The service on United is brilliant thanking you for choosing their airline, wishing you a lovely journey and even calling you a 'sweetheart' as you board! Such a different experience to what we had on our international flight, less stressful with having no passport control and the whole interrogation lark!
We had a quick turn around in Houston before heading to New Orleans. During the flight I got chatting to a guy from Indiana whose brother lives in Chicago and works at the university there. He gave me his brothers number for when we go there if we want a tour of the city/ university - what a lad!
Upon arriving in New Orleans we hopped into a taxi where our one-armed taxi driver (no joke) kept repeating the address we gave him asking us for suggestions as to where it was! As we drove through the city it was apparent the damage hurricane Katrina had done. There were areas that looked completely derelict. As we got closer to the French Quarter the streets were everything we had expected and more - colourful porches with beautiful gardens. Our Hostel is a 20 minute walk from the French Quarter and our street has a very chilled atmosphere. Our room is huuuge - we paid for a 3 room private as it was cheaper at the time than getting a 8 bed mixed dorm, so he gave us a bigger room expecting there to be 3 people, i.e 2 bunk beds and a double bed, extra room for our clothes to sprawl everywhere!! Win!
The people here are really chilled and so friendly, I think the heat has a impact on this. It's currently half past 6 in the evening and 32 degrees with no breeze. We have just made dinner and are dyingggg in the heat. Sweating your way through dinner= sexy! A wise man called Jeff Jones once said it would be 'hot as Hades' in the South and he was right!
The hostel has a beautiful outside area where people can drink so we're planning to try to stay awake long enough to socialise before passing out in one of our 5 beds!!
Tomorrow we plan to visit the French Quarter and/or visit some museums, listen to jazz and eat some good southern food!
You should contact my friend Emily and see what one just HAS to do or see there... I sent a message to you in another venue. Gabrielle G (now visiting in Asheville, N. Carolina) also has tons of info. Just remember that N'awlins is NOT the real red neck American South. N'awlins is unique to itself except for its unholy heat.
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