Saturday, November 29, 2008

Entertainment Speaker (Project 1) - Life on the Wheels

AC - Entertaining Speaker (Project I)
Life on the Wheels
November 28, 2008

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Introduction

We take so many things for granted, in our life. For example, any time we open the tap in the kitchen or bathroom we assume there is going to be water. Any time we turn-on the television or the air conditioner, we assume there is going to be electricity. But, I realized the importance of these simple things, during my trip to Glen Canyon in Page, Arizona. Today, I'm going to share my experience of living in a Recreational Vehicle (RV).

Friend dropped out

My friend & I decided to go to Glen Canyon for the Christmas holidays, last year. We were very excited because we had booked an RV for the trip. Unfortunately, the day before the trip, my friend's daughter got sick & he had to drop out. I have never driven a RV before. The longest vehicle that I've ever driven is a 10 feet U-Haul truck. So, I was in a dilemma whether I should cancel the trip (or) should I go ahead with the original plans. Finally, I decided to go ahead with the original plans.
The RV

My wife, kid & I flew to Phoenix and rented the RV there. It was a 29 ft motor home. It was so huge. I was staring at the RV like a tiny little kid standing in front of a huge elephant. The RV had all kinds of appliances like stove, microwave, fridge, air conditioner, television etc., It had all the facilities that you would typically have in a house - kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, sofa, dining table, etc., The RV also had a generator to power-up the appliances.
Driving Experience

I have always enjoyed driving. But, for the first time in my life driving was so unpleasant. Driving a car is like riding a horse. You can go really fast. But driving a RV is like riding a camel in the desert. The RV was going very slow. A 3 1/2 hour drive took us nearly 6 hours.
The worst thing about driving a vehicle of this size is - you don't have a rear view mirror & you cannot really see if a cop is behind you. For the first time in life, I did something that I've never done - Driving within the speed limits.

RV Park in Page

By the time we reached our camping area in Page, it was 11 pm and it was completely dark. The weather was very cold. I was literally shivering when I hooked-up my vehicle to the water, electricity and sewage outlets in the camping area. We were so tired. We had our dinner and went to bed immediately.
Frozen Pipe

The next day morning when we opened the tap in the kitchen sink, we didn't get any water. I wore several layers of clothes including a sweater and a thick leather jacket. I stepped out to see why the water supply stopped.
I was amazed when I stepped out of the vehicle. Our camping spot was near Lake Powell. The lake had completely frozen due to the cold weather. I looked around and we were the only party to camp there. I went around the vehicle to check the water connection. The water in the tap & the tube had completely frozen. That is the reason why the water supply was blocked. We waited for a couple of hours for the sun to show up & melt the ice.
Generator

We got ready & visited a few places in Glen Canyon. When we were not in the camping area, we had limited access to water and electricity. We were so tempted to turn-on the heater when the vehicle was parked. But, we cannot let the generator run forever. Otherwise, we would run out of gas.
We cannot take a long shower when we were not in the camping area. Water was precious :)
Nice things about RV

Though we had some shortcomings, there are several nice things about living in a RV. Have you ever thought about lifting your home, placing it on wheels and taking it along wherever you go? Well, that is exactly what an RV is. Whenever you want to drink coffee, you don't have to look for Starbucks. You can pullover the vehicle and prepare hot coffee with fresh aroma. You don't have to search for rest areas along the roadside. Because ... the roadside itself is your rest area. I mean, you can pullover and use the bathroom in your vehicle.
How many of you feel drowsy when you drive your car during the sight seeing trips, especially after a heavy lunch? Did you ever feel like taking a nap? Well, if you are driving a RV you can park your vehicle and take a comfortable nap.
Conclusion
We stayed in the RV for 3 days. I realized the importance of water & electricity during our trip. I have been conserving water and electricity, since we made that trip.
Our trip to Glen Canyon is very memorable because of the RV. We enjoyed our life on wheels. We had quality time.
Ladies & Gentlemen, if you are planning for your next trip, you should definitely consider renting a RV. I bet you, its lots of fun!!

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