Been around the World ayeyeye...

Well, to Australia and the USA at least.

What an eye opener. Australia was interesting. In comparison to NZ, it felt old. The buildings reminded me of Cardiff (except hotter), and the town was nice. Sydney was bigger, and a bit more anonymous. Though the Opera house is beautiful, and the restaurant we went to in Darling harbour was ace.

The USA was a giggle. We arrived after 12 hours in LAX. What a dump, really dishevelled looking and tatty. The immigration guy was a laugh mind, he said "You going to Chicago?" I said I was "My condolences" Which was nice.

We caught the plane to Chicago, arriving after nightfall. The city stretched out below us mile in every direction, it was quite a lovely and awesome sight.

O'Hare gets my vote for World's best airport (I have been to). Apart from the great amenities and clean airy buildings the people were great, genuinely pleasant to talk to. We stayed in the Raddison O'Hare overnight, then flew on to Rochester.

O'Hare is the busiest airport in the world, and to look back and see 10-20 aircraft in mid air was just surreal.

Rochester is a good little town of a million people, though it looks like the city needs a cash injection, or at least some of it. Everyone here was great, including the store clerk who tried to convince me that my son would be better off with a Bills shirt than Urlachers' Bears jersey. I bought the Bears top, and a Cubs baseball shirt. I figure a side that hasn't won a world series in 100 plus years needs my support.

After the viewing of the gear, we flew back to LA, and I was dragged down to the Chinese theatre and all that jazz. I thought it was tacky, sordid and a bit sad really, watching people dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow offering to get their photo with you, for a little bit of cash.

I must say I did not like LA.

I rode the subway through Watts and Compton, and saw the state of those particular neighbourhoods, and then we drove through some really expensive real estate, complete with barred windows and razor wire on the gates, and I thought, if those poor guys in South Central were less poor, you rich tossers could have windows you can see out of.

Roll on an Obama Presidency I say.

I also sampled a few beers, all local, all good. Met some nice people, and one or two tossers (Hello LAX check in staff! Hope you get something unpleasant you surly wankers) And saw a lot of the US in not a lot of time. I would go back to Chicago in a shot, but LA you can have boys and girls.

So after another 13 hours I arrived back home to Napier, and I am so glad I don't do this very often. Ieuan love the shirt, and I love the fact that he loves it. The US is a great place (in parts) and full of good people. I would be happy to go back there, though LA I will miss

Thanks for listening