My trip home, from Oklahoma, started out fine. Just before I left, I practiced backing up the Airstream (AS) in my brother’s long diveway. It didn’t come easily, but if backed up about 2 ft at a time and stop to think..ok, I need the back of the AS to go this way, so I turn the wheel this way. I was getting it. Yea! Girl Power!

I had the truck serviced before I left SA, but did not do it when I left OK. Maybe a mistake? I took Hwy 281 on the way up. I only hit traffic in Marble Falls. What I didn’t like is, there is long stretches of 2 lanes. I had to straddle the shoulder so cars could pass. It felt a little scary.
Decided to take I35 on the way back, just set cruise control, and glide all the way home. My main concern was going through Austin during rush hour. I set my GPS, but it told me a weird way to go, back to the map.

It’s a really hot day but things were going well until about Ft Worth. It felt like I was losing power steering, but at that moment I hit bad traffic. The breaking was also getting difficult. I pulled over after I got out of the traffic in West, Tx, above Waco.
I had no idea?? Thought about calling my brother, but couldn’t get cell service. I have roadside assistance but have to find a phone. .About that time a young guy stopped, he said “you blew a belt” ( guess he could see it?) and your truck is also over heated. He called a garage nearby for me. He said “wait till the truck cools down, then drive to the mechanic, they‘ll take care of you“. I thanked him. He said , “my mom drives a RV, goes everywhere, and I would hope that someone would help my mom is she needed it.” That was so sweet. I didn’t even get his name.

So I got a lawn chair from the truck, found some shade. So Luna, my black dog, and I sat on the side of the road. I felt incompetent, stupid, scared, frustrated, that all turned to tears. I really felt bad about the over heating, I kinda knew that, not to let a vehicle get heated, kinda?? But never thought to look a gauge, didn’t really know which one it is? I rarely drive the truck. I remember that overheating can cause damage to the motor.

After an hour, drove to the garage, they were busy. Told me that I had to unhook the AS. There I was in the blazing sun, doing the unhook, there were 3 older guys, standing there watching me, no one offered to help. Another low point, I was really losing my girl power. While I was sitting in that hot mechanic shop, after enduring a lecture about the damage overheating can do to a motor, I thought I should re think my whole idea of solo travel by this method.

So 4 hours and $561.00 later, at 5 pm, I left with a new water pump, belt, and pullies (??). In this situation, you just have to “pay the piper“. The rest of the trip was uneventful, except I was really tired. No problem with Austin, since I passed through after 8:30 pm. Didn’t get home till after 10. I often say that it’s fun to go but equally great to get home. It felt so wonderful to take a shower and fall into my own bed.

After a good nights sleep, realized I did conqueror my greatest fear. What would I do if I had car problems alone on the road? Now I know, sit on the side of the road and cry. Hehe. Like all things in life, you get through with a positive attitude and by one step at a time and hopefully with a little girl power.

Will be leaving Oklahoma soon. While I am here and have the skills of my brother Keith, trying to get many things done on the airstream. One issue is the closet. The main hall closet is the main storage inside. The doors, if youcall it that, are accordion pleated sliding lousy doors. The problem is when driving down the road, things fall out of the closet and tears the doors.

Had the idea to have wood doors that would stay closed.

Before

After

Before                                                                                          After

I’ve been terrified to make this trip. My worse fear is that I will have a flat tire, and creepy men stop and I’s alone.

Can’t think like that, I’ve gotta conquer my fears. Through my life, I’ve learned that I can do anything I really am determined to do.

Randy said, ” With Ann, you’ve either gotta lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Although I was scared, that morning as I left the RV park… all the men out messing with their RV,  were kinda amazed that it was me solo, doing all the hook ups and unhooking. Guess I won some street cred.

Mike looked at the AS tires, seemed to have plenty of tred but the noticed  some small cracks in the tire sidewall. My first stop was Discount Tires and $270.00 later, I was on my way. With it for peace of mind.

Off we go, Luna my faithful dog and I on that old lonesome highway

Off on another trip, not a big destination, Oklahoma. I have multi reasons to go but the most important is how I will get there. Being an RVer for many years, beginning with a motor home, Fifth Wheel and for the last 5 years an Airstream.

Since Randy my husband, died 3 yrs ago, I have hardly taken it out for many reasons. I am so intimidated to drive it and no camping buddy. I I love the Airstream (AS). It contains so many fond memories of traveling with Randy, especially the 8 month trip that we took before he died to the Pacific NW.

This year I am conquering my fear and learn to be proficient in Driving and hooking the AS up. All the years we had an RV, I never learned, yes partly my fault.

Another reason that I am going to do it, because I want to make a mobile recording studio for interviews for my radio show.
For example for the last several years, I’ve covered SXSW (South By Southwest) for KSYM radio. I go there, do interviews, go back to the station the next week and edit. But the time it gets to air, the excitement and momentum is gone. My plan is to go to a site, do the interview, edit right there and steam to the station. It won’t be in real time, but close.

I went to Oklahoma to get my brother, Keith to ‘help me”, but really I’m not much help except to keep him company while he works, entrain him and make him laugh.

