Author: kaybrownsite

Last night, after exploring the campsite and discovering lots of activities for Noah and Wes to enjoy (pool, lake, tennis, basketball, exercise equipment, bouncy castle, animals), we decided to stay an extra night.

Little did we know that it would rain during the night and all during the following day.

Even so, as the internet was decent (we are pathetic), we decided to stay and have a rest day. Plus, the boys had some school work to catch up on.

In fact, we spent the whole day keeping dry in the motorhome and it was actually quite enjoyable.

By 5.30 pm the rain had eased and the boys could have a small play outside.

With no Canadian money or working credit card to buy dinner from the small hamburger and hotdog van at the campground, we raided the RV cupboards and managed to find enough to settle our stomachs.

It really does feel like we have been transported to France here in Quebec.

Our evening was spent watching, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

I don’t think I set foot outside the van all day.

A relaxing day and regroup, ready to get back on the Brown Family Tour Bus tomorrow.

It’s an indoors kind of day

My View

Our Wessy

Moving on and into Quebec.

We have decided to bypass Montreal (sorry Montreal) and stay at a smaller campsite on the way to Quebec City. The big cities really are difficult to explore with a motorhome.

I was ready to leave the campsite extra early, as soon as the internet went down. Unfortunately, it was the early hours of the morning, it was pitch black and Noah and Wes were still sound asleep.

A short boot camp work-out, the first since leaving Australia and back on the road. I needed to release some energy before a long day in the motorhome.

Back on the busy highway, other then the roadside treeline, there is not much else to view.

A small snack and toilet stop at the Morrisburg (Ontario) ONroute, and then back on the busy highway.

Into Quebec and another small stop at Saint Zotique (on the St Lawrence River), for groceries and lunch in the motorhome. It is strange hearing the French dialect and trying to interpret the road signs (all in French). We will need to crank out our French repertoire, Oui, Bonjour and Au revoir…

Back on the busy highway and through Montreal. Pete did an amazing job driving the RV through the heavy city traffic.

We spent most of the day travelling on the busy highway.

At about 3.30 pm we reached our destination for tonight, Camping Lac St-Michel, a gorgeous campground set along the Riviere Saint-Maurice.

Dinner outside the motorhome and then a lovely evening explore of the campground.

The internet appears good here and there are lots of activities to do at the park. We might stay another night… although I had forgotten about the television, all in French.

Welcome to Quebec

Tonight’s Campground

Camping Lac St-Michel

Oui, Oui

Morrisburg ONroute

Today’s Scenery

Busy Montreal

Riviere Saint-Maurice

Outdoor Gym

Camp Animals

Exploring the Campground

Up early and success, internet. Phew.

We have decided to skip the big city of Toronto (sorry Toronto, not this time) and drive towards Montreal, staying in Kingston.

After re-watching an episode of the new Anne of Green Gables series, Anne with an E last night, I am now really, really looking forward to visiting Prince Edward Island.

You will probably discover in the near future that I am a HUGE fan of Anne of Green Gables, particularly the books and original 80’s mini-series, although this new version is very good too.

Another influence in my past quest to visit Canada one day.

I hope Prince Edward Island will be a Niagara Falls moment…

As we are looking at exploring some of the smaller towns we are going to have to miss some of the big cities.

Onto the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way), following huge Lake Ontario and through busy Toronto.

Not a lot to see on the side of the busy highways. I managed a couple of cat naps.

Onto the ‘Highway of Heros’.

A small break at the Port Hope’s ONroute Service Centre for gas and a light lunch in the motorhome.

Soon we had arrived at our destination for tonight, 1000 Islands/Kingston KOA. We checked in and then jumped back in the RV and drove into Kingston, a university city with grand 19th-century buildings on Lake Ontario.

We parked the RV at Fort Henry, (a fort built to protect the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard during the War of 1812) and wandered down the hill and across the lake into the downtown area. A lovely walk along Princess Street, the main retail strip, admiring the beautiful historic buildings.

It was approaching late afternoon and we were now getting tired, hot and hungry. Time to take an Uber back to the motorhome and set up camp.

An easy dinner cooked in the motorhome and eaten outdoors and a play outside for the boys.

Long driving and sightseeing days, however, always enjoyable.

Tourists

Kingston

Churches

Draw Bridge

Crossing Bridges

Fort Henry

Busy QEW

Beautiful Historic Buildings

Through Toronto

More Gorgeous Churches

Toronto

Lake Ontario

Sightseeing

Dinner

1000 Island/Kingston KOA

Historic Princess Street

Up early, ready to jump on the internet and finish off some work and to get ready for the day… before the majority of the campers are awake.

