Today It's a BOGOF, Day 27 and 28 (13th and 14th of July)

Well as the title suggests this blog is made up from the events over the last two days.  The reason that they are over those two days is that for me they are one and the same!  Things started well getting to Denver, my bogey airport and yes the delay monster strikes again!  The force is not with me today!  The lightening came down and the floods came up and we sat, sat and then sat some more.  At this point I really didn't mind.  Strange you might have thought and Nuffie not to be in a hurry, but I had bigger fish to fry!  I would have had to wait in Chicago anyway so with free wifi and 'airport bingo' nearly with a full house I was content!  The e-mails kept coming adding to the delay but I knew I was safe, for now!

I arrived in Chicago, to be reunited with my starting Nuffield colleague Andy Williamson who had been travelling around Indiana, Illinois and Iowa the previous few weeks.  We found the terminal and waited.  Eventually we boarded the plane and prepared for take off.  I knew the day was going to be brutal as we had been scheduled to leave at 01.55 (Sunday).  By 4.30 we had already spent almost 3 hours on the plane and hadn't even moved off the tarmac, a mechanical fault.  Now it's hard to be cross at something like that, far better it is identified at 0 feet above sea level than at 37,000 feet.  What annoyed us the most was the lack of clear information in Spanish or English. Everything was an agonising 20 minutes away! By 6.30 we were off the plane and by 7.30 we had re-gathered our luggage and fortunately been re booked on to a United flight to Mexico City rather than Guadalajara.  We still missed our connection to Obregon, so our lazy catch up by the pool and some sight seeing was blown from the cooling water.

The flight into Mexico City was interesting to say the least.  A huge sprawling smoggy, smoking, pulsating community crammed into every inch.  We landed, collected our bags; changed clothes, as the old ones were, how do I put this politely, "walking through customs on their own" and headed back through security to continue our journey!  We blagged our way in the International VIP lounge and were gratefully fed and watered.

It's great to know that you have the support and comments, some entertaining from twitter and Facebook followers, eavesdropping in on our journey and the things we are finding out. It's also great to know the support from our families is also there, backing us all the way.  So to you all, here's a Corona (yes I know it's light - DLWG is too big) and a thank you for the support and comments, it is very much appreciated.

Farewell USA

The trip is over :-(

What an experience, the highlights would have to be the assembly lines of the tractors and the harvesters. The precession technology and machining, the testing and evaluations (on each machine) and the way it all came together, each one built to its own specification. We even mastered the John Deere wave, a sort of masonic handshake, very privileged and one that might come in handy should we need to purchase a tractor or combine in the future, extra discount I think!

We left Chicago airport with all of our luggage, the reunion was emotional to say the least! We were all over weight (not just in baggage terms, too many steaks) but BA did not seem to bothered! We were also upgraded to business class with certain privileges, like the lounge area (we left 1hr late) and the extra leg room. Could you tell we had been upgraded? Yes 7 grinning faces all beaming out in the business area.

We even landed and collected a full set of bags, the fog by then wasn't too bad and we departed Heathrow in time to get back home for lunch. I wouldn't want to be there now!

The view is from the John Hancock tower, it was stunning to say the least!



This was the view from Bredon Hill, just by the tower looking south along the ridge. The whole vale was in fog and still is now. It was a stunning view, hills popping out like Islands in the sea, glad to be home.............


You bet!

There's something about Mary!

Goodness me, after a heavy night in Jack's bar, (owned by Mary) I've not had a hangover like this one for a long time! After drinking, Cherry bombs, Apple Pies, Godfathers, Slippery Nipples, TVR's, Alabamer Slammers, Red Slammers, Rumplemans and American's, we decided to call it a night in Moline! Here's us on the way out before we knew our luggage was AWOL! Good old British Airways! The air stewardess' keep turning up, saw them 4 times in Chicago.

Today we go to the John Deere combine factory to start the tour, seems like we've been on the beers for a week. At least we're all having fun and getting to know each other and the various drinking haunts over this part of the USA. The heads are banging a bit this morning but yesterday when I woke up I took a walk along Navy Pier in Chicago, here's the view from the hotel window

What a beautiful city, the sky Line, the people, every-one willing to help (and be tipped!) but helpful none the less, our service industry could learn a thing or two. Well must dash the bus is leaving so I'll update next time I'm near a computer!

Here's the view from Navy Pier looking east toward the Hancock Tower, what a view and what a view and what a bracing wind off Lake Michigan, truly brilliant. People were up fishing for Perch off the pier, waiting to the migration of the 'jumbo Perch' into the harbour, I didn't See many over 6" long but that's a fisherman's tale!

The Windy City!

It's 19.00hrs and we left Chicago two and a half hours ago. We arrived as part of a group of farmers looking at the John Deere factories in Moline and Waterloo. We arrived safetly enough in O'Hare airport (Chicago) our luggage however was nowhere to be seen! 7 guys in the same clothes for 48hrs was not a pretty site or smell!

Today should have been present shopping in Chicago instead we were hunting pants, socks, trousers, shirts and toothpaste amoungst other things! We did manage a few beers whilst watching the Chicago Bears play NFL at home against Tampa Bay and we had more beef, Angus and very tender!

This blog comes from Moline, in the heart of John Deere country. The business part of the tour starts tomorrow, right now we are heading of to find the nighlife and some more steaks. I will try and post some pictures soon.