In the summer of 1972 I was completing my second year studying photography at Derby College of Art and preparing for my final year. For the final year we were to produce five projects, of our own choice, which we then presented to the examiners and displayed in an exhibition at the college.

Along with one of my fellow students, Tony Moran, we decided to go to the United States of America during the summer vacation and base some of our projects on our travels. We arranged our trip through the British Universities student exchange, which included a four year work permit. After a brief stay in New York we set off to Virginia Beach, a large coastal resort, in search of work. I somehow managed to get work in a restaurant as a chef, I think the English accent had something to do with that, certainly nothing to do with my cooking abilities. Tony unfortunately couldn't find work so we ended up going our separate ways.

After a brief spell working, I set off on my travels, going from Virginia Beach, on the East Coast, across to the West Coast, down to the South and then back to New York, all courtesy of Greyhound buses. To save on accommodation cost I mostly travelled overnight and used the bus station facilities for a ‘wash and brush up’. I travelled approximately 8,000 miles and visited many places and now feel these 50 year old images have both a social and historical interest and present a snapshot of American life in the seventies, which will, I hope, interest many people.