Bakersfield is probably famous for some things...

...none spring instantly to mind... Saturday was actually the one day of the trip thusfar I would describe as a bit of a nothing day, we tried to shop a bit and do those sorts of travel things we are desperately not good at, mostly failing. We tried to buy some car parts which again proved elusive. We drove around Bakersfield a bit and by the time we were done and it was time to find the next town, it was actually late afternoon. Since we were really just avoiding LA we decided there wasn't much point going further afield for no reason, and we may as well stay put. If order to make up for the additional and exorbitant money ($12 or so) spent on accom the night before we looked around and checked in to another... I will be charitable here and say 'less reputable' establishment near the southern freeway... Actually there was nothing majorly wrong with the place really, just the clientele once again...

So that makes for a pretty boring story so I should really take the opportunity to have a rant about something or other... What else has America done lately.... Ok, food - 

Wins -

- Twinkies are still Twinkies... Bless... The big bags of Hostess mini donuts are also approved...

- Bacon jerky

- Carls Jr... Actually a win... Caramel and sea salt shakes, hells yeah... Philly cheesesteak burgers and having Mexican food in some outlets, also win

- Taco Bell, winning on variety... However... What is up with that pathetic 'hot' sauce?? The hottest one of the four on offer is still lame as all hell!

- In N Out Burger, which we finally made it to in Bakersfield... Still so good. Note: I didn't realise this and didn't get to try it, but you can order onion fries, and they melt cheese all over your fries and then cover them in cooked onion and their special burger sauce... Looked SO good

- Old fashioned lemonade, always good

- FatBurger... Terribly, badly good

Fails -

- McDonald's, Burger King (except for cool drinks machine), Pizza Hut... Boring as hell... No exotic overseas selections on the menu

- American Asian food

- hot American coffee

- cold American coffee and the lack thereof

- every gas station only having Starbucks bottled cold coffee... This is a Starbucks-free trip, which usually means going without altogether... Which is not easy

- American steak... Including the Outback Steakhouse (Australian themed anything - fail) you see everywhere... Steak is not meant to be skin-coloured inside and out and completely flavourless, I don't give a crap how supposedly tender it is... If I wanted tender and crap tasting I would eat tofu... Outback is passable I guess, if you are hanging out, but compared to home... Meh

- American beer.... Could it BE any worse????

- American dairy, obviously

Judgement Reserved - 

- Arby's... Undecided... Different... Maybe good, would need more

Health-wise of course American food is just appalling but that goes without saying. And there are still heeeeaps of franchises I have not yet made it to, annoyingly. Some are harder to find when you want them. At this rate will need to plan another trip just to eat more. 

What else can I rip on.... Oh yeah, tattoos!! Once upon a time in America, like most places, tattoos were kind of edgy and alternative. Even when they were common as back home, over here tattoos were still a little bit out-there for a lot of people... Now, probably thanks to recent TV, they are common as dirt. Every soccer mom and hipster and obese hillbilly has a bunch. Whole families are all tatted up... Now you guys know how much I love good tattoos, and I guess everyone thinks theirs is 'good' and unique and special, but bad tattoo spotting is pretty much a full time pastime around here. Annoying. 

Not being able to bring guns home sucks!! Nuff said.

That's all that springs to mind just now... There will be more to break down before the end no doubt...