Beverley Hillbillies". Perhaps the airline was preparing us for American
television? In which case I was extremely glad that our campervan included
only a refrigerator and a microwave in the way of electrical appliances.
The flight was made more bearable by a question I heard a hostess
ask a passenger: "Would you like the window open?” I sat chuckling to myself
for hours following this question, until the same hostess asked me to 'kindly
keep the noise down or else step outside until I could regain my composure.'
Perhaps she does not quite grasp the concept of pressurised cabins?
We flew into New York because we had decided to spend a week there in
order to familiarise ourselves with the US way of life, the different time zone,
and of course to sample the sights, before our real travels would begin in the
campervan.
Our first hour on US soil could have been better. First, five minutes with
passport control answering questions about how long we were staying in the
country. Following this, the woman dealing with us informed me that because
my name is common I would have to be taken away for further questioning.
Emma was told to wait for me, probably thinking, "wow, he's hidden his past
well, I've known him 8 years". And I was escorted away by a large man with
an even larger gun.
I was taken to a small room resembling a waiting room in a doctor's surgery -
except without the pile of 20 year old magazines. It even had a receptionist's
counter – although this was about five foot high. There were about eight
people in the room, sitting waiting their turn and looking nervous, and the