The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Ok so I have been in the US for a month and half or so, well in Aspen which is more like a bubble of fairyland than anything else, but here are some of my impressions so far:

The Good:
1. The Rockies: these mountains are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen, and there is always something new to see and do.
2. Snowboarding: its just so cool
3. Ben & Jerry's ice cream: *drool
4. Starbucks coffee: espcially the caramel machiatto, its like eating a cookie
5. Cookies: these people know how to make them
6. The local Colorado people: super friendly and chilled, a pleasure to be around
7. Winter in a fairytale
8. No crime to speak of: leave door open, leave keys in car, while it's running to warm up for half and hour and its still there when you get back
9. Cheap clothes, shoes, sunglasses
10. Free local landline calls
11. Cheap international landline calls
12. The Winter X Games at the end of Jan - cant wait! Catch it on ESPN from 28-31 Jan
13. Free music concerts with awesome rock bands
14. No bank charges: unbelievably awesome!

The Bad:
1. The food generally available in the supermarket: fresh fuit and veggies are way overpriced and everything else has so much sugar in it its inedible, espacially the bread - yuck!
2. Eggs, bacon, pancakes and syrup on one plate: why?
3. Quote: "South Africa? Is that a state in Australia?"
4. Quote: "You from South Africa? Wow... *pause* Is is civilised where you are?" Civilised can mean anything from do you have running water to are you likely to get shot when you walk down the street?
5. US Postal Service: I find it ironic that they sponsored Lance Armstrong for so long...
6. They woke up the bears from their winter sleep after all the dynamiting and avalanche control, as well as all the fireworks: great just what we need, pissed off, cold bears who haven't had enough sleep walking around town
7. I'll say it again: MacDonald's. I refuse to go in there.
8. The bruises on my head, knees and lower back.... Mountain 1 Cat 0
9. US Mobile telecommunications: they just haven't figured it out yet, you have to pay to receive calls and sms's as well as send
10. Mexian illegal immigrants: there are a lot, and its not fair I have to pay so much to get here, I should just hop the border too... US economy would have trouble without them.

The Ugly:
1. Rivalry between SA and Aus among the seasonal visitors
2. Some of the people I have seen on the public busses to Glenwood Springs: no teeth, no hair, yellow eyes... I ran fast.
3. Some of the boarding accidents I have seen and/or expereinced: ouch!
4. American beer: I was going to put this in bad, but it's worse than that! BRING ON SAB!!!

posted by Cat Murray @ 02:25