Today started foggy, damp and miserable so it was with some concern that we prepared to leave Chatham and relocate to Martha's Vineyard. But of course before that we needed to check out of where we'd been staying. Having read the hotel information pack it seemed easy, it could all be done via the TV. So after packing, having breakfast and car packing I duly commenced the check out procedure on the TV, checked the statement, agreed that it was okay and no queries and finally pressed the 'confirm checkout' button only to receive the message that the system was down and I would need to attend the desk to manually checkout. I did and again this was not simple as the receptionist insisted I re-checked my bill and then had a very strange conversation with me but not really with me about how I sounded Irish and that she'd visited Ireland and loved the place. I told her several times I wasn't Irish to no effect and then realised that not only had I developed an Irish lilt I was also talking double Dutch!! Eventually with much "have a nice day, enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for coming to visit us" we got away. The effort was almost as much at that put into 'The Great Escape'!

Our task now was to make our way to Hyannis in order to catch the high speed ferry to Martha's Vineyard (MV). Actually this was not as difficult as it might have been and we got there with only one outburst of anger from Anne and me sulking for a good 30 minutes. We bought the ticket for the crossing and I left Anne with the case while I went and parked the car fairly close by for a reasonable $30!! only one return trip was needed to the car for things we'd forgotten and which it turned out we didn't actually need ( hindsight again a wonderful thing). We even managed a coffee before the ship arrived. Couldn't get a seat because some arse 'claimed' the remaining chairs by dumping their gear on them before going for coffee unlike everyone else. Anne reckons they must have been at least part Nazi ( oops German).

The ship was pretty much empty for the 50 minute sail and we got some nice seats inside on the top deck. A nice calm crossing was made in reasonable surroundings with little noise or disturbance, the ship even had it's own free wireless Internet to use, pretty cool I thought. Anne even had time to beat the iPhone at scrabble.

Stepping ashore at Oak Bluff was not what we had expected. The place had been egged up as being an exclusive resort etc and to be honest it looked run down and a little tatty. On a movie history note I need to point out that Oak Bluff was the setting for Amityville in the film Jaws. Needless to say I'm not going swimming! Having got over the initial shock we found ourselves a taxi and headed for our hotel, or so we thought. It turned out that the 'hotel' was more of a cabin type camping place! We went to the office and spoke to the guy behind the desk informing him we had a reservation and giving him the appropriate voucher. He looked at us, at the voucher, back at us and then informed us that they had no reservation in the name of Cook, that they were full and that they would not have taken the reservation for one night only anyway!! Oops, no accommodation but luckily he and his partner ( I'm thinking they were gay) were very professional, understanding and helpful. They rang around and fixed us up with accommodation at the Surf Side Hotel and also a taxi to get us there. They even took a copy of our voucher giving the reservations details and promised to contact American Travel and speak to them about the issue.

We got to our new 'hotel' which is in fact a motel. The staff were very nice and we have a third floor room with a sea view (over a building site). No elevators on the island so it was the stairs, luckily only the small case with us. The room is adequate but basic, not what we have been used to. Anne has taken photo's to be used as evidence in the complaint we will be making, no surprise there then!

Having settled in we decided to go out for a walk and get something to eat. We ended up at Nancys where we ate and drank outside as the weather was dry, warm and muggy. By the time we had finished I was in need of a shower so we went back to the room. Problem was we could not get the shower to work so we rang down and the girl on reception said she would pop up to sort it out. Before she arrived I had to get dressed as I didn't think answering the door naked would be the way to go!! Once she'd explained/shown us how it worked I had my shower, I did wait for her to leave first.

Now that I was all tidy we went out round the shops, all I can say is it was an expensive trip and we came back to the room with a number of parcels.

This place is yet another Mecca for the gay community both male and female. I didn't realise that there was some correlation between being gay and sand and sea. There has to be as the last two Coastal communities we have visited have been knee deep in gay couples.

Having shopped till we dropped it was back to the room to get changed before going out for the evening. Once again we ended up at Nancys, firstly outside for another drink and then to their upstairs restaurant for dinner. It was all very nice and enjoyable. Again the place is frequented by gay couples, I know I'm banging on about this but the number of them coupled with their overtness has been interesting to say the least. Not sure it is quite like this in the UK or maybe it's just that we don't frequent the 'right' areas at home?

Any way once the meal was over we left, had a short walk and then returned to the room. An odd sort of day in a place which is an enigma. Looks like a dump but behind that facade it is quite an expensive place.

So now to bed and tomorrow off to Boston. Goodnight everyone sleep tight and enjoy pleasant dreams.