I emigrate tomorrow.  It's been a two year long haul and a struggle on many fronts - not least trying to sell our family home as the credit crunch really took hold.

Are we doing the right thing? Suddenly everyone is giving me advice, wanting to see me before I go, telling me I am being rash, struggling to understand how we can give up on Blighty, asking me if I have done this, checked that, made sure of the next thing.....

People ask if I have gone on sentimental visits to look at the house I sold in July, looked at my old school, said goodbye to all and sundry.  I have done some of these things and yet I do not see the point.  I heard a poem on BBC Radio 4 recently which struck a chord.  It's by Felix Dennis.

This struck me as highly pertinent.  It's so true.  One can't keep looking back.  Life moves on and memories are deceptive.  I must remember that as I set out on my new life.

My next posting will be written in the USA.

The closer I get to leaving Blighty, the more I am struck by all the things I will miss.  Doing some last minute shopping I hear the familiar jingles and joyful chanting of Oxford Street's very own eccentrics. 

And there they were!  The crowds of tourists standing around me on the corner, as we all waited to step off the pavement opposite Next, looked perplexed.  I grabbed my camera and clicked as an exuberant and colourfully robed trio got close.  Only in New York have I ever seen anything approaching this sort of craziness.  I will miss them.   

That’s what Justin Webb, BBC North America editor, is predicting in today’s Times for the near future.

Politically, socially, culturally, America is - as we watch transfixed and, in spite of ourselves, impressed - being born again. Suddenly we are reminded of why 55 million people have chosen to come to America in the roughly 400 years since that journey became possible. We are reminded of why Americans are so deeply, annoyingly, attached to their nation and their system. We are reminded of how vibrant that system can be.

As someone on the verge of joining the ranks of those 55 million, I am thrilled to know that, despite all the loathing heaped on the Yanks by most Europeans I meet, there is someone out there who agrees with me that there is much to be said in favour of America.

I agree with Mr Webb that Americans are hard working and adaptable. Far more so than the Brits. He writes

One of the emerging features of American life at the moment - perhaps a political driver in years to come - is the desire for modernisation. In the world's economic powerhouse there is a fear of falling behind. In fact there is an awareness that America is falling behind.

As I prepare to leave Blighty in four days’ time, I am thankful for what I am heading towards.

Americans hunger for mobile phone networks that work. For rapid transport that whizzes. For bridges that don't fall down. They do not hunger for government but they do hunger for efficiency, for a governing infrastructure that serves a modern economy; for a health system that delivers medicine without bankrupting companies and individuals. Both John McCain and Barack Obama know this. Each is under pressure to deliver. America is imperfect. It has no divine right to be the world's leading nation. And yet - in this glorious political year - something about it sings.

Yes! Spot on. I agree Justin. You’ve got it right. Thank you!

Things have come to a sorry state indeed! 

Spotted on a neat suburban street - in Ealing no less!

Perhaps this is a sign that the credit crunch has forced the middle classes to take on second jobs - selling cars. 

Clearly the local borough big wigs are not amused and are putting a very firm stop to this bit of individual initiative. 

I have never seen anything like this before.  

What does it all mean?  Can a person not show initiative in these hard times and raise a little extra on the side?  

Much fanfare today all over the press about how Scotland Yard is offering people the chance to study a map to identify crimes in specific neighbourhoods.  The Evening Standard reports that the new site offers: 

...a set of interactive maps, showing numbers and rates of crime and comparisons with the London average. It allows visitors to report offences and contains links to other sites including Safer Neighbourhoods Team pages.

The crimes recorded involve cars, burglary and robbery but further categories including anti-social behaviour will be added.

Offering all this was part of Boris Johnson's electoral manifesto.  He is quoted as saying:

Crime mapping puts information into the hands of every London citizen about the levels of crimes as well as contact details of their local police officers. This is a major step forward in enabling Londoners to really be able to assess the work of their local police in tackling the crimes that affect their neighbourhood.

The site is at:  maps.met.police.uk

I couldn't get the map to work for me all day, but one reader tells me it works fine for him.

This is one import from the USA which I thoroughly approve of.