Yee-ha!

Howdy y'all

We have just left Texas, and it's been quite a week in the heart of the US of A. Very unlike the west coast, but it almost feels 'more' American.

We left San Diego's lovely sunny climate to arrive in San Antonio - and cold, rainy weather. Not very Texas you might think, and you'd be right. It was their first rain in 9 months or so and it was 'much-needed' according to the cabbie - not by us though! Things quickly heated up with our Mexican food in Pico de Gallo, accompanied by a Mariachi band...

The next day, it was still rainy and cold, but we remembered to see the Alamo. Davy Crockett really is a hero there, they display everything from his gun to his toothbrush. We then watched them dye the Riverwalk green to celebrate St Patricks Day - before we did the same. A few Guinnesses and green beers later, we joined in the sing-song in the Irish piano pub Durty Nelly's and thought we'd check out the Mad Dogs 'British Pub'. Red phoneboxes, a clock displaying the time in Glasgow and waitresses in very short tartan skirts made us feel we were at home in London. The drunk girl who insisted on grinding all over Elizabeth was our cue to go back to our motel...

By the way, men in San Antonio all have two things in common - they all have moustaches, and they all wear cowboy hats and boots without irony.

After another day in the Mexican Market Square and more Riverwalk-based drinking, it was time to go to the Mayan Dude Ranch in Bandera - and become a cowboy! As soon as Greg (one of the very friendly 53 members of the Hicks family who run the ranch) dropped us at the ranch, we were climbing onto horses and trotting around the grounds. I must add I was worried about riding a horse - they're a lot bigger than me and who really knows whether they enjoy carrying people on their backs?

Anyway, the sun came out in a big way and we had a great time there - whether it was sitting on a longhorn (that's a type of bull, not sexual innuendo), shooting BB guns, Liz thrashing me at ping pong or enjoying the complimentary beers in the saloon. We even had our own little cabin with saloon doors - it's just a shame we were woken up at 4.30am by a bloody rooster!

Me walkin' like John Wayne after riding my horsey...

It was then time to get the Greyhound to Austin - and our Super 8 motel. On Interstate 5, junction 237B. Yes, we were out in the sticks a bit with just a motorway and other motels for company. Luckily, we found out the next day, it was 2o minutes to get downtown...

As well as sunning ourselves in temperatures that would signify a heatwave in Britain, and looking around the very interesting Bob Bullock Story of Texas museum (really, it was very interesting, trust me - there was stuff about cowboys and indians, civil wars, all sorts) and the Texas State Capitol, we were lucky enough to time our visit with the SXSW music festival. The city's unoffical motto is 'Keep Austin Weird' and this festival did that.

Japanese soft rockers, a man with a snake, bands spontaneously performing in the street, two men with signs offering free hugs and not a single functioning toilet were just some of the sights on E 6th Street this week. As well as hopping in and out of bars, we caught a cool Canadian band called The Nods, a hip hop fusion outfit called Mike Truth and the Replacement Killers, ex-WWE Women's Champion Lita's band The Luchagors and one of the worst metal bands ever to perform.

Anyway, after a week full of Lone Star Beer and gun slingin', we left Austin - and even saw Mark Henry, the World's Strongest Man, at the airport. But he looked too mean to say hello to, so we just sat behind him in the sports bar looking at his arms... And now we're in New Orleans - and we'll be sure to let you know what happens on the infamous Bourbon Street...