a bit of grass here and there and it is not as dusty as the last KOA 's. This one has a pool, but doesn't have a camp kitchen or anything like that.

    The rest of the day consisted of normal routine, getting our home set up for 3 nights and off to the grocery store. As we have had the Wal-Mart experience a few times now , we try to avoid it. We went to Albertson' s market which was huge and the fruit they were selling were huge. Albertsons is a mid west market so we will be looking for this one to shop at for a bit.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti
    1

    Day Trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico

    4 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Santa Fe is only 40 min away from where we are staying. We had the choice of taking the train or driving to the little town. After doing a bit of research, we choose the car as the different areas of Santa Fe looked hard to get to one another without a car.

    Santa Fe is probably a lovely little town to explore when you don't have kids. It's full of art gallery's and museums and unfortunately nothing we wanted to try and conquer. Our first stop was the railway park which had a playground with slides and ropes.

    While there we met a lady with her 2 young kids. She was from Czech Republic and her husband is American and set up his Dr practice there in Oct. She said that there is very little for kids in Santa Fe. She home schools her eldest, who is 5.5 and talks as much as Brandon. She said they go to the library and the children's museum, but it's not so great. She was good to talk to, but we felt a bit underwhelmed with Santa Fe.

    We drove down Canyon Rd, the arts district, and wanted to get out , but there was no parking to be found, and the street didn't have sidewalks and wouldn't be safe with 2 kids to have a Sunday stroll.

    We continued our car ride to downtown or the old town and found parking for an hour. We saw the plaza, and the little tables locals set up to sell their handmade jewellery and items.

    There was a community arts center which had statues outside for the kids to touch. We tried to go into a shop /gallery but it was stressful for them to just look and not touch or bump into anything, plus the shop staff were not that friendly.

    Old town has a distinct look with most buildings square and pueblos style with the sand/brown colour. Old town has to look like it did and therefore finding a public toilet for a 5 year old is impossible and there are no trees anywhere either. We became patrons at a cafe, for the toilet and a coffee. The shop assistant told is about Meow Wolf, which became our next stop.

    Meow Wolf, is a art installation which was collaborated by over 200 artists, established in 2008. This permanent installation was launched in 2016 and had support from George RR Martin.

    Meow Wolf creates immersive, interactive experiences to transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration.  House of Eternal Return, where guests discover a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, climbing apparatus, and surreal, maximalist & mesmerizing art exhibits along with a children’s learning center, top ten in the U.S. music venue and cafe area.

    The house/maze was never ending and we all had a great time. There is a storyline and clues to follow but that was impossible to do as Brandon and Inara kept moving to another secret room or something new to see or experience. It was very easy to loose one another but also to miss a room as there was another one to see instead.

    On the drive back, Elisa drove while the other 3 had much needed naps after an exhilarating few hours. Josh and the kids has a short play in the pool, scootered around while dinner was being made and then off to Kactus brewing company, which is attached to the KOA.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti
    1

    Albuquerque, New Mexico

    5 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today is cinco de mayo, so we were hoping to experience some local culture today. Elisa found a cinco de mayo folk art festival not far so we thought we could check that out.

    As we didn't get to do the train yesterday we were going to take the train today. The road runner train looked nice and modern. Luckily Elisa checked the schedule before we walked half a mile to the closest station, as it only ran every 5 hours or so. 5 hours... no wonder no one takes the train. Its not convenient and based off a conversation with a local, it's expensive and not affordable.

    So, off we went to the festival by car. The festival was more like a small art market, which had very little food and was not as big as advertised. Everyone was very nice and the solar lamps were interesting, along with bottle cap artwork. There was some nice jewelry and metal work. There was a older lady who saw Josh pushing the empty pram/stroller, as Elisa was holding Inara, and was so excited to see a baby. She came up to Inara and touched her cheeks and hugged Elisa and Inara both, a few times.

    After the market we headed into old town Albuquerque. It was very cute and what we actually thought Santa Fe would be like. The old town had a plaza, place for celebration and community across from the St Felipe church. The whole area was in the pueblos style houses and stores in the earth tone brown. There was gallery's and tourists shops, along with restaurants and little public squares in amongst the buildings. The squares were decorated with benches, water fountains, cactus and flowers. Over the day, it seemed each square has some musician playing in it.

