Jim and Bette

It was nice to be in a home again.  Quiet day compared to the past week.

Checked Email and spent time surfing.

Jim and Gary went off to Columbia to see about getting Gary's video camera fixed.  Brand new and when Scott had called the shop he bought it from (in Perth) he was told to bring it back.  Hard to do when you are in the USA.   We also went to a Best Buy and a Barnes and Noble - cool stores.

Rayls and Bette stayed home and did the washing - this was much needed.

In the afternoon Gary napped whilst Rayls and Bette went to Wal-Mart to grocery shop and to get the photos developed.

Sandwiches for dinner.

Quiet start to the day.   Went to a Jockey Mart, sort of like a Garage Sale.

Gaz relaxed in the afternoon, it had been a hard week after all.   Rayls and Bette headed into Columbia to go to a Michaels, a craft store sort of like Lincraft back home.

Watched TV, quiet night.

Today we had breakfast with Jim's pals at McDonalds.  Good bunch of guys, you know the type, baseball caps and they chat about all sorts of things.  This is a regular gathering and we soon found that this was common all over the US.  Group of guys, usually elderly (sorry Jim), often war veterans, always wearing baseball caps and who are attracted to a McDonalds because of the free coffee and the chance to chat about old times with their mates.

Went to a Wal-Mart, a post office to get stamps for postcards and then had a tour of the Newberry Opera House of which Jim and Bette are volunteer helpers.  Great place.   Had a stroll through Newberry and checked out some of the shops.

Then we went to the bank where Bette works and met Jim's other daughter Tina and her sons Brandon and Cooper.

Lunch at Pharaohs.

Back in mid afternoon - watched TV.  Gary is really into TV Land and the Leave It To Beaver episodes they show.  Takes him back a long time.

Leftovers for dinner - very nice too.

Up early and hit the road by 8:30am.

Breakfast at a McDonalds in a place called Chapin!

601 to Orangeburg and then onto 21 - it’s raining.

Called in the Prince of Orange Mall and bought the new Neil Diamond CD which was released today.  Three Chord Opera, we are fans but listened to this CD once and never again.

Went through towns of Rowesville, Branchville, Bells, Yemassee (this is where the Marines catch the train to NYC), Garden's Corner, Whale Branch River and onto Beaufort.  Then onto Parris Island.  Parris Island is the Marine Corps Recruit Depot military installation tasked with the training of enlisted Marines.   An interesting place to visit.  Jim's father had been based here early in his career as a Marine.  Jim's father ended up a highly decorated General.

We watched some firearm training and had lunch at the base Subway store.  We went to the museum and a base store where Rayls managed to get her first Cherished Teddie for the trip (8th day...... not bad).

We went onto Hunting Island National Park and to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.  There were signs of a recent storm with uprooted trees.   We all stood ankle deep in the Atlantic, this was Gary and Rayls first viewing of this ocean.

Then it was back to Beaufort and to the house of an old friend of Jim's where we were to stay the night.

We had a very pleasant walk along the waterfront - this is the area where the shrimp boat scenes were filmed for Forrest Gump.  Lovely place.

It was back to the house and a chat with Jim and friend Kathy before heading off to bed.

Today we headed back to Prosperity - wish that involved getting rich but it didn't.

At 9:30am we left Beaufort and were on the road to Charleston.  Went through Jacksonboro and reached Charleston just before 11am.  Over the Cooper Bridge to the USS Yorktown which is a decommissioned aircraft carrier.  Strolled around it and the nearby submarine - now that's cramped.

Then to the Charleston Slave Market - no slaves but some interesting items.  We walked through the markets and ended up at an Applebee’s for lunch.  Yummy.

As we started the trek home we checked out some of the Charleston Mansions - many of them like Gone With The Wind.

Interstate 26 west out of Charleston and by pass Columbia before arriving in Prosperity at 5:10pm.

A slow day.

Did washing and watched TV.  Just before lunch we went to Wal-Mart.

In the afternoon we chatted with our son Scott who was flying out that night from Perth and will meet us in Atlanta tomorrow night.

Booked out Atlanta hotel and watched more TV.

All good things must come to an end and our time with Jim and Bette is nearly at an end.   What a great time we have had with these wonderful people.  Hopefully we will meet again one day - be it here in the USA or home in Australia.

Just after lunch time we left Prosperity and headed for Greenwood where we joined up with Tina, her husband Tony, Brandon and Cooper.

We left Greenwood at 1:35pm and headed for Atlanta where we arrived just after 4:30pm.

Checked in to a Days Inn and had Red Lobster for dinner.   This was a large gathering and a bit sad as it was our last night with Jim and Bette.

Back to hotel just before 9pm and at 9:40pm we caught the hotel shuttle bus to the airport.  Jim came with us to show us the way.  Scott landed around 10:20pm on AA1822.  He had flown from LA to Dallas and then had to run to catch the flight to Atlanta.

Nice to see Scott (who is 18) again and get some news from home.  He bought Aussie lollies - very nice.

Back to the hotel for a chat and bed.