Day 8: Off to Charlotte

We missed breakfast again.......and Mark was quite annoyed!! Brekkie is usually till 10 and they were completely packed up at 9 and he wasn't happy!! He made me a coffee and while I read the paper, USA today, he went on about how hot it was in the hotel ( we had the aircon on all night) and how he hadn't had brekkie! We packed up our room and tried mighty hard to try pack our car and ummm.. We couldn't see the poor kids in the back!! We went back to southpoint mall to pick up a few prezzies for Christie..... Happy love? And Aden wanted to get a few more things too and I need another coffee (surprised?) we rearranged the car so all the bags were in the middle and Aden and Patrick had a door each. separation being the key word here!!!
We had a bit of time and decided to go
Back to Duke as we were too rushed before. While Aden went back and bought the shop out ......again! We walked around the grounds and it is magnificent!! So majestic looking with all the same gothic looking buildings in the same stone. We went to the chapel and even went inside and signed the visitor book! The stained glass windows were gorgeous, even Mark was impressed and didn't try hurry me out. The church was built in the early 30's and the tower is 64 metres high!
We kept walking around and were in awe of the grounds and Surrounding buildings.
Father time brought us back to earth and we needed to push on, so we could make Lachlan's game and have something to eat.
A nice leisurely drive to Charlotte.... Mark isn't as stressed now, he is even turning the radio on and sipping coffee !!!
I mentioned to the boys how impressed I was with the clean freeways. There was no rubbish and it looked so picturesque with its forrest, bush or scrub (don't know what they call it) either side of the road. Then we noticed black or white plastic bags of rubbish littered every so often, dumped along the side of the road.
Then we saw a huge orange sign with 'Inmates Working' and they were picking up rubbish and obviously leaving the bags for someone to come and collect. Great idea we thought.
We stopped for a late lunch 3.30 and it was already starting to get dark! We filled up with petrol. (gas) but we didn't put too much in this time $20 Mark just couldn't seem to get the petrol flowing so we had to ask... I went in to pay and get a chocolate fix ( our chocolate is soooooo much nicer!!) but he'll when you are desperate you will eat anything!!
We drove through to Davidson County and wow!!!! Some affluent houses there!! Magnificent and then two minutes down the road there were trailor homes. This was a very nice school and obviously very wealthy. We paid to get in $18 and took our seats in the stands. There was 40 minutes until the game so I just updated the blog and and the boys just watched the kids warm up.
The start of the JV game was terrible., the other team scored really quickly and we just couldn't get it together. At one point our boys we 13 points down.. After a few rev ups by the coach, the team got it together and played some basketball! It got really exciting and after the lead changed a few times and about 16 seconds left and they were leading by two points with a side ball throw in and I thought we were finished... (pessimist that I am) Jeremy got a fabulous steal and on the way to the basket was fouled!! He made both to level the game. In overtime it
Was really even and anyone's game. They got a few easy baskets and the last minute I think lasted a good ten minutes!!! We eventually lost by 4 but it was very entertaining to watch!!
The varsity boys came on to warm u and a lady came and sat next to me. She was so friendly and proceeded to tell me EVERYTHING about everything! We found out that Michael Jordan's nephew Jackson Jordan was playing in the team. His parents were there filming the game to send off to scouts!! Very exciting info. This team were brilliant to watch and they dunked it a few times to get the crowd going. A well drilled and very talented side! A few have been committed to college scholarships and it was no wonder as they were awesome!
Our coach said it was the best drilled team he had seem in his 30 odd years of being involved in basketball!
We left Davidson Day School and set off in search of dinner. We drove around for a while and came across a bank of shops and Patrick was craving sushi so we decided on Chinese. Mark and I shared a couple of entree meals (Entrees are mains here) Aden had his own and Patrick was wanting Tuna sushi. Our meal arrived and it was delicious and Aden loved his too and poor Paddy stuffed up yet again.... The tuna was raw!!!! He was expecting the can tuna they use in Oz. Not admitting he didn't like it, he offered to share ( my first clue it wasn't what he wanted!!) we got some fortune cookies and aid the bill and left. The whole exercise took half and hour!!
We came back to the room and had a a couple of drinks with a friend and finally for to bed around 3.
Another great day!!
More photos to follow..... I'm tired and the iPad has put them in a folder and I need to check where they are!! Grrr

Day 7: we hire a car.......