    We sat down after our quesadilla lunch and listened to a 4 piece guitar ensemble. They played Spanish music and Inara and Brandon did some grooving to them. We don't know if this is a normal weekend occurrence or if it was because of Cinco de mayo.

    In the first store we went to, a retail store selling different onyx items, the seller gave Inara and Brandon a necklace each and seemed to love Australians. He was very funny and seemed to be a friendly person.

    The plaza was not celebrating Cinco de mayo, but lemonade day. There was at least a dozen primary school kids with their own lemonade stands, selling different types of lemonade and snacks. Prices ranged from 50 cents to $3 for a lemonade glass. The amount of time and effort the kids (or parents) put into the advertising, banners and tables /stands was impressive. Brandon got a very thirst quenching home made lemonade.

    While walking around we also found a nice playground with slides, monkey bars, and everything that a kid could want, attached to a nice green park. There where a few family get togethers for the holiday.

    We made it back to the camp, had a lovely swim in the pool, did another load of laundry (as it was $2.50 total for a wash and dry, and has been the cheapest yet) and had a nice pasta dinner.

    We were situated right next to the playground so it was a great way for Brandon to meet other kids. That night Brandon became friends with Thor (real name Travis) a 4 year old from Durango, Colorado and Luke, a 3yr old from a town not too far in New Mexico. They all had a great time together at the playground, or scootering/ riding bikes together. It was lovely talking to the parents and learning about their lives. We had a few drinks with Jason, Thor' s dad and the highlight was glow in the dark bocce ball.

    Everyone was so friendly at the KOA. We even met an older couple from Farmington who at the end of our conversation hugged Elisa and told her that if we need anything, they are in that cabin. The KOA was packed over the weekend as many locals were camping for sport. We knew that families have camped for a track meet, lacrosse, baseball, and basketball.

    We had a lovely time on New Mexico. Santa Fe was was a bit disappointing but Meow Wolf was a good surprise. Albuquerque was pleasant and relaxing, but the best of this stop was the people.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti
    1

    Off to Amarillo, Texas; 6th state

    6 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    We got out of the KOA campsite in New Mexico about 1030am. It is about a 2 hour process to take down and pack and the car and about an hour to set up tent with all the beds blown up.

    We had a pretty boring drive to Amarillo, Texas, the largest city in the Texas Panhandle and the biggest city closest to Palo Duro Canyon. It is also a half way stop between Albuquerque and Norman, OK, where we are off to next.

    We stopped for lunch in Santa Rosa, NM. The town seemed pretty run down but there was a kids playground with public bathrooms which fit our needs. It was sandy and lacked grass, and the floor of the playground was pieces of rubber. The park also had coal bbq's which the other family that was there was using and cooking a very delicious bbq meal.

    The most exciting part of the drive was that once we got into Texas for about 40 miles, there was wind turbines. It was pretty impressive.

    Amarillo operates the meat packing area in the country. It has a population of 279,000 and is very spread out on flat land, and low level ranches, along with cows, cows and more cows.

    The KOA was small and the tent site was pretty open to the elements. We were situated right across from bathrooms and playground. The playground is always a helpful babysitter when packing up and unpacking. It was also very warm so we let Inara run around naked and get some sun on her white little body.

    That night we decided to be total tourists and had dinner at "The Big Texan Steakhouse and brewery ". The restaurant picked us up at our campsite, car seats and all. We had a to wait for about 20 min to get seated, as they don't take reservations.

    The dining area was a big room with tables lined up in rows, holding about 6 at a table. The outskirts of the room had booths that we were sat at. There was a second level that only had one row around the room, also booth style. The decor was many large animal heads and hides hanging up. This is a steak house.

    The kids both got served dinner in a cowboy hat, and Elisa and Josh got different cuts of steak. The excitement of the night was when Inara decided to eat a green chili, maybe thinking it was a cucumber? The first 2 bites were fine but then she got into the seeds. Josh was trying to feed her ranch dressing from the mozzarella sticks. Our waiter quickly ran to the kitchen and ran back with milk and bread, even the hostess came over to see if she was ok. She wasn't screaming but she was definetly in pain and tried to drink the milk and get cuddles from Josh.

    The restaurant is home to the free 72 ounce steak, only if you can eat it in an hour. Josh ordered a 21 ounce Lone star cut, served a beautiful medium rare and was full after that, along with 2 beers. Elisa ordered a filet, which came in 2 round pieces. It was unfortunately overcooked and did not have the red juicyneas that Josh's steak did. The restaurant is all about having the best steaks, so we were given a 20% discount.

