Monday 20 June - wow Chicago exceeded all expectations. Decided slightly reluctantly to plan in a night's stay here to make getting to the California Zephyr easier, but really glad we came. City is huge with towering skyscrapers everywhere (the world's first skyscraper of all of 8 floors was built here in the 1880s and they haven't stopped since!) the traffic is horrendous and there are people everywhere (quite a culture shock after New England) but it's very cle...

Monday 20 June - the life of a jet-setter, it seems, is all about learning how to amuse yourself in airport lounges. Having arrived two hours early for our flight to avoid he largely non-existent Boston traffic jams our flight is now delayed by at least 45 mins - ah well at least we've got a great view if the empty runway.

Sunday 19 June - Drove down the Maine coast stopping first at Stockton Springs lighthouse, set in a beautiful park on the entrance to the Penobscot river. Belfast for 'beverages', lunch in Camden, tea in Bath another lighthouse in Portland (see photo albums) and finally dinner in Portsmouth - a proper New England or at least New UK day! Phrase of the day - from the 'server' in the Dinner Horn Restaurant, Portsmouth: "how you doin'? More food than you know what...

Saturday 18 June - sometimes in life what you need is a little inspiration... Woke to a cloudy and misty day with plans to avoid the car and perhaps take a boat trip to spot puffins and whales. Poor weather had put off people from wanting to go out to sea so the whale spotting trip was cancelled due to lack of interest (as far as we could tell they were fed up with telling a constant stream of people that there was no interest in the trip, but there we are...). ...

Friday 17 June - the Western part of Mount Desert Island is quieter and a little less touristy than the East (not that the Eastern half is particularly busy in June). Bass Harbor lighthouse is one of many around the rocky Maine coast but someone appears to have stolen the red stripes necessary for the quintessential New England Lighthouse look. Lunched at the Seafood Ketch a lovely little restaurant in the middle of an otherwise working port - local beer, musse...