Last days of our 6-month trip, and end of three weeks in the States. We’ve embraced the culture, fed ourselves on fast food, cruised the freeways in a Chevvy and been overcome with consumerism. Just too many temptations! Probably fuelled the economy out of deflation. Definitely bankrupted the budget. Oh well, back to reality all too soon. The US has been parks and cities. Theme parks, Disneyland and Universal Studios; National parks, Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite; and cities, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco. The kids loved Mickey and friends, and we did too. They met all their favourite characters, Ben saving his biggest hugs for Pooh Bear, Tigger [photo] and Eeyore. So sweet! The rides were fun, the atmosphere infectious, but the crowds big and queues long, over 2 hours for some by the day’s end. Easter break a time to avoid! After Easter Universal was our own and we did everything: we met Shrek, went back to the future, were attacked by Jaws [photo] and roared at by King Kong. It was great fun! At Universal Leala found out that life on TV and in films isn’t real, and Ben showed Spiderman his new flashing Spiderman shoes. For natural wonder, Jill was blown away with the Grand Canyon [photo], and wanted to go again, whilst on the unnatural side she recoiled at the lurid strip of Las Vegas [photo]. For me I loved the natural fun, snowballing and sledding a surfboard in Sequoia amongst the world’s biggest trees [photo]. Also the compulsively entertaining talk about bears by Ranger Shelton Johnson in Yosemite.