Today we got up early with the firm intention of catching a train to Trenton and then one to New York for a day of sightseeing, shopping and eating.

Car key fails to turn in the ignition. Several failed attempts, jiggling steering wheel, clutch and brake. Call the AAA who promise to send out a locksmith within 2 hours. Great. Just try once more. Oh. It works now. Cancel the AAA man but we've missed the train and the next one's not for another hour.

Okay. Decide to drive to Trenton (considerably quicker than the train) and get a train from there. Find map and directions and set out. Negotiate the big scary roads and arrive in Trenton. Get lost. Find the Empire Beauty School and ask for directions at the food store next to it. Actually not as lost as we thought we were. Find a train and a place to park. Discover that train is not actually at the station which is about 10 minutes walk away. Find that train to NY is running an hour and a half late. Decide that Trenton not really a place to while away an hour and a half.

Drive to Princeton. Notice huge contrast of wealth in the six mile journey. Wander round university buildings and decide that they are modelled on Oxford (at least in part). Have lunch in Princeton - yummy pancakes. Peanut butter, raspberry, apple and banana pecan. Find it has started snowing while we've been eating lunch.

Go on to Lambertville. Actually aiming for New Hope but need to stop for tea first. Find beautiful furniture around the $5000 mark. Decide not to buy it today.

Eventually head for home. Safe. Warm. Feeling like we've had some proper American experiences (not least in the confusion on the roundabout). But not New York. Oh well.