Day 4 in Tennessee

Yep, that in itself is a bizarre thought.
Still savouring the joy of that first Bucks Fizz on the Virgin flight, taking off and knowing America was just around the corner.
Landing in an incredibly polite Atlanta with the fastest immigration system ever (look and learn Miami!) – more 'welcome to Atlanta, ma'am' than you can believe.
Drove to the Smokies, rode a horse through a little river and up a small mountain with the incomprehensible Dalston, a blond 20 year old with a corking North Carolina accent. No sign of the black bears, luckily, just a small deer.
Heard England beat Wales 2-1, an extra cherry on the Smokies cake.
Drove north to Gatlinburg – Tennessee's answer to Blackpool, albeit with 104 degree super heat.
Had the best ribs ever at a Calhoun's – mmmmmmmmm, now we're in the US.
Onwards to Pigeon Forge and the Dixie Stampede, horse racing, pig racing, chicken chasing, and some grumpy looking buffalo. With a whole poussin chucked at you for dinner, and soft drinks only served in a Dolly Parton plastic white riding boot. With inbuilt spurs. Topped off with riders in American flag outfits that had sparkly lights built in as they sang patriotic toons – yup, we are still in the belly of America.
Quick nip to the Titanic Museum, surprisingly quite good, with the actual violin the band leader played as the ship sank….
Whole day yesterday at Dolly's Splash Country water park, managed lots of rides and J threw herself down one of those hideous vertical death slides just to prove she's still young. Ludicrously, we then both got carded at the pizza restaurant bar last night – yup, even at 51 and 47 years old, you still have to show proof of age in Tennessee to get a drink. Really??!!
And today is only Day 4 of our trip – and the outlet mall of Sevierville beckons…. Ooh yeah baby. Here's hoping for shopping bags a-plenty.
Then it's off to Chatanooga tonight. Apparently there's not really a Choo-Choo any more, but we'll be humming Glenn Miller all the way.
I'm on holiday. And still over-excited.
Time to go, I've got a Banana, J Crew, Gap and Loft to plunder X X