First post from the Good Ol US of A.

Arrived safely, luggage and sanity intact. Alitalia is actually quite a good airline!

So far I cant understand what anyone is saying, the water tastes like chlorine and I have a wallet 5" thick with notes that add up to about $12. So nothing really has changed since my last visit. 

Am staying in a very nice hotel, in a very bad area tonight. The customs official at the airport actually advised me to not leave the hotel premises "because its in gang land". So I think I will be staying here in my king sized bed, with free wifi, untill i check out tomorrow for a 9am flight to vegas.

I'm actually having dinner with my friend James, who is en route as i type.

Lets hope he makes it here without being car jacked.