Saturday 5 April
Today was the day for lots of goodbyes - to Shelly and the kids, Vonnie, Ken - who we unfortunately had to visit in the hosipital before leaving (later diagnosed with cellulitis) - and all the other friends we had made during our stay in Florida. A really big thank you to Shelly for putting us up (and putting up with us) for six weeks. We really enjoyed our stay with you.

Also goodbye to Florida as today we were heading back on the road on the second part of our journey, this time heading North. But this time we have company as Katrina and Ralph will be joining us for the first week through the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

So we left the hot and sticky atmosphere of Florida and headed North for Georgia and our first destination of Valdosta. But, unfortunately, it wasn't long before the weather broke and we were hit with a torrential storm just out of Gainsville which followed us all the way to our destination. By the time we arrived in Valdosta to try and find a motel for the night it soon became apparent that everyone on the road that evening had had enough of the weather and were looking for a bed in the same place as us. All the major chains were fully booked but we managed to find two rooms in the "Jolly Inn" which, once we had checked in and found our rooms, did not appear to be jolly and we knew why they were the only place with vacancies! But this was literally any port in a storm and, although the motel had seen better days, it was clean and a bed for the night and, more importantly, somehwere to dry out!