Unfortunately we only discovered the scooter hire place once most of the others had left, but nonetheless it was great fun taking them for a spin. Debbie and Steve had done this before, but I was something of a virgin at this biker lark. It was fairly easy to pick up once you got the hang of starting the damn things, and they were pretty zippy too, although I didn’t really care to push them to their limits. We were driving them around inside the hotel grounds so that later on I was chatting to some kids who asked whether I was “the guy with the bikes”. Not a bad rep to gain on my first day as a biker!

Having sorted details out with my parents, I have now managed to extend my trip for a further two weeks. The airline are charging me nearly $200 for the privilege, so this may well be the most expensive two weeks of my life given that’s the charge for simply existing here! Nonetheless, it will be great to spend more time with Jen, and I’ll be living with her, Jeff and Karleigh for a while, as well as probably taking another trip up to Monroe before I leave.

Stephen has nearly finished Fast Food Nation, a pretty a scathing book on the practices and secrets of the fast food corporations, as well as the health effects of this diet on the population. He has been reading this for much of the time we were out here, and has been quoting the more damning (sickening?) passages to us on a regular basis. The thing is, sickening as it may be to hear about, it’s often just cheaper and more convenient to eat fast food, so I don’t think it’s going to stop us at all…