its three days until we leave the land of the free and can say that me and sarah cannot wait. I wanted to make one last entry in this blog about general observations of american culture and its people considering we've been here a long time i think we've gotten to know it quite well

Firstly nearly every American we have met has thought we are loaded cause we are british. dude we are travelling around the world you don't have to spend a fortune to do it and we don't want to. Also cause of this whenever they mention a price for something the words after are always ' well you guys can aford that.' A classic example was this guy in Santa Monica and this guy was homeless and he asked as we went passed 'do you have a spare $100' like being dead serious not joking. i don't think anyone has got that kinda money

next a lot of them are geographically challenged which is so funny. Some didn't even know where england was let alone where sheffield is. Someone thought from our accents we were from Austrailia. next question after where we are from 'is that where/near where the beetles are from?' i think they associate england with the beetles which is strangely stereotypical. but then i spose some english wouldn't know where some major cities are in the states you know. A lot also have been to london like its the only place. Also don't even go there with explaining the difference between England, Great Britain and UK. Actually i had to explain that to Sarah so I can't say thats an American thing

I sound like i'm slagging em off they do have some great characteristics. They will talk to ANYONE. get on the bust they will strike a conversation with the bus driver and the person next to em. Had some really nice people talk to us in palm springs one gay man has offered to show us around Joshua tree national park which was great. In all places we have gone they want to talk to us which is so refreshing nice and welcoming to what i feel people in england ignore each other and go on with there lives. The British have landed in our motel here and we went to the pool where this massive family took over. Not one word toward us in 5 hours. There kids nicked our ball and siad nothing.

We have met a wide range of people from small towns to big cities. The lady in Bishop in the motel was funny. Have you ever had a coversation with someone where you know they taking the literal meaning of what your saying and you are of them and its that awkward silence. well she was talking about room rates and high taxes and she said of its really high in ... its ... and i said 'oh really your joking right' smiling and laughing and she looked straight at me no emotion and she said 'why would i be joking' and then i asked about the 4th of July which seemed a little sore spot as she got un over the year before, which wasn't what i expected. It was just plane awkward

here in palm springs we met a couple who were very into the church in fact one of the first things they asked was ' After 7/7 did everyone flock to church to pray for the souls of those who died' erm... none of the people i know immediatly did. Another comment they made is that she got the imporession that people were not as spiritual as people in the states. fair enough but i come from a different background and far as i'm aware only maybe a 3-4people i know go to church regularly as in more than easter and xmas. there must be people who do but it was so awkward i don't think they quite got the message that me and sarah are not church goers and how can they speak for a nation and how can i.

Big phrases here at the moment 'good job'. Every frickin thing is a good job. If i here the word good job again its to late. plus i am saying like all the damn time. food is obviously massive. me and sarah eat 2 meals a day brekkie and dinner/lunch and we have gained so much weight. I drink so many soft drinks i think i've permantly damaged my teeth. the food can be so good tho. We finally had a chinnese out of the box today it was sooo good.

This sounds like one big moan but we are so ready for Fiji now. We have met so many intresting people from cowboys to surfers from motel mexican workers to many gay men lol. We have seen so many sights from the grand canyon to the salt lake from disneyland to gay pride in San fran from Santa Monica beaches to Yosimitee national park. We have been so lucky and i am so greatful but i am ready to move onto the beautiful island of fiji!

rxxx

p.s. I HAVE LOST MY MOBILE PHONE, I AM REPLACING IT IN TWO MONTHS IN NEWZEALAND WITH THE SAME PHONE NUMBER. i looked at the phone at the bus stop after 5 minutes ride on the bus it was gone. some bastard nicked it even though it is completely useless