Day 3
Today we woke up and went down to breakfast. It was going to be another busy day. After brekkie we went upstairs and packed our bags, we left the room for the last time and went downstairs. We left the hotel and waited out the front for the bus driver. Although we did have to wait outside standing in the cold until the bus driver came, he was 15 minutes late, during that time we saw Otis Spunkmeyer a cookie company with the slogan “Warm cookies are happiness” although the driver of the car did not seem so happy, its cookie time. We all trampled onto the bus (another luxury coach) and got ourselves comfortable for the drive. The drive was very interesting-great views back to New York as we came out of the tunnel below the Hudson River-after 40min we left the metro area- into semi rural and deciduous forests (looking almost dead in the fall) to Allentown Pennsylvania. Here we would go to David and Jennifer Campain’s house for thanks-giving lunch. While we waited for lunch the boys tried to play guitar hero, Cuan was beaten by Owen Campain (who is 9 years old) in ping pong it was 1500 to 0 (he was awarded most of these points for hitting Emmily in the head with the ball) and Telicia and Emmily caught up with the family. And we can’t forget that the girls got make-up and make-up brushes.(Jennifer is a professional make-up artist!) After a while lunch was ready, it was a feast fit for a king. Drinks included Egg Nog and Root Beer followed by the main meal. There was dark turkey and light turkey, beans, potato, sweet potato and marshmallows, biscuits ( which is bread, “those weird Americans”). We then got dessert, which was apple pie and pumpkin pie with cream and ice cream. Meanwhile Jennifer, Anna, Emmily and Telicia went off on a quest to Wegmens in search of twinkie bars. Then Hayden and his friends (Ethan and the other guy) came home and we talked to them about life in Australia and in America and twinkie bars “Life without twinkies, is like life without air” as Ethan said. There was a brief throw of a boomerang on the street followed by a group photo on the porch. We gave the Campain family a thank-you present and then we said good-bye and left. Everyone was so impressed with the whole experience- the wonderful generosity of our hosts; the chance to look at their lovely house (with no fences and immaculate streetscape); the chance to experience family life in USA. We were all really tired but before we fell asleep we sang Barbie Girl, Teenage Dirtbag, Lady Marmalade and Hot n’ Cold. Then one by one we fell asleep and didn’t wake up until we hit the capital. The drive to Washington was slowed by the misty rain and the heavy holiday traffic. We then checked into the HILTON! Another team meeting in Mr Roberts’ ‘suite’ and then we went out to dinner-found a nice food court in an even nicer Shopping Mall. Alex brought a new touch ipod (at half Perth prices), and Dee, Jess, James and Emmily found some cool lollies in the shape of lego blocks which actually go together. Kristen, Elysia , Callum and Co were into the digital store. When we came back Emmily went into her room only to get a call 2 minutes later from Anna to tell her that Telicia had broken the toilet( she maintains that she didn’t break it even though she did try and flush it with her foot) Tomorrow we’re doing a tour of the Smithsonian and the Washington Mall. By Emmily and Elysia.