    Elisa also enjoyed a tasting flight of all the beers. They were all pretty good, including the raspberry wheat beer. We left the restaurant bringing a growler of the Hefenweizen.

    It was a good night and so far Texas isn't as scary as we thought.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti
    1

    Palo Duro Canyon

    7 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    The KOA we are staying at is situated right next to a train track, a highway and an airport. It was a loud and sleepless night for Elisa. She counted 13 trains passing. It seems Amarillo is very popular for freight trains.

    When we all finally woke up, it was already warm outside. The temperature was to reach almost 100 degrees/ or 37 degrees. It was going to be a hot day. It was windy, overcast and hot.

    Our day was supposed to consist of hikes throughout Palo Duro Canyon. We drove about 30 min to get to the 2nd largest Canyon in the U.S. Unlike the Grand Canyon, where you can see it approaching miles ahead, this canyon just shows up out of nowhere amongst country farm land.

    Palo Duro Canyon is 120 miles long, as much as 20 miles wide, and has a maximum depth of more than 800 feet. Its elevation at the rim is 3,500 feet above sea level. It is home to lots of different wild life. We were able to drive right down into the canyon and we were surprised how green and the different low living vegetation there was in the canyon.

    As of now Brandon has only got junior ranger badges y National Parks, but through chatting, we found out that some State parks have ranger badges as well. So, Brandon got his booklet at the visitor center.

    We drove down the canyon and on the scenic road. We stopped to walk the 1.3 mile, one way, sunflower trail, but only did a mile loop instead. It was so hot out. Inara fell asleep in the carrier and was sweating, Brandon didn't complain, it was just an uncomfortable day. We saw a rodent run in front of us, and a wild turkey as well and birds.

    After finishing the page for Brandon's ranger badge (which was a patch this time) and heading back up the canyon, we decided to take our waiters suggestions and head to the museum in canyon, the town. Unfortunately, the museum is closed on Mondays until June. We had our lunch sitting out at the front of the museum.

    We headed back to Amarillo. As it was so hot, we stopped and did some shopping at the Toys R Us, as they are closing down. We got some bargains and then headed back to the campsite to start at early dinner and relax. The KOA has a pool but doesn't open until next week. It would have been perfect to use now.

    The KOA got a bit busier and we had 2 other groups with kids for Brandon to play with. The one family is from Ohio and they homeschool the 2 out of 4 kids that are school aged. The only reason why I bring this up is because every campsite we have been, we have met home schooled families. I never realized how big it really was.

    It was a relaxing night and for the first time we got to sit outside after the kids went to bed, as it was a earlier night than normal.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti
    1

    Norman,Oklahoma

    8 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We had a lazy morning as we didn't have to be at the next campsite to put up our tent. We were on our way to visit Elisa's friend Amanda, her husband Chris and daughter Mary Lee. Amanda wasn't going to be home till 6pm, so we had all day to make our way 4 hours to the house.

    We didn't finish up the car and tent and pulled out of the KOA till almost 11am. This is the latest we have ever started our day. We left Texas and headed into Oklahoma. There isn't much to see from point A to B, and it was pretty flat,straight and uneventful. It was pretty much wheat, cotton and cows.

    Our drive consisted of stopping at Dunkin doughnuts for bagels and coffee and a stop at the Oklahoma welcome center for lunch and bathroom stop. We made really good time and stopped in a Indian Trading store to look at the wares. Brandon really wants to get Elisa a mother's day gift and kept asking if she wanted this and that tourist stuff.

    We made it to the house about 430pm, where we were greeted by Chris and Mary Lee. Chris, who we don't know opened his home, time and beer to us. They live in a beautiful house built a few years ago in a gated estate about 25 miles from Oklahoma city. They have a small backyard but behind the backyard is community ground that has a pond, benches and grills, walking area and even a swing that they fastened to a nice sized tree. Just above the houses is a manmade lake that is a mile around.

    Amanda, who i haven't seen in about 18 years, finally came home and it was great to see her. We had a lovely dinner which Chris made on the bbq. Mary Lee is turning 7 in Oct and her and Brandon got along very well. They both liked having a playmate.

    Mary Lee was kind of enough to lend her bed to the kids and the adults got the guest room.

