A BIG THANK YOU 🇺🇸 (apologies for the very long post) Tonight we head home after what has been the trip of a lifetime for me and Mrs T. When we landed in Chicago four weeks ago we had an itinerary, an RV booking and some World Cup tickets. As I sit here in the same airport waiting for our flight home (and for England v Mexico to begin) I realise what we didn’t plan for was how much we’d fall in love with America. We’ve driven over 3,000 miles across 12 incredible states, cruised down Route 66, encountered tornadoes and heatwaves, camped under the stars, wandered through world-class cities, explored small towns we’d never heard of before, eaten some of the best barbecue, Cajun food, deep dish, cheesesteaks and burgers we’ve ever had, sampled fantastic local beers, celebrated the 4th of July in Philadelphia, spotted license plates from 41 states and watched 5 unforgettable World Cup matches alongside fans from all over the world. But what has made this trip truly special hasn’t been the places. It’s been the people. To everyone who stopped to chat, welcomed us, recommended a restaurant, suggested a hidden gem, answered one of my many questions on here, shared advice, wished us safe travels, or simply took an interest in our journey… THANK YOU 🫶. Like Keith from Louisiana, who I chatted with whilst filling up with gas at Buc-ee’s in Leeds, AL. Keith owns a couple of farms and took the time to educate me on the plans for huge data centers in his home state and also the origins of the Eisenhower interstate system. Thank you Keith. Or the lady from South Carolina who we chatted to whilst sititng on the bleachers at the Field of Dreams. She was also on a road trip with her family and whose husband had briefly left that trip to fly to LA to watch the USMNT’s opening game. And so many more encounters like these along the way. The warmth, humour and generosity we’ve experienced everywhere we’ve gone has been overwhelming. I’ve learnt that many Americans feel their country has a negative reputation elsewhere but for us that couldn’t be further from the truth. Everywhere we have been there has been nothing but friendliness, good humour and love. In my experience social media can often feel divided, but over the past few weeks our experience on here has reminded me just how brilliant it can be. I’ve loved the conversations, the recommendations, the laughs, and getting to share this adventure with so many people. This World Cup trip has given us memories we’ll treasure forever, but it’s the people we’ve met, both in person and online, that we’ll remember most. Thank you, America, for your hospitality, your kindness, and for making us feel so welcome. We leave with incredible memories, phones full of photos, suitcases that are heavier than when we arrived, and already a growing list of places we want to come back and visit. This won’t be goodbye. Just… see you next time. 🇺🇸🤍 (and I’m forever sorry for mistaking biscuits and gravy for scones and mushrooms)

Our 10 days in the Midwest come to a close. Now we move on to Texas for the next part of our great US World Cup Road Trip 🇺🇸 Things I’ve learnt along the way: - Your weather is not to be messed with - Your sunsets are stunning - Your beer is fantastic - Your barbecue is delicious - Your scenery is beautiful - Folk have STRONG opinions on barbecue and gas prices - Biscuits and gravy are definitely NOT scones and mushrooms But above all… the people are amazing, true salt of the earth folk and remind me of back home in Yorkshire (a high compliment) Thank you Midwesterners 🤍