OVERLANDBIRDS ON TOUR - A DRIVE AROUND THE WORLD IN A LAND ROVER DEFENDER
SEARCH BLOG
only search overlandbirds

Texas Chainsaw Massacre....

31/8/2013

 
Let it be known that if I say "American(s)" I mean USA citizens from this day forward.

We made it into Texas,,only just,,, as the Colombia bridge crossing at Laredo is about as organised as a student rally..The Mexico immigration is on the "way in" side of the road so you need to go round to there to get your deposit back for the car and do the passports. However DON'T do through the toll gate onto the bridge to get round. Just dump the car on the grass and walk. Otherwise you end up paying the bridge toll twice, like we did! There are no signs or anything to tell you to stop at the little white hut on the side of the road to cancel the deposit let alone to then go to the other office to get you money back. So, stop at the little hut, cancel your car paperwork then park up and walk over to the office. There is a car park near the office so you could sort of drive round without parking on the grass.

We've been staying in the Texas State Parks at Lake Casa Blanca, Goliad and Stephen Austin parks. They are not cheap but they do have showers. Strange thing is the BIG RVs they all drive have showers so they don't need them. However the camping fraternity (like us) in tents (or other low tech rides) do need showers and all the shower blocks are in the RV park and not in near the camping sites. This is completely the wrong way round. The showers should be near the Camping spots ! Its not rocket science but this is America and some things are just how they are.

The staff at the parks are really nice and there has hot been such a fancy check in process since South Africa....Hi guys, if you are reading this !

Another example of how it is here is the tax they add on to everything. Rather than have the price including tax (which is the law in the UK) they add it on later so everything is more expensive than is ticketed. Why they cannot show the price including tax on the ticket and then show you the tax on the receipt I will never understand. No doubt there's some cockamamie logic that the Americans  will use in argument but I'm not listening. A price should be a price unless you are running a business to business supply/service and then you can show the price without tax. This is the way in Europe and the UK and this is logical (captain).

We met the big brother of the Armadillo I squashed in South America. He was pretty OK with his photo shoot until he came up and sniffed my foot...he then bolted off at light speed. I wonder why ?

Mother arrives tomorrow.....
Comments
    Get notifications of new Blog Entries by filling in the box below. No risk.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    TRANSLATE BLOG

    SHIPPING RoRo OR Container Shipping with IVSSUK
    $25 OFF Shipping

    Archives

    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    June 2020
    October 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    March 2015
    December 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011

    Categories

    All
    Car Prep
    Central America
    North America
    Paperwork
    Social
    Trip Africa
    Trip Asia
    Trip Europe
    Trip Prep
    Trip South America
    Web Site

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • HOME
  • WINDOWS
  • BLOG from 2011 on
  • SHIPPING
  • About Us
  • Get in Touch
  • The Big Plan
  • PHOTOS
  • Our trip in numbers
  • How Can You Afford This?
  • The Costs
  • Fuel Costs
  • What About When You Come Back
  • Preparations
  • Medical
  • Paperwork
  • Where are we?
  • Log on to Weebly for Admin
  • VIDEOS
  • LAND ROVER FILES
  • HOME
  • WINDOWS
  • BLOG from 2011 on
  • SHIPPING
  • About Us
  • Get in Touch
  • The Big Plan
  • PHOTOS
  • Our trip in numbers
  • How Can You Afford This?
  • The Costs
  • Fuel Costs
  • What About When You Come Back
  • Preparations
  • Medical
  • Paperwork
  • Where are we?
  • Log on to Weebly for Admin
  • VIDEOS
  • LAND ROVER FILES