    It was a relaxing, pampered and very enjoyable night.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Here we come Arkansas

    9 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We had a relaxing day chillin' with Amanda and Mary Lee. We are so grateful Amanda was able to take off work to spend time and Mary Lee got to play hooky.

    The kids did some scootering around the house. As it is a gated estate, they had a lot of freedom to leave the yard. We also attempted to walk around the lake by the house in the estate but Brandon had other plans and headed back to the house with without telling us.

    We headed to a local playground which was great for all ages. We had lunch there and relaxed in the shade as it was a hot day. We headed back to the house, Inara and Josh had a nap while Mary Lee and Brandon played in the sprinkler. We also hung out by the pond in the back of the house and checked out all the wildlife. There were geese, turtles, fish, frogs and birds. It's a pretty awesome back yard, along with the swing that Brandon insisted on Amanda swinging him.

    We left Amanda, Chris and Mary Lee's house at 4pm. It was a quick and very relaxing visit and we are so thankful for the hospitality.

    We were off to Arkansas to visit Kristia, Charlotte, Maverick and the many animals that live there. After a 3.5 hour drive through the hilly, lush, green and forestry environment, we had a 1.5 mile drive down a gravel, windy, hilly road to get to the last house, in the middle of nowhere.

    We had a chicken dinner when we got there and settled ourselves there for the next 5 nights. Brandon slept with his cousins in Mavericks room while Inara, Josh and Elisa were in Charlottes room.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Branson, Missouri

    11 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Kristia suggested we head to Branson Missouri for the day. It is a 2 hour drive to the neighboring state, which is a town full of lots of very different activities. It's like a holiday town, very touristy with lots to do. The kids got to miss school today and kristias

    Our original idea was to go and see Dolly Parton's Stampede dinner show but with the cost and timing it wasn't ideal for the kids. Instead we went to a pretty basic water park but the kids had a blast and it was only $15 a person. It had 2 water slides, a fast but short lazy river, a toddlers pool, a basketball pool, 2 hot tubs and a kids area to climb and water play.

    We spent a few hours there after we had a lunch on the boardwalk and our entire party of all ages had fun. After being water logged we stayed in the same complex and the kids were able to choose one more activity. Charlotte and Brandon did glow in the dark mini golf, Isabelle did go karts, and maverick and Kristia did some zombie 3D game thing.

    As it was another 2 hour drive back we had to have some dinner. Josh was over going out to dinner with the kids so we googled a park, got a pizza and enjoyed dinner at the park. The park was right next to a cute creek, so before we got back into the car we let Brandon and Inara play in the creek before we put PJs on.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Take me out to a ball game

    13 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Happy mother's day. Kristia and Elisa organised a outing out to a baseball game for mothers day. Fayettville is home to University of Arkansas and the Razorback Hogs. This is the last series in the normal season and game 3 against Texas A &M.

    It was a very HOT and sunny day as we sat in the Hog pen. You bring your own seats, and most people brought there own food and drink to have a bbq, which picnic tables and bbq s provided, first come, first serve. Kristia had never been to a game and none of us had any idea what to expect.

    All and all, it was a pretty boring game, with the Razorbacks winning 6 to 1. The kids seemed to have fun, and Josh and the kids even made it on the ESPN as they played baseball with the little souvenir bats and ball that kristia bought them. (Mavericks teacher told him on Monday that she saw him on ESPN).

    That night, josh cooked hamburgers, as that is what Kristia requested. The kids ate ice cream peacefully and was a relatively relaxed dinner. Bedtime was early as mav and Charlie had school in the morning.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Off to Hot Springs Arkansas

    14 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    The kids were up early to head to school, so Brandon, Inara and Elisa walked them their bus stop (being picked up at 650 am), and the little ones could see a magic school bus.

    The day began early, but we had a lot of packing up to do, help Kristia clean the house, and pack up the car before we left about 11am.

    The drive was not as beautiful as coming into Arkansas, but it was still green and hilly. We seemed to have taken a scenic route and went through a mountain area, going 30mph.

    We had a quick, 15 min stop, at a little lake, for lunch where a local was fishing. The lake was surrounded by trees, it was still and humid, and very little noise. Elisa thought this was perfect conditions for an alligator, but are there alligators in Arkansas? The local, with a cigar between his mouth, confirmed that there are at least 2 alligators in this lake and told us tales of seeing it and catching huge fish.

