The National parks, here in California at least, are amazingly set up for visitation. With the volume of people flowing through they have to be. Of the two parks I have visited there is a village life about them with shops and all levels of accommodation available. They even cater for the huge RV vehicles (camper vans) that are popular here. The information centers and interpretive signage in the field are very good and you would have to be completely blind to come away from these places and not learn something about the significance of the surroundings. And going by the huge numbers of people coming through these places, the information must be getting out there.
I leave the Giant Sequoias via bus to Versalia, a town close by. On the bus are a young family from San Diego, on holidays. Tod gets three weeks of annual leave. He has worked up to this privilege, two weeks is the average annual leave in America! They hired an RV van privately on Craigs List (a popular Internet trading website). Some people who buy these huge RV vans at great expense then hire them out privately when they’re not using them. Tod works for a commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning company that has survived the economic down turn. He used to run a charter fishing boat but then the family came along. They despair at where America is right now and are aware of the mess they are in but are thankful they haven’t lost their job. They voted for Obama and still think he is the best there is but believe that no matter who is in the top job, it is the political system that is stuffed. The damage done by previous administrations is overwhelming and unmanageable by the current way the countries administration functions. The whole political ‘system’ is buggered and I think they might be right. Although logic suggests if the ‘system’ got them into this mess, it should be able to get them out? I don’t know. They see their kids education being impacted on by funding cutbacks but the limitless spending on international interests goes on. The summer school holidays lasted for three and a half months (slightly longer than usual) this year as the public schools closed early because they ran out of money. The break will be even longer next year for the same reason. School for them starts on 5 September. Tod and his wife joke about singing ‘the happiest day of the year’ song for then but the kids don’t get the joke! Perhaps they will when they start having children of their own. They admit to being proud Americans but are frustrated by ‘the system’ and concerned for their children’s education. They will do their best to ride this mess out.
Also on the bus is a young American from the east coast who is traveling around the USA after finishing his Psychology degree. He admits to studying psychology to find out more about himself than to make a career out of it, but if a job comes along he might take it. I suspect most of the psychology students at JCU are studying it for the same reason. He too is frustrated by a system that advantages the rich and the poor get poorer. He sees that this is socially unsustainable and he is going to have some fun while he can. For a young guy he seems well aware of what’s happening around him, which is refreshing to see. Hopefully there are plenty more like him and that they bother to vote.
Americans like to talk about themselves. The slightest prompts will bring on life stories, which is fine for me because I am interested in their lives and how they live. I don’t think Australians would be so forthcoming.
There is an elderly retired couple on the bus from Versalia. They have lived here all their lives and can explain to us what we are seeing through the windows.
I will stay in Versalia for two nights to organise the next leg of my trip. I’ve booked three nights in a Las Vegas casino. Can you imagine the culture shock – from the beauty and wonder of giant sequoias and snow capped rugged mountains to the chaos and decadence of casino town. Surely it has to be the most bizarre place America has to offer and that is why I must go there. From sublime beauty to crass ugliness! How far can I push myself!
angusmccoll 