A meal usually includes a salad or soup and sometimes more
The bottomless cup of coffee is very nice and excellent value but make sure it is a good 'cuppa' first
Mostly when a salad is included it will be served to be eaten before the main course
Usually you will only get one knife and fork for whole meal and waiters will take yours from the plate which you have finished and leave them with you.
Lots of water will be served with the meal and often coffee will be served at the beginning and topped up during the meal.
In most states taxes will be added to prices so when you are eating out taxes and tips can add nearly 25% to the nominal price.
When travelling at high altitudes for prolonged periods you will notice drying of skin, being more thirsty and not being able to exert yourself as much without feeling puffed out due to lower oxygen levels. Some road passes are higher than 12,000 feet and your car will struggle a bit harder when climbing through them. If you have health problems it would be wise to check with your Doctor if you plan to be at these altitudes for prolonged periods. For example, if you spend any length of time in the Rockies you could spend several weeks at 6000 feet and above.
Note: At 8000 feet a glass of alcohol can have 3 times the effect of that at sea level so you have to be very careful when drinking.
Desert regions of the USA require similar precautions to those recommended for Australian arid areas, especially if you are driving off road. Excellent information is available and must be followed when doing so. Desert areas tend to be more available in the USA due to the larger number of roads and temperatures can get very high.
In general the vehicles are significantly bigger in the USA than in Australia and there are more of them. In the summer there are many large RVs and when travelling on two lane roads they can slow you down somewhat.
There are few guard rails in mountainous areas so take great care! Even on the highly used tourist routes there is frequently nothing between you and a several hundred foot drop, but the scenery is outstanding!