No internet. NOOOOOOOOO.

Back to bed.

Nope, time to get up and get ready to move on.

Onto Walmart to buy buckets to hold up the water tank until we can get it fixed and to park outside Staples to access the internet.

Yes, we really do have an addiction.

Emails sorted and water tank semi-sorted.

Time to get moving. It is a foggy morning with a glorious rising sun, surrounded by vineyards and wineries.

Onto our first stop, St Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre, which is a small museum with local history exhibits and an elevated observation platform for ship sightings at Lock 3. We were lucky enough to see one of these ships maneuver through the lock.

Back in the bus and onto our destination for tonight, Niagara Falls KOA. We quickly set up camp and then jumped into an Uber to the falls, Niagara Falls.

We have been told the viewing is best from the Canadian side, so here we are.

And they were spectacular, beyond any of my expectations. Often you can be underwhelmed when you have built up an image over many years but this time it completely exceeded my expectations.

Although very crowded, maybe even classed as over-tourism, we managed to get an awesome view and could have sat and watched the falls all day.

After getting some advice from friends we decided that seeing it from the top was more than enough and we didn’t need to get wet and cold on the cruise.

Time to return back to the RV Park, a causal campsite cafe dinner, a play for the boys and then ready to rest for a new day.

Lock 3

Squirrel at the RV Park

Hold On Tight

St Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre

Good Morning

Browns do Niagara Falls

Getting Close

So much water!

Niagara Falls Cruise

Niagara Falls

Our Noah

Spectacular Falls

Hello USA

They are there, somewhere…

Which Way?

Over-Tourism?

Noah’s new friend?

Niagara Falls KOA

Well, you certainly do not take a hotel for granted after sleeping in an RV for nearly four months.

The only mistake we made was not finding the blackout blind until 9 am this morning, which left us with a night of carpark lighting shining through our window.

Oh well, it still did not spoil our night of luxury.

Down to the hotel lobby for the complimentary breakfast and I even managed a half-hour at the hotel gym.

What were we thinking when we extended the RV for another three weeks after our intended drop off. We could have been sleeping in hotels, oh beautiful, glorious hotels…

Ok, enough of that, time to get back to RV and get back on the road.

And today we are driving back into Canada.

Even after a relaxing morning we still managed to depart by 10.15 am.

Out and around Detroit and then over the bridge and into Ontario, Canada.

And off the grid, as we will no longer have working internet devices and will be relying on the RV Parks…

Our scenery in Ontario was filled with corn, alfalfa fields, and wind farms.

A brief stop in Strathroy for a food shop and lunch where we discovered a slight motorhome issue.

Our water tank has broken out of the bracket (it was only ever held in with two nails).

We drove through the industrial area looking for an RV Repair shop, however, nothing was open.

Onto our destination for tonight, Golden Pond RV Resort in Mossley, Ontario.

A nice enough resort but in the middle of nowhere, and although advertised with ‘Hi-speed wireless internet connection available’ we are left with no working internet, no means of research. We are slaves to the internet.

Plus, the owners and fellow campers are not really forthcoming with any help regarding our water tank issue.

At this rate, I am not sure how long our Canadian exploration will last.

Internet up and working, goody, but how long will it last…

Washing is done.

Observation: I have now seen it all, although elderly (not really an excuse unless she is disabled and I doubt that), a lady walking her small dog from her golf cart. The Canadians LOVE their golf carts. At this RV Park, walking is optional…

A casual BBQ for dinner and then an evening of playing outdoors for the boys and listening to the campground band.

Hello Canada

Wind Farms

Farms

Crossing the Bridge

Golden Pond RV Resort

Playing after dinner

Walking Optional

Watching the Band

Today we are off to Detroit. We have heard that there are some good vibes coming out of this city nowadays and we are eager to explore.

We have also decided to treat ourselves to a night in a hotel on the outskirts of downtown. There are no RV Parks close to Detroit and sleeping in a Detroit Walmart did not sound very appealing…

This way we can be close to downtown Detroit and park the RV safely outside the room. The hotel of choice, the Hampton Inn & Suites in Troy, which after researching we believe (and hope) is a safe neighbourhood.

We arrived at the hotel just after midday, managed to secure one of the last remaining rooms (there is a huge classic car show on this weekend), locked up the van and then took an Uber to downtown Detroit.

And what a pleasant surprise. Detroit was amazing, with beautiful historic buildings and a city with a soul. We could see how they were bringing the downtown area back to life and we could see the city’s huge future potential.

It had that gritty New York feel.

