As a Brit, I have travelled to all four corners of America, and many of the bits inbetween, and I love the place and the people. I don't want to *be* American, thank you, as I'm quite happy being British, but I love you like brothers and sisters. When I laugh at the American way of doing things, as I guess you do to us, I do do so affectionately... and I guess you do the same to us.

Being there has made me understand many things about some attitudes, what Mudlark quite rightly called 'surprisingly insular' attutudes - for example, in one central place which seemed to be a thousand miles from the sea in every direction, I suddenly realised exactly why everyone there had little concept of foreign countries, or the sheer size of Russia or China. And why one guy even asked me where England was... when I realised that his state line was about a day's drive in each direction, I understood.

Quite seriously, Amos, may I tell you what travelling in America, partucularly Texas and Arizona and through the southern States, has done for me? It taught me to appreciate politeness. That's something many of us have completely lost.

To say that you lot are brothers and sisters is more than just words. You're a very fine bunch of human beings.

All the best - Ian B