OBX, New Orleans, Destin and Tampa Bay
After just over two months of travelling, I’m just now getting a chance to sit down and write. Well, let’s just say I’m just now finding my creative side again. The first month on the road we used all the problem solving skills we were ever given, inherited or acquired during our time on Earth. To say it was a challenge is a complete and utter understatement. I will now happily say that we experience tons of joy, but it was not without some travel struggles. Three blown out tires, two slide out breaks and having the truck towed because we lost all power steering, breaks and air conditioning was not what we envisioned when we were planning for “maintenance.” However, every trip is plagued by some if not all of what we have gone through, but it all happened in literally a two-week span! It blew!
Okay. I’m done crying. Let’s talk about the amazing two months we have experienced. I’ll start by discussing my last 24 hours. Chris, Nonnina, Cannoli and I witnessed one of the most amazing sunsets from our RV park along the Pamlico sound yesterday and this morning I woke up early, yes, I was the only one, and walked down to the Atlantic side of our RV Park to see the sunrise. No. I am not an early bird. It hurt after only 5 hours of sleep, but it was so worth it. I think I’ve convinced Chris to get up with me tomorrow to see it on our last day in the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina. Also, you guessed it. Our park exactly covers the entire width of the OBX from sound to ocean. It is truly magical. I cannot recommend Camp Hatteras enough. It’s amazing. The main road that runs the length of the OBX runs through the campground, but it is far away from where most RV’s are parked. Plus, there’s hardly anybody on the island in April. If there is ever a next time, I’ll stay on the Sound Front due to all of the amazing kite surfers that enjoy the sound. We are on the ocean side, and it’s wonderful, but you can’t even see the ocean over the dunes. I’d much rather be entertained by people far more athletic and adventurous than I. I’ll also see way more sunsets than I will sunrises.
Alrighty, let’s back it up to February 23rd when we arrived in New Orleans, LA. Chris and I LOVE New Orleans. The food, the music, the atmosphere, the history, everything. We love it. I booked this RV site in June 2021 and was so excited to tell Chris that I actually found an RV park that could fit our 42’ fifth wheel that is walking distance to the French Quarter. When he asked when we were going, I told him February 23-25. He stopped dead in his tracks and said, “That’s Mardi Gras!” His excitement dwindled when he realized just how crazy it was going to be and to start off our trip scared him a bit. I took his advice, but ultimately ignored the man who has been to not one, not two, but eleven Mardi Gras’! Good thing I did. It was great and we had a blast with our friends Stephen and Dilruba.
After Mardi Gras we were headed to Florida. It took us a day longer than we wanted due to tire issues, but we finally pulled into Destin, FL. This was the perfect two-day break from a wild time in NOLA. The Emerald Coast of Florida is what oceans in your dreams look like. Chris, who is more of a mountain and lake lover, not a beach and ocean lover was convinced. We sat on the beach and enjoyed the cool breeze and warm sunshine for one day then we were off. We stayed at Destin Beach RV Resort. The sites are all individually owned and rented out. It was a very small but beautiful park. Chris threaded the needle that was our spot with the thread that is our massive RV and backed in with one attempt. It was impressive and garnered a lot of praise from our neighbors.
After a few more setbacks along the road a few days later, we made it to Riverview, FL. This was an attempt at getting as close to Tampa as we could to see friends. For all you RV newbies, Florida is the mecca of RV camping. People book their RV sites out years in advance. After calling at least 20 RV parks in the area, I found a great little spot for anyone over the age of 55. I’m kidding. It was nice, but we were definitely imposters in this retirement community. While there, we finally got to visit with our friends, John and Elizaveta Kim. We attended their wedding in October of the previous year, but nothing compares to one-on-one time with good people. Hanging out for two days just showed us how glaringly painful distance can be. We missed them the moment we left the Tampa Bay area. Also, I can’t recommend Tampa enough. It was beautiful!
To be continued…