More Travels 18 - 23rd September 2012

Tashi Delek
Mike & Carol Kefford
Sun 23 Sep 2012 22:48

After catching up with Lesley and Philip we drove down to Washington for a couple of nights with Adam and Jessica and the lovely Hannah.  We enjoyed seeing Ros and Lauren again and reminiscing about the pretty horrible sail from the Bahamas to North Carolina that they had been with us for.

 

On from Washington for the roughly three hour drive to Deltaville and back to Tashi Delek.  She was all in good order in spite of the heat, humidity and some savage weather over the summer.  We only had a few days before Carol headed back to UK but we made a good start and got quite a lot of the stuff that goes on the outside (spray hood, dingy, life raft, lines, sun shade (bimini and more), but lives on the inside while we are away, out of the inside and back onto the outside again which gives us a bit of room to at least breathe on the inside.

 

We had kept the car so ventured out to Home Depot, the US version of B&Q.  Perfect in every detail from orange everywhere to the exact same layout so we knew not to turn left through the doors because that would be Christmas Trees but to go straight on and slightly right to get to paints.  While there we found a drive through Starbucks so in we went……

 

 

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Living the dream.

 

Carol returned to UK a week ahead of Mike but not without incident when we, well – Carol, managed to lock us out of the hire car at the airport when Mike was dropping her off.  Aaagh.  We were in the drop off lane and the bags were still inside the car so Carol couldn’t even leave while Mike sorted it out.  While Carol set off to find the Budget car desk Mike was cheerfully informed by the police that it happens every day and not to worry about where the car was.

 

Of course, at Washington Dulles airport the hire car desks are all off site and require a bus ride to get there.  Fortunately the Budget bus driver was able to raise the manager on his radio and arrange for him to meet us at the car.  He arrived carrying a highly technical looking bent coat hanger (yes really), a plastic wedge and a small but rugged looking bag.  Small (but rugged) looking bag inserted into top of door above the handle and inflated by means of small rubber bulb.  Door pulls away from surround enough to smack in the wedge which opens it a bit further which is enough to insert bent coat hanger far enough to catch the door latch and ……  we’re in.  Less than 30 seconds.  Smiles all round.  Carol all set to go.  Phew.