We all slept in and missed brekkie :( that should have forewarned us of the day that was to lie ahead......... The rental company came and picked Mark and Aden up (he was trying to get the best rate and still hadn't changed his money!) Paddy and I enjoyed the peace (lol) and relaxed in bed watching tv. When they came back we were ready to hit the outlets and go to Duke University.
Getting in the car, we all unanimously agreed, that I just wouldn't be the right person to navigate!! Seeing as I don't know my left from my right quickly, I get lost going anywhere and everything was the other way round..... It just wasn't going to happen! Aden hopped in the passenger side and we set the navman and we set off. We got to the driveway of the hotel about to begin our adventure, all looking right giving Mark the ok he placed his foot on the accelerator when two cars zoomed by! Thank God he was quick on the brake!! We would have been totaled before even setting a tyre (tire) on the road!!
Hindsight should have forced us to forget the car thing right then and there!
Now if you know Mark and you know Aden, just close your eyes and just imagine what happens next........... Now double it...........now triple it........ And that is only half as bad as those two arguing with each other. I spent the whole time trying to calm them both down whilst Patrick was miming shooting himself in the head in the back seat!
It was the most stressful time I've ever had! I was mentally trying to recall if our insurance covered driving over here!!!!
To make matters worse, we couldn't find a bank that would change Aden's money so we had to go to the airport! You can imagine Marks's supportive comments to that!.....
When we got to the outlets and I was so shaken I needed a strong coffee!! The boys went off in search of bargains and I went in search of a double shot of expresso!!
We met half an hour later and walked around and headed straight for the Nike shop. I bought a great little pair of runners for netball for $40 just like the pair I got this season for $170. Aden bought heaps of training gear and he knew his prices and got lots of value too.
Patrick also bought some runners and he was happy, I think we all walked away with something.
I decided that I would grab another coffee for the drive to Duke and also by unanimous family vote, it was decided that I should be the one to suffer in the front with Mark :(
All good....... For a couple of miles.....
Eventually, we arrived at Duke University. We knew we wouldn't really have a lot of time, nor access, either, so we headed to the bookstore, this was where they had all the gear and Aden's eyes lit up!!! This was his reason for coming and he was like a pig in mud! It was great to see him enjoying himself picking everything and anything with the logo on it. Patrick, Mark and I also got a little caught up in it too.
We tried to have a little look around after all the purchases, but working our times out and the drive to get to Lachlan's game, we were going to cut it fine. We decided to hit the road.
Blessing ourselves, we head off to Goldsboro, Wayne Country Day School.
When we finally arrived there it was just half time and they were down by 2 . We settled in our seats and watched the game. They did well but lost the game by 9 I think. I hope we don't get blamed for jinxing them! We watched the older boys play too and they all played well but unfortunately lost too. It was great to see all the Davey community hands on heart, heads proud singing their national anthem. The cheerleaders were great too, dancing and cheering. Lachlan told me later they were really bad and annoying! Compared to Cheerleaders from the other schools that is. The girls are so forward and love the Aussie boys. The Americans are having a hard time pronouncing Lachlan's name. On the tour I think he is Lochie on the team sheet. The have only pronounced his name right once.
After the game the school put on a supper of hamburgers and sandwiches and a lady came up to me and asked me to just speak as she loved hearing
My accent. "I just love hearing y'all speak" so very friendly and welcoming
Everyone called me ma'am, very polite.
When we left we decided to drive a bit for dinner and see what took our fancy. Now don't laugh but after hearing about how great Walmart is we spotted one and we took a turn off quick smart when we saw it. OMG we love Walmart!!! Mark and I spotted the alcohol and how cheap it is! Aden and Patrick filled up with chocolate pudding and lollies. We just didn't want to leave!! I saw bananas there and had to have a few! I couldn't believe how cheap they were! We still had a bit of a journey home so we quickly paid for our stuff and vowed to be back!!!
We got home and skyped Christie and ate all our chips and lollies while she made dinner talking to us. We were quite tired as it was
Nearly 2.30 am and thought we'd better go to sleep! Said goodbye to Christie and went to sleep.

Day 6: Shopping!

We had a nice brekkie and said goodbye to the team as they were heading off to NCU and then off to Mocksville. We were considering going to watch the game ( I mean that IS why we are here...) we didn't realize that Mocksville is so far away and then after the game the boys are being billeted out to the opposition teams families. They were not coming back to the hotel until tomorrow night. We decided not to go to that game and take in some shopping. We caught the shuttle to a huge mall with Macy's and all the other shops you hear about in the US. Patrick has his heart set on a earphones that are all the rage at the moment. Aden and him searched the mall for them and found the pair he wanted, cheaper than what he expected to pay! Loved walking around and checking out the prices. As it is dollar for dollar it was cheaper and the boys just were in seventh heaven.
We went for lunch and everything is so big here! I decided on subway and shared one with Patrick. We couldn't find anyone that sold coffee in the food court so we decided to find a Starbucks! I wish I started a loyalty card with them as it would be overflowing! We walked and and finally found one across the road and also for our Wifi fix too! I was totally stuffed and desperately needed a sit down. Such a great day today we were wearing t-shirts a huge contrast to yesterday were we we're freezing. We called the hotel and sent a shuttle to come and pick us up. Deciding on the tips is so hard!! Mark tries to make me do it so he doesn't look like a cheap
Skate! I get out and move on really quickly so he has no choice and I don't have to deal with it.
We got back to the hotel and had a recharge........ It's hard work walking around shopping all day!
For dinner mark did a little research and noticed there was a little bank of restaurants quite near here so we decided to check them out. It is totally dark here around 5.45pm so it felt late. There was a restaurant, a pizza shop and a Chinese restaurant. We did the walk by once, twice and I was not going to do a third!! I really wanted Chinese but there was no one in the restaurant!! I did try to explain to them that is was only 1/4 to 6!! No one would be eating except bloody Aussie tourists who's body clocks were stuffed!! So of course the place would be empty! Outnumbered! We ate pizza :( Like I said everything on the US is HUGE!!! The pizzas they were shoveling out of the oven were massive!!!!
Everything here is inches and gallons and pounds it takes me a minute to work it out.....after a box size came out that I thought we could handle, I asked the lady the size and she said they were "personal sizes" we got three personal sizes and the boys loved there was Gatorade in the drink machine (after they filled up with diet coke!)
After dinner we wanted a coffee and the boys wanted to get back to the hotel (Wi-Fi) we went to Starbucks and the boys went back. We had a delicious lemon slice........ While we were drinking coffee we had an epiphany and realised we could buy alcohol from a servo!!! Hmmmmmm there was a BP back there...... The coronas were $8 and mark was in heaven... We got some chips for the kids too!
Getting back to our hotel and it was there Mark realised he didn't have a bottle opener.......... But never underestimate an Aussie who wants a beer!!
Great day :)