The previous weekend we decided to visit Philadelphia by train (getting to and from the train station here is a battle in itself). It ended up raining alarming amounts. Philadelphia is the 6th largest US city, and on a nice day seems a great place to explore – in the rain it’s a pain to get about. I plan to return soon!

I’m currently unable to drive. My UK licence is only valid in Delaware for 60 days (even though it’s valid for a year in neighbouring states). Worse, you can’t register a car (which you must do when you buy it) without a US licence and insurance. To apply for a US licence you must sit a theory test, receive a learners permit (and you then can’t drive with a UK licence, so need a passenger over 21 with a US licence), and then take a practical test (no booking, you just turn up very early morning for a slot that day). Practically, you can’t take the test in an instructor’s car as you don’t know when it will be, but if you bring your own car you’ll need a passenger to be able to drive it there. You also can’t apply for a licence (or even open a bank account) until you have an SSN, which I still don’t have. Even if this is all completed, insurance is extremely expensive and all cars are huge (a 2.0 l car seems the smallest).

As you’ve probably noticed, I’m not able to discuss my work. Sorry about that…