USA- FULL CIRCLE

The USA or Estados Unidos was a bittersweet transition for us. Crossing the border meant the end of our Central American adventure but is also meant we were closer to home. After a few weeks of being on the move, driving many long days, sickness and having to be on heightened alert we were relieved and happy to be crossing the border.
 
The last month had posed many challenges; a stolen camera, 2 bouts of sickness for Riss, kidney stones and Dengue for Mike, illness for Keira which she was still recovering from, car problems, corrupt police, 4 border crossings, and many long days of driving.

FINAL BORDER CROSSING TEXAS, USA
 
We crossed the border into the USA at Brownsville, Texas. The border officials were a little taken aback by our happy faces and our positive demeanor. But after explaining our trip they became increasingly friendly, apologizing that they would have to inspect our car. We were prepared for this and frankly would have been concerned if they hadn’t checked our vehicle after the places we had visited.
 
The officials were mostly looking for animal products, and fresh foods, and I am sure any illegal substance. We handed in some remaining food items and they confiscated a feather that Keira had collected in the back of a car seat. Then Priscilla went through an x-ray process. We briefly wondered whether the machetes Mike had got as gifts would be a problem, but we got the all clear.
 
There were a few yeepees and waahoos that echoed through the car and a few hands waved in the air as we drove onto US soil. Keira was very happy that this would be our last border crossing, as were we.
 
We still had a couple of long days of driving to do, and we continued past San Antonio, driving into the night before stopping at a budget hotel to get some hours of sleep.
 
As we drove we noticed many changes in our surroundings, which I jotted down in order to record our first impressions. Remember that when we crossed into the USA, we crossed the border into Texas so the “big” sightings really were “big”.
 
OBSERVATIONS:

• Excellent road conditions, pothole free with no speed bumps
• Good road signage and signs and billboards in English
• Clear speed limit signs
• Big cars
• Big people
• A massive selection of fast foods (McDonalds, Dairy Queen) and the familiar restaurants like Chili’s and Cracker Barrel
• A massive selection of foods, candy and different paraphernalia at service stations
• Being able to pump your own gas and pay at the pump
• Everyone speaking English- I kept speaking Spanish to clerks and people we encountered, it took me awhile to transition
• Wal-marts, Targets, Office Depot. Lowes and super stores for shopping that lined the streets beside the highways
• Piped music in the bathrooms: Keira couldn’t resist dancing
• Being able to put toilet paper down the toilet
• Toilets that automatically flush and paper towel dispensers that actually had paper towel and produced it with the wave of a hand

 
 
 ALIENS AND NEW MEXICO
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It was fun when we passed into New Mexico, again a few yeepees and waaahoos were expressed. We were then on familiar ground passing through Carlsbad and Roswell, towns we had visited on a previous long weekend trip. Keira was excited to see the alien statues in the streets.
 

NEW MEXICO- OPEN ROADS AND NEVERENDING SKIES

ROSWELL AND THE ALIENS

JUST HAD TO TAKE A PHOTO OF PRISCILLA WITH AN ALIEN- SHE HAS BEEN PHOTOGRAPHED IN SO MANY PLACES

ALBUQUERQUE- HOME AGAIN

​As we got within 30 minutes of Albuquerque, we discussed all the places and animals we had seen, and all the wonderful people we had meet along the way. Wow! It really was an epic adventure with so many highlights, amazing experiences and challenges. It is hard to put it all into words.
 
I plan to write another blog entry when some time has passed; I have processed the trip and its impact on our lives.
 
We knew the next weeks would bring many of their own challenges as we re-established our “normal” lives. There would be a mixture of things being familiar but also a feeling of things being surreal.
 
But for now we were going to enjoy reuniting with friends, and enjoying foods and things we had missed.
 

WE MADE IT FULL CIRCLE

 
​HIGHLIGHTS/CHALLENGES OF THIS AREA:

MOST VALUED POSSESION: Priscilla – she made it home (just); she will now have a rest and we will get much-needed repairs done
BEST EXPERIENCE: Mike-crossing the border to the USA- we did not need to be on our guard all the time; Keira- crossing the border to the USA- we were now closer to home and seeing my friends; Riss- definitely crossing the border, after all the challenges of the previous month, it was a huge relief.
MOST CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE: Mike-long days of driving; Keira- the long drives; Riss- long days of driving
BEST FOOD DISCOVERY: Mike-subway sandwiches, Keira- the huge selection of candy, I wanted one of everything, but Mum would not let me; Riss- nothing for me
BEST CAMPING SPOT: no camping, boo hoo!