We’re on holiday in America. Flew to Michigan, then drove to North Carolina. The first night in the RV, we stayed at one of those RV campground type places that feature heavily in horror movies. Obviously we survived, but Ted and I kind of went O.O at each other. Also I flooded the back of the RV by over-flushing the toilet! Go me!
But fireflies! I’ve finally seen fireflies! They’re goddamn magical, OMG. Wow. Wow. SO COOL! Also cardinals and bluebirds! I’d never seen them before! (My high school was the Kenai Kardinals. I honestly thought ‘cardinal’ was spelled with a K until I was about 20, and spent a fair number of years wondering why the cardinals in Pamela Dean’s Secret Country books were mis-spelled. #blush)
Thunderstorm along with the first fireflies, too. Lightning in the background, flashing purple against the clouds, with golden lightning bugs scattered thru the trees in the foreground. So beautiful. I wish I had the photographic skills to have captured the imagery.
Driving through MI, there are all these great little red-winged blackbirds all over the place. Very crisp coloring. “They look like little fascists!” said Ted.
“Well-dressed ones,” I said.
“Aren’t they all?” Ted asked.
Me: JESUS CHRIST GAS IS 2.49 A LITRE WHAT THE HELoh that’s a gallon JESUS CHRIST GAS IS 2.49 A GALLON WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY
Also me: oh 57km to Madison oh that’s not ba–oh wait that’s miles i really don’t belong to this country anymore
Northern Tennessee, I guess. Driving thru soft misty green rolling hills. Strikes me that maybe I’m sposd to see them as mountains & that we’ve reached the Appalachians. (TBF, they were probably the Appalachian foothills, as the Appalachians proper are somewhat more mountain-like. Wee soft things, but still, pretty definitely mountains.)
Americans are so…American. So friendly. Much smiles. I’d forgotten how when you’re on a walk most of the drivers will wave at you as you go by.
And the food. Weird goddamn flavorless anemic American butter. Weird goddamn cloying corn syrup American Pepsi. O blessed American root beer. O god, the land of 40oz “medium” drinks, wth, America.
Everybody in NC: OMG YOU SO PINK YOU BURNING
Me: I’m fine, I’m sunscreened, I just turn hot pink in the heat.
(I am tanning, though. For my value of tanning.)
I don’t want to live in the hills of North Carolina myself, but I can understand why people do. None of it’s anything like Alaska, not really, but it reminds me of home in its way, and it’s beautiful. I’d be really happy to come out here for a month or so to write and let Indy run around in the sunshine.
Fireflies were such a part of my childhood (I’m from the midwest) … I miss them now that I live in the pacific northwest. And the magnificent thunderstorms. Enjoy the rest of your journey :)
If you’re looking for root beer on this side of the pond, try chinese supermarkets.
Asia and China also drink root beer, so the supermarkets will stock a can or two. The brands will probably be unfamiliar as each country tends to produce their own version, but A&W is a familiar brand to a lot of asian people.
If you like super-concentrated flavours, go for Sarsi (Malaysian or Singaporean version) – my own personal favourite!
The prices will probably leave you wincing a bit, though, but how much of a price do you put on the flavours of home? O_o
Lol! Welcome to America. I miss fireflies. Haven’t seen them in a long time. The storms are fierce here. I love RV ing. It is the best way to camp. Hopefully you will come to Texas. But it should be in fall….October. Otherwise, you will fry. Hot, hot, hot here and humidity is freaking unbearable. Have a wonderful trip sand stay safe. Hugs.