Tonight is my last night in the western world for quite a while since I set off tomorrow on the long trip to Bangkok. Since I want to arrive hale and healthy in Thailand, I've not been skimping on the food since I got here. There really is no better place to eat lots in the world than in the USA. And there really is no better place to eat lots in the USA than in New York: home fries, eggs, Danishes as big as Denmark. Chinese, Italian, coffee - yes lots of coffee - Sam Addams and all his friends, I even had fish 'n chips!
To top it all though, and to put New York to shame, there is really nothing to beat a Texan Thanksgiving. I starved myself for a few days in preparation, since I had been warned that 'everything is big in Texas'. And boy were they right.
I had never heard of a fried turkey. 'Fried Turkey' yes, but _A_ fried turkey was a new experience. The sight of a whole bird being lowered into sizzling fat up to its ankles (it was upside-down remember) is one to behold. It only takes twenty minutes for the poor beast to turn from chilled meat to Thanksgiving dinner - quite remarkable (unless you happen to be a Turkey of course!). Our host was my cousin's brother-in-law Larry. A true Texan, who cooks clad in his hat and boots; Quiet and unassuming, he treated thirty friends and family to a feast of turkey, ham and I don't know how many extra dishes of trimmings. There were the traditional ones: turnip greens, sweet potato and stuffing. There were some salads, breads, a saucy dish with courgette and some stuffed jalapenos for the adventurous.
There were other adventures in America for me too besides food of course: I got to the top of the Empire State again. The last time I was up on the 86th floor, it was still the highest building in the world and Nixon was still an honest president - things change!. This time I made it all the way to the 102nd and treated the little five-year-old inside me. I toured Ellis Island and saw where my great-great-Aunt Essie might have entered the US a century ago when she was about my age. I sat in the audience of the Late Show, cheered when required and applauded when required and made sure to laugh at Dave's bad jokes too so he wouldn't get too depressed. I stared at the top of Adam Sandler's head from my cousin's bedroom window in Manhattan as one of the world's most over-paid actors tried to get his tongue around one of the worlds worst scripts. I toured the book depository in Dallas and squinted out the sixth floor window wondering if I could get off three shots in five seconds through the trees at an unsuspecting passing chevrolet. I clambered over the walls at Fort Worth's watergarden, hesitantly patted the back of a 'tame' steer in the stockyards, learned to tie knots I never imagined (thanks Stephanie!) and sat perplexed for an afternoon trying to understand the rules of American football. Tell me guys: were you changing the rules everytime I figured them out?, or is it like with cricket: if you're not born to it are you forever to remain confused?
Seriously though folks, it has been the best of fun. I've been staying entirely with family, and though I could easily have been an alien recently landed from the planet zog (my cover was almost blown in starbucks tonight - stop sending me those bleeper messages from the mother-ship guys!) ... they have all looked after me really well: thanks y'all.