It really does feel different to the UK and Europe.

We have spent 6 months in the USA so far and are looking forward to seeing more of it. Even though we, as British, have a lot in common culturally, we have found some big differences:-

• The sound of America! It seems like we have had the constant sound of trains hooting, and they do seem to like travelling at night!  

• Poor standard of driving, drivers using phones as they drive, poor lane discipline, don’t move lanes to let other drivers in! Trucks go too fast!
• Lots of no trespassing and private property signs, very little right to roam as in Europe!

• Poor road safety for pedestrians, people don’t seem to expect people to walk, and drivers can turn right on red, even if pedestrians have a green light to walk!

• Around towns and cities are miles of roads, with shops and businesses either side.

• Lots of fast food establishments, drive in burgers restaurants and donuts, Mexican restaurants and gas stations, often 3 or 4 in 100 yards of each other. 

• Lots of well attended churches, quite often with children’s playgrounds in the grounds.

• Loads of banks, every town has at least 2, usually with a drive through ATM. 

• Lots of RV parks for long term residents, often at the side of busy roads

• Lots of firework stores, the few days around New Year’s Eve were loud!

• Lots of hunters! We saw some with bows and arrows and ladders! They build a platform and wait. When we went on our boat tour around the swamp, other boats were duck hunters! We also saw deer feeders for sale, so ‘hunters’ get an easy shot!

• Golf carts/buggies! Not just used on golf courses, but to get around campgrounds and a general mode of transport! We see lots of stores selling them!

• Shed shops, another type of store we see a lot of!

• Storage units, so many! What do they keep in them, dead bodies 😆

• Water towers, every small town has one, in New York lots of buildings have their own! They make us think of War of the Worlds, the giant warships.

• Fantastic  National and State Parks, great information, well signposted hikes and quite often good campgrounds at a reasonable cost.

• Fuel is cheap, food is much more expensive, especially eggs!

• Flags, many American flags are flown outside people’s homes and businesses, especially car dealers, which are huge!