Day 3 - Fresno

Thelma in all her glory
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Well, I have made it to Fresno all by myself! I woke up hideously early again today and had a minor crisis when my laptop decided to get sick. For some reason it refused to charge which meant that I fell into a compete state of crisis and depression which was only solved by a phonecall home and reassurance that the world would not end if my laptop would not work for a bit. It is charging again now but I am going to take it to the apple doctor tomorrow in Fresno and fingers crossed that I won’t have to leave it behind to get fixed. Despite this potential setback I returned to the airport to collect my car. There was a bit of a queue to get to the desk to sort out my car but by listening to the others also waiting you would have thought that we were going to be waiting all day. It took no more than 20 minutes but at least 6 people around me were making irate calls on their mobiles stating that they were going to be in the queue for at least an hour and a half and how ridiculous it was and how it ruined all their plans etc etc. I do believe that the stereotype that Brits like to queue may be modified to the fact that Brits queue so much that they know exactly how long a queue will take and do not whinge and exaggerate when stuck in one. Anyway, I was soon united with Thelma. And how beautiful she is too. Then began the journey to Fresno. One thing about picking up a car at the airport is that you have absolutely no time to get used to it (and the fact it is left hand drive, and on the wrong side of the road, and automatic, and a lot bigger than a mini) before you get shoved on a very busy motorway. Mmm… The first 45 minutes were rather stressful as I ended up getting slightly lost round San Francisco and nearly ended up going over the Golden Gate Bridge which would have been very pretty but completely the wrong direction. Also have discovered that US drivers do not like giving way to people cutting across lanes and also that there are only signposts for exits on freeways right by the exit so you have no time to prepare for it. However, once you have got used to this it is ok. After getting lost I then put my faith in the SatNav and soon got back on the right track. I travelled through some really pretty hilly countryside with some old school ranches which was quite cool, but then it got flat. And boring. In fact so boring that the people who come up with road names obviously got so comatosed by the lack of anything interesting that the roads crossing Highway 99 which I was travelling on were simply named ‘Road 4’, ‘Road 5’ etc, and strangely enough ‘Road 15 3/4’. There was no Road 15, or 15 1/4 or 15 1/2. They obviously know how to entertain themselves! I then tried the radio to alleviate the boredom of the scenery. Every 3rd station was some Christian station. I was fairly entertained by them for a while – my favourite track being ‘Blessed is He’, but found that instead of uplifting me and giving me some kind of spiritual insight etc etc I ended up getting a bit depressed and morose. I changed to 80’s soft rock and after singing along to Bette Midler and ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ was soon in much better spirits. I arrived in Fresno early this evening and found my Motel which I booked yesterday. I was rather concerned that it was going to be a rat filled hovel as it is only £22 a night but, apart from the lack of internet, so far it seems fine and clean. There is a large supermarket a couple of doors down so I ventured to buy some dinner and also have discovered that they sell 5 litre bottles of water for $2 so I shall be stocking up tomorrow before I venture into the desert – so you don’t have to panic too much! However, I don’t think it will be much hotter than here as at 7.30pm it is still 40 degrees – mmm tasty!!! I have turned on the TV for the first time since arriving in the States and have found Shrek 2 on HBO – my evening is now sorted! Until tomorrow amigos…

Sign outside my Motel - rude but funny!!
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Distance travelled today – 211 miles.

Distance travelled today - 211 miles

Bearwatch – 0. Too toasty hot for them in their furry coats.