MORE EXPLORING IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS

After 28 hours of travelling and waiting for planes we are finally home, pooped and jet lagged. We don't usually suffer from jet lag too badly but this time it hit hard. Coming from the cold northern hemisphere to to the hot and humid subtropics also is a trial for our ageing bodies. 

Anyway, we travelled to USA and stopped in LA for a few days to catch up with our daughter, Sonya, and SIL, Bernie, and the two boys, Fox and Banjo. Then we flew to Nashville and drove to Gatlinburg in the Smoky Mts and then back to Memphis where we boarded the American Queen Steamboat for a cruise down the Mississippi to New Orleans.

I tried to blog on the way with my iPad but it was difficult for me because I depend on local wifi and I also had problems loading photos from the camera. So I spat the dummy and stopped posting. I prefer doing it at home on my laptop. Our neighbours, Kathy and Rob, came on the trip with us. Kathy didn't have a problem posting from her iPad. She had a US sim card and her iPad has a bigger capacity than mine. Bill had his lap top with him and he managed to post okay when we had decent wifi connection. 

So I will continue posting about our adventures now.If you missed the first posts start here. 

Sunday 16/11/14

Returning back to the B&B after climbing Clingman's Dome in the Smoky Mountains, we intended to return to the B&B via the Blue Ridge Parkway but the road was closed due to fog, rain and ice. So we went back the way we came.
We called into Mingis Mill to see a corn grinding mill built in the early 1800's. It has been renovated and still grinds corn today.

Our friend Rob warms his hands while he chats to the miller's wife.

It was a pretty walk back to the car. Bill going trip trap across the bridge.

 We stopped at the Sugarland Visitor Centre and did a short walk to Cataract Falls, which were a little disappointing but the trees losing their leaves and mossy undergrowth, together with a carpet of leaves underfoot was an enchanting forest walk. It was starting to rain and it was good that the next stop was the B&B and a hot chocolate. We shared our photos and caught up with my diary before we ventured out again for a huge dinner.

Walking to Cataract Falls near the Sugarland Visitor's Centre.

It was cold at Cataract Falls.

 The coloured trees were pretty.

The mossy tree trunks and the carpet of leaves was enchanting.

Lets get back to the warm B&B and a hot chocolate.