Arrived at Days Inn about 4.00pm, it's like being in the middle of spaghetti junction! So much concrete & so many busy roads around us I don't know how we'll sleep. Got earplugs thank goodness. Went out for fried chicken & chips (fries), popped to Walmart & watched 'Ocean's 13' on the tv.
Day 22 San Antonio - Fort Stockton 6.5.12
Definately the worst stop over so far! The road noise & the fact we had a thunder storm meant that Roy hardly slept. I did because of the ear plugs. Rang home & skyped, happy to know everyone's ok & put Dad's mind at rest about us.
Set off for Fort Stockton & it wasn't too long before the landscape changed to mostly scrubland, little traffic & a few small oil derricks (nodding donkeys!)
The temperature got up to 100 degrees & was like being in an oven. kept sneaking the air con on when Roy wasn't looking!
Checked into another Days Inn, but in a much nicer area, right next to McD's so we had to go for a strawberry milkshake to cool down, then went back for our tea later on. Lots of Mexican people & there were quite a few who looked as if they'd been to church & this was their weekly ritual of going to McD's for a meal afterwards. I'll let you imagine some of the outfits but will say there were 2 sisters, about early 20s, 1 had on a long (floor length) frilly skirt of black & white spotted material, red top, black frilly cardigan & high heels & her sister had on a purple floor length dress with black cardi & high heels. It was a bit of an eye opener & I felt very under dressed to say the least!
Day 23 Fort Stockton - Roswell 7.5.12
Much better night & lovely feel about the place & the people.
On the road by 10.00am through more flat, barren land & a couple of small towns, little more than ghost towns. it all looks very poor. Went through a place called Carlsbad which looked much more prosperous & carried on through Roswell to our next hotel, a Super 8 this time.
Roswell is famous for aliens & they have exploited it to the max.
Went to an Italian restaurant for a change but it's not like we make at home!!
Day 24 Roswell - Alburquerque 8.5.12
Such a quiet place but woke early because we had to change the clocks by an hour.
The first part of the journey was the same landscape as yesterday then it started to become greener, with small trees & some mountains in the distance. Also more cattle & some deer.
Arrived at our next hotel, Howard Johnson Express to a lovely welcome from the manager & free coffee.
Decided to have a quiet night in as all of this travelling & eating out every night is tiring, in a very nice way.
Day 25 Alburquerque - Holbrook 9.5.12
Had the best free breakfast so far as there was sausages, hash browns & scrambled eggs as well as the usual cereals, toast, bagels, muffins, danish pastries, & drinks. Are you hungry yet?
Set off through lovely views & made a detour to the Petrified Forest. We spent 3 hours driving & walking around & had a very enjoyable & informative time, all for $10.
Stopped at a Denny's for coffee & what they call puppies but are a bit like mini donuts with maple syrup, very tasty anyway & they fill your coffee cup up every time you put it down!
Arrived at the Travelodge to find that the clocks had gone back an hour again, it's all very disorientating!
Nice room & another Denny's next door so had our tea there & shared a pud to. Back to the hotel & watched a 'Die Hard' film that we hadn't seen before.
Day 26 Holbrook - Flagstaff 10.5.12
Got a shorter journey today so we're taking a more scenic route through hills & trees & quieter roads.
Had breakfast & drove into Holbrook, which you would miss if you blinked & you can imagine how it must have been in times past with one street, a sherriff's office (still there), saloon, hotel, blacksmiths, store etc.
Took us about 10 minutes to walk through it & went into the Wells Fargo to draw out some cash!
Carried on & our detour was quite a trip, almost doubled the miles we had to do but worth it for the scenery, which was a bit like in the cowboy films!
Arrived in Flagstaff, where we're staying for 2 nights, unpacked then drove into town for a look around & to get Roy some books. Going to the Cracker Barrel for tea as it's next door.
Sorry the blog is a bit boring but as we've been travelling so much it's hard to write about anything else!
It will get better from now on as we have some good excursions planned & some exciting places coming up.
One thing I will share with you is that I'm becoming a hoarder! I've got a bag FULL of toiletries from the hotels, it's impossible to use them all every day! Also I've got a bag full of tea, coffee & sugar from our rooms. That's all though, I don't sink to taking things that aren't left for us to use!
However, we do help ourselves to fruit & the little containers of milk at breakfast, but draw the line at leaving with hands full of muffins etc, I just eat them before I leave!!!
Will put a few pictures on to show you some of the scenery & the petrified forest, better to come, I promise!
Houston, Texas, very built up area & very busy roads.
The Texas / Arizona landscape.
In Navajo territory but haven't been ambushed yet!
On Route 66.
A bridge in the petrified forest made from a petrified tree.
Petrified wood, a really strange feeling as it's rock!
TTFN xxx
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