Van made it to USA

Washington DC , 11 January
Again,as I have said before,the Americans show us their kindness.
We arrived at Huntington Metro Station on the southern suburbs of Washington to find it is multi storey.Turning in to the next side road we asked two women walking their dogs for info on parking such a large vehicle.
Pondering on the matter one suggested to park outside their house using their residential permit.
Taken aback slightly we hesitated but they insisted.So we parked and put the permit on the window.Next they present us with two travel cards with money loaded to use on the metro !
We of course put money on to them and returned them with extra ten dollars each.
Showing us a short cut to the station through a friend's garden we were on the platform in five minutes.
Thanks Tamara & Leanne

The government shut down meant all those lovely free museum's , galleries and zoo are closed but it took us all day to view the monuments, Capital Building and the White House.With snow forecast tomorrow (Sat) we already decided not to have two days sightseeing despite the ladies offering us to park and sleep to go in to town again.
On to Baltimore in morning before the snow to find a sleepover location for Sat & Sun as close to docks as possible and hope the forecast four inches is over estimated.IMG_20190111_192131.jpgIMG_20190111_185047.jpgIMG_20190111_191240.jpgIMG_20190111_193146.jpg
 
Brilliant travel log Mojo and thanks for sharing. Hope you don’t have problems with weather this weekend
 
USA 6 months road trip finished.

This is the last post for our trip in the shipped Hymer and is copied from my last diary entry.
IT IS LONG , SORRY ! IT WAS A LONG TRIP.

171 days in America from 25 July to 12 January

Fuel approx 3.30 Dollars per US gallon which is approx £2.52 US gallon ( 66 pence litre)
We have paid as high 3.60 and lowest 2.49.

LPG approx the same as deisel but you can not fill yourself at a gas (petrol) station except in one or two states.Plenty of companies to fill you up including the many U haul depots.A adapter required for the American large thread screw on filler.Purchased ours from Gaslow.

Covered just over 17,500 miles in 36 States.

Fuel. $ 3297 = £2564 =15 pence mile.

Campsites. £905 for 42 nights (£22.00 per night)
We used mainly State Park campsites,no frills ,no electricity .

129 days free camping .

Purchase at the start of a yearly pass at 80 Dollars for National Parks have saved us lots.
It covers vehicle and occupants , average entrance is 20/30 Unfortunately the government shutdown has prevented it's use at many sights at the end of our trip.

Joined Good Sam at first opportunity in one of their many affiliated Camping World Supercentre stores.This cost 27 dollars which gets you discounts on affiliated campsites and a massive book at 8 dollars for all USA campsites.BUT our reason was it then allowed us to join their countrywide breakdown service for any size vehicle at 80 Dollars.You can also boondock (wild camp) on their carparks and use their dump stations.Not all though so check first.

We avoid campsites,too expensive.Very easy to boondock (wild camp).Average cost about 40 dollars but often a lot more.State and National parks are better at about 20 dollars but no electricity or frills and many of them
States have different rules concerning wild camping but the more western have best opportunities .Sometimes it just makes sense to use a site.
We have paid 8.00 up to 107.00 per night.That was a NP site and New Orleans city centre site.

Launderettes are common and cheap .Approx
2 dollars (£1.60 ) per washing machine and same for tumble lasting 45 minutes.

We dispose of grey and black often in the disposal points at state parks, gas stations,rest area's and Camping World.These allow for black ,otherwise many free standing plastic cubicles to dispose black as European vans have simple cassette storage but American have some type of pump out system.Water often uploaded from gas stations when filling diesel.

Free camping in towns/cities Casino's, Walmart or Sam's Club,Cracker Barrel,Golden Corral,Home Depot,etc.Never been refused when we seek permission..Very convenient for sights and eating out.

Supermarkets are more expensive compared to UK.Walmart cheapest.Example - loaf of bread 2.50/3.50 dollars.

Our favourite foodstuffs often only in independent supermarkets at a cost.

MOTORING -

We have bad roads in UK & Europe but in many locations here they take it to a new level.The van had certainly taken a bashing.

You guess how much fuel is required and pay first with a over estimated value.The actual amount used is what comes off your cc statement.

We have to use a 10 litre add blue every 1500 miles which is a extra expense at 15 dollars for this Mercedes 3 litre engine.

Americans very friendly and polite.Drivers pretty good and obey speed limits except in cities you get a few idiots .

Not keen on overtaking on any lane.Accident waiting to happen.We have seen many.

Traffic lights take far too long to change .

The condition of some vehicles are so bad I assume they don't have yearly checks for road worthiness.

What we used to call Remould Tyres are used on trucks ,explains why the highway is strewn with shredded tyres everywhere.

I like the ability to turn right (equivalent of turn left in UK) on a red light if no oncoming traffic.

You sometimes exit motorways from the fast lane and have to join at the same junction as those who are exiting.

Pick up trucks are ubiquitous and the cars no longer have what I call an American identity to their styling.They all look European ,no doubt to make sales worldwide.Just love their old style fifties cars.

Harley Davidson is king.They do like their Harley's and three wheeler's are also common.

Rv's of all sizes have air conditioning which ,I am told,you can't live without when the heat arrives.
This does of course require campsite electric or generator power.

GENERAL -

Plenty of housing appear to be in the form of what we call static caravans as used on holiday parks.
Unfortunately many are in poor condition and for some reason often are cluttered around with old cars and junk.Not many with gardens.

