High and empty

There can't be many places whose elevation in feet is only just under 1000 times it's population:

Wamsmutter, WY: population 68, elevation 6700 feet.

Unwelcome?

Wyoming turns out to be a unwelcoming state. That is, it is so far the only state into which I have driven which has not had huge signs such as 'Wisconsin welcomes YOU', or 'Welcome to Montana!!' in crazy state-shaped signs across the highway. Maybe this is why it is the least populated state in the country...

Appointments

Yesterday I tried to make an appointment at the US embassy to renew my visa when I come back over in May. I thought I should do it whilst I was in the UK because, as many of you know, it used to be the case that you could only make the phone call from the UK. I will come back to this later. Anyhow, I tried to book an appointment for May, but was told I couldn't do this for another 3 weeks or so. I wonder if this is a similar hangup to that I've heard of in UK GP surgeries, where they have to be able to offer an appointment within n days, so they don't let you book them up in advance. Sillyness of the highest degree.

So, back to the phonecall. They have a new number now, that you can call from within the US. Gosh, how exciting, I hear you cry. Or not. The cost of the phonecall is a flat rate of $16. $16!!

Almost Untied

I'm not a big fan of unplanned, spontaneous travel, so when I was invited to interview on Tuesday for a fellowship at Oxford with less than a weeks notice my first instinct was not to go. But after persuasion by Mary and various others that it would be a good idea, I booked some flights for Sunday night.

I arrived at O'Hare in what I thought was plenty of time, but on check-in was told that 'seats would be assigned at the gate'. Having never experience an oversold flight before, at this point, I wasn't too worried. But at the gate, things became a little worrisome. If it wasn't for the fact that I had the interview on Tuesday morning I might have accepted their $600 voluntary bumping offer, but in the end I didn't get a seat until almost everyone else had boarded, and then in part due to the kindness of a Mr Roy Chubbs, who when I told him about my imminent interview offered to give up his seat for me. Thanks Roy!

In the end everything went smoothly, with a tidy 13.5 hour journey door to door. Now let's hope the jetlag doesn't affect the interview too much...

Words

Clearly, there are many difference between spoken American and spoken English. The following have recently come to my attention as words/phrases that Americans just don't understand:

1. 'It makes no odds whether...'

2. 'I'm just going to find out what the score is...' (Not in reference to any sort of sporting event.)

3. 'Fiddly'