Updated random sprawling observations:

You'd get publicly crucified (that's crucified in a pub) if you said this back home, but day to day stuff in America, is good quality and it works.

Examples:

When entering a shop, you always pull the door to enter, and push to exit.

The 'worst' places to eat, are at the very least clean, generous and the service is friendly.

Hot water comes out of taps very hot, and there's loads of it.

A packet of frozen oven chips has a nice perforated line you can open it with. It doesn't take 10 minutes of wrestling only to end up sinking your teeth into the plastic, tearing it asunder like Cro-Magnon man as chips fly out the end all over the floor.

It doesn't seem to be in the American psyche to put up with things that don't work, in the way that is such a defining British characteristic - the 'mustn't grumble' syndrome. Jon told me he could never understand why, for a cold country like England, no-one's central heating ever worked well. I reasoned that it was probably not because British people love to have something to complain about, but more that we like to have something we can suffer in silence for. Builds backbone, dear boy.

One success of capitalism on the American model is that competition does actually seem to breed a better service. In the UK, the idea tends to result in either a bigger monopoly, or a general all-round degradation of service with more competitors ever-streamlining in order to retain a grip on a shrinking profit margin.

But again, if I were to say that in the pub in London, I'd get a chorus of 'well, piss off back there then's, in warm baritones, tenors and mezzo-sopranos. Warm enough to take the chill out of your bones while you're being ignored for 20 mins at the bar for your measly £6 rum and coke.