CATCOUK returns!

Well hello there!

Just when you thought it was safe to get back into the water... err... I mean Internet. Oh, I ballsed that up. Never minid.

So, having not made a real post in three weeks (or is it four - well none in August any how), you'd think I'd have alot to say. And I suppose that alot of stuff has happenned. Well, going all the way back, the first stuff you missed out on, we our epic trip to Washington, D.C. I say our trip, as my friend Jordan kindly agreed to come with me, and that gave us a Jeep to use. And not just any Jeep, but a Jeep with a manual gearbox (thank the gods...).

After a 4 and a half hour drive (it wasn't me who drove most of the way), we eventually arrived near Washington. Now, being so close, I had to travel the extra 20 miles, and visit the big hangar, that's part of the (American) National Air and Space Museum. Jordan wanted to see the (American) National Gallery, so he jopped on a 'Metro' train (like a subway), whilst he lent me his Jeep. The hangar was amazing - I stood next to a Space Shuttle and everything (as a Star Trek fan, it was also pretty cool that the Space Shuttle they have is the Enterprise...)! It was cool. To boldly go...? The NASA prototype Space Shuttle - the Enterprise.

After a flying visit of the place, I jumped back into the Jeep, and headed for the Metro station. Although the US may have cheaper fuel, it doesn't last any longer. So naturally, the fuel light came on. And the needle dropped quickly afterwards. Bugger. So I pulled off of Route 66 (is that another tick in the book? - I've driven on Route 66), and found a 'gas station'. After several attempts, I was unable to make the pump work. So I stumbled into the shop like a buffoon to concede defeat.

As it turned out, I had to pre-pay. So I did, and returned to fill the car. I lifted the nozzle, and again nothing happened. I looked at the screen for instructions - 'Lift flap to select fuel'. Oh dear. I spent the next 5 minutes looking for the mythical flap of which it spoke, only to be left (ha ha ha) confused once more. So for the second time, I moped into see the lady cashier to fly my white flag. Just so that you know (put this in the US survival book), the flap was the cradle that the pump nozzle sat in.
Eventually I arrived in the center of D.C. And it was fantastic! Washington was so clean. I think the good weather helped. My first glimpse of the place, was from an escalator, ascending to street level. And it was outside in the open! Not like our Tube escalators that are all inside. It just felt cool. I made my way straight to the other Air and Space museum on the (American) 'National Mall'. What's with all the Air and Space stuff I hear you cry. Well, I'll confess, that visiting the place has been a life time dream for me. It's one small step for man, one pain in the arse photo for me!

And one of the reasons for that life long dream, is that the original model Enterprise from Star Trek is supposed to be there. So I wandered around the museum, saw a moon lander (which was cool) stood next to a model aircraft carrier (and yes, that remarkably too, was the Enterprise), and saw lots of other cool stuff. By the way, all of these photographs were a pain. Jordan was at the gallery, so I had to take all of them myself. But after 90 minutes, no sign of the Enterprise (the Star Trek thing, not the aircraft carrier). Dejected, I went into the gift store to look for suprise suprise - gifts.

Okay, so I admit to being a cheapskate at this point (but I was working voluntarily for three months). I noticed the gift store had a bargin basement - that's right, a clearance section. So down I went, sifted throught the clearance items (to no avail by the way), and what should I find at the back of this basement? The original USS Enterprise. Sign of the times I suppose, the most iconic model in the history of Star Trek, is at the very back of the bargin basement, in the gift shop of the Air and Space museum. Marvellous. All I ask is a Tall Ship, and a cheap gift to steer her buy...

After the museum, I went to the Capitol building (thing big white domed US building) to meet up with Jordan. From there we went around the US capital city, and 'saw the sights' (or as I put in my staff time off request - 'General Tourist Behaviour'). The whitehouse is alot smaller than you would think by the way. After a fantastic evening, we made our way back to the car, and onwards to Pennsylvannia. I asked if I could drive the longer leg back through the state of Delaware, and Jordan agreed. So, we swapped over in a service station in Maryland, and on I drove.

As I side note, I have now driven in four US states: New Jersey, Pennsylvannia, Delaware, and Virginia (that's where the Space Shuttle was).

Coming to the end of our I-95 leg in PA (the US's answer to the M1), and it is 1230 midnight. I'm cruising along at usual motorway speeds, and a little bit tired. I'm okay to drive, but I'm almost on automatic pilot. You have to realise that US Speed limits are alot lower that in the UK, and I was doing 70ish. The speed limit was 55. I look in my rear view mirror, and I notice a set of headlights. A set of headlights that look suspisiously like they belong to a 'Crown Victoria' (the standard US police car). Bugger. After changing lanes, and the lights staying glued to my backside, some red and blue ones go off.

The question is - did I run, and make it into America's scariest police chases? Did I stop and get arrested, thus spending a night in jail with a 400lbs sweating bank robber? Did I get deported? Who knows. You'll have to wait until next week's thrilling installment to find out...

If you hate it when I write two part posts, why not leave a comment saying that you could have read more before you fell asleep with boredom.

If you have already fallen asleep, why not leave a comment when you wake up, saying how long you were asleep for.

Quote of the... er... Month?: 'How do you plead' asked the magistrate of me. Honestly, I had to attend a Court hearing and plead. Woops.