Total distance driven (includes in-city driving): 9,202.1 kms (5,717.9 miles)
Average gas consumption: 20.2L per 100 KM
Corpus Christi and Padre Island were recommended by many people. It’s known as a Caribbean type resort destination Texas style. The temp is even hotter than San Antonio so we are getting desperate for some air con. Definitely the people are laid back; very friendly and camp sites are $16 per night right on the beach. Similar to Galveston all buildings are up on stilts… even the electrical and communication boxes…and from the many storms and hurricanes there are very few trees; just flat sandy grasslands with bayous and small rolling dunes and of course the beach!
On the way to Corpus we see flat farm land with the occasional oak tree…
…and of course Texas Long Horns.
Corpus Christi itself is a modern city. Their waterfront is lined with a sea wall designed with the pedestrian in mind. Look at all that seating!
Kids play in the public water park by the waterfront.
Corpus also has their very own WW2 aircraft carrier…USS Lexington
While we were in there we ran into the Buccaneer Days festival which featured a Rodeo…
…and a BBQ cook off!! We accidentally wandered into a private corral party and the people are so nice that a cowboy offered to let us in after the Rodeo and give us a tour of their secret smoking facility!
Driving to Padre and Mustang Islands reminds us of the Florida Keys again.
Mustang Island and Port Aransas are very touristy…
…with amazingly themed souvenir shops that would draw even the most resistant tourist.
Padre Island National Seashore is great place to see the island in its natural state.
By the beach there are huge sand dunes but in the interior the land is almost completely flat with not a tree in sight…
…ok ok one frikin’ tree…
Except for the sea the land is dry, sandy and full of cacti.
However there is wildlife in the bushes…
…Caspian Turns by the water…
…Laughing Gulls…
…Pelican squadron patrolling the surf…
…and every year the endangered Kemp’s ridley seas turtles arrive on the island to lay their eggs.
This would be the average size of the sea turtle; however the largest seen on the beach was 9 feet across and weighed as much a Volkswagen beetle.
Before Padre Island became a National Park it was a Texas ranch of course.
A trip north of Padre Island gets you to a change of scenery. .. from dry grassy dunes to tree filled wetlands of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge that reminds us of the Florida Everglades.
Alligators..
….spring flowers…
..Cacti…
…Herons…
..Egrets and the like…
…and a cool Roseate Spoonbill (Texas’ official bird)….
…and our first wild hog sighting!!
Now the truth about the beach. It’s best used for driving on and fishing from.
Don’t get us wrong, it does have some nice facilities, the beach is very long and the sand is nice…
…but the currents combine to bring the worlds garbage and a ton of seaweed to its shores most of the year. Apparently it’s worse in the spring…
We tried to go swimming but…ewe!!!
In the end with the constant sunny days, the rising temperatures and humidity and the fact that we couldn’t go swimming Jason comes up with a brain wave….the $99.99 air-con solution….Texas style!!!
Time to hit the road for Austin, Texas!
Posted by: wanderingenterprise
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