Breaking the law, under code 697 ..

  Greensboro, Alabama
Tuesday, August 25, 2009

On telling people I was now on my way to Alabama- it was met with giggles and questions of 'Why?.. Did I really want to meet the 'inbred' of America?!'.. It seems many believe Alabama to be completley as it was portrayed in the film 'Deliverance' (oh Stuart, how I thought of you!)
Good or bad, I was completely up for it, because good or bad, its part of the adventure eh!?

So I arrived in Tuscaloosa and met chum Amanda Buck who I last saw singing karoake in that dogdy, toilet smelling basement in Bolivia, and her friend Megan who'd come along for the ride.
We dined in Tuscaloosa before heading back to Greensboro.. the black of night became darker and darker, street lights became fewer and further between and cars passing us diminished as we seemed to be driving away from any kind of civilisation. As we pulled up at the house, it DID feel like we were the only people in the world here.
On waking up in this lovely foresty area, it turns out to be one of the poorest places in America I have seen yet. We passed through the 'main' street which was one small parade of shops where virtually every shop window had white curtains hanging there.. I questioned why there were so many curtain shops(thinking it to be an odd but thriving business here in the South), but no, this was to signify all the local businesses that have closed down.. nearly every other one!
We had pancakes in a cafe reminscent of something from some of the poorer countries I have seen and then a wander up to the place Amanda is currently working. Her and her peers are here in a voluntary capacity for a business called 'Project M' which is running a local business called 'Pie- lab'.
It was super inspiring to see, this young group of proffessional graphic designers whose group had eventually come up with this pie idea.. a way of uniting the locals and inspiring them with conversation, charity and ideas..It was great to see but they do have such a task on their hands. It would appear the locals are quite resigned to the idea that things wont get better so its hard for these good hearted youngsters to change the world but at least they are doing something! I wish them all the luck in the world!

We left Greensboro and headed out to try and spy some crocodiles  at the stunning Perry Lakes with its still and eerie waters where the grey and white textured trees look like they have been drawn on,  then onto the  picturesque Cahaba River.  Once again in North America I was rafting down the river in those big inflatable doughnuts.  While the others chatted I was floating on mine like a dead person soaking up the beauty till I got tickled by a conversation. Now, one thing I have heard about out here are 'DUI's which are felonys a few people I know have gone to jail for - Driving Under the Influence of alcohol.. Turns out there is also something called an FUI and it would appear I am guilty of it! I have 'Floated Under the Influence' your honour, yes I have, for when I was rafting down the lazy river in Montana with Shaun and his chums I had a beer in hand..sometimes 3 as I had the cooler box and was in charge of distribution of said ale - So actually I have an FUI and also EUI (encouraging -under-influence)under my ever- expanding belt.. At first I thought it was a joke giggling at my peers, but the 3 serious (and slightly confused) faces informed that this is a fact.. So,you are now being written to by a criminal,a felon, a breaker of the law here in the USA.. I am a fugitive, a fugitive on the run last seen heading downstream on a getaway doughnut!
After we had done floating we went to a local diner for lunch which sold the BEST thing I have ever eaten in my life.. Deep fried jalapenos and battered dill pickles... omg- why hasnt this been done sooner???
One hour after the heavenly devil of lunch I didnt have enough saliva left to even lick a stamp, I was desperado for water and my tongue had gone white from all that salt.. but MAN, they were worth it!
Being Tuesday, it was 'Taco Tuesday' in the local Mexican of Greensboro, but after my years supply of salt in one lunch sitting, I couldnt eat a thing so just drank my way through their dinner.
All too soon i was leaving Greensboro, the place that 'Greenbo, Alabama' in Forrest Gump was based  on, the place famous for catfish , jazz, cotton mills  and soy beans, and the poorest place I have been to here in America! Next stop is New York City where my dear old folks are coming out to stay for 3 and a half weeks! This is the longest I will have stayed anywhere since I was on the boat in Brazil and I cant work out if I am more excited to my parents, or to hurl my 48lb backpack at their suitcase!

No, I do know which I am more excited about...
It'll be superb to rid myself of this extra weight ;) hee heeeee!

xx

for more info on the volunterring projects:
http://projectmlab.com
http://pielab.org
www.kickstarter.com/projects