Friday, February 14, 2020

Tale Of A Journey II

Leaving Texas
If you are now expecting similar crazy experiences as in my recent posting, I have to disappoint you. Like I mentioned, I stayed in an AirBnB in Houston. The place was run by a Chinese couple with the strange habit of being active at least until after 2:30am. I know that as I made my way to the shared bathroom. 

I had a great sleep, bed was comfy and the space heater in my room was running on full blast. The rest of the house was cold. Don't know how these owners can live in such an icebox. Maybe because Houston summers are so merciless hot and humid that people relish a cold house.

Got up bright and early made myself a coffee in the kitchen and got my stuff back into the van. Had to program the GPS for my next abode in Little Rock, AR. The highway north is mostly HWY 59 and then the I-30 from Texarkana east to Little Rock.
The weather couldn't have been any better as I never saw a single cloud. 

  Leaving Houston in the morning rush

Morning traffic in Houston was what it supposedly is on any given day - chaotic, but once I left that behind the highway was mine. 
  Yahoo!!! The highway is mine

Some trucks, but not bad. Used a total of 7hrs for 443 miles, breaks included. The van runs like a charm. The new 6-speed tranny GM had put into it gives so much more power and accelleration speed. Should tow a whole lot better than our old 2006 van.
  Taking a break at the Arkansas Welcome Center

Now, the day didn't end quite so uneventful as it started. Following some winding roads I finally reached the address of my next AirBnB abode. The first look wasn't too encouraging as it was a mobile home. I knocked at the entry door, but despite that 2 vehicles were parked out front, nobody came to the door. First after I used my fist in a concerted effort which eventually might have ended in breaking down the door, I hear a faint voice from a window. A little brown lady was there saying something to me, like "nobody home".  I waved with my reservation print-out and finally she appeared in the door. As it turned out, she was another guest and the owners had left in a hurry for the hospital as their mother/mother-in-law had an emergency. They had not left any instructions and they were not answering the phone. So I finally left a text message and left in search of a motel/hotel.

The first one I tried to find was an Econo Lodge. Despite my GPS pointing that out to me the hotel was not where it was supposed to be.
Next  choice was an "Economy Inn", a place which obviously had seen much, much better days. Yet, I went in, asking for a room and a price. The obese young girl had a room but she wanted 100 Bucks. Why? "Because it was Valentine". I told her she was nuts and left. The next place turned out to meet my expectations - a Red Roof Inn, not far away asking $68 for the room. And turned out to be terrific. Have used Red Roofs several times, but never had seen such a great place. This was all new and up-to-date. Free breakfast as well. What more could I ask for?

Good Night folks! Tomorrow there will be more.

2 comments:

  1. Sure glad today went better but that mobile home place was really scary.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice looking van,Hoping the rest of your travels go well.

    ReplyDelete

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