Through Tampa on the way to Louisiana
Trip Start
May 23, 1982
1
18
74
Trip End
Ongoing
Tampa,
Florida,
United States
Sunday, February 15, 1987
Apparently the stereotype American that is expected by the average stereotypical Australian is one of a loud, rude and arrogant person. Southerners are often portrayed as backwards and a few pieces short of the whole puzzle, but our experience certainly quelled the rumours.
Throughout our journey in the US we stopped at many a roadhouse and diner to eat or rest between locations and in every one it was filled with some of the nicest people you would hope to meet on holiday. I say that this was a holiday more than a journey because it was more on the commercial side of travelling. Everything cost money and we never experienced any culture that was far removed from our own, but that was the beauty of the states. This slight skew on our familiar western culture was indeed fascinating and it was nice to find out just how alike and how different we really are when most westerners seem to be trying to mimic some sort of American Dream.
I was always a quiet child and people often told me that I was cute - whether that is true or not made little difference to how I was received at the roadhouses and diners that we so often stopped at. All the waitresses and locals were extremely nice to us, and not in a superficial "I'm working for tips" way, they were just genuinely nice people. Of course I was spoiled by everyone as I tagged along through this commercial wonderland, but I didn't mind all that much.
I could handle it =)
