Betts
Actually, I was just in Michigan from 17th May to 12th June. Staying with friends. Attended a couple of functions with international attendees. Had a really wonderful time. Avoided the news media. I have read about the divisiveness, which is a shame. A couple of people asked about how the Australian system worked but nothing beyond that. I was the novelty and discussions where more about venomous snakes, spiders, sharks, and the likes. I spun the story that from childhood we are fed an ancient indigenous formula known as Vegemite that gives us an invisible barrier that repels these animals. Also told tall stories about our secret weapon against annoying tourists, the Drop Bears.
The flying of the flag everywhere, homes, cars etc, was the strange one to me.
Here tends to be only on government buildings. The Australian national flag, the Aboriginal flag, and the Torres Strait Islander flag. The latter two to acknowledge and show respect to our original inhabitants.
Was taken to all the great sites: like Soo locks, Traverse City and surrounds, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Munising, and Picture Rocks, Frankenmuth, and others. And a couple of excursions into Canada.
Enjoyed beyond words the experience on Memorial Day of sitting in a lengthy line of cars and then a snail’s pace crossing of the Mackinaw bridge. Only one lane working in each direction with speed reductions. That took some planning. Will be a reoccurring story at dinner parties. Other things were strange to me, but that is why we travel to open our eyes and be receptive to new experiences. With the right dry humour, we can have a good belly laugh with/at each other.
On airplane food, have not had a bad one yet. Have a lot of flying under my belt. Just lucky. Probably runout of luck one day. Have empathy for anyone unfortunate to be inflicted.
My most recent is on return home on American Airlines. Afternoon ORD to LAX, business, a nice penne pasta with a tomato sauce, ice cream sundae and a glass or three of Boizel Brut champagne. The American Flagship lounges at ORD and LAX are good. LAX to SYD 14 hours through the night. Pre-take-off champagne in a plastic flute type. Strange. Had a lovely flight attendant. Seared Bass with a glass of Chilian Chardonnay and champagne, in a proper glass this time. Kept filled up. Two servings of traditional ice cream sundae with the works. Cheese and fruit platter accompanied with a couple of glasses of The Glenlivet single malt. Slept for 8 hours. Nice mattress and pyjamas. One gets to keep the pyjamas to add to one’s collection.
I fly business class long-haul because my wife tells me so. I like being able to sleep. The food is a bonus. The price, I can wear it.
Regards Ron
