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No don’t worry, we’ve not all joined the Housemartins, although given that John looks like Bill Oddie and Rag may as well be Bill Oddie, Ivan and I maybe better off as birds (of the feathered variety). It is just a reference to the fact as Rag has stated above we are now the proud, if somewhat temporary, owners of a Dodge Grand Caravan and today is Valentines day.

I love how car manufacturers come up with names for some of these things, it is neither Grand nor is it a caravan in any sense of the word. Although it is more practical than the Aspen, it does have a few less toys. Oh well, given how easy it was to scam this one, maybe we can exchange it for a different one when we get bored of this in a couple of days.

It has been a strange Valentines day with Rag and I making it to Christmas and back in one day, the vehicle exchange, the four muppeteers actually together in the same place at the same time everything is starting to fall into place for the Road Trip to start proper.

I do have to mention the fact that the four of us headed over to the TGI Fridays that is just across the road from the motel (although I was actually coerced into driving us across as the crossing only had a 46 second timer and we didn’t want to risk it). What none of us had twigged when we first got there was that it was valentines night so hadn’t expected it to be quite so full. What was amusing was the amount of couples for whom this was their romantic night out, the height of sophistication in Altamonte Springs must be a meal at TGIs. I even saw one couple exchanging cards and gifts at the table, and we were half expecting a proposal somewhere in the restaurant. At the end of the evening we all retired to our separate rooms, well apart from Ivan and John who were both equally bemused quite how they’d managed to pull each other.

Getting back to Christmas though, those that know me know I hate Christmas, but not this one, this was a town, well not really a town, more a collection of random buildings collectively known as Christmas and one I took an instant liking to. My brother had pointed out that this place existed and as Rag and I were at a loose end we decided to check it out. Not knowing quite where it was, we got our motors running and headed out on the highway looking for adventure and whatever came our way, well Christmas came early and we found it by the side of the road. Actually, for anyone looking on it must have been a strange sight, us pulling up sharply at the side of the road, quickly setting up the tripod and then standing by a road sign with a town name on, but then that’s the point of the trip. Christmas didn’t disappoint this year and delivered everything we were expecting, Americana. On our way back we did stop to visit Swampy the world’s biggest Gator, but when we realised it was going to cost us $20+ each to see him, so we took a picture of the plastic model outside and drove off.

Hopefully you’ll find the pictures from this afternoon on the Road Trip pictures page and you’ll see what I mean about Christmas. If not, blame our host, Rag, as he hasn’t worked out quite what he’s going to do with all of the pictures yet.

Tomorrow is the Great American race, so it could be a late finish, I have no idea how much traffic we are going to encounter and how close Rag’s disabled badge will actually get us, but it could be a long old day. That is of course depending on the weather, our entire plans could be changed due to inclement conditions.

I’d best go before this blog jumps the shark. (Look it up in Wikipedia - unfortunately the website that used to list all of the shark jumping moments has been bought out by TV Guide and a whole load of mindless trivia has been lost, gits.) Some might say too late.