Monday, March 3, 2008

First week in the USA

We arrived midnight on Sunday 24th February after travelling for nearly 24 hours from Auckland, NZ. There was some fun on the way at the airports. We had to sprint from US Customs in Los Angeles to get to the domestic terminal to get to Charlotte, North Carolina. We had to carry our luggage (10 full bags weighing around 22 kgs each) trying to cross the roads with our bags getting tipped over onto the road. The aircraft carrier cancelled our flight from Charlotte to South Carolina so we had to sprint again to another terminal in Charlotte to be put on standby for a later flight. We got on and finally arrived in SC!

We stayed with Jessica and Josh with their two kids, Caroline and Alex. We had such a good time with them and they looked after us with true southern hospitality. In fact, we even thought about forgetting the RV trip in the US and staying there for instead!

The next few days were spent sorting out the RV (fifth wheeler) and truck. The RV and truck was suggested by Kyle Fullwood who we met in the USA in September when we were at Budds Creek, Maryland. Kyle is a God send as he has provided lots of advice and support to get us over here.

Back to the vehicles. The RV is nearly 40 feet long & weighs dry at just under 12,000 LBS. Its a big daddy. The truck is a F250 6L V8 diesel turbo. This thing has got some torque like nothing you will ever see or hear about in a pick up truck in NZ. Chris Cordez, the previous owner installed 5,000 LB airbags in the rear plus a "bully dog" (more power and torque). Chris gave us the run down on how to operate the RV which was great. Lots of notes taken.

We stayed the first night in the RV on a plantation on Friday night. Thanks to Ken and Donna (friends of Kyle) for experiencing further southern hospitality. No bears or aligators so that was good. We finally got moving Saturday morning aiming for Nashville, Tennessee. We slept in and then couldn't sort out the brakes on the RV so we ended up leaving at around 10am.

We nearly got to Columbia when the truck made a loud noise and loss of power. We pulled over. Chris looked under the truck and noticed a hole in the manifold. We had just subscribed to a roadside assistance program which was initially most frustrating. That is, you phone a call center located somewhere else in the USA. The first lady said they couldn't help us as we were not registered as members. After insisting they help (receipt on hand) and a further five conversations later, a tow truck was organised. He turned up five hours later.

The roadside assistance had organised to tow us further away to a RV park and truck dealer. The tow truck driver ended up speaking to the operator at roadside assistance. After a few minutes she hung up on him. He towed us to his workshop, put a plug in the truck manifold (plus gave us a spare) and recommended a good place for us to stay the night at a nearby RV park. Thank you so much to Dave for getting us back on the road, a really nice guy (and Jennifer his wife as Dave the tow truck driver was late getting home). If you ever get broken down in Columbia you have to use this guy. PS. Dave mentioned the problem was the bolt had come out of the manifold hence the problem.

Sunday morning we left Columbia (South Carolina), travelled through Atlanta (Georgia) and hit (sweet home) Alabama. We stayed out in the boondocks east of Birmingham.

On Monday morning we went to Birmingham as we wanted to go to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (http://www.bcri.org/index.html). On arrival, the place was closed as it is closed on a Monday. Great. After mentioning this to the receptionist (Gliss) and crossing the road to the park, a gentleman came over and introduced himself (Ahmad Ward). He works at the Institute. He mentioned Gliss had called him and our situation and he gave us a tour of the place and talked us through it all. This was the best situation for us as the carpark was empty and we could ask Ahmad lots of questions. Thank you Ahmad for your southern hospitality. You Kiwis should have a look at the BCRI website. The treatment of African Americans was unbelievable (words cannot express the sadness). BCRI is located across the road from where four young girls were killed in a bomb attack at a church. Birmingham was also the place you may have seen photos of in the past of firemen hosing down African Americans with high pressure water and releasing police dogs onto young African American people.

We are still in Alabama at a place called Mobile (bottom of the state). We got here around 6pm. There is a tornado warning at the moment. Some people passed by our RV and said if it comes through to get out of the RV and head straight for the ditch nearly. Don't do anything else but that as the tornado will easily pick up the truck and trailer and you are safer in the low ditch. They are currently watching the tornado on the TV. This southern hospitality is really blowing us away.

3 comments:

Cara said...

Woah!!!!! Mega-RV!! That's huge!

Sounds like an...interesting time--even with the RV trouble. Do you have AAA?

The south does seem to be more hospitable. ;-)

I've not been to Bermingham, myself, but I know the history. It's great that you had a personal guide.

Watch out for those tornados! I thought you might meets some while driving through the south. Spring is Tornado season. Just a heads up.

It seems like you'll have a well rounded trip at this rate. ;) By the time I get back, you'll know more about America than I do ;)
You've guys have done a lot in just your first week there! Wow.

Hey, I'm praying for you guys that things go well.
Take care.

R n R said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
R n R said...

OH My Goodness I am so tecnically challenged!!3rd time lucky. (this is the third time i'm writing this)

This first time I wrote an epistle then a long letter now it'l be a wee note!!

Aaaargh I am so jealous I turned green just reading this and seeing your photos got Raymond so jealous he said he's not talking to you.
Now i have to add coveting to my list of daily sins!!

A tornado sounds exciting although I'm sure that wouldn't be the case should it actually carry your new home or worse you! away. So I hope all is well and you are safe.

Love hearing all your flight escapades and journey so far, its been quite eventful. How Cool.
Do you have wireless??

Life back here is the same as always which for us is great everyone is fine and busy doing life.(although at the moment we'd rather be doing your life)

Hi Sarah How are you? How was the flying? Your new house looks pretty amazing, I hope you are not having to share a room with your stinky brothers. Are you enjoying your new life?

Hi Josiah Hows things buddy? Your new home looks sweet and Raymond is SO jealous of your new truck! How was the trip? Do the people speak weird?

Hi Joel-ee How are ya? Did ya like the trip sounds like you had a lot of fun. Your new home looks amazing, what do like the best? Has Mum started schooling you yet? (Gross)

loads of love kisses and squeezee hugs

p.s. Dad says Hi and if you there on a Sunday there is a great church in Daphne,just across the causeway, from Mobile take the I10 east, exit on the 98east for Daphne, it held in the civic centre/town hall the pastor is John Kilpatrick. Mum n Dad lived in Pensacola