Arkansas doesn't seem to be very well set up for tourism, to put it mildly. Everywhere I stop seems to mainly rely on some connection to Clinton as its main claim to fame. Little Rock has the Bill Clinton museum, Hot Springs is apparently where he grew up and Hope is where he was born. I suspect this stuff is going to decline in value to visitors as time goes on. The Clinton museum already has Obama shirts front and centre. Not sure if Bill & Hilary would approve.
Staying in the 1920s Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs. "Seen better times" should be the town motto if they were to be truthful. Once again there is almost no one in this giant hotel, not even in the Ronald Reagan suite down the corridor from me. The internet connection is from the 1980s (i.e. modem speed) so I won't be posting any pictures today.
I'm hoping to drive into Texas on some back roads through the mountains west of here, but the forecast is for freezing rain and snow tomorrow, so that may not be too wise.
If I don't slide off into a mountain stream, I'll be meeting Rob in Dallas and staying the night at his place.
Heard on the radio passing through Little Rock - a talk back show dedicated to helping people out with financial problems. The caller was a 28 year old with a wife, a kid and one on the way. He owed $6000 on his credit card, lives in a trailer and only just bought his first car for $600. He brings home $1100 a month...
The host, assuring him he meant no offence, described his situation as "below the poverty line, in fact at starvation level". The caller didn't disagree. Judging by the housing I've seen here and the cars on the road, I imagine this situation isn't atypical.
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