Fed up with the amount of injury lawyers billboards .Seems a specialist lawyer available for any conceivable claim.

Like home,many towns are losing their high street identity to out of town shopping area's some looking like ghost towns.The restaurants are mostly chains and often burgers.

Never seen so many boat showrooms with extensive selection.A huge industry here for their many recreational area's and coastline and not forgetting the millions of fishermen.

DID WE ENJOY THE TRIP -

Great sights and cities we have always heard about now visited .Too much driving but I was mentally prepared for that.
But the thing that made it such a great trip was the people we met.I can not speak highly enough of how kind,helpfull with good manners the American people have been. We will miss being called Sir and Ma'am everywhere.

Such as-

Ben,who offered change at the counter to avoid us breaking in to a note.

Brit,who met us on a golf course,took our pics for the small town paper and the next day took us up on a trip in his aeroplane.

Durrae,who met us in a launderette who is a author of cookery books and gave us two signed volumes from her RV.

Reception at Royal Palms camp in Florida Keys who requested a cheque deposit and trusted us to turn up as we had no method of paying.That was Xmas week on a fully booked site.

Lynne and Steve who took us in their car from campsite to a restaurant and insisted on paying .

John in a pub night out who invited is out on a hunt the following day.

Tamara and Leanne,who after arriving at Huntington Metro Station on the southern suburbs of Washington to find it is multi storey.Turning in to the next side road we asked two women walking their dogs for info on parking such a large vehicle.
Pondering on the matter one suggested to park outside their house using their residential permit.
Taken aback slightly we hesitated but they insisted.So we parked and put the permit on the window.Next they present us with two travel cards with money loaded to use on the metro !
We of course put money on to them and returned them with extra ten dollars each.
Showing us a short cut to the station through a friend's garden we were on the platform in five minutes.

Sandy and the group at Royal Palms Xmas week who had us joining them at happy hour within one hour of our arrival.Turkey dinner Xmas day,film nights and get togethers.Good laughs.

Having joined a RV group called Texas Boomers to socialise with other campers who made us most welcome.We joined them twice , Halloween and pre Xmas.Fun dressing up ,games and lots ,lots of food.
Thanks especially go to-
Sandy and Randy Martin for our honorary certificate ,now officially Boomers.

Glenn and June Moeller,never a more friendly couple can you meet.

Leon and Charlotte,sorry we did not find the time to visit your lovely home in Houston to meet all your friends.Thanks for the fun Xmas presents.

And all the many other Boomers who made both meets such a good time.

Last night here in a snowstorm before delivery to Baltimore docks at 9 am tomorrow (Monday) .We fly on Wednesday.IMG_20190113_095510.jpgIMG_20190113_092519.jpg
 
Thank you very much, enjoyed your blog.
Would you ship your motorhome again?
Or is there another way you would of used?
 
South America is in
from Antwerp to South America (Montevideo)





Dear Mr. JENKINS,



Thank you for your inquiry regarding a camper shipment to South America, Montevideo (Uruguay).

There is NO direct departure from UK (only with a transshipment). So we offer only a shipment to Uruguay from Antwerp, Belgium.



Attached you find a current quotation.



The vessels sail 2-3 times per month, and arrive 4 weeks later at the port of destination.

The schedule is available about 3 months before departure:

http://www.net.grimaldi.co.uk/webdata/Published_Sched_Fleetpos/sched_sa.htm

ETS is the departure & ETA is the arrival

(Please keep in mind that the schedule often changes to a later departure, but we can change the freight booking for free.)



A motorhome/camper can be shipped fully equipped (incl. camping equipment and personal belongings like clothes), but it must look apparently empty.

That means everything has to be neatly stowed in closets and storage areas.

Of course it’s forbidden to transport food, alcohol, weapons, drugs, etc. inside the camper.



We can offer you a Marine Insurance with a premium of 1% of the current vehicle’s value.



Booking

If you would like to book a shipment, please complete the booking form and send it back to us. We will also need a copy of passport and a copy of vehicle registration.

Most of our clients book 2 month in advance.

Changes and cancellations are free of charge until one week before the planned departure; the invoice will be sent after the vessels departure (no deposit required).



If you would like to travel as a passenger on board you have to book quite early – most cabins are sold out up to many months in advance.



Return shipment:

The return shipment can be booked without any problems by email during your journey.

Of course the return can be from another port in North or South America.

Generally you can deliver your vehicle from Monday to Friday (except on holidays).



Further shipment:

We can also organize for you a shipment from Columbia/Argentina to USA. Or ship from Argentina to South Africa and later further to Australia.



Storage

If you would like store your vehicle while travelling back home, we can give you an address in Montevideo (Uruguay). This could be your first place to stay after arrival and the place where you can wait, before you ship your vehicle back to Europe.



Meeting SeaBridge

You can meet our staff in person on one of this fares or on our SeaBridge-customer-meetings:

fares: CaravanSalon Duesseldorf; Suisse CaravanSalon Bern; CMT Stuttgart, BadKissingen, NEC motorhome show Birmingham.

SeaBridge meetings in April & Sept: e.g. 78073 Bad Dürrheim; 97631 Bad Königshofen



Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.



Kind regards



Denice Heinemann



Seabridge

Wilhelm Heinrich Weg 13

40231 Düsseldorf

GERMANY

Tel.: +49-(0)211-210 8083

Fax: +49-(0)211-210 8097

seabridge@t-online.de

www.seabridge-tours.deIMG-20190114-WA0000.jpg
 

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