I traveled to Louisville Kentucky (SDF) from Manchester Aiport on US Airways (Airbus ) A330-300 (333)via Philadelphia on the 29th November 2006 for 6 weeks. I was so excitied and with the extra security I got to the airport early and had a coffee and ended up being the first person to check in. I had passport scanned and then numerious questions asked by a lady from the airlines security staff. Went into depatures and had a look at duty free shop and headed for the executive lounge. I had some breakfast and a few cans of guinness and waited to board the plane. I had a window seat and luckily a tv screen in the back of the seat where I watched numerous movies and had some beers at $5 each. Food was ok it was chicken and vegaetables in coach class and a ham sandwhich for a snack. 7 Hours later the plane landed in Philadelphia International Airport.

If you a smoker I found that 200 wacigarettes
s $26 on the plane and £26 in the duty free shop in Manchester Airport.

If your a smoker when you get off plane at Philadelphia and you have a connecting flight you have to leave the airport and go through security again and again due no smoking room in airport.

I had a connecting flight 6 hours later so I had to get my bags and go through customs and immigration.

Immigration and customs was fine in Philadelhia no problems not 1000s of questions asked like my first time to the states (when my ex girlfriends sisters worked at Heathrow and she was the one I gave the boarding card for my flight).

I then put my bags on the conveyor belt and went to explore the airport cause in Philadelphia Airport you can access every terminal. I also left the airport numerous times to smoke which was a pain.

I called my friend to let her know that I was in USA and said that storms where expected in Kentucky. I started to pray.

My next flight to Louisville Kentucky was slightly delayed. We got on the plane Embraer ERJ-145 (ER4) after waiting in the long line of planes to take off infront of us we took off on the runway.

For the next two hours was the worst flight of my life. The flight was very bumpy and all I could see out the window was clouds and he plane was shake shake shake. There was no communication from the cockpit for the duration of the flight to we was told that we would be landed in 20 mins. I was white and scared to be honest cause I have never experienced any bad turbulence on a flight and this was for two hours non stop. The plane went to land and I could see things from the window such as Mcdonalds and various food places. I thoght horray please land this plane as I was so nervous. Then I noticed we had gone up back in the air as I could see more clouds. I was oh my god oh my god. Eventually we did land the plane was still bumpy too we touched the ground. I was white as a sheet.

I got off plane and went to get my luggage and met my friend and her nephew.

If you wanna see what Kentucky is like watch the film Elizabethtown. I seen many places in that film I had been too.

So here I was 6 weeks in Kentucky USA. Im not going to write what I did everyday just the higlights of my trip.

I was in America for my birthday christmas and new year.

I visted Louisville the home of the Louisville Slugger base ball bat and seen the worlds largest baseball bat in the world.

I had fun in the science musuem Louisville too.

There is the Kentucky Derby Musuem there as well as The Mohammed Ali centre as he was born in Louisville.

I loved the skyline and crossed the ohio river into Indiana to take photos of Kentucky.

I stayed in a town called Shelbyville which is the American Saddlebreed Capital of the world and where Col Sanders wives house was. Its now a restaurant.

We did various trips to various country places and there is nice scenery.

Frankfort is the state capital of Kentucky and one of the smallest state capitals in America. We had a guided door rounf the state building and it was great. I got aload of free stuff from the governors office stickers and stuff and seen how things in Kentucky get done. The decisions and laws get made at the top foor and the people who have to enforce them are based on the bottom floor. Nice town too very historic.

My fav town was called La Grange I found an irish bar and resturant there in the historic district where the railway tracks runs through the centre of the town.

I had my photo taken with a state cop in Dunkin Donuts he was eatting a donut and drinking a coffee for the pose.

Everywhere I went in Kentucky the females loved my accent.

My favourite eatting places where as follows :p

Crackerbarrel the food was good and got an ego trip cause the two waitresses we always had loved my accent.

The Irish Rover la Grange interesting menu and good desserts.

Waffle House the American Little Chef to me but I loved there steaks.

Marks Feedstore Louisville they did the biggest and nicest rack of ribs ive ever had.

Hometown Buffet they did a carvery and steaks.

Pondarosa they did steaks and a buffet.

I did eat various burger chains too

I had Wendys but that was to greasy

Dairy Queen did not ice creams and was open 24 hours.

White Castle what an experience there burgers really do give you bad wind

Hardees they did nice burgers too.

But I was in Kentucky the home of KFC and how different the KFC was there. They do a KFC buffet no fries with the chicken and its mash potato biscuits and gravy.

I never did understand why they have biscuits (like scones) for breakfast.



What I liked about Kentucky was that every eatting place had a grade for hygene so everywhere I ate had a grade A.

I loved the service ego trips and free coke refills.

Shopping was great and I got some bargains.

I got a 30gb mp3 player for £100

Levis where £10 a pair

Wranglers £7.50

I got some good clothes and shirts that where cheap too.

I got my photos developed over in Kentucky because it was cheaper to do that over there.

I only seen two english people in Kentucky too one had been there for 30 years and I met a guy from England who worked in Walmart.

Im 29 male and I got carded (asked for id) for various things. My friend got a can or air from walmart and she got asked by the cashier for id and she never had any so the cashier asked me so I just said im english. She did not know what to say so she let me buy it.

I did get asked for id to get into a club and at the irish bar. I must look young I thought as I have been getting served for alcohol in England since I was 14.

American tv was interesting I was able to watch most premiership games live in England.

The Adverts where weird advertising anti depressants and over drugs on tv and adverts on in weird places.

For 5 weeks I kept getting into the wrong side of the car as I dont drive and kept going into the passenger seat in our country which is where there driving wheel is. I was getting it right to we watched Mrs Bucket on BBC America and then that habbit started again.

Christmas was interesting in America all of Jens family was there and I got Jen an engagement ring and hidden it in a box of pasta (jen hates pasta) for her christmas present and wrapped it up.

I brought her the a team season 5 on dvd the ring in a box of pasta which was wrapped up and a 3 stooges box set.

So come christmas day I tell jen to open the a team set as it was for me and I could see her face thinking whats he got me as I wanted the box set to finish my collection and it turned out she had got me the same present too as well as a portable dvd player which is multi regional too.

So next present jen opens is the box of pasta and she is like oh my god why has he got me this. Jens sister was like open the pasta box open the pasta box. So she did when I told her to and found the ring.

So I got engaged in America to an American girl.

Boxing day we had a bit of a BBQ cause the weather was mostly blue sky and quite warm for time of year.

Sadly on 15th January I had to leave Kentucky and come back to England.

I left Louisville after a very emotional goodbye for now on an Canadair CRJ (CRJ) to Philadelphia and guess what the flight was bumpy but this time I had been warned and did alot of research to why and how and felt alot conforatble.

On flying back I paid to be upgraded to Envoy Class on US Airways cause im 6f3 and not fan of coach class. It was bit more money but worth is cause as soon as I got on plane some of us got moved to the bed seats.

I was drinking champagne putting my feet up and eatting food on a plate watching films.

It was worth paying the money cause I don't know if Im going to ever fly Envoy class again.

So Jen has filed the fiance visa and im waiting for that to get sorted before I move to Kentucky.

Thanks for reading