Welcome to the Lone Star state

So I am here in Austin and I can't imagine it will surprise anyone to know that I committed my first crime within three hours of landing on Texan tarmac. Yep, illegal drinking in Magnolia cafe after 2am (punishable by a not so light fine I told) - who'd a guessed it? However, the good news is I didn't get caught, so this trip is already looking positive compared to my last American misadventure that led to a seven-year long hiatus. I promise I will be careful though folks.

It still feels totally unreal being here - although this may be the jet lag, which is having an extra potent effect on me as Travis and his flatmate Chris don't sleep until around 3am - 9am to your folks back home and/or my body clock - and get up around 1pm. To say I'm monging out would be an understatement. I'm sure it won't take long for me to adjust, Travis and co will just have to cope with occasional episodes of absent staring on my part. Many people back home are, of course, entirely used to that regardless of jet lag.

What I have discovered so far: Americans haven't changed in at the seven years I've been gone. Oh, they do have mobile phones now though, which means like us back home they can no-longer organise a piss up in a brewery. And George Bush Jr - but we already knew about that guy didn't we. Nope, Americans are still kinda loud and they still don't do irony. I'm gonna save other observations for later when they are less like sweeping statements and more like carefully considered observations. I did however just discover that Americans don't just have drive-in movies, drive-through fast food and, of course, drive-by shooting. You can drive-through 'shop for beer', drive through 'post your mail' and god knows what else, but I'm certain more will follow - perhaps drive-through voting or drive-through strippers.

Speaking of which, there is a strip club called Expose just round the corner from Travis' place. Now I've never been to a strip club before, I don't really agree with them - scratch that, I disagree with them - but I have a strong suspicion I will end up there with Travis and his rag tag band of Austinites are some point or another. Chalk it up to experience I guess. Oh and the shooting range. I've been told now that I live in Texas I need to go fire some automatic weaponry. To be honest I don't know whether I more scared of the strip club or the gun club.

What I am excited about though is my first round of Disc Golf tomorrow. It's golf, but with frisbees. No, seriously. There is even a Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA). Five courses in Austin alone. Basically what we have here is the hippy equivalent of golf - so let's just call it that, Hippy Golf. Fantastic.

Here's a great little tidbit from Wiki:

Disc golf, in some form, has probably been played since the early 1900s. But the modern day disc golf started in the late 60's. George Sappenfield, a Californian, realized that golf would be a lot of fun if played with Frisbees

Travis gave me my own disc bag and a couple of frisbees for my first game, which is awesome (Chris and Travis have really done their best to make me feel at home). I know I sound glib (something else I not sure if Americans get), but I really am excited about tomorrow. I can't imagine anything that could be that much more fun on a lazy sunny day than wondering around a park with beer, a group of friends, throwing frisbees as far as possible. By the way, did I mention they have different discs for different throws. Drivers, putters, chippers, the works. Just take a read of the Wiki link. Hilarious.



Other than this I should mention the weather is great. Still got a massive sense of apprehension and definitely in fear of the cultural hurdles - I even feel awkward about ordering a coffee and doing something wrong (it's the accent - I'm doing my best to be stealthy). But nothing ventured nothing gained right?!?