NOLA

There are many routes that lead to New Orleans.  I have a vivid memory of a British cinema advertisement for Southern Comfort that shows everyone congregating in a bar during a hurricane.  It is such a happy place, helped by the liqueur created by one of the city's bartenders, that everyone is disappointed to hear the announcement that the hurricane has passed.  Joy returns when the announcer points out that it is still raining so the party can continue.

The advertisement is never likely to be used again.  Hurricane Katrina, unlike the fictional Francis, hit New Orleans with a calamitous force.  The worst ever civil engineering disaster to hit the United States befell New Orleans when the levee system failed.  Many people were trapped in a city that was mostly under water and images were broadcast around the world that showed the world's only Superpower at a loss as to what to do.

It would however be ridiculous to see New Orleans purely through the prisms of disaster and good time jazz parties.  It stands out for its food, its culture and its French influence that marks it firmly apart from the former British colonies on the Atlantic coast.  It was the banker to the South and though its population was falling long before Katrina hit it hard, it remains one of the largest ports in the world.

If I could sum it up in one word it would be 'intriguing'.

We were staying in a suburb city of New Orleans, Kenner.  I was extremely fatigued when I arrived, having made a long journey there from India.  The campsite was a fairly standard KOA but a massive improvement for J and Hatty on their previous site in Biloxi Mississippi.  This had been a threatening place that they had to leave early - the staff were nice but the people staying there were not and from what I gather the entire area was run-down and menacing.  It was an independent site that I had checked out for any warning signs like Confederate Flags or Bible quotations but you do not know for sure until you go.

The following day we visited the famous French Quarter - the Vieux Carré.  It is a remarkable place and if you have ever seen it on TV or in a movie then rest assured it looks just the same in real life.  The central square had a small jazz band going on and the buildings were amazing - balconies dripping with plants and conveying a sense of languid grandeur.  The good fortune of having been built before the levee system meant that it was never dependent on them and sustained little damage in Katrina.

We had Pippin with us so needed to find a place with outside seating.  That took a while but we found somewhere and had some perfect Jambalaya with a starter of Alligator (tastes like chicken - we are in the Matrix after all).

I took Pip back to the campsite and in the afternoon we visited the Aquarium.  This was recommended online and well worth the visit.  There is a huge amount to do and it is presented in a very interesting way.  J was taken with the extensive seahorse section.  I was much more taken with the enormous central tank and the patrolling sharks.

The journey home was a sobering reminder of the weather.  We could see the thunder and lighting as we hurried back to the car.  The return journey took us through a torrential, sustained downpour.  Luckily Hatty just went to sleep but it was nerve wracking driving in this with such limited visibility and at times concern the car would cut out due to the flooding.  I was amazed that so many people did not adjust their driving and continued traveling at speed.

Perhaps for the locals this was just a normal downpour and they would laugh at my concern.

New Orleans is not without its problems and we hardly know it but I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone wanting something a little different.

 

Eaten Alive

The week before had been challenging.  Rosie, the RV, was booked in to have a service and hopefully to have the most pressing issues resolved.  It was a nerve-wracking time because of the likely expense and that was just to address the issues we already knew about.

Largely we escaped anything major that was unexpected.  A couple of vents on the cieling needed to be replaced and the cylinders in the jacks will also need to be replaced at some point but that was it.  Of the items we knew about most of them could be done, albeit for a price.  The biggest frustration is the fridge but realistically we decided we could make do with an electric one to avoid the excessive costs of a replacement RV fridge.

Overall it was not exactly a great experience but the good news is the power was sorted and air conditioning was restored.  There were no mechanical issues with engine and she has had an extensive service.

It was to be a long drive so J and Hatty made a pit-stop 60 miles north of Tampa to reduce the next day's total.  Disaster struck though when it was discovered that Fetch, Hatty's most treasured teddy (a cheetah) was missing.  It was nearly 10pm before she could go to sleep and all efforts to locate Fetch came to nothing.

The good news is that Fetch was safe and sound at the RV service center but that meant in the morning driving back.  Instead of saving 60 miles the whole episode added 120 needless miles.

Our original destination was to be an RV campground on the beach in Northern Florida.  Gill and Chris has stayed there before and we had seen it in passing the year we vacationed on Cape San Blas.  Alas this turned out to be a child free site so we had to switch.

Before that however was the small matter of arranging my trip.  I was heavily constrained because on Sunday I had a longstanding trip planned to London and India.  I needed to be back in New York to catch my flight so for my visit I chose a state park near to Tallahassee airport: Ochlockonee River State Park.

This might be one of the most memorable stays of the trip, for all the wrong reason.  The problem was evident soon after I arrived.  J told me to immediately