I made my first trip to the US this week, Austin via Houston from UK to sxsw. I had read various reports on the state of entering America, but it was far worse

I made my first trip to the US this week, Austin via Houston from UK to sxsw. I had read various reports on the state of entering America, but it was far worse than I expected. I tried to find info about visas, but it said I didn't need one for what was practically a holiday. It was only when I got to the airport that I was told I needed a visa waiver. I fired up the iPhone and spent the best part of 30 minutes trying to fill out what is probably the worst multipart form I've seen since 2003. On arrival at Houston it seems a couple of other planes turned up. The end result was a 3 hour wait in line to get through passport control (Americans were caught up in this equally). Fingerprints, photos, 3rd degree about my visit - if they don't want me here, they should have said before I booked my ticket. After checking-in to the US, I had to go back through "security". That was another 1.5 hour queue. I opted out of the scanner, and they were pretty good about it a Houston. However, on the way back at Austin they make you stand in a ridiculous perspex shout it about the place and really make you pay for not going through the scanner. Over all, the experience I had is summed up pretty well by this article. I felt totally unwelcome, kind of like an 18 year old trying to get into an over capacity nightclub past a couple of bored bouncers who already took a dislike to me...