HOWDY Y'ALL FROM THE OLE US OF A!
Well I made it here to Los Angeles from Australia - a rather pleasent (ahem) 13 hour flight in which I slept for a massive 90 mins (if that)...

I have just completed my first day of 5 in the US office of my organisation and I have to say that Americans are currently obsessed with Medical Benefits / Insurance. It seems that American workers in the supermarket industry are striking and hence now common food items are no longer on the shelves... the supermarkets are open, but there is no food!

This has meant that everybody is now supporting the striking workers because a) they too have crappy benefits and if the strikers win, it will set a precedent and b) they are getting hungry because there is no food... unless you eat burgers or donuts...

But the funny thing is, as an Australian, it is a) the first topic of conversation when I meet someone and b) they laugh as I tell them of our own shitty system in which patients die unattended in hospital corridors waiting for a room... the Americans laugh at this with comments of "at least it doesn't cost you anything!"... they are weird here.

And again, I am amazed at the food here... Waitresses are CONTINUOUSLY bugging you with "Can I getcha anything else y'all?" or "Everythang awlright sir?" whilst you are trying to have a conversation... it feels as though table chit-chat is interrupted every third sentence by a inquisitive waitress... but it is so shallow because it is just for the tips... but it works because my American hosts are rather shallow in accepting it...

Tipping... that shits me too.... I got a cab from the airport... $34 plus tax takes it to $36ish. I give the driver $40 and he says "have a nice day" and puts the car in gear... No change.... No questions asked, he just keeps the $4. Now I would have tipped him due to local custom, but he just accepts it as if it is his right to my change.... then the bell hop opens my door and holds out his hand for doing so... I ignore him (I didn't have any change the cabbie took it!) so I am left to fend for myself with my luggage. The bellhop was nice (I got another "Haveaniceday!") but no way was he going to do his job because I rejected his tip request... and I also thought you tipped after service, not before....

And everywhere you go, its valet parking. Every restaurant of any decency has its own carpark, which is fine, but they also have a couple of guys parking cars... and guess what, you have to tip them too...

Parking costs about $4, and a tip is a $1...

Anyway, thats my "American Observation For The Day".... I'll write some more soon!

HAVE A NICE DAY Y'ALL!