Things we shall miss about the USA -

• Shopping and some of the stores we have come to like such as Walmart, Ross, Borders, Yankee Candle Company and Barnes and Noble.
• Fast food chains Taco Bell (where else can you fill up on Mexican food from a 99c menu?), Dairy Queen for their 'Blizzard' sundaes in over 20 flavours.
• The choice of family dining restaurants and how affordable they are.
• Turning right on a red light.
• 90% of stores and supermarkets have restrooms unlike at home.
• Ice cream - amazing array of flavours including cheesecake, birthday cake, chocolate silk pie, Twix, Moose Tracks, Cookie dough etc etc
• Altoids - cool zingy sweets.
• Our Chevrolet minivan and having a vehicle with cruise control.
• Dr Pepper soda (well Beau shall miss it)
• Courteous people and courteous drivers - Americans as we have always found are so polite, friendly and hospitable -far more than Europeans. This really makes a difference when you are a stranger in town.
• So much diversity to be found in one country - the climate, people's accents and the scenery is so varied from one state to the next.
• The Spanish influence on American culture and just hearing the language spoken in so many places.
• Choice of TV channels and a few favourite programmes like 'Dog the Bounty Hunter', 'Criss Angel Mindfreak', 'Intervention' and of course the latest season of 'American Idol'!
• Geiko Insurance TV adverts - fun and clever.
• Polite store attendants including supermarket packers who address you by name, pack your groceries and offer to take them to your car - no tip required.
• Wildlife we have seen so often in parks or while driving such as deer, squirrels, chipmunks.