After the blur and constant movement of the last 5 days we understandably crashed and burned the day after the final wedding. Our super stunning condo was a perfect home away from home. We lounged around, caught up on emails and with family and well and truly relaxed. We cooked, watched movies and let the last 5 days sink in.

We also went to the store and picked up a newspaper, we were on the front page…and so was Mary Lee…a 16 foot great white shark spotted in the Ocean…in the same area AND on the same day as I was tossed out of a speeding boat! Mary Lee is tagged and the scientists follow her movements…it was the first time she had popped in to MB, she much have heard that there was going to be a beach wedding in progress!

We laughed at how different each day had been, how many amazing new friends we had made and how easy it would be to just stay in Myrtle beach and hang out with our new pals.

We called around and decided to do just that, it was Paige’s birthday the next day and we decided we would all go on a road trip to Charleston to celebrate. Paige’s birthday turned out to be a day of gifts for us too as she invited us over to her shiny brand new Spa for a couples massage.

We had 90 minutes of blissful full body massage and then were left in the super relaxing room with gentle music playing, candles burning, chocolate dipped strawberries, champagne and a huge bath tub. We lounged in the whirlpool bath and remembered what it was like to breathe, sit still and really switch off for a while, we really hadn’t realised how exhausted we were.

After our incredible few hours we went and packed up the condo, packed up Peggy and moved into yet another amazing room in the Island Vista’s Oceanfront hotel, again arranged for us by Paige! We gathered there for the start of our road trip, Paige and Nate came armed to the teeth with more bags for one night than I have ever seen and plenty of booze for the drive down there (don’t worry Mum’s we had Alex as designated driver and he didn’t drink a drop until we arrived).

The party got started immediately with a few Jaegers and red bull, we collected August and Susan on route and hit the South road.

We laughed all the way there and just as we were about to take the exit off the freeway to Charleston itself we hit a bump in the road, heard a clang and watched one of Peggy’s shiny new hubcaps go sailing off into the night! We pulled over in the pitch black and tried to find it with no luck whatsoever! I was so cross. We had spent money we really couldn’t afford to get the new trims for Peggy so she looked nice for the parade at the flashmob party and we had lost one already GRRRR!

Anyway, we had to forget it and vowed to go in search of it on the way back to Mrytle Beach the next day.
We arrived at the super snazzy wonderful Market Pavillion and walked open mouthed into our room.
We had arranged to meet Ari from LA who had relocated (back to his home town) in Charleston and rushed to get changed and go meet him.
Within the hour we had met with Ari and Spike and Tasha and were eating dinner at a lovely restaurant with some of the best company ever. We were going to be so sad to leave MB and our new friends.

The next day started pretty much as we meant to go on, we all wandered the streets of Charleston trying to shake our hangovers, ate amazing she-crab soup, drove back to MB (thankfully stopping and finding our wheel trim!!!) and hit the Divine fish-house (another divine dining group restaurant) and it is all in the name. This was my most favourite place out of the 6 divine dining restaurants we had eaten at. The food was incredible as was the wine and the live music!

The 6 of us sang, drank and ate the night away, we handed out a few pressies and we all cooed at the stunning red harvest moon over the water. A moment in time I will never forget.

Again the next day we felt a little under the weather but on checking our email found a lovely surprise, Felipe from Brazil who followed our journey there for Fantastico was flying in to MB that morning to come and see us…yes you read it right…Brazilian TV were flying in to MB that day to do a follow up on our story!

We were so pleased to see Felipe and Luis, we had had a blast with them in Brazil and we knew that Felipe would get on like a house on fire with Spike, Tasha, Paige, Nate, August and Susan. Felipe filmed our interview while we were tucked up in bed (don’t ask, he has these crazy idea’s) and then we invited everyone over again to have a few drinks as a farewell party.

Paige and Nate came armed again with plenty of drinks as did August, Felipe paid for the food shopping and we knocked up a few snacks. We made mini roast beef and yorkshire puddings and a few other bits. Even a couple of Paige and Nates kids (dogs) came over, it was a great night but so so sad to know it would be our last with our great new friends.

The following day we couldn’t delay leaving any longer, we HAD to hit the road. We met with Paige and Nate and finished up filming with Felipe and Luis. I sobbed as we drove away to go and meet the rest of the gang.

We met with August, Spike, Tasha, April and Matt and said more long drawn out goodbyes, we just didn’t want to leave! We had a few more pictures and finally had to prize ourselves away. I cried for ages as we left.

It really felt like the end of an era. As well as saying farewell to some great, great people we were leaving MB and very soon ending our tour of the Americas. We were coming to the end of our first continent and I was just so sad, I never wanted it to end!