USA: Comparisons and Overview

Speaking the same language makes visiting the US relatively easy. Well, nearly the same language, as the following selection of road signs illustrates. In the first one, standing means parking. All this is easy enough to work out except when you’re driving along and need instant comprehension.

This next one is my favourite. Beware, all you honkers!

We have some camping friends, Bob & Mavis, who are keen cyclists, and often bring a tandem down to Spain where we all meet up. Well, Bob & Mavis, let me tell you- everything is so much bigger here in the States!


Camping-wise, the average outfit is quite a lot bigger than in Europe. Our 25-foot motorhome is small compared to the typical units using the campsites we’ve stayed at in our eight weeks here. The biggest units are the bus conversions, as in the photo below. These are around 40 ft long, often towing a family car or 20 ft SUV. Notice also the slide-outs. Top-of-the-range prices: a staggering $1,750,000! I don’t think Cliff Richard’s ex-London Transport bus in Summer Holiday cost that much.

Type two are the fifth wheelers, very common here, and the biggest as big as the bus conversions. The towing vehicle is always a pickup truck mostly with the same 6 litre engine as powers our camper.

There are also caravans, but again much longer than UK/Euro standards, all twin axle, and towed by a similar truck to the fifth wheelers.

Can’t leave out all those beautifully turned out lorries that zoom past us on the highways (no special speed restrictions for trucks here). This is an example:


We have had a super time here in the Eastern US. It has all been better than anticipated: driving the rv, driving in general, the campsites, the friendliness of the Americans, and the diversity of the places to visit with their many sub-cultures.

And last but not least, we’ve had some lovely visits with Claire and family, so it would be most appropriate to finish with another family photo: