Last day so just sitting in central park, enjoying the beautiful sunshine, watching the fun runners and reflecting on my trip. I`ve visited 13 states, plus the District of Columbia, slept in 25 rooms and driven 4500 miles, which is more than enough to get me home if there was a bridge long enough. So it`s been quite a journey. I won`t miss traffic lights which stay on red forever, groups of American school kids or the rabid ranting on talk radio and Fox News. But I will miss the wonderful countryside, the bustling cities and the friendly people. And so much of the country still to explore. I must sort out some leave when I get back.

Caught the subway downtown. Walked around Ground Zero to see if much has changed. The actual site still looks much as it did 18 months ago, but I`m sure a lot has been done out of sight. It`s still a massive hole in the ground, about 8 stories deep. The is a memorial museum now with some moving exhibits. Lots of personal stories which bring home how some families suffered. Walked over the Brooklyn bridge for some stunning views of Manhattan and wandered around wall street and Battery Park. This evening went up to the viewing platform at the top of the Rockafella building. Amazing view of the whole city lit up like the Rockafella Christmas tree.

Dumped my car at Newark Airport and got the train in the city. Very glad I did and that I didn`t attempt to drive in. I had forgotten how mad this city is. After my weeks of a relaxing tour around the country, coming into the city makes you feel much as a soap bubble feels in a washing machine. Great vibe though. The sun has been out all day but it`s bitterly cold. When the weather man said this morning the wind chill would make it feel like zero degrees I thought that`s not to bad. I forgot they all still work in Fahrenheit. So it`s pretty icy. The sort of cold that makes it hard to breathe. I had to pop to Macys for some warmer clothing. The weather didn`t detour all the skaters on the Rockefeller plaza.

My last day with the car so travelled up through New Jersey to Newark. I won`t miss American drivers, who constantly hog the middle lane and all drive with a mobile phone attached to their head. Dropped in on Atlantic City on the way for a walk along the boardwalk. Despite being the low season, it was heaving with people. It was a beautiful day so I suppose that helped. The whole place is a bit like a film set with theamed casinos everywhere. From there passed through Princeton, which is mostly University. Very like Oxford. Just seen on TV that Queens Park has been hit by a tornado. I hope I have a home to return to.

Drove across the 17mile Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel which stretches across the mouth of the massive Chesapeake Bay. Lots of warships around going into Norfolk Naval base. When I was halfway across a plane dumped loads of parachutists into the ocean. I presume it was an exercise. Either that or the US was being invaded. From there travelled, via Ocean city, into Delaware, and to the coastal town of Lewes, in Sussex county. So I felt quite at home. Incidentally, the only news from the UK that I`ve seen on US TV involved a fireworks fire in Lewes. Walked around the town for a while before catching the ferry over to Cape May in New Jersey, which is very nice, but closed.

Travelled along the Albemarle coast highway to reach the outer islands on the edge of the Atlantic, home of two historic sights. The first was Fort Raleigh on Roanoke island, sight of the first English settlement on the American mainland. Named after Sir Walter, who supported it, the colony only lasted a few years before disappearing into history. No one knows what happened to the 108 settlers. The other site was at Kitty Hawk, location of the 1903 first powered flight. There`s a memorial to the Wright brothers and markers to show how far they got. Now in Virginia beach in a great motel with a lovely balcony over looking the ocean. Trouble it`s zero outside.

Spending my second night in North Carolina, although three weeks ago I was in the mountains and this time I`m at the coast. In Washington to be exact, after a long drive up from Charleston. Stopped at myrtle beach on the way, which was a dump, and New Bern, which was a delight. A lovely position on the river with parks and gardens. Arrived to late to tour the old royal governors palace but had a good look around the town. Christmas decorations everywhere, they don`t do these things by half. Passed one house which had an entire field covered with various animals made out of fairy lights. The electric bill must be frightening.

ontinued heading up the coast, doing a state a day on the way to New York. The storms that have been savaging the mid west finally reached here. thankfully not depositing the snow and ice they dumped on St Louis, but bringing rain and cold. Took refuge at Middleton Place, which has the oldest formal garden in North America as well as the tomb of one of the signatories to the declaration of independence. Lovely gardens full of birds. The Alligators were all hiding though. Travelled into Charleston, which has a wonderful position on a peninsula between two rivers. It looked pretty good in the rain, hoping the sun will appear tomorrow so I can see it in all its glory.

Drove along the Georgia coast, across the salt marshes, from Brunswick to Savannah, a gorgeous city full of historic buildings, alongside the Savannah river. Today was obviously the best day for Christmas parades, as I managed to catch two. First one was in Brunswick which I stumbled across this morning. Reminded me of the Heathfield carnivals we used to see. Same range of bank managers dressed up as clowns etc. More majorettes in this one though. And I don`t remember local celebrities beings honoured, such as Marti Tatch, elementary school teacher of the year. She got her own float. Second was here in Savannah this evening. It was a lighted procession, so a golden day for retailers of fairy lights.

New month, new State as I have entered "the historic state of Georgia, home of the 1996 Olympic games". At least that`s what it says on all the road signs as you enter the state. Obviously was a big thing in these parts. On the way up stopped at St Augustine, which in 1565 became the first European village established in the new world. Lots of old buildings full of history, and a wonderful old fort built by the Spanish settlers to protect the village from English pirates. There was a demonstration of a real cannon firing which sent the school groups into fits of ecstasy. Americans love a big bang.