photographic highlights of the drive, narrated by Annika
(the speeding oven)
We rode in torturous and squished conditions for well over 2000 miles. We were immensely hot and aggravated. Dmitri spent the days trying to smother me, which was even hotter and even more aggravating. It was sooooo hot that our nostrils filled with crusty, salty kitty-sweat. The humans got to get out of the car. We mostly did not. They slept in a tent at night, while we made our best attempts to fur up their seats and strew kitty litter all about.
We had to go through LOTS of states.
We rode along the Mexican border from San Diego to Yuma, AZ. (Mama forgot to take a picture of the Arizona sign.) It’s hard to tell, but the border fence is there. And we had to stop at border checkpoints a few times, even though we never left the US. Luckily, they didn’t ask to see kitty passports.
I agree with New Mexico’s motto, this whole ‘Land of Enchantment’ business, because the elevation was much higher in NM and therefore I wasn’t as hot. Dmitri whined a lot in New Mexico, but he seemed to forget his troubles when Mama gave us canned food.
Mama and Robyn kept oohing and aahing over these silly rocks.
In Albuquerque, NM, there was a dingo sculpture that looked a lot like our friend Lluvia. We miss her and Auntie Kim.
Texas drivers were NOT friendly, judging by the disgruntled nature of the comments from the front seat.
Oklahoma did NOT have winds sweeping o’er the plains, as I’d been promised.
It did, however, have cute little houses on the plains.
Arkansas was good, naturally. It had a house with fabulous gay boys and air conditioning. They gave us TUNA!!
Tennessee was interesting. The humans camped in the rain, and Dmi and I were allowed to remain dry and cozy in the car. We were visited in the night by some rogue raccoons .. Dmitri thought we should let them in, but I knew they were hoodlums and forbade it. They retaliated by breaking into the humans’ trash.
After the coons in Tennessee, we traveled into North Carolina and then into Georgia (no pictures of either). Robyn and her brother graciously drove us to Noni and Jacques’ house in Peachtree City, where we have been treated (rightly) as royalty. I write this from the comfort of Mama’s childhood bed, sprawled on a pillow beside her. Our grandparent humans seem bent on spoiling us rotten! They even have a TV for us!!! There is a crotchety old cat who seems to rule this domicile, but the humans appear to favor us over him. He hisses foully at Dmitri and myself, and we merely scoff in return whilst chowing down on smorgasbords of tuna, treats, and catnip. We have been given an exquisite new scratcher and ample carpet remnants for our destructive pleasure. Dmitri made the mistake of eating some shiny ribbons, which did not agree with his digestion, but the humans were prompt in removing the offense from our quarters. On the whole, I find this situation most agreeable. I’m hopeful that subsequent excursions will be this luxurious.
– annika
