I’ve mentioned the level of journalism you’ll find in some of the papers here before. Today I read a Pulitzer prize possibility in USA Today (the newspaper you step over when you leave a hotel room in the US). Anyway, today’s gripping front page news (below the fold but still front page) was that 21 year olds get shitfaced to mark the ability to drink legally. Who knew? Lucky we have such insights or we wouldn’t know what was going on in the world.

Additional insights include the shock revelations that, during the 24 hours surrounding their 21st birthday celebrations 54% experienced a hangover (surely not), 34% threw up and amazingly 26% suffered embarrassment.

I know I spend quite a lot of time bashing some of the stuff out here (don’t mention the food – urgh). Anyway there is one thing that is waaaaaay better. Don’t laugh but it is washing machines. Yes they are butt ugly but they are HUGE so you can get masses of stuff in, but they also only need 20 mins or so to wash your clothes. The fact that they are ugly isn’t a drama as they won’t really fit into most kitchens anyway – as you can see this is in the cellar. I guess that’s why you don’t see them in Europe.

I’ve never been much of a fan of TV stands. Well actualy that’s not quite true – they have always been in the same category as white goods and lawn mowers as far as how interesting they are to shop for. A girl going out to buy a TV stand must be the same as a boy going off to buy conditioner or hair straighteners. Anyway I finally gave in and bought a TV stand.

OMG this thing has transformed my life (OK not quite but it HAS transformed my living room). All the DVRs/ music stuff etc are no longer scattered around the floor with their accompanying tangle of wires and cables. This thing is fabuous. Unfortunatey I don’t have a before picture but here’s after:

Another thing that really struck me on the roadtrip is how much of the scenery is absolutely stunning. The trip took us as far as South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. Touring round here was completely breathtaking. Here are a couple of tasters.

I spent an astonishing amount of time during the trip fantasising about food. The most frequently occurring food-based daydream was about Welsh Rarebit. I mean bread that isn’t sweet, toasted and slathered with melting strong cheddar, with just a hint of Worcestershire Sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmmm

It isn’t that you can’t get cheese over here – in fact everything seems to come with cheese (even steak – yuk) but it is always looks and tastes like the plastic processed orange stuff you get in squares or plasticine with holes (AKA Swiss Cheese here). I think it might actually be against the consitution to have a sandwich without “Swiss” cheese.