    We finally made it to the Hot Springs, 3.5 hours away from Kristias house. The KOA was cute and was the most secluded KOA we have been to, almost like in a National Park, rather than just a few feet from the highway. There was ducks, squirrels, rabbits and birds, along with a pond and trails in the woods.

    We sweated while we put up the tent and went right into the refreshing pool. It was a high of 95 degrees today/almost 40 C. We recently bought Inara some floaty things and she was a little fish, being the water baby that she is. Brandon had a bit of a swimming lesson and was able to swim across the pool, with the help of a swimming band.

    That night was an early night as the kids get so tired when they have water play. Josh didn't share the sleepyness and was chatting away with the local guys at the next campsite until midnight. They were local Arkansas guys who work for At&t, who get compensated when they work on a job away from home. They were technicians. Josh had a enjoyable night learning about the locals and their culture.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Hot Springs National Park to Memphis

    15 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    We originally booked 2 nights at Hot Springs National Park but figured it would be better to have Mothers Day with family rather than traveling.

    The Hot Springs KOA was lovely. It was unlike most of the other KOA's as it was not next to a highway and we didn't wake up to sounds of trains, trucks or airplanes. So we all had a lovely sleep.

    We were out of the campsite and at the National Park by 10. This National Park is very different to other National Parks that we visited as its not really in a park. It mostly consists of a street with the heritage buildings which were all old bath houses using the Hot Springs from the mountain..

    We checked out the inside of the Fordyce bathhouse, which had a separate women's and men's area. The mens area was so much nicer. Only one of the buildings is used today and I believe they mostly closed in the 80's.

    As it was a National Park, Brandon got another junior ranger badge. This booklet was all about the bats in the park. Behind the houses was the promenade, which was a paved walkway with historical information. We saw a few outlets to the hot springs and got to touch it at the well, which was really hot.

    We had our lunch on the promenade and then we had a few hours drive to Memphis. We stayed at Memphis KOA, about 20 min from the Tennesee/Arkansas boarder and downtown Memphis city. The KOA was basic but they did have a pool and a cafe for breakfast in the morning. As like most KOA's it was next to a highway.

    We got the tent up, a swim in the pool and then we headed into the city. Our original idea was to eat dinner at the Hard Rock cafe, as we knew it was kid friendly and had live music but when we got there it looked pretty dead. We had a walk down Beale street, the main night life street in the city. There were many venues with bands playing and music blaring from inside. They all seemed to have a cover charge and no kids.

    We found live music outside on a side patio of one of the venues. The bouncer invited us in and kids were allowed. We had a great time listening to the band and Brandon even requested to get the CD, which we bought. Elisa ordered this massive PBR which cost less than $6. The kids had chicken fingers and it was the best chicken we have had yet here and it was real southern chicken. Inara fell asleep while listening to the music. We left just before 10 and right before kids had to leave.

    It was an enjoyable night and so far Memphis has lived up to its expectations.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Mud Island River Park

    16 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Today we had a full day in Memphis. Our campsite is on the Arkansas side of Memphis. Memphis consists of areas of Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi. As we learned last night, heading into Beale st, we are about 15 min from downtown Memphis in Tennessee.

    We started our day checking out Mud Island River Park. Mud river consist of a miniature size Mississippi river where the kids can play in the river. Every 1 mile of the river is a foot and this miniature river goes on for over half a mile. It has depth, speed and even areas where it has dried up, just like the real Mississippi. It's really impressive and the kids enjoyed it, as well as the adults. The Mississippi river was very important for many years for expansion and cultural exchange.

    To get to and from the park/museum you could either walk the 1/3 of the mile on the pedestrian bridge across the Mississippi river or take the monorail. As we crossed 4 times, we did it both ways twice.

    We headed back to the car to make lunch and while Inara slept in the carrier, Brandon had a rest in the stroller, we were able to walk some of the museum in piece and quiet.

    The musueum gave information on the native Americans, the settlers , the advancement of boats and significance on the river, as well into jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll.

    We are supposed to have the next week full of rain, so we headed to Shelby farm park before the storm came. Shelby farm park was another 25 min east, out of the city. Shelby Farm Park has a playground which was named in the top 16 play grounds in the world. We have kids so we had to check it out.

