Epilogue: I'm back in the USA!

"Welcome Home," were the words spoken to me by the customs officer at LAX. And, indeed, there is no place like home. The US may have its problems, but the rest of the world seems to copy what we are doing. In every city, there was a Westfield Mall, McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Happy Jack's (their name for Burger King), all of the major accounting firms such as Ernst, Deloitte, and Price. They are all suffering the recession. Housing prices are through the roof, and people have much personal debt.

Each working taxpayer was given stimulus money to spend just like us. Unemployment does not seem to be as high there, and their health care is in better shape in the sense that they do not cow tow to pharmacutical or insurance companies...the government dictates what is to be paid.....end of story.

It is great seeing another part of the world, but it would have been even better to have all of my family and friends there to experience the same because no matter how I try to explain in either words or pictures just being there is what makes a diffence in understanding what I am trying to get across.

Thanks to all of you for following along. I appreciated your support. And I really enjoyed the comments which many times made me laugh and feel close to home. Thanks also to my traveling companion Elaine as well as the rest of the tour group who made the trip fun and entertaining.

So as I start unpacking and washing clothes and putting things away, I came to realize that I not only live in the best location in the nation..but the best location in the world. Cleveland has its problems, but it does not appreciate what it has. It has affordable housing, world class medical care, world class orchestra, the "Emerald Necklace" ..our metroparks which links one end of our community to the other, three pro sports teams (although they are not rugby, soccer, or cricket), public education as well as many colleges and universities close by, entertainment venues like Playhouse Square, Blossom, IX center to name a few, Lake Erie (a major fresh water supply), and reasonable costs of food and other products.

As I end this odyssey from down under, I continue on my journey with one foot in front of the other. I think I would do better walking than driving a car...just ask anyone who has driven with me!!! I know Joe wasn't with me physically, but I hope he enjoyed the ride in spirit and will continue on with me.