Alabama

This post is late thanks to American Airlines. We have been too exhausted to do it until now because AA stuffed up our connecting flight from Dallas to LA and we missed the connection to Honolulu. What’s more they refused to arrange overnight accommodation for us because the delay was allegedly due to weather – not their fault they said. How convenient, except that a nice AA employee at Dallas told us it was due to another flight being cancelled which caused delays throughout their system. Anyway, in LA they said we could stay at the airport and they would provide blankets, so we slept as best we could in chairs and got very little sleep that night and during the last two days. So our advice is NEVER EVER fly with American Airlines!!!

Anyway, on Wednesday we flew into Huntsville, Alabama and were met by our wonderful friends Jim and Cheryl who drove us to their home in Scottsboro. They have a beautiful home by the shores of Guntersville Lake which joins the Tennessee River nearby. We have had a great time swimming in the lake during their current hot weather spell (high 30s every day) and Jim took us out for a spin in his high powered boat known as a tritune.

On Friday Jim and Cheryl drove us up north to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The best part this trip was a visit to the Chattanooga Choo Choo museum. The Chattanooga Choo Choo began running from Cincinnati, Ohio to Chattanooga in 1880 and was the first major rail link between the northern and southern states. The railroad museum was housed entirely in old passenger cars. The museum is run by the Hilton Hotel chain and they even have some old carriages refitted as modern hotel rooms. So you can spend the night in a 1920s rail carriage with 2016 technology and comfort. Nice!

That night we went to a very nice restaurant on the edge of the lake called the Docks Restaurant. The fun part was that we travelled there in the boat….about a 30 minute ride. On the way we were lucky to get pictures of an osprey feeding her babies in their nest.  What a great way to go out for dinner!

On Saturday Jim and Phil took the jet skis out for a spin. This was Phil’s first time on a jetski. But he managed to master the basics quickly and even reached a speed of 90 kmh across the lake without wrecking the jetski or killing anyone. See, miracles do happen J.

Sunday was our final full day with our friends. We accompanied them to their church, New Hope Methodist Church in Scottsboro, where we were made very welcome. It was a wonderful southern cultural experience. The preacher had all the style of what most of us might consider a typical ‘out there’ southern preacher. What’s more she made a lot of sense.

That afternoon we relaxed at the lake and Jim towed Phil behind a jetski on a float. It was a real blast but Phil is still working his shoulders back into their sockets J.

This is our final post. We are in Honolulu but as we have been here four times before we are just going to take it easy. So, signing off now on what was, overall, a great holiday.

Photos 1 and 2:Signs at restaurant. Just had to share.

Photo 3: At the Choo Choo - modern hotel room in an old carriage.

Photo 4: The original engine.

Photo 5: Us on the Choo Choo engine.

Photo 6: Phil liked the kids' Choo Choo.

Photo 7: Another American truism :)

Photo 8: Sue and Cheryl.

Photo 9: Osprey nest on Lake Guntersville.

Photos 10 and 11: Sunset seen across the Lake.

Photo 12: Phil being towed by Jim. AAAAAAAAAARG!!!!

Photo 13: "I'm alive; I'm alive" (accompanied by hysterical gibbering) :)