It was with
a heavy heart that I left New Orleans, but eased my sorrow with the thought of
Florida beaches and with the oath that I would return someday. I drove all day through the legs of Alabama
and Mississippi and spent the night on St. George Island in the Florida
Panhandle. Unfortunately, I shared my
campsite with a rather rude raccoon that hissed at Charlie and I then stole the
box of soup I had set out for our dinner!
So while it was off somewhere enjoying Organic Chipotle Sweet Potato
Soup, I had a can of tuna on crackers and trail mix for supper…so not cool…
Monday
morning I went for a jog on the beach, which could only be described as
pristine as I didn’t see another soul the entire time. I felt like I finally got my beach
time because the waves were soft, the sand was clean and white, and broken
seashells were strewn everywhere. Afterwards, Charlie and I set off for another
long day of driving to Savannah, Georgia where we camped in a place called
Skidaway Island State Park right outside of town. It was actually a really pretty place with
maritime forest crowning all the campsites and I made us Cajun stuffed bell
peppers in the fire for dinner. Yum!
This was
kind of a big event because as I turned north for Savannah I realized I was
beginning my 3rd and final leg of my journey! Well, we wandered Savannah for a bit the next
day where Charlie chased a million squirrels in Forsyth Park, and I stopped for
lunch at a cute little café called the Sentient Bean downtown. This functionally hippie establishment is
cash only, but serves up delightfully unique organic vegan and vegetarian
dishes along with loose leaf tea, real fruit smoothies, and an easy breezy
vibe. If you’re ever in the area, stop
in for their tofu curry salad. I know it
sounds odd, but it’s amazing. 
After lunch we loaded up and were
off to Savannah’s sister city of Charleston, South Carolina! We stayed at a place called James Island
County Park (so many islands haha), which is a really neat campground on the
outskirts of town. It is an interesting
place with hundreds of enormous permanent light up…things…all over the
park. It has miles of trails weaving
through thick southern forest, and a dog park with a small dog area (under
25lbs) where Charlie made a friend.
Wednesday morning after a jog
through the surrounding fairytale forest, Charlie and I headed to downtown
Charleston for some excitement. We
wandered the entire historic district all the way to the tip of the peninsula
and back. We checked out Marion Square,
Rainbow Row, and Market Street and naturally, I found a sweets shop near the
water where I got two macaroons. I had She Crab Soup and hearty bread for lunch
at a café called Saffron.
When we got back to camp we went
for another walk around the park and I gave Charlie a much-needed bath, after
which he dutifully rolled in the dirt. The only bummer about camping in the
South is that everything is damp in the mornings because if the humidity. Whenever I woke up I always felt like I’d
been sleeping all night with a wet towel over my face. Gross!! However, the people here are wonderful. I shouldn’t be surprised, because according
to my guidebook, Charleston has been voted “most well mannered city in the USA”
for 11 years and counting!! Everyone says hello, and good morning and it’s all
“yes ma’am” and “no sir” and “I like the fried okra if you please”. It made me feel like a true Southern Belle,
if even only for the day. And yes, down
here they really do say ‘yall, and they say it a lot.
After Charleston, Charlie and I
headed North to Jacksonville North Carolina where some of my good friends live
with their brand new baby girl. I was
pleasantly surprised to see that they live in the outskirts of town (aka the
boonies) in a small cottage/farmhouse. It had a big yard for Charlie to play in
and room for a garden out back. We ran around Friday and did some errands and
lots and lots of laundry on my part. The
weather had been unbelievably cooperative practically my whole trip and until I
got to Jacksonville it was just perfect. Sunny day after sunny day slightly
breezy and warm in the evenings, so I should’ve known something was coming my
way, and it did! The last three days in North Carolina were spent holed up on
the couch with the fam watching movies and drinking tea, while Hurricane Sandy
gave us what for.
Although our rain and wind was
enough to keep us indoors, it was nothing compared to what they were facing
farther north. So when I left
Jacksonville on Tuesday morning, Sandy and I had a little chat. I told her she was really messing with my
travel plans and if she could hurry and pass through, it would be much
appreciated. She said she would talk to
the cold Nor’easter Winds and Full Moon and see what she could do. I had just put new tries on Stella the day
before so I was ready for a rainy drive to Richmond, Virginia but Sandy kept
her word and I had an uneventful, almost sunny even, drive.
I stopped in Raleigh to meet my
ex-co-worker and fellow wanderlust traveler, Olivia, for lunch at the State
Farmers Market where she was selling pumpkins!
She is moving for high season to Patagonia, Chile to be a su-chef at a
resort. You go girl! I enjoyed my final true southern meal of BBQ
pork, fried green tomatoes, and peach cobbler while we chatted about all the
places we want to see and our upcoming life plans. The food was delicious while the talk inspiring
and I set off for Virginia excited to leave the south and get enter the New
England area!
P.S. My thoughts and prayers go out to all my friends and
family who did get thrashed by
Sandy. Hang in there! The whole country
is pulling for ya! Stay safe and let me know if I can do anything for anyone I
am coming to see in that part of the country. :D
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