September 13th Biloxi to Orange
Lovely evening on the beach in Biloxi

Not the most attractive of places and I may not look a million dollars in these pictures but I obviously seemed like a millionaire to the rather large woman who asked me for $12 so her husband and her could get a hotel for the night. 

I left my hotel the next morning (today) and was asked by one of the guys who had been hanging around the hotel if he could clean my bike for $10. Later that day I was also asked for a few dollars to buy some petrol. I really think there is a great deal of poverty or dysfunctional people in this part of the world. Every time I fill up at the petrol station, which is twice a day,  I see people with very little money, buying lottery tickets and fast food. Its sad. 

The day started hot again and I soon hit the highway but within 1/2 hr I could see dark clouds amassing ahead - weird to be surrounded by exquisite weather but moving towards something that looked like apocalypse now. I was in my let's try to keep cool clothes and there was nowhere on the motorway to stop in time. I didn't want to risk pulling up on the hard shoulder as the police are rigorous about enforcing the use of hard shoulder for emergencies only. Also a little rain was a nice thought in the 35 degree heat. When it came it came suddenly, in no time at all there was a deluge and the road was barely visible and the rainwater formed instant pools across the motorway. It felt like someone had poured their bathwater over me in one hit. Even though I was drenched, I was not cold. For twenty minutes I continued through this weather and eventually I could see lighter skies in the distance. Within 30 minutes of leaving this torrential rain I was completely dry.

As I travel westward it seems less humid, though the temperatures are the same. It could also be that I am getting used to the weather. The ride through Mississippi and Louisiana was very  similar, lots of swamps/mangroves and very flat. The highway must have cost a fortune to build  as it has long sections on stilts protruding from the said swamps.

I'm in Orange County which is just inside Texas and it is not that attractive.

I managed to arrive at this hotel just as another rainstorm arrived, I got wet but managed to miss the worse of it. After checking in and once the rain had cleared I headed to the local Motorcycle shop, hoping to buy some Scottoiler for my chain but also to get a mini service done before I go into Spanish speaking territory. Really just an oil change and filter as the bike is so new that I'm sure the current oil will have lots of debris from the initial running in period. The tyres are still good for a few thousand miles so perhaps in Mexico I will look to change them for the rest of the trip. Fortunately they managed to book me in first thing tomorrow, so I shouldn't waste much time. They were ever so helpful and wanted to know everything about where I'd come from and where I was going to. 

We take it for granted in Europe that other nationalities will be on our roads but so far in the States I have only seen one foreign plate and that was Canadian. I suppose that is why at every place I stop I get asked the same questions. Although they usually say after the initial questionning - Are you Australian? Followed by- I love your accent. I always intended to get out of the USA after a week as my reasoning was the cost, but I am really looking forward to Mexico and a different culture - the huge Malls, the proliferation of Fast Food places and out of town shopping appears to be a feature of every town, large or small. It is for this reason that I have just kept moving, there is no place that has grabbed me to want to stay longer and explore- excepting the Smokies. I'm also finding the food is sameish with few opportunities for fruit and vegetables. Managed to find a smashing salad in the petrol station near the hotel which I ate tonight.

Tomorrow I hope to come off the highway after Houston and take some minor roads towards the Mexican border. I want to take a less busy border crossing as I believe it may take some time. Kingsville is my anticipated stop for tomorrow night.