Pelicans Crossing

Today the sun had his baseball cap on (well, we are in the US) so I took a long, long walk. Everything here is set up for four-wheeled creatures, so all amenities are sprawled miles apart - hence there is no choice for two-legged animals like me except to perform the Long March. In fact, I feel so odd here without a car, that I find myself telling people about my sad epileptic past in order to somehow excuse my non-driver status! This state will be the first to go when fossil fuels run out!

Anyway, I trudged to the Taco Bell (sadly, about the best place for a veggie lunch here) and then along the beach to the Pier. The sands were shimmering with the lapping water and birds of all sorts were diving around me or wading in the shallows. Pelicans with delicate yellow necks (don't call it canary yellow!) sat quite calmly on the small wooden pier while I chatted away with a senior who lives down here six months a year.

Looking out across the sea today in the warmth, I could understand why so many flee to this place - for all the strange, sanitized atmosphere (and its emphasis on the military - prayers for troops are being asked for everywhere), it still has this glittering, vast coastline and the friendliness of its people. I even got a 'ride' to the post office today from the woman who runs the hotel store! And anywhere with palm trees is good in my book - even Torquay (hmm).

Yes, Cocoa Beach is growing on me. I understand that Cocoa Village is quite quaint too(everything over a hundred years old in the US is historic!), but the taxi fare over there was way too much for me to go. I'm having to shelve out a lot to get to NASA over the next two days anyway.

I'm very excited about doing all that space stuff (I have to remind myself I'm here to work!) - although it might be intriguing as the local photographer (a great guy who knows all kinds of space people and told me I look very young and good - hurrah!) has suggested that the astronaut I am meeting on Thurs is a real live wire and may even want to spank me! Geez! Although I must admit that I do get a bit lonely at night, I think that would be pushing it too far!

I think jetlag is still affecting me though and so about 7pm (when I'd be cosily asleep in England), I start to need a hug. So send one if you can ... or I'll have to eat ten million more burgers (the food here really is so greasy and grim!) to get a free Ronald Mcdonald doll to keep me company!! Spare me that fate!!

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