Returning to the US, and to Texas, felt familiar but a little different this time. The first part of this trip was centred around spending time with family over Christmas, which gave everything a slower, more grounded pace. Dallas and Houston were places I had visited before, but returning allowed me to see new corners of both cities and have some new experiences along the way.
Dallas came first. Walking through Dealey Plaza and past the Grassy Knoll carried a strange quietness. It is such an ordinary place on the surface, yet the history tied to it gives the space a weight that is hard to ignore.
One of the highlights of being back in Texas was seeing a Houston Texans game. The scale of the stadium, the noise, and the shared excitement of the crowd made it a memorable experience. Football culture runs deep here, and being part of it, even briefly, was something special. It felt different experiencing it this time, not as a traveller passing through, but while spending time with family.
Houston unfolded more slowly. Time near the water stood out most. Ships lined the channel, moving steadily through an industrial landscape that gives the city much of its character. Houston is not a city that reveals itself all at once, but there is something honest in how spread out and unpolished it can feel.
Evenings were quieter than earlier parts of the journey. Family meals, long conversations, and familiar routines brought a sense of calm. Travel often moves quickly, but Texas offered space to pause and reset, something I did not realise I needed at the time.
Eventually, it was time to move on again. Time with family came to an end, and the next stretch of the journey was waiting. The road ahead led east, towards Tennessee, and the beginning of another road trip.
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