I'm presently (Sept 2001) in Colorado USA. I'm over here for about 3 months on business with Mitsubishi. Our prototype product has been built and has been installed into a locomotive here in the USA. The testing process on this locomotive will last several months, so I may be here a while. I'm in a town called Pueblo, which is about 40 minutes drive south of Colorado Springs, or about 2 hours drive south of Denver. Pueblo has a population of about 100,000, which is about a third the size of Newcastle.
My 'office' is a locomotive at the Transportation Technology Center, 40 minutes drive toward the desert from Pueblo. The test track is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Nothing visible in any direction except open fields... oh, and a few hills called the Rocky Mountains!!
As always, I have tried to see as much as I can. I've been here less than 2 weeks, but I have a bunch of photos already. A lot of them are of my visit to Pike's Peak. This mountain climbs to 4300m (compared to Fuji 3776m). I went to the top via the Cog Railway - a train that literally climbs the mountain, at inclines up to 28 degrees.
Colorado is a beautiful place - huge variety of landscape and nature. And I've only seen a tiny piece do far!
American culture is a bit of a shock. You know there's a big difference between Japan and Australia. Well there's almost the same difference again between Australia and America!! People here seem to live and act differently. You can really see the influence of 'USA-is- the- most- powerful- country- in- the- world' on a lot of people. Not everyone of course. Many people are very friendly, but not nearly as friendly as Japanese people.
Everything is big here! Food, roads, cars and people! The meals are about 3 times the size of your average Japanese dish. I've rarely been able to finish my meal! And the fast food influence is extraordinary. I guess that might explain why the people are big!
Of course you would have all heard about and seen the devastation in New York and Washington. Although I am nowhere near these cities, we are still greatly affected. The whole atmosphere here in extraordinary. Schools are closed, airports are closed, people are not turning up to work. Fuel prices are on the rise. People in Colorado are concerned about this state because it is full of air force bases (including one major base about 60km from me). If the attacks on NY and DC escalate into anything big, then this area will be a hot spot. But now, everything seems fine. Here's hoping...
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