Freedom and the Flag

In two weeks the Hubs and I head off on our Regulator mandated holiday. I love the Mandatory Time Away requirement. Without it I would probably not ever take long trips, holidays being as expensive as they are. All those years of being lectured on valuing money and not squandering it did sink in at some level after all. These days, with baldness and a breakdown looming over me, I'm beginning to appreciate having to take some time off.

This year we're heading Stateside. It will be my first time really visiting the US, which surprises most people I know. The plan for 2010 had been South Africa but the proximity of the World Cup and the shameless demand of an invitation to the Bakers' wedding in November meant that was put on hold, and we had to think of something else.

The US has, to me, a diffused sort of culture. So much of the world has insight and mimicry of "American" culture that it's become less interesting and exotic than it perhaps should be. I also get a sense that there isn't really an "American" culture at all, but a more regional division. I would say that what I think of as "Southern", which includes fried Coke, dominoes and Southern Hospitality, is distinct from what I would find in California or New England. That's always been the rationale I've had for that statistic about the number of Americans who don't travel. When coupled with the other statistic about the number of Americans who live below the poverty line, I just figured that many either couldn't afford to, or simply didn't need to. There's plenty to see on American soil. Of course, I'm sure there are plenty of Americans who also have no interest beyond state, national or any other borders, but there are people who feel that way in most places.

I've always wanted to tour the Southern states, but think this may take at least a month, so have put that on the back burner (who does that anyway? I always cook on the back burner). More manageable, I hope, is California. I expect muggings, guns, keg parties, serial killers, fake boobs and hair, tackiness, poverty next to showcasing wealth, trailers, crack, Celebrities, Hummers, vampires, eco Warriors, cameras, stars, gambling, hangovers, Target and dive bars. This is what Hollywood has given us. Maybe California was a bad idea.

Only kidding, it'll be amazing. Bring it!