Back in the USA

As the song goes “we are back in the US of A”! And, as Churchill famously said “two great nations divided by a common language”. Having spent over a month away in Ireland and the UK after having turned on the TV and its advertising it’s interesting to notice some other significant (cultural?) differences: watch out guys…if you encounter Alice (Cialis) you could have a four hour problem; sign up for our meals… eat all you want and lose weight; strap on our nifty electronic device and exercise without moving a muscle; everyone will suffer from high blood pressure yet never get old and, if by chance we do, we will live in a place called Valhalla zoom around in golf carts and have lots of friends. We love it, nothing as good on the other side of the pond where the advertising of pharmaceutical drugs is illegal and most of the advertising is for sunny holidays (vacations). Gas here is Petrol there and Propane is called Gas. Mixed up yet? We do, and of course gas (petrol) in the US is half the price of the UK but you need to convert liters to gallons or you will not enjoy the discount. Here men on TV with facelifts and dyed hair sell real estate in Heaven…why so worried about appearances? The body is not going to Heaven, right? Having been away for a month makes the contradictions and contrast better.

Missed it all and, yes we’re glad to be back in the land of diversity ready to explore the 45th state on our two year Odyssey – the states we’ve missed are Montana, North Dakota and Delaware. We have learned so much on our travels; the history of this amazing country by researching places, visiting big and small towns, battle fields, Churches, Presidential Museums and National Parks and Monuments. Yet we have learned even more about this earth we live on; we have gone up mountains and down into caves, seen all five Great Lakes and thunderous rivers, walked the trails of fur trappers and explorers. We have been to towns where the Native Peoples still live after 2000 years; to the ruins of ancient Native People cities and to the skyscrapers of our modern cities.

This is not the end however and you will see further blogs in the coming weeks.

We intend to settle in a town house in Saint Augustine, FL for the winter and spring of 2013, then in the summer head north in RamblingRover to Delaware, the Cape, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Labrador; then enjoy the Fall Colors as we migrate south again.