Distances aren't the same between America and Europe

An excellent example of one of my minor life's ambitions - conveying the enormity of America to my friends in Europe.

And for my UK followers: this is the reason Americans give you hell when you say things like "My folks live so far away... more than an hour." pic.twitter.com/ZCLayLCVVh

— Starlight, Esq. (@starlightgeek) December 5, 2018

Having spent a good portion of my youth in England and Sweden, I am accustomed to European friends visiting the US. I always have two pieces of advice.

New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco are not America. A part, sure, but they are unrepresentative. If you want to know America, visit other cities.

Don't fly everywhere. Make at least one intercity trip by car.

Sometimes they listen. Usually they don't. But the ones who do follow this advice have a greater wonder and awareness of America than those who do not.

The reverse is true though as well for Americans visiting Europe. Traveling from London to Penzance is almost the same distance as Miami to Tampa. You can't appreciate the density of Europe till you make a drive like that. It is just over a four drive from Miami to Tampa and it is over a five hour drive from London to Penzance. And the British drive is far more variable. Sometimes can take six or seven hours.