Towneplace Suites By Marriott Metairie Harahan

... was 20 bucks. Instead of that, I opted for taking the $1.60 bus that dropped me off just outside of the French Quarter. It was a good 20 minute walk or so afterwards, but well worth not paying so much for a simple bus ride.

Then we chatted a bit and relaxed, and I crashed super early since I'm still a bit jetlagged, and I feel like it's 4am when it's only 10pm, which is around when I went to sleep last night. Then woke up super early ...

... The first day we arrived we ate blackened Alligator and Po Boys (soft rolls full of whatever meat you can imagine, covered in gravy. Beef is most common but seafood is also very popular).

For Bek's actual birthday we went to the French Quarter, old school New Orleans, and wandered the streets. This area is famous for numerous things, including Mardi Gras (just before Lent every year) and Bourbon Street. The French Quarter is a beautiful area ...

... tell you not drive through Miami due to the gunfire, you probably shouldn't (damn motherf-ing TomTom apparently didn't get the message).


Even though our plan was to camp in the Everglades, the humidity and my disposition was not a match (POOR DAVE AGAIN) and better heads prevailed and we headed north to cooler temps. We landed in O'leno State Park north of Gainesville and what a welcome relief. If we could have stayed ...

... br>
Finally I board the MD82 and find my selected seat as close to the front as possible just to avoid those excessively loud jets at the back, and yes those jets are loud! The flight turns out to be uneventful except for the slight delay at ORD as we wait for our arrival gate to be vacated by the other jet.

After retrieving my luggage I soon head off to find some suitable ground transportation for my onward journey to the hotel. It’s now mid-afternoon and ...

... 8217; roll bars and was bar-hopping all night, and it was pretty wild. I also tried this mechanical bull ride – ah that was fun – but it very quick as the operators ...

... street but on the balconies. The crowds below are throwing beads to those on the balconies. The hunter becomes the prey...a reversal. I make it out of that zoo and find my truck. Exhausted. The weather this evening was awesome. It was over 20 celsius all night. A brief shower put a damper on things for a few minutes but that it. It spit more than actually raining. Was a perfect evening for an outdoor party. Especially for those who wanted to wear as little clothing as possible.

... game since last year's BCS debacle. But by this time I was in for a penny, thus in for a pound. And I bravely boarded the New Orleans bound plane, carefully seeking out a seat with no purple shirts or caps adjacent. I didn't check any baggage and headed straight to the curb upon arrival where my cell phone absolutely refused to work. It wouldn't even register for service, so I had no choice but to go back into baggage claim where I used a pay phone to call my ...

... any 'Hurricane Katrina' damage, which must be in another part of this town and the general neglect just seemed to be endemic, hurricane or not. We go down to the station at 4pm to see Bert. Lugage was not on the Chicago train. He tries again and again to get some sense out of LA on this holiday and eventually talks to someone, who tells him that our bags have been put on the next 'Sunset', due to arrive in NOLA on Friday afternoon at 4pm (plus delay time). Whether ...

... We took a souvenir glass home... Neither of us had ever been to New Orleans, so of course we had to do a little sightseeing on Bourbon Street! What a sight to see! Had our palms read for kicks and then ordered yummy fried food from Acme to take on the road. All in all, we were in New Orleans about 3-4 hours. Certainly not enough time ...

... that! I had a bit of difficulty waking up properly, but forced myself up in the end at about 9am. I looked out the window and it looked a little overcast. I assumed it would be hot again so put on a skirt and vest, after coating myself from head to toe in Deet. That Deet is good stuff - it repels me so goodness knows what the bugs think of it. I headed out with the intention of having a wander along the river and then a walk downtown. it ...