My wife and I spent three weeks in the US in the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming and were really impressed by the politeness and friendliness of the Americans. Everywhere we went, especially in the Dakotas people were chatty and wanted to know about our trip and often asked questions about Britain. They were polite, very helpful and never made us feel like w were a pain in the arse - which i felt we might have been once or twice.

For instance, after a week digging dinosaurs in the North Dakota/Montana badlands we went into a small bar in a badlands town (pop 140). The second we went in we were offered a beer each by a chap we'd never met who was stood at the bar. By the end of the evening we'd made new friends and I chatted to one chap who had a fascinating story to tell, although in truth he look a tad rum. Just goes to show what they say about appearances is true.

I enjoy chatting to people, and everyone has a story and in the US I could indulge this habit with the wonderful people we found there - even in Chicago we chatted to a nice couple in a piano bar and agreed that left to ordinary people, the world would be a better place.