    We probably spent an hour at Shelby farm and it was pretty cool. There was 4 areas, and all the areas were surrounded by arboros and plants growing up them. Everything in the park is sustainable and not bad for the environment. There was swings, slides, sand and a whole climbing ropes course which looked awesome. We were secretly happy it was closed as Inara is becoming a monkey and would love it.

    The kids were exhausted but we didn't have any food to cool for dinner so we found a brewery on the way back to the campsite from the farm. Boscos had good beer, great food and we had a very relaxing dinner and a great waiter. We tried fried green tomatoes for the first time and the kids had their first Shirley temple.

    We are now back at the campsite, kids are in bed and we are awaiting for the storm to come. The lightning has been going on for a while, the wind is picking up and you can smell it in the air.

    Memphis has been hot though, and didn't cool down over the night last night. Hoping tonight with the rain it will be a bit cooler.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Graceland and Peabody ducks

    17 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Today we were going to be tourists. We had no idea what we would expect for Graceland as we didn't look anything up.

    We got there about 10am and it was not that crowded yet. We were not expecting the $60 a person cost (luckily kids were free) but it was something we had to do, even if neither of are huge Elvis fans.

    We have been introducing Brandon to Elvis over the last week or so, and he was so excited. He loves the GPS on the car so he knows how close we are (as well as learning numbers and time) and 4 min till Graceland he was so excited, screaming like a young teenage girl at a rock concert.

    Graceland the many museums in the area were worth the money. There was a lot to learn about Elvis and career. He seemed to be a stand up, charismatic family guy who loves to entertain. We saw his house, Graceland, his outfits, all his gold records, all his movies he was in, information about his time in the army, and his many cars. The kidney pool that was built looked exactly like my grandparents house.

    We had no idea that Graceland was going to take 4 hours and we had to change our day around as we weren't going to see all we had planned.

    As of most of the week, it was hot and sticky and thought we could take the kids to a splash pad which was supposed to have great views of the city. Well, we could not find this place, so we ended up going to the Memphis Botanic Gardens.

    It was 3pm, the weather was threatening with a storm, and we couldn't drive all the way back to the campsite as we had plans to be at the city at 5. The gardens would normally cost $10 an adult, but the nice lady let us in just to check out the kids tree house and stay for a little bit. The gardens were beautiful and the kids area was fun. There was a cubby house which lots of banging and music could be played. There was slides and holes to crawl through. Cubby houses with alfalfa growing on the roof. There was a tree house that has a slide from it. Inara tumbled down the slide and hurt herself. Between the two kids they have scrapes, and bruises all over their legs and arms from falling and being kids.

    We had about 30 min before the storm came down on us as we were playing in the tree house. There was thunder and lightning and hard rain. We got soaked getting to the car.

    Our next destination as tourists was the Peabody hotel. This hotel has been around since 1925 and the spectacle of the Peabody ducks since 1930. At 11am the ducks waddle across the foyer on a red carpet from the elevator to the water fountain in the middle of the bar area and back at 5pm. The kids got to sit right at the red carpet as the ducks made their quick exist from the fountain. It was a unique site.

    By the time we got back to the campsite, the rain has stopped, the tent was safe and dry inside and we had a lovely spaghetti dinner made by Josh.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Musicians corner music festival

    19 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    We didn't want to be real touristy in Nashville but we wanted to experience the music. Elisa googled and found a free musical festival called Musicians Corner about 20 minutes from the KOA.

    Before our adventure out we all had a fun time in the pool, trying to stay cool in the humidity. The kids had such a great time and exhausted themselves that they had a great nap on the way to the festival.

    We got there right when it started, before the stage began, but the one tent was showing the royal wedding. The event happens from May to July on Fri and sat and are free events. We saw 8 artists and the best was Cordova. They were awesome. The last act was a chic from England that we believe that we have heard on a local radio back at home.

    There was one large stage and one small stage while the big stage changes artists. There was a few food trucks and Inara loved the retro snow cone truck. There was also a kids area where Brandon played with some kids. He played all the sports there on offer.

    We also met a lovely family who sat next to us halfway though with kids about the same age. The little girl had a soccer ball and her and Brandon had a great time. There was also a Mexican guy, our age, behind us and he started playing with Brandon. Brandon had so much fun,.and so did this guy. He said Brandon is a natural and was very impressed.

    It was a fun day but long as we sat in the sun and heat all day long. The lines for food and drinks were too long but all that didn't matter.

    We were all exhausted but didn't not want to go out on a Sat night in Nashville. The family we met gave us a few touristy suggestions and we decided on heading to the Oprey.

    The Oprey is a large complex that is known for its name as a event stadium where all the big names sing at. The Oprey has hotel rooms, shops, restaurants, bars, and is all under one roof, split up in different sections. We spent a few hours walking around seeing the " Delta " section, the rainforest section and another one. The delta had a river and you could ride a boat around. The rainforest had lots of plants, waterfalls, starry nights. We had a quick dinner at an Italian restaurant and got to watch dancing water. It was a nice surprise and we definetly want to come back and stay there, as at the end of this year there is a water park being built called sound wave.

    It was a late night but we all enjoyed this unique experience and had a great sleep.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Happy birthday Elisa

    20 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    We had a late night last night so we had a sleep in and a lazy morning. Elisa went for a run and then we all enjoyed the pool again.

    As it was Elisa's bday so she got to decide what the day was to entail. We headed into the city and spent a few hours checking out the many pubs. We started our with lunch at Margaritaville, then headed down the street and poked our head into a few pubs /bars with live music.

    We settled at The Famous Saloon, and had the 3 person group sing happy bday to Elisa. We were going to head out to check out other places but the storm came down fast and hard and we weren't going anywhere.

    One of the things Brandon wanted to do was country line dancing. The bar two down, was the wild horse saloon and we braved the weather and ran to the pub. We all learned a country line dance and Brandon had fun and did really well.

    We left after that and we were all exhausted so we had a home.made dinner under the patio in the KOA as the rain was still pouring down.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Off to North Carolina

    21 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Nashville was awesome and we definetly want to go back. There is so much we didn't see and experience.

    We made it out of the KOA by 11. We even got a swim in the pool before we set off, as well as tenpin bowling and a swing on the hammocks. Our plan was to stop in Gatlinburg, a small mountain town that the locals at the festival said to visit. We were staying in a cabin at Asheville so we didn't need to set up a tent, so we could check in late.

    Well, Gatlinburg didn't happen. Brandon needed to go to the bathroom and we therefore we pulled off and stopped at Cummins Falls. What a great little surprise. It was a short walk to the overlook of supposedly one of the best swimming holes in North America. It was awesome and we will be back some day to swim in the hole and sit under the falls.

    We made it to the Asheville East KOA a bit after 7pm, losing another hour as we made it to the East Coast. We didn't have a tent to set up, as mom upgraded us to a cabin as she used to work at this KOA. It is a large KOA, and is has 2 lakes and has the Swannanoa River running through it. The KOA advertises about tubing down the river, but the river was fast and very high as they had over a week of rainy weather. No way could we let the kids go in there.

    Mom raved about the Pisgah brewery not far from the KOA, so we planned on eating dinner there, but we didn't realise they didn't serve food. Josh bought some beer to go and we went to the little town of Black Mountain and had an amazing dinner at Trailhead. It was the best dinner we have had out, felt healthy and tasty, and with 2 beers and dessert, with tip was $50. So affordable.    Читать далее

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  • Elisa GattiDriving across the USAElisa Gatti

    Drive to Nags Head North Carolina

    24 мая 2018 г., Соединенные Штаты ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Today was all about driving. The kids from the campsite next door finally woke up (as Brandon wanted to wake them up for a few hours) to say goodbye.

    We had a 4 hour drive from ashville to chapel hill and then another 3.5 hours or so to Nags head.

    While on our trip Bruce, josh's dad, asked us to chat with Bea. Bea is an American who is engaged to Josh's cousin Calvin, who lives in Canberra. Bea just happened to live in Chapel Hill, NC, halfway between Ashville and Nags Head. Bea and I organised to meet for an early dinner.

    From Ashville we planned on starting our day with a walk to a waterfall Elisa's mom suggested and we thought that would be great to tire the kids out but, as we got to the parking lot of the walk,.Inara was already asleep.

    We made it to Chapel Hill a few hours earlier than planned and had a lunch with Bea rather than a dinner. She took us to a old style pharmacy which has a diner in it and a confectionary store. To enjoy the interesting old fashioned store we all had milkshakes. After lunch we had a walk around North Carolina University campus, with old heritage buildings, big old trees and lots of squirrels.

    The kids were great on the drive and was our longest of the trip. We made it to Nags Head about 8pm, 2nd to arrive. Elisa 's mom and husband made it a just a couple hours earlier.    Читать далее

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