A little town in the Catskills – Phoenicia – with a campsite called ‘Sleepy Hollow’…..somehow you expect Rip van Winkle, or a headless horseman…But nothing of the sort – a lovely little place!
What a manicured campsite! Short grass, a lovely river flowing by – and showers! Also a lot of mosquitoes, so not so good. And a big sign on the toilet block door about bears in the area. I decided not to set up my tent for the last time – too troublesome with all that carting around of crates etc. – necessary to aid my uprightness from a sleeping position. And I had lost the will to hammer in pegs bent double (me, not the pegs), doing my back in gradually. Much as I loved the experience of camping again, I was running out of energy, so gave it a miss. But I shall get another tent in the UK and gather about me all the geriatric devices I need to help me get in and out and up and down. Most of the others who had tents slept in them this last night, and Charles, our driver, fastened his hammock between two trees. Quite a blissful scene really!
As we arrived, we saw Margaret (who travelled with us from London to Beijing) in her car, complete with basket of goodies: plastic stemmed glasses and various bottles.
It was a happy reunion at which we’d expected Sandra and Tony as well (Prague to Anchorage) but we heard from them that they were in Toronto. We had a pretty good evening, Ciaron got out all his fridge magnets, collected all the way from London, and put them in order on the side of the bus – most impressive! About fifty of them. We made a fire later in the evening and sat round chatting. A nice end to the last evening together. Then into the bus (only about five of us, so not crowded) for a final sleep. At least we weren’t driving! 
I got up in the night to go to the toilet, thought I saw a bear shape…waited for it to move, then realised it was a heap of gravel. When I’m back home again will I suffer from bear withdrawal? Will I actually feel cheated that I never met a bear in the night?
The journey to New York only took a couple of hours, passing through New York state, to New Jersey and then through the Lincoln Tunnel to Manhattan. We entered the city accompanied by Alicia Keys – ‘New York’ and then by Sinatra. I prefer the first! There was a bit of a scramble to get off the bus as it parked for just minutes at the side of the road. We were all prepared, tumbled off, grabbed our bags, hugged the people nearest and dispersed. And so the epic journey ended, after 87 days in close confinement with up to 22 others. 
Patamateria 