The end game of this journey is to reach Deerfield, just outside of Miami where my cousin lives, so the last four nights could be spent relaxing. The straight drive there from Nashville is around fourteen hours, so a stopover was necessary to break up the journey.

We looked at a few options beforehand, including spending a night in the heart of Atlanta, or near to some of the film sets for shows like ‘The Walking Dead’ or ‘Stranger Things’. Both were a little too far north that would leave us with an even bigger journey to tackle the following day, so instead I settled on Forsyth in South Georgia. The reason why? I found out it’s near to a tiny village called Juliette, where ‘Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café’ was filmed. The place has been left as it was, including the Whistle Stop Café itself that still sells Fried Green Tomatoes to this day. It’s not the most well-known 90s film, but that’s not to take away its quality, and the fact that I loved it as a kid. I thought while we were nearby it’d be something that would be unique to see the following day before we set off to Florida.

Before then, we had what turned out to be a six-hour drive to our motel, due to the volume of traffic around Georgia, which we were warned about from our host in Mississippi. As this part of the journey was for travelling purposes, and a night in Forsyth would offer nothing, I thought this would be a good time to reflect on a few of the cultural aspects I’ve noticed whilst on our travels in America these last eleven nights.

The Little Differences

As Vincent Vega noted in Pulp Fiction when comparing Europe and the US, he said, “...they got the same shit over there that they got here, but it’s just, it’s just there, it’s a little different...’ The same could be said from our perspective. From a driving point of view, the fuel price is much cheaper, roughly a third of our prices. Just remember to use the black one if using unleaded…it’s not diesel. Paying for fuel beforehand at the desk (if paying by cash) is another point to note. Right hand turns at traffic lights, even if on red are permitted, which is something I think would be beneficial in the UK (but obviously turning left instead). Undertaking is permitted and takes some getting used to. My road rage at fellow drivers for not moving over when they should, was pointless. Similar road rage could be felt when I’m being undertaken at 85mph too. These high speeds are the average out here, despite the limit being 70mph. Trucks and lorries can be seen doing similar speeds, which makes it a little scary at times. With flashing your lights to let someone in being prohibited, it makes lane hopping a little more interesting. In heavy traffic, every manoeuvre feels like I’m in ‘Fast and Furious’.

Sticking to the theme of driving, the hazards of these long drives are constantly highlighted by the amount of blown tyres you see by the sides of the road. You often see cars broke down on hard shoulders too, and a hefty amount of roadkill, some as large as coyotes and deer. It’s a reminder that the trip can take a turn for the worse in the blink of an eye if you’re not careful.

Paying by card within hospitality is different, and a little long-winded. You can’t just tap your card on a machine and be on your way. The staff take your card, process it, print out a receipt, which you then have to sign for, add a tip, and write the new total to it. This is the case when simply ordering a drink from the bar. It’s far easier just to pay with cash.

In many cases, the cultural differences lie with size and the sheer numbers of certain things. Cars instantly spring to mind, which is in direct contrast to a smaller car culture we see in the UK. Out here there are many imposing GMC’s or shiny pickup trucks, much bigger than our Chevy Blazer. The number of lorries on the road is tenfold the UK amount aswell. You can add the number of carriages on a cargo train to that list too. The ones we’ve seen transporting goods are humungous and stretch for what seems like a mile.

Food is another that’s governed by size. America has a reputation for its huge portions, and we’re seeing that with every meal that isn’t classed as fast food. The free coffee refill is another of those slight distinctions, although some places in the UK are following that.

The use of advertising is paramount and in your face on these drives. The constant barrage of billboards one after another to influence consumers choice regards food, or who to vote for at the next election is like Big Brother. What’s become more and more noticeable on our travels is the promotion of God and Jesus through billboards and radio stations. Suze has remarked, “If you didn’t believe in God coming over here, you will going back.”

