Bath, Maine

23 Aug
Leaving the RV in the camp ground we drove up the coast road via Scarborough, Portland, Falmouth and Yarmouth to Bath. 

We stopped near one of the many lighthouses along the Maine cost and sat in these seats made of stone with metal supports. 

Bath is a compact town that used to be one of the busiest boat building places along the Maine coast.  We visited the Maine Maritime Museum which was very informative and well laid out.  We saw a couple of jet aircraft doing a mirror loop-the-loop which we assumed was from the Naval Base at Brunswick.

We're Off

22 Aug
We spend the morning walking around Northwood State Park waiting for the RV to have its final work done. 

Thanks to Russ we now have a tip-top RV ready for the road.  We hitch up the car and say our farewells to Russ at Camping World and set off from Chichester, Nr Concord, NH for Maine.  We arrive in Old Orchard Beach on the Maine coast and eventually find the campground but having to ‘turn round’ a couple of times with the RV towing the car has its challenges. 
We took the trolley bus from the campground into the main Centre.  It reminded us of Blackpool.  We wandered around the fun-fair but having just eaten we did not fancy being shaken around too much on the rides, so we headed back on the trolley bus after 10pm – our latest night out since we arrived (gosh we know how to live it up don’t we!).  We note how there are a number of ATMs dotted around the fun-fair so you don’t run out of money!

Sight Seeing

21 Aug
This was our first Day Out today.  I love reading the maps with the UK names such as Exeter, Amesbury, Durham, and Portsmouth and of course – SALISBURY.  A visit there had to be done!

Drove up the coast admiring some of the amazing houses and spent some time in Portsmouth which is a lovely place to wander around.  Had a cup of tea and coffee bought us by a group on a team building exercise who had to get a picture of them buying a coffee for a stranger.  Also spoke to a chap who had driven many British cars in his time including mini, Austin Healey, MGB, and Jaguar.  We have spotted at least a dozen or so Mini Coopers around this area.

We have now completed the final paperwork with the registration of the RV in our name.  One final trip to the Service Centre for some minor maintenance and we will finally be off on our Big Adventure.  

Gone Fishing ......

17 – 20 Aug
We have used this weekend as an opportunity to get familiar with the RV and make it homely – that involves several trips to Walmart – and we now have most of the stuff we think we need. 
This first camp site has suited us fine with a swimming pool and a Beaver Pond for Paul to go fishing.  He caught several like the one in the photo.  In the background of the photo is the Beaver Lodge which we go down to every evening and watch the beaver going about their business “fixing” the lodge.  One evening the Beaver swam right up to us within 15ft!

First Camp Site

We have now moved to our first camp site. Spent a great first proper night in our new home. Weather at the moment is hot and humid but comfortable at night. Raining at present but still very warm.
We haven't been hashing yet but have met up with a "Hare and a Hound" See photo.

Off to do some shopping now.

Welcome to Our new home.

We now have our new home, a 36ft Holiday Rambler with two slide outs. Good job gas (sorry petrol) is cheaper over here; average 7 mpg. The first night that we slept in it the generator would not start so the AC couldn't be run, (temp at night about 78f with humidity running about 60%).  The fun of camping?
Getting one or two things sorted out on the RV and the car.  Off to our first camp site on Wednesday.
Be carefull what you wish for, in the last post I wished for rain, wrong thing to do, we have had thunder storms every day since.
Alison has been having fun "shopping" to equip the rig; although we have been left quite a lot of useful stuff including a posh BBQ and twin camp seats. 
We still need to sort out the paperwork for registering both vehicles which varies from state to state and will visit the local Town Hall on Monday. Comments on this site are welcome so that we know that you are following our adventures.

In the USA

OK - We are now in the US. Flight over was uneventful until we got to Boston, very big thunder storm prevented us from landing, once on the runway we had to wait another 20 min before we could get off.
No problem getting through immigration, very nice man gave us a further 6 months extension to our visa, so we are on plan A. stay in the US until Apr/May 2013 and then go up into Canada for 6 months, reentering the US some time about Sep 13.
First night in hotel (Wed) then travelled up to New Hampshire ( Thu).
Spent most of today (Fri) looking at RVs.
Will now spend w/e thinking it over but will probably go for a 36ft double slide out + car. Photos will follow as soon as we have made our decision.
Temperature at the moment! Daytime 90+ Night time 75+ (Give me some rain)