This has been my shortest ever visit to the USA. Only five weeks. It may be some time before I go back, because I'm starting to feel like North America is a continent I've explored overmuch at the expense of other continents, notably the one I live in.
My highlight of the past five weeks was undoubtedly getting the chance to drive a V8 convertible down the Pacific Coast Highway. But the whole of rural California contains sites to satisfy the sight. Every so often on the freeway you see a sign saying 'Vista Point', and you don't always get any clue as to what exactly that vista is, but nine times out of ten it's worth the gamble to stop and find out. Plus, after you've taken your photos, you then need to get going back up to 60mph cruising speed again. Purely for reasons of safety on a busy freeway, I always did this as quickly as Beyoncé could oblige. (About five seconds, since you ask.)
Lowlights? Well, the United States Postal Service gets a big fat raspberry for leading me a merry dance all over California trying to collect a letter sent from England. I won't bore you with the details. Suffice it to say that in future I'll be using UPS or DHL, or carrier pigeons if it comes to it. A few blogs ago I conceded the merits of having a nationalised railway service, but the USPS is a good example of just how bad things can get when organisations and their miseryguts employees know that their customers have nowhere else to go.
Another raspberry goes to the information desk at LAX for assuring me that the nearby Sheraton hotel offers shower facilities for non-residents at $10 a go. They don't. They really, really don't. In the process of discovering this, I wasted about an hour, and made a total tit of myself; and what's worse, lugging my backpack around on a hot & humid LA evening left me totally drenched in sweat. I couldn't get on a plane in that condition. I had to have a mineral water sponge-bath in the disabled cubicle of the gents' toilets at LAX. (Oversharing...sorry...)
Now I'm leaving on a jet plane, and I think it's gonna be a long, long time...
 |
| 'Farewell: thou art too dear for my possessing... ...Thus have I had thee, as a dream doth flatter; In sleep, a king; in waking, no such matter.' (Shakespeare, sonnet no. 87) |
 |
| Edd vs Fast Food #7 (this is separate to the main Edd vs Food series) Carl's Jr Quite tasty, but way too oily from the deep-frying. Those waffle fries were all crispiness and no potato. It left me feeling kind of sick, Like in England when you eat all the batter and leave all the chips. |
 |
| Cachuma Lake, just west of Santa Barbara |
 |
| Edd vs Fast Food #8 Denny's I reviewed them last year and gave them a thumbs down for their breakfasts. They have earned a partial reprieve with this, their Meat Lovers' Omelette. Although it may look disgusting, it's actually OK. Also Denny's is always good for the authentic USA 'diner experience'. Booth seat by the window, free coffee refills, etc etc. All served up by a friendly but frazzled woman in her late 40s... ...who's finally admitted to herself that she's probably not going to make it as an actress. |
 |
| San Clemente, from my AirBnB room balcony. This was just after dawn. I had to check out and get going before the sun had risen properly. |
 |
| Edd vs Fast Food #9 In-N-Out Burger The burger was the tastiest of any American burger chain I've tried yet. The fries were a big let-down though. Bland, and served pretty much cold. Apologies for the poor photo. Had to eat this on the move. |
 |
| Lingerie shop in San Luis Obispo. I didn't dare go into the shop, but the photo is going off to Viz magazine. |
