Getting started this year was delayed due to needing some warranty work done on our RV, moving in and out of our home several times to get it accomplished, and all in all, a boring story that just reminds us of frustrations we'd just as soon forget. "And that's all I have to say about that." (That is, unless you really would like to hear it. No? Okay, fine.)
The decision on where to launch the 2013 travels was facilitated by our friends, B&B. They've recently purchased a Class A motorhome, too, and were anxious to give it a go, so we opted to caravan for a bit.
We decided that February was a good time to escape the cold Austin weather, and visit South Texas for a couple of weeks. (Our Ohio family is saying "COLD Austin weather?", so we're reminding them what a wimp SheM is.)
Our first stop was a couple of days in Port Aransas, Texas. The RV park has a boardwalk to the beach.
And a city trolley makes regular stops at the RV park, making visits into town really easy. (You'll notice from SheM's dress that even though we had traveled south, the temperature was still not tropical.)
We were there for Mardi Gras, and were treated to a parade. We have to admit that while the scale of the parade did not compare to what we saw when we were in Mobile last year, the enthusiasm was not lacking.
Our next stop was further south in Mercedes, Texas near the Mexico border. The RV park where we stayed was certainly a class A operation. The sites were roomy and very nicely manicured. There were many activities going on daily. We can see why so many snowbirds make their home there each winter. Our activities included a trip to South Padre Island where we visited a lighthouse
and enjoyed some liquid refreshment at a beachside bar. (You'll notice that the temperature is finally what we were looking for.)
We walked through the Texas Parks & Wildlife World Birding Center. We didn't see as many birds as we expected, but did see a lot of green jays. We had no idea how pretty these birds are. The picture below really needs to be zoomed to truly see the bird in the middle of the shot, but you can get an idea.
Venturing into Mexico was not in our plans initially, but we were assured that the border town nearby, Nuevo Progresso, is committed to making American citizens safe and comfortable in their town. We gave it a shot, although admittedly we did make calls to family members before and after the border crossing just to make sure someone knew where we were. Our concern was not warranted. The town is full of winter Texans every day. They are having dental work done and buying prescriptions, hence the streets are full of dentist offices and pharmacies. We bought a few souvenirs and had an excellent meal before returning stateside.
For the most part while we were there, we just enjoyed being able to sit outside and enjoy B&B's company. The weather varied between pleasantly warm and a little nippy, requiring jackets. Even when it was cool, it beat the "cold" Austin weather. (Yes, yes, Ohio. We hear you.)
At the end of our Mercedes stay, our friends had to return to their home and their real lives. We moved on to a couple more stops in Texas before leaving the state. We truly hope that they and any of our other friends will be able to join us again to share in our traveling adventure. It was really fun to have the companionship!
