"If in doubt, start a war". I'm in Florida

That title is one of the bumper stickers I have seen this week in Florida. I could write loads about the place but I'm just checking into the blog just now to wish everyone a great new year and all that stuff......

Florida's a weird place. I better watch what I say as I have family here now ;-> Some probably don't consider Florida to be America, in the same way as Texan's don't think of Texas like America. I find it more funny and ironic each time I enter the country.

Everyone in this place seems to fall into the following category :

• Super nice and friendly
• Part of law enforcement/customs/etc with an attitude and friendlieness of someone you've just kicked in the nuts
• psycho

Where I am in Florida, the housing tends to be in gated communities. While their country bombs other countries, it's harder to get into the gated communities with their gaz guzzling cars than it is to get into a pub in Kabul. Yeh, 30mpg is advertised as good here. I just bought a car in the UK and I'm bitching it only does just above 30mpg. Maybe some American's should be taken over to Europe to drive around for a while, forced to buy some petrol at over £1 a litre, then maybe some places here would be designed so you can actually walk between them rather than take the car.

But it's weird to be back in the alledged free-est country in the world, where you have a 6 lane highway, yet can't go over 35mph, can't hang your washing out to dry outside in the gated community according to their rules (despite being in sunny Florida), and with loads of other things you can't do, but I can't think of them at the moment.

I've been on a bit of buying frenzy. I'm skint but at $33 (£16.50) for a pair of Levi jeans that would cost you more than their dollar price in pounds it would be stupid not too. Many other items of clothing have been stupidly cheap as well. The UK is just too expensive now, and as well as paying too much you usually have to put up with some grump git serving you, or on the other end of the phone.

Anyway, I'm having a bit of a rant. I've been driving around in a 4x4 this week - not necessary but it's what my parents rented, and there's a few of us. And I must admit it is quite nice.

That's enough of my huge generalisations. I'm off to lounge by the pool, in the American side of my family's gated community, drinking imported Heineken that's cheaper to buy here than in Scotland, wearing my less than half price shorts and flip flops.

Happy Holidays!

Doing Nothing

It never seems like I do nothing, but I seem to achieve nothing.....much.

My blog has been quiet since Afghanistan as life (generally) seems not quite so exciting.  I lost my IT contract just before I left so I cam back jobless, with a car that I couldn't really afford any more, and the prospect of a pre-Christmas lull in the contract market.

Despite this, I've pretty much ran my bank account dry just living in the relatively expensive UK.  I've managed to grab a good few weekends away up north to Ben Nevis, Glencoe, Aviemore, back home etc.  I've also decided to accept an offer of a flight to Florida to see my niece before returning to Scotland for New Year (yaah!).  I'll be heading from where something 'old' means the year 1500ish (Edinburgh Castle) to somewhere old being 50 years.....  to one of the 'free-est countries in the world'....but where you cannot let off fireworks in city limits (if my memory serves me right from the last visit).

Coming back, I'll be going from 80 degrees to 30 degrees (thats 28c to 0c) overnight, but at least I should be able to swim in the sea on xmas day with a bit of luck.

I still hum and haw about what to do as an alternative to IT.  I loved the photojournalism work I did recently.....now if only I could get that to pay.....or even better find out how to find the markets!  Afghan pictures anyone?

More soon hopefully.....