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June 3rd 2009
Fond farewells
What a couple of weeks! It is unbelievable that everything went so swimmingly and to plan. Thanks to everyone for all my send-offs, and for taking all the leftovers from Saturday's BBQ!! Portion-size clearly isn't my speciality. After a lovely, mad dash to Edinburgh on Sunday, I finally finished packing, tidied the house and at long last hopped on the plane to San Francisco on Monday afternoon. The 11-hour flight was unremarkable - certainly not the epic 24-hour voyage to Sydney I made in January! Sat next to a tall, strapping Irish man, I was, however, reminded of the joys of being petite. The poor guy just couldn't get comfortable. Me? I slipped into my pyjamas, put on the headphones and caught up on a few movies. There are much worse ways to spend a Monday afternoon 😊
Do you have cars in England?
I am now installed in Milpitas with Auntie Shirley and Uncle Cliff for a few days while I sort out fun stuff like banks accounts, cell phones and, most importantly, a car. Opening a bank account was amusing. The bank clerk asked which part of London I was from (why do people assume all English people come from London?) as he is an avid Chelsea supporter. After a brief discussion about football, the conversation turned to the issue of traffic: he was curious to know if we have cars in England; he'd heard we don't. Ah, the joys of travelling.
A Chinese man called Julio
Yesterday afternoon Auntie Shirley and I checked out some cars. I'll come back to that later. Far more interesting were the salesmen we met along the way. First, Greg, from the East Coast. An art photographer who has visited and captured every US state on camera. Now a car salesman. Then Julio - a Chinese man from Taiwan. Julio?? Not your regular Chinese name, I'm sure. But I could be wrong. Finally, Sam. His family is from South East Asia, but he was adopted by a British journalist during 'the war' (I presume the Vietnam War?) and grew up in Florence, Italy. His mother adopted him back at some point because the journalist didn't take great care of him. Still, he continues to visit said journalist in Oxford. People's lives are just fascinating!
Driving Miss Holly
Now, you'd think I'd never been to the States before considering how I excited I get about drive-thrus. Had drive-thru tacos for lunch. Scrumptious. And thinking of all the other food you can get here - rootbeer floats, cream soda, chili dogs, corn dogs, good frozen yoghurt, twinkies, grape juice (although you can now get that sometimes in England) to name just a few - just makes my head spin. Every meal is going to be a mighty adventure into junkfood heaven.
Went back to visit Sam today, and bought a car from him! Auntie Shirley and I hope that selling a car will please his wife. She was real mad with him for forgetting to pick the children up from school. Collecting the car today; pictures to follow shortly. Have already been out driving with Uncle Cliff. Brave man. Apart from a moment of sheer panic when three sheriffs cars pulled up behind me (gulp), it all went smoothly. Looks like the American people will be safe with me on the roads. Alex, you will be too 😊
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Gemma
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So good to hear from you!
Hey Jenny It's so good to hear from you! have been thinking of you all week. Particularly the thought that whilst I'm trudging to work every day in the same old routine, you've been doing exciting things all the way over in Amerikee (like drive-thru tacos - who'd have thought of such a thing... Surprising both in concept, and in how they spell 'through'...)! Really great to hear how you're doing and looking forward to many more updates. Take care lovely Gemma x