The US is a place of extremities in many aspects we’ve seen so far. One of the main areas is the incredible politeness on one hand, yet within the same districts there are warnings not to venture down certain nearby roads or neighbourhoods after dark. It’s a shame that this is a big and growing concern, because the land of America and the majority of people we’ve seen offer so much. The contrasts between two ends of the spectrum are poles apart and don’t look to be narrowing anytime soon from a socio-economic point of view. I know the same could be said about anywhere, but out here, it carries a little more weight. This is seen daily within the media, which highlights incidents with a huge shock factor that are rarely seen in the UK.

One thing I’ve loved is that wherever we’ve been, whether that be bars, fast food outlets, or waiting for one of our excursions to begin, is that the music has always been fantastic, sticking to classic rock as a general theme. I don’t recall a time where modern ‘pop’ music has been played, and that’s been refreshing, surprising, and not always the case back home. The strangest aspect of this was when we hit a Denny’s in Georgia, and as we walked in, ‘She Bangs the Drums’ by The Stone Roses was playing. Completely unexpected, but brilliant.

Live music is a huge factor here, more so than back in the UK where we do have a thriving gig scene. But in the States, it goes hand in hand with most bars and dining establishments.

There is a huge emphasis and personal respect on the armed forces from bands that we’ve seen. On more than one occasion the lead singer has spoken of his thanks to the military, namechecking someone they know who is in it and the sacrifices they’ve made. Sometimes its followed by a short rendition of the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ where you see most of the audience stood with hand on heart. I can’t see that ever taking off at a gig in The Castle on Oldham Street.

The tipping culture is bigger here. It extends to every element of hospitality and entertainment. There is no escaping it. I know the staff get paid very little so they rely on tips to live, but from an outsider coming in, it can become quite overwhelming. Soon you’ll be tipping someone for wiping your arse or holding your tea and two sugar while you take a piss. It’s something that you need to factor into your budget if staying out here for a decent amount of time. I shudder to think how much of ours has gone towards tips. 10% is the bare minimum too, but checks are returned with suggested tip amounts that show what 18%, 20%, 25% are. There was an example where I threw a few dollars’ worth of coins into a bucket for a band, and the girl passing it around scoffed at me for not throwing notes in instead (I was later told this isn’t expected and it was just rudeness on her part).

Depending on where you go, the cost of alcohol is something to factor into the budget too. Bottles of Bud or Coors average about $7(£6), and if you are lucky to get a draft beer, it seldom arrives in a full pint glass, usually in a slightly smaller plastic cup. I have to be careful not to drink at my usual pace or else the costs could quite easily spiral out of hand. I believe this is more prominent in the Deep South because of an added tax to alcohol. But I don’t think the US has the same binge drinking culture as us in our local pubs. Considering that everyone drives everywhere, I can see why that culture isn’t seen as much over here. Food seems a more important vice. The volume of restaurants, in a variety of form, is staggering, and most bars double up as food outlets too. I’m not even sure if people do a lot of food shopping to cook at home because there’s so many booming food outlets.

Back to the Trip

We landed in Forsyth at a Days Inn by the side of the freeway at around 9pm. It’s fine for what we need, but the influence of American film and TV makes me think of Bates Motel, or that me and Suze are on the run from the law or gangsters, carrying a bag full of cash trying to make our way across the border.

The next day we’re up and out early, driving fifteen minutes to Juliette to see the set for ‘Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café’. The drive there takes us deeper into the Georgian countryside, and much like our journey to the Jack Daniels Factory, we’re greeted by picturesque, postcard scenery. Again, out here, it just looks a little different compared to our own wonderful countryside. I could spend a week here experiencing how the locals live, cut off from civilisation and making full use of nature on their doorstep, exploring the woodlands and hopping over the creeks.

We hit Juliette, literally in the middle of nowhere, and take the short 150m road that dissects the area what the film portrayed. Sadly, everywhere was shut because of our early arrival, but that means it’s so tranquil and peaceful. The setting is absolutely stunning, just a small chocolate box strip, looking exactly how it would’ve done back in the early 20th Century, with a post office, sheriff’s office, café and a gift shop the only wooden shacks of note. We take a few minutes to soak it in and take pictures, even filming our short drive back out at a slow pace so we can savour the memory forever. It probably wouldn’t be on many people’s list of things to see on a trip of this magnitude, but it’s these little moments that make our trip so unique and special to us.

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