Plus, it was not yet high on the tourist’s radar, no over-tourism here, wonderfully quiet and peaceful to walk around.

After being dropped off near Comerica Park, an open-air ballpark, and home to the Detroit Tigers (Major League Baseball), we pasted the Ford Field (NFL Stadium) and then over to Hockeytown where we had a nice lunch at the Hockeytown Cafe before the threat of hangry overtook us all.

A wander down the street and onto the People Mover (an automated light rail system operating on an elevated track) and off at the Renaissance Center Station.

We then had a beautiful stroll along the river walk, following the Detroit River with Canada looking across at us from the other side.

We meandered through the streets and back to downtown before the skies opened up, summer rain was on its way.

As it was quite heavy we decided it was time to return back to Troy.

Return back to Troy via Zara, which Pete had discovered was only a kilometre or so from where we were staying, luck was on my side.

When we arrived at the mall we found the most upmarket, modern, sparkling and inspiring shopping mall we have seen since our arrival in the USA.

Valet parking at the door if you don’t mind, but only if you are driving a Mercedes, BMW, Bentley.

I wonder how the valet would go with our RV?

After gathering my latest purchase I met up with Pete and begged him to ‘get me out of here’. Too many nice things to buy in this shopping mall.

Back to the RV to pack our pj’s and toothbrushes and cross the carpark to the hotel.

Boy oh boy, this was luxury. Oh, and the shower, heaven…

Refreshed and cleaned and ready for a lovely Italian meal across the carpark at Carrabba’s Italian Grill.

Looking forward to sleeping tonight, in a comfy bed, with sheets…

Hampton Inn and Suites

Ford Field

Baseball

Comerica Park

Fox Theatre

Hockeytown Cafe

Yes, he wore this all day…

Grand Circus Park

Downtown Detroit

The People Mover

Renaissance Center

Hello Canada

Riverwalk

Having a little rest

Street Art

Still Derelict Buildings

Walking the Streets

GM Motors

Summer Rain

Detroit

Gorgeous Old Buildings

Carrabba’s Italian Grill

Today is my birthday!

However, the most important thing that we need to do today is get Wes’ cast seen to.

Up super early ready to catch an Uber into the city, and to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Uber called, Uber arrived (although she almost left due to no car seats for the boys) and we were at the orthopedic level check-in at exactly 7 am.

Once again the medical practitioners, services, and the children’s hospital were amazing and very professional and thorough.

After cutting off the cast and a new x-ray taken, the doctors decided that although the arm was beginning to heal, Wes needed to be in a cast for a little longer. A new one was set, this time, not as far up the arm and waterproof.

After an easier than expected 1.5hrs, Wes was discharged and we had the entire remainder of the day free. A walk to Omelette Shoppe for a delicious and big breakfast and then an Uber to downtown Grand Rapids, after we walked the wrong way out of town.

A lovely wander around the historic town, down to the Grand River and then we decided it was time to move on…

Time to move on to Woody’s Press Box for some ten pin bowling action, and an hour of fun and lots and lots of laughs. Peter was the champion, in both games. My efforts were slightly embarrassing.

I am not sure if it was the early morning, the anticipation of my birthday or the worry over Wes’ arm but both Pete and I were feeling very weary.

After arriving back at the RV Park and enjoying my ice cream birthday cake we spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening in the motorhome. Both Pete and I even had a little afternoon nanna nap.

Toast and leftovers for dinner. Not the most exciting birthday dinner, however, it was exactly what we all needed.

Birthday dun and dusted for another year and old friends will be happy to know without any tears or ‘I love you guys’…

Waiting for an Uber

Happy Birthday to ME

Downtown Grand Rapids

The Omelette Shoppe

LOVE!

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Beautiful Historic Buildings

Grand Lobby

Even the toilets are grand…

Grand River

Brown Boys Touring

Woody’s Press Box

Who’s the Winner?

Go Wes!

Old Cast

Cast Cut Off

New Cast

I sound like a broken record (record, what’s a record Wes would say?), here we go… on the road again…

Another short drive today. Onto busy Interstate 196 with the scenery of traffic and more traffic, however, fortunately crossing lovely lakes.

Our drive today consisted of the small journey of only 50 odd miles.

We did spend the first hour or so on arrival trying to find an urgent care that could cut Wes’ plaster cast off tomorrow as well as take an x-ray.

We were not having a lot of luck.

Eventually, we did find a surgery that was able to fax our information to a children’s orthopedic hospital. We would need to wait for them to respond.

Off to check into our campsite for tonight, Steamboat Park Campground.

And, we were in time to have a light lunch and board the Grand Lady Riverboat for a 2hr scenic tour down the Grand River.

The cruise was lovely, albeit with the 80+ group.

There was a couple of young brothers, around the boy’s age onboard. Noah and Wes were very happy to befriend.

As we were disembarking the riverboat one of the lady’s on board, who Pete had been chatting to earlier and was staying at the RV park, had a small blackout. She did remain conscious but was not really coherent. A call to 911 and wait to make sure she was okay.

After the medics arrived there was not a lot we could do. We returned to the RV, did a load of washing and followed up the orthopedic appointment.

Still no luck, they had not received our previous faxed information and required it again. As previously we had no access to a fax machine.

Once again, WHO FAXES!!!!!!!! It is 2018 people, have you heard of the internet?????

We did try to call again, however, the office was now closed…

We will need to get up early and arrive at the hospital between 6-7am, the only time they accept walk-ins during the day.

An Uber to a delicious Japanese Restuarant for my ‘Australian Birthday’ and then time to return to the RV.

A big day tomorrow. Wes gets his cast off (hopefully) and it is my Birthday 🙂

Ready to go

Relaxing

Grand Lady Riverboat

Happy Tourists?

Lovely Scenery

Grand River

Tonight’s Campsite

Making Friends

There’s our Bus

Cute Spot

Up and ready and time to move on.

A lovely quick run around the campgrounds and Lake Minnehaha with Noah riding beside me. We are very glad he is straight back on his bike.

We don’t have too far to travel today and have enjoyed a relaxed start to the morning, leaving the RV park at 9.15 am.

Back on Interstate 94 East along with all the cars and trucks.

Welcome to Michigan where money spent on their section of the interstate is minimal, bump, bump, bump, bump…

A turn onto Interstate 196 and a time change we had forgotten about, we have just lost one hour.

Soon we had arrived at our destination, the small lakeside town of South Haven, set on the shores of Lake Michigan.

We drove a small way into the town with the RV until we realised that it was not really RV friendly and would be best explored on our bikes and by foot.

Onto the campsite for tonight, Kal-Haven RV Park, and then on to our bikes to ride into town.

First stop, the Golden Brown Bakery to fill our stomachs and restore our energy.

Then a lovely walk along the South Haven Marina, down to South Beach and out along the pier to the South Haven Light (Lighthouse).

It was becoming very warm and humid walking the South Haven streets and after a cold drink, it was time to get back to the bikes and return to the campsite.

And time to relax and a freshen up with showers and clean clothes (we were starting to smell ripe) ready to catch an Uber back into downtown.

Mmmmm no Ubers. Do we get smelly again and ride in? No, all good, there is one in the area and they have smelt our desperation. Note: make sure we tip well, we will need to get in the good books for our return ride.

A lovely, delicious dinner at the restaurant Taste, this time with plenty of atmosphere.

Thank goodness we tipped, only a short wait before our Uber arrived ready to take us back to the RV.

South Haven, what a pleasant, lovely, lakeside surprise. A hidden gem.

Ready to ride

Ready to Explore

Golden Brown Bakery

Downtown

South Haven Marina

A little rest

South Beach

Walking the Pier

Wessy

Lighthouse

Lake Michigan

South Haven Light

Cold Drinks

Welcome to South Haven

Milking Cows

Taste

Waiting for an Uber

South Haven

Gorgeous Little Town

RV park and campground land must be at its cheapest next to a railway line. The tracks here had the motorhome shaking…

And, just in case that did not keep you awake, lets toot, toot, toot a few more times.

If you combine the park with a railway line AND a busy freeway, prime gold cheap land.

Up early, blog, a load of washing and ready to start the day.

The boys went for a play at the outdoor basketball court and playground and I went for a hot run around the huge campsite (over 900 lots) and the park lake, Lake Minnehaha.

We have decided not to venture back into Chicago today and spend time relaxing around the Jogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort (Portage), although other then the basketball court and the playground nothing else is open or available.

Weekends is when it all happens, today is Monday and it’s starting to get hot.

With no water activities open to cool off we retreat back to the motorhome and spend the afternoon with school work and free time.

A short trip to the local Walmart for supplies and then a drive to National Lakeshore West Beach for another view of Lake Michigan.

Back to the motorhome for dinner and a play outside for Noah and Wes. A nice relaxing day.

Activities Closed

Jellystone Park Portage

The Old Faceful

Lake Minnehaha

Enjoying the Playground

The Brown Boys

Lake Michigan

Basketball

Mmm, Cake…

Little Wessy

Our Campsite