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D.C. and Williamsburg Virginia….zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

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10/20:  Took the train into D.C. yesterday.  There is so much to do there, but we didn’t have time to do everything that I wanted to.  We went to the Holocaust Museum first and it was difficult to see.  There were several people who brought their small children to see it and I’m not sure that it is something that I would want my kids to see at such a young age.  I think that it would be difficult to explain.  There are a lot of very graphic photos and video’s all over.  While some of the most graphic are somewhat hidden behind half walls so they can’t see them, I think the ones that are visible are bad enough.  I was okay until I got to the special section called “Daniel’s Story”.  It’s the story from a child’s diary, telling about what life was like before and after Hitler took over and how he survived being in a concentration camp.  His sister and mother did not survive.

We went to the Smithsonian’s Natural History museum for the sole purpose of seeing the Hope Diamond.  It is one of the few things that I remembered seeing when we came here on a family vacation when I was little.  Unfortunately, that part of the museum was closed.  I was so disappointed because I wanted to see if it was anything like I remembered. Here’s is a picture from that trip:Photo(5)

I was also a little sad because the museum was a little run-down.  They really need to do some refurbishing or at least paint the walls!  We went to one of the IMAX shows playing and it was pretty cool.

The people there were so nice.  A policeman helped us get the correct train tickets and even took us over to the machine and made sure we got what we needed.  Then a security guard in the Smithsonian actually walked with us outside and made sure we knew which way to go in order to get to the Ford’s Theatre.  It was unexpected but a pleasant surprise and  made up for the rude people of Massachusetts.  We walked around and went to the International Spy Museum and were going to go to Madam Trousseau’s, but they were closed.  I was shocked that a lot of the attractions closed at 6:00pm!  We really didn’t get to do any of the things that we had hoped to do while here, like going to the White House…but, maybe next time.

10/21: Made the uneventful drive to Williamsburg.  Realized that KOA campgrounds are the best places to stay.  Out of all the campgrounds we have stayed in so far, the KOA’s are the cleanest and nicest.  This one is no exception.  The site has a brick patio and a swing!  They have “ambassadors” that actually take you to your campsite instead of just handing you a map and letting you go find it.  This is such a nice touch.  They really do make you a Happy Camper.

10/22: Rained all day here.  So, we went to the Williamsburg Outlet stores.  I really need to stay away from there!  They had the best stores!  Not the usual “outlet” crap you usually find at outlet stores.  They had actual items that would be sold in the NON-outlet store.  It was a good day to stay inside though and watch something on Netflix.

10/23: We went to Colonial Williamsburg today.  I remember nothing of this place from our visit during my childhood.  It was interesting but not some place that I would actually go out of my way to visit again.  We had a short tour of one of the “taverns” and learned what it was like back in the 1700’s.  Supposedly George Washington visited the one we were in.    Really didn’t think much of it, so we came back to the campground and did laundry.  It was about 68 degrees and sunny today, much better than yesterday, but I’m ready to move further south and enjoy some really warm weather.  Tomorrow we will head to North Carolina and stay in Fayetteville one night on our way to Hilton Head.  I am SO looking forward to sticking my toes in some sand.

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“Not all those who wander are lost” — J.R.R. Tolkien

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My new RV!

My new RV!

Hi.  My name is Amiee.  I will be turning 50 this year!  Wooop Wooop?  In December, 2013, I was laid off from Indiana University after 26 LONG years allowing them to suck the life right out of me.  It’s taken several months of “rehabilitation” to form myself back into a living, breathing human being.  I still have flash backs, so I think that my mind and my body are still recovering from the trauma of sitting at a desk 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.  After months of going through the grieving process…being angry…resentful…sad…scared….depressed..I’m sure there are many more feelings that I went through but , I’ve made it through the rough times and am starting to feel like a human again.  While losing my job has been one of the worst things I have been through in a while, it has also been a blessing.  Sitting at a desk all day every week day, being told when to arrive, when to eat lunch, when to go home, when to take a break, when to go to meetings….blah blah blah, I believe I became a of “Stepford” worker.  My weekends were filled with the must do’s…laundry, grocery shopping, lawn mowing, etc…  I lived for those once a year vacations that made my life worth living.

I have always loved to travel, to experience new things, new cultures and OH, the food!  I loved almost everything about traveling…with the exception of the “getting there” part.  Plane travel is HARD!  Those of us that travel  know that “getting there” is the most difficult part, but it has always been worth it, in my eyes.  No amount of flight delays, bad weather, sickness or encounters with mean people has ever dampened my love of travel.   I have travelled all over the world and the U.S., but most of the places I’ve visited here, I was just to young to appreciate  or remember.  My mom has this same wanderlust.  I think I may have inherited that from her.  She has always wanted to  just get a camper, hop in and go.  We talked a lot about doing just that, since I got laid off.

After many months of unsuccessful job searching and semi successful soul searching  I decided to turn my misfortune into an opportunity of a life time.  So, I’ve sold my home and am in the process of selling most of my furniture and belongings.  I purchased a Forest River, Georgtown 34-ft. RV.   WHAT?  Yes, I did.  You think I’m crazy don’t you?  Well, my dad thinks so too!  But, I don’t think I’m crazy, I think that for the first time in a long, long time, I’m actually starting to feel something!  Even if it’s being scared…or feeling joy, or both at the same time.  I believe that I had lost myself at that desk.  To the point where I was just going through the motion of living.  When your days are filled with the same mundane tasks…I think you forget, except for those  two precious weeks of vacation time a year, what it’s like to live…really live.  That’s my excuse anyway!  So, here’s the plan:  We are going to travel for a year and see the country.  And after that?  I don’t know.  On this adventure, I may just find out what it is that I want to do when I grow up.

I’m starting this blog because I want to document my experience.  I picked up my RV last month and have already learned many things!   I’m going to try to write about the people we meet, places that we visit, experiences that I have and of course the things I find to eat!  So, This is the beginning of a wonderful adventure, a new beginning and a chance to experience this with my parents….which of course is priceless to me.   I hope that my experience will insight others to start their own adventure.  My trip begins on Sept. 30th, but I’ll share what I’ve already learned in my next post.  Happy Trails!