Good morning! From a motel room in West Virginia.
Yesterday brought some rather special delights. We packed up and left Staunton, (after a lovely farewell from our host Brett, who gave us all miniature chinese food cartons with fortune cookies - pictured above) and began a short and beautiful drive through the Appalachian mountains, and the Shenandoah Valley -breathtaking views along the way. We stopped off at the historical Jefferson Springs (so named when Thomas Jefferson bathed there in the 1700s), and were transported back in time as boys and girls were separated to 'take the waters'. Natural sulphuric springs, that keep the water at a delicious 96 degrees. The pools are housed inside crumbling white wooden circular buildings, and once you plunge into the waters, the world's troubles and realities just slip away. Clothing optional, said the sign out front - we girls retained our modesty, but rumour has it that the boys went for the full authentic experience.
Feeling thoroughly refreshed and relaxed, we drove 5 miles down the road to America's oldest hotel, the Homestead in Hot Springs (check it out on www.thehomestead.com) you must see this place to believe it - a totally perfect, manicured sprawling resort with golf courses, swimming pools and spas. I cheekily slipped in and asked, in a very polite English accent, if the members only luxury outdoor pool would be opened up to some travelling players passing through the area. Amazingly, the supervisor agreed, so within moments, we had laid out our towels, ordered cocktails and settled in around the pool in our new 5* surroundings. A great way to spend Craig's birthday! (He was also chuffed that we got to drive through Craigsville!)
On to a slightly less aesthetically pleasing motel to pass one sleep - in nearby Covington, an industrial Quarry town. Our motel backs onto the local prison, and over dinner in Applebys ('Family diner'), the group were busy scripting a horror movie that they planned to shoot last night.
A little clip below of the amazing Jefferson springs!
Until soon...
Emma
