Day two on the USA sales mission to Atlanta, Naples, Raleigh, and New York.
I love getting cabs in the USA. They always seem to be
driven by characters and if you can connect it's very rewarding. This time
after a long day travelling from the Lakes via Heathrow to Atlanta on a very
good new plane, a 777 operated by BA, the radio was tuned to an AM station and I
couldn't believe my ears. He was listening to My Word, an old BBC radio 4 show
with Dennis Norden, Frank Muir, Lady Antonia Fraser, and Dilys Powell. Only two
of them I think are still alive and it must have been made in the 70's. The
driver, originally from Nigeria, was obviously well educated, not because he
was listening to the programme, but because he was giving out answers to
questions like 'what's the difference between convince and persuade'. Go on,
look it up. I didn't know. Maybe he had been an English teacher. But we had a
laugh, and from his initial grumpy welcome to his cab world, we ended our
relationship with good chuckles and a bond brought to us by the BBC!
I've been visiting the States since 1980 and of course things have
changed. The last time I was in Atlanta was just before the Olympic games, and
the horrendous terrorist bombing on
July 27, 1996. Atlanta has developed phenomenally since then. I was given
a tour round town by an old friend, and it's very impressive. Passing the Coca
Cola headquarters and the their visitor centre, I remembered how we'd visited
it ourselves. Would we now? Sweet drinks, sodas, are getting a hammering
because of the diet problems, not just in the NHS at home but here too. Another
change has been the size of portions. OK, I've only eaten three meals so far
but the portions are noticeably smaller. I was taken to the best burger
restaurant in town - the same thing is happening in the UK - gourmet burgers
are in. But here they were seriously good. One even came with foie gras,
the Lux Burger. Controversial, and a long way from a BigMac.
Another change is the price of stuff. The exchange rate isn't great
it's true, which is why we are trying to encourage them to come to the UK and
get the Brits to stay domestic this year! I've always had a penchant for
American shirts and chinos, for one thing I could always get a bigger choice
that fitted my large frame and they would cheaper. But now it seems like there
are no bargains here anymore.
I'm staying at the Ritz Carlton, for $239 a night, which is roughly
£145, plus tax of course. Not much for a hotel of this quality. Plus tips.
Which will take it to about £190. Oh, and the wifi is $11 a day. I'm visiting
agents of course and one of the points I have to get across is that all these
things are included in our rates. 20% vat is a lot to absorb in a comparable
headline price.
Next
stop Florida, hopefully warmer than here. We even had unseasonable snow
flurries yesterday.
What the Press say
"The Linthwaite House Hotel was and is a wonderful place to say. But to me it will always mean home and the place where I grew up. My parents moved to Linthwaite when I was just three years old back in 1969 and turned what was then a private house into a hotel. . That was 11 years ago.. I tried to steer clear of making comparisons. But when every way you turned you were immediately transported back 20 years to your childhood, it wasn't easy. ... But what really swung it was the genuine warmth of the welcome - right from owner Mr Bevans through to the waiters and waitresses. ... It was a wonderful place to grow up. And it still is a great place to visit. .... It's just that next time I won't wait 11 years to go back." Back to her roots Emotional, but oh so pleasant by Helen Lee, The Blackpool Gazette, April 2001.
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What our Guests say
"Positives - gluten free! Very impressed with how well you have accomodated my partner - nothing removed from menu options. Service - staff really friendly and very helpful, nothing has been too much trouble. Food Excellent. Hotel was a nice mix of formal and informal. No negatives, had a great time and will happily recommend."MM, Gloucestershire, February 2012