NASHVILLE TO MIAMI A MOTORHOME CONVOY

There are a number of very happy Australians who have just returned from a magnificent vocation through the South Eastern portion of the United States. The Nashville to Miami adventure is the latest Motorhome Convoy itinerary designed and presented by Harvey World Travel Menai.

“RV Revelling rev-heads” came from all points in Australia in late September, joining the group in Miami. After a general briefing covering RV operations, procedures and road rules, maintenance and safety issues participants headed off for a two hour drive to Palm Beach, stocking up on supplies and familiarizing their vehicle, then getting to know each other for the first evening.

Fort Wilderness Campground at Disneyworld was our next destination, visiting the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Studios and Cape Kennedy Space Centre. Fort Wilderness Campground provides free transport to all venues in the Disney World complex and is very central to all activities. It would have been easy to spend a week at this RV site, however only three nights were scheduled.

Driving for the next four days encompassed Kingsland, Augusta, Racoon Mountain and Nashville. Prior to the country music capital we visited the jack Daniels distillery at Tennessee. Nashville is a beautiful scenic city of about the same size as Brisbane. We visited the Grand Ole Opry, Opryland Hotel, Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Theatre, a live recording studio and Willie Nelson museum. Three days were not enough as there was much more to see. Nashville is a modern city with live music playing in almost all bars. We as a group were amazed at the scope of the Country Music and just two hundred mils west the music changed to Jazz, in Memphis. Before Memphis we visited the home of Loretta Lynn, the site of the movie Coal Miners Daughter. Our RV park in Memphis was adjacent to Graceland, allowing us to visit the home of Elvis. To many this was the highlight of the entire trip. Memphis is an old city  drenched in history by day and at night is drenched in Jazz music down Beale street.

Heading sought down the music highway we arrived at New Orleans  where we had a fabulous river cruise, a city tour and a visit to a Plantation. New Orleans is re establishing itself from the cyclone. A visit to the French quarter as absolutely imperative; filled with the atmosphere and thronging with people in the streets filled with bars, shops and loud Jazz music.

Four more days took us to Key West via Pensacola, Perry and Naples. The southern shores of Alabama and the west coast of Florida is truly a affluent habitat. The coastline was filled with magnificent Real Estate.  Driving to Key West was a slow process, as you drive along the Overseas Highway with bridges, police cars and a forty five mile per hour speed limit. Key West is kind of tired, however the tourist area  has been revamped.

The group travelled a total of three thousand miles collecting n fines or damage to any Motorhome. Driving on the busy freeway is a little intense as all vehicles travelled at maximum speed. Approaching Atlanta there were eight lanes in each direction, approaching Houston the interstate freeway has twenty one lanes in each direction. In Australia we have the M5 with jus two lanes.

Concluding the South East tour we embarked on a seven night Caribbean Cruise visiting Grand Turk, St Thomas, San Juan and the Bahamas. Then cruise ship was the Holland American Eurodam. Having been on fifteen cruises, this was the best.  Many on the tour were past passengers on the Alaskan Highway Motorhome tour and rated the holiday equal of better. Details for additional departure dates can be obtained by contacting the staff at Harvey World Travel Menai on 02 95411244 or menai@harveyworld.com.au   or web www.menai.harveyworld.com.au .