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Published: March 14th 2006
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Hi ya’ll!!
Well Texas was great - felt a bit more relaxed than Vegas…the weather was warmer and the nights balmy. We flew into Dallas Fort Worth on Fri afternoon and picked up our hire car after Kent went out the back and chose a good Chevvy Impala (not an ugly Buick like we had in LA). At first they offered us a Suzuki and Kent said he didn’t come to America to drive a Suzuki!! We headed out straight away to the Fort Worth stockyards, the historic part of the town where there are heaps of restaurants, shops and bars. Saw a loooong F350 limo that Kent loved. We had a fantastic steak in a place called Hunter Bros (had to go there of course - for all you Uraidla-ites), and then headed into Billy Bobs - the biggest Honky Tonk Bar in the world. It actually has about 9 bars in it, two massive dance floors, a couple of stages, an indoor rodeo etc etc. Check it out at http://www.billybobstexas.com/pictures/SaturdayNight/saturdaynight.htm . The next day I had to get my brows sorted out and I was dreading the American beauty day spa and saloon experience (you should see how immaculate
if not overdone the women are here). I thought I chose a quiet place from the outside, but inside there were about 9 people being blowdried, a heap waiting on chairs and a brightly lit area with highchairs ready next to the waxing tubs. My Aussie accent stood out a mile, then they took me to sit in front of everyone for an eyebrow wax (thank god my bikini line is still in shape!). Fortunately it only took a minute and I was gone….safe and plucked. Kent took me to the Arlington baseball stadium…shame the baseball season isn’t on yet. We had some lunch upstairs in a bar/restaurant that overlooks the field - pretty cool. We then went to check out some western clothing shops and I got a hat, he got a shirt and some cute pressies. Headed back out to town that night and ended up back at Billy Bobs where there was a band playing and the place was PACKED - we saw a guy called Dwight Yokam. The place was full of cute cowboys and cowgirls - everyone was singing and stomping their feet on the wooden floors…it was amazing. I swear every guy that puts
on a cowboy hat looks hot, but there was plenty of real talent in the crowd (wish I had some of my gal pals along to have a gawk too).
We headed off on our way to Memphis on the Sunday and ate some sandwiches on the way - well, I must of got a dodgy one because I got food poisoning bad. We had booked a nights accomm at a casino at Tunica (on the Mississippi River), but I didn’t even see the gaming floor/bars etc. I just stayed close to bed and the bathroom….my darling husband looked after me though - what a gem. I’m feeling a bit better today, but still a bit squeamish. We left this morning and went to Graceland in Memphis. It was a great experience - though I was expecting it to be bigger. The feeling of Graceland was intense, all his costumes and the music and footage playing really made the tour come alive. At the end you pass by his grave and think what a shame he died so young - only 42! The rooms were just so over the top though, green shag on the ceiling in the jungle room
etc - funny. The actual tourism circus surrounding it was a sight to be seen though - there were about 6 gift shops that were located at the exit of every separate museum there. I’m glad I saw it, Kent had already been, but he still enjoyed it. We’ve driven over into Alabama now and pulled up in a little motel in Hamilton. Once we put the tv on we saw that there are tornado warnings in the next biggest town where we were aiming to get to by today - maybe lucky we didn’t get on the road earlier! We’re driving through the south now for the next few days on our way to Florida. The countryside is just like it is in the movies…cotton farms, white wooden houses with picket fences and rocking chairs on the porch. Hillybillys in old pick ups trucks and some ‘nice’ trailer parks - it’s all there, the good and the bad.
I’ll stay away from any so called ‘meat’ for a few days and just chill while we drive along listening to Hallelujah FM (I kid you not - it does exist!). Hope you’re enjoying our ‘blog’ as much as we’re enjoying
the ‘moon….
Lots of Love Ailsa & Kent xxxxx
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