The plan was to get the AS ready, leave home, but stay quite locally in New Braunfels ( NB) only 30 min from San Antonio. It gave me the opportunity to check things out.

Landa RV Park in NB is right on the Comal river. We’ve been going there for over 30 yrs. We affectionately called it Hippy Hollow (not to be confused with the nude beach in Austin) because it was owned by this hippy guy that ran around in  golf cart with a big peace sign on it. On Saturday nights, his band played in a pavilion on top of the hill overlooking the river. Sounds of old rock and roll wafting through the RV park as we drank fine wine and some indulged in 420.  It was later sold. Although the prices have  gone up, its pretty much remainded the same, very rustic but beautiful to me.

I was in NB for 5 days, each day a different group of friends came out for the day. We cooked out and swam or toobed in the water.

Long time friends, Denise and Mike                                 Friends from KSYM radio

Saturday we were packed, up early, and ready to go.
It was snowing. The hotel staff said that we should leave early because the train may be canceled. On the website, they flight was still a go.
We left the hotel at 9am. Had the stand on the corner and hope for a taxi to tokyo station and catch the Narita Express, the fast train to the airport.

Arrived at the airport at 11:00am. Our flight was not to leave till 6:30 pm.
Ate some lunch and waited.
The snow continued to fall. United Airlines Japanese staff, said the flight was still on schedule.

It was hopeful since ANA (All Nippon Airlines) was taking off and landing. I was worried because I could see our plane was not at the gate.
At 6:00 they said the flight was delayed till 8 pm, the airplane was routed to Nagoya and would be here in an hour. At 8:00, were told that the flight was delayed until 10:00. I was worried, but they said we were still going. Then at midnight we were informed that the flight was cancelled. The trains were not running, and we were informed that the hotels in the area were all full.

From then on, all of our questions were answered with “we have no information”. We had to spend the night at Narita Airport.
It was carpeting and someone comfortable in the gate area, but they made us leave. We had to go back through customs and immigration, collect our bags, that we now had to tote around.
We were given a snack, bottle of water, and a thin blanket, and we were on our own.

So we spent the night on the cold hard floor of Narita airport, with the bright lights, and many loud gate announcements for non existent flights. It was so cold I slept in my coat.

Woke up at 6 am. Chris went to scope out the situation.
They were already lining up to get re booked on a flight to get home. We heard all the flights were filling up. The line was all the way down the airport. We waited in line, they told us that they would take care of the cancelled flight to Guam, then at 12:30 they would start on the US flights. By the time that 12:30
came, there was a great degree of frustration. At 12;30, the Japanese staff had to put all their decorations out, had a little meeting while the anger level was building.
When our time came around at close to 2:00, I said just get me to Houston or anywhere in the US, we would get home.

Got boarding passes to Houston and then to San Antonio.

Made it home, but our bags did not arrive until 11 pm.
Home Sweet Home.
As I have said, its fun to go, but great to get home.

There are some things that are interesting and funny:
Japanese men obsession of school girls with big boobs

They like their potties. When I first came to Japan in the late 80s,
the japanese toilets were a trough in the floor, especially difficult to use on the bullet train, the Shinkansen.

Now toilets have gone hi tech, they wash the front area for women.

It washes the backside and dries it.

it has music so no one can hear the tinkle.

Now its posted on the door the type of the toilet.

Even hospitals have thee hi tech toilets, but sometimes difficult to find a place to wash your hands.

The trains:

We are so spoiled, just walk to our garage, get in your car and go wherever you want. In Japan, there are not so many freeways, traffic is terrible, so to get around, you must ride the trains. climb mountain of steps, and rush hour is just plan scary.

The beer in vending machines:

The masks: The idea is that if you have an upper respiratory infection, and in close area like the train, you wear a mask to prevent transmitting the infection. However, that only works if the mask is dry, when it gets wet from respiration, it does not a barrier. The Japanese put them on, wear all day, even outside. There must be another reason?

Today, Friday is our last full day. We leave tomorrow. Don’t know if I will ever be back, but I am glad I came and made peace with Japan.

We plan to walk to Akihabara for last minute shopping and eat Ramen for lunch, out last chance.

Tonight we will go back to Shinjuku to Moo Moo Paradise. In the morning, we plan to go to the flea market and look around. Then to Narita Express the train to the airport, to begin the long trip back home.

I love the Japanese convenience stores, the “convenie”. My first visits to Japan, they fed me so much raw and alive stuff. I thought I would starve. Till I discovered the “Convenie”.

They bring in fresh food 3 times a day. It has so many drinks, not just the US version of Coke, Dr Pepper, Sprite, water, energy drinks, and orange juice.

In Japan, there are every kind of juice, like blueberry juice, teas, iced coffees, on and on. There are fresh cooked food, all kinds of desserts, from crepes to cream puffs, many types of baked goods.

All Japanese hotel rooms have a hot water maker. There are these individual drip coffee packages, with a little filter that fits over your cup.

Everything to eat as well as toiletries you may have forgotten and various office supplies.

The convenie was a huge discovery for me and my time in Japan.