Tex-Mex Blat

After joining a new company, they have very kindly flown me to Austin, Texas for some training. The 12 hour flight-time means a connection through Atlanta, which is an airport that has to be seen to be believed ! - on the map I looked up on the internet it looks fairly small and that you could walk round the various concourses in a short space of time - In reality, each of the six concourses is connected by a driverless train  , and they must be a mile long each, and filled with every conceivable type of restaurant, snack bar, fashion boutique and newststand !!!

so, finally after a computer problem delayed me leaving Atlanta, as had a baggage system failure at Heathrow, I finally landed in Austin, at just about midnight local time. As it was $40 for a cab fare , and $38 to hire a compact car, and I had a free Sunday, I thought I'd hire a car.

After heading over to the Enterprise rent-a-car lot, I was showwn  a rather puny Hyundai, and after asking if they had anything more manly was told he could do this for the same price........Game on !.

Dodge RAM 4.8ltr Monster at Mansfield Dam

After a very protracted tour of Austins many intersections !, I abandoned the behemoth in the hotel car park, and hit the sack....only to wake up the next morning at 6.00am . After sampoling the hotels breakfast, I decided to try and find some real americana for some Cwoffee ! - Drove into the town center and  after a few wrong turns up one-way streets, hit Austin Java for a Cappacino and a 'Breakfast Taco' , whilst planning the blat out to Lake Travis.

Austin Java ......

Once again, not knowing the road system made the drive out eventful, and after utilising the excellent satnav feature on the I-Pod , the awesome Mansfield Dam came into view. I turned into road called Mansfield Dam Drive , and it looked like it would actually take me over the top of the dam, but it was not to be...the road exists , but has been fenced since 9/11 ! :(

Anyway, on to the next part of the tour, The Oasis restaurant, restaurant built into the hillside with many different seated decks over looking the lake. sitting at one of the bars, I met one of the locals, Danno, a 66 year old guy living at the lakeside, and keeping fit by daily jetski-ing !!!, a US flag banda wearing real character. One question he asked was if there was anywhere like Lake Travis in the UK........"well, we have the Lake District, but it doesn't hit 105 degrees everyday.and jetski-ing really isn't an option !"

Life is hard !

Looking down on the waterskiers,with a cold beer in your hand, you could argue the point that I'd discovered Nirvana !

I was almost sad to hand the car back , and made a note to rent the Camaro next time as I walked passed a gleaming row of them on the Hertz lot.