This time we flew via Atlanta, which means a very long stretch over the North Atlantic. As we approached the coastline I watched and waited for it to appear. There was nothing below us except spectacular clouds and the wild sea. After a while of contemplating this and viewing the map you can't help but think of the early explorers, edging towards this place with no knowledge of it's immensity. And then to come across it by accident? Blows your mind.
After an hour in Atlanta we flew to San Antonio. This city sprawls. As we came in to land you can see that it just goes on and on, block after block. There's so much desert they just keep on going.
Everything about Texas is on a different scale, the cars, religion, stetson hats, Pizzas, steaks, cocktails, and the ownership of hand guns!
On the first evening after an interesting mexican meal where I drank a pale mud brown cocktail that made me instantly tipsy, we popped, as you do, to the Alamo. This old fort, was once the domain of Davy Crockett and Sam Houston, a symbol of Texan defiance and now a museum. Sadly it was a bit of a massacre, but they still think no-end of the poor souls who died there. As a boy I remember watching Davy Crockett and singing his famous song. How bizarre to be there at the place of his demise.
The training was fun, tiring and interesting because the people were really warm and so hospitable! Lovely snacks at every break and nice lunches laid on. The input from the audience was very high and 2 days in we believed we had got to where we needed to with them all.
Jet lag was pretty severe - I didn't sleep a whole night for the entire trip, and evenings we were pretty bushed. On the second night we went for beer and pizza, not just any old pizza but a 42 incher - 2 of them!! with many different toppings. Very tasty, but I have to say it looked excessive - the immense left overs went back to the night shift at the sales centre - lucky them!
We also went for dinner at a nice place called Boudros where Marco the waiter whose voice literally sounded like Speedy Gonzalez, was very attentive - his line whenever you asked him for something was 'I'm gonna do that for you!' We then went to Howl at the Moon a place where musicians play hits in a scratch combo and everyone joins in, there is a mirror behind them that people pay to put messages on. For a short time these was a message about Bob Jeremy and Kirk - our new friend from Canada, which was, I suppose, an honour.
On the last night we ate with our clients in Bigas - a great restaurant with 'expensive' mushrooms - that's what they were called. And they were a bit expensive.
So is San Antonio the American Dream? Reasonable housing, nice beer(Negra Modelo is excellent), plenty of food, and a warm climate? As you fly across the US at night you see city after city sprawled before you and it is hard not to be impressed. The sign from the Christian Actors agency made me laugh - Actors and Models with Talent for Christ - that's where I went wrong! Should have gone to Texas!
When we go to the US we feel instantly at home; even in the Cowboy clothing shop where yes, I saw a real cowboy, in all the gear. We don't feel like tourists, thats the point. And any doubts we had about our training being misunderstood has completely gone. There is a large market in the US for us.
The final day of the training was emotional, as well as the tiredness and the friendships we had made we were also missing our families. However the flight home was seamless via Minneapolis and we are now back in snow bound blighty.
We are half way through January and the diary for 2013 is already filling up, we are very lucky. Where in the world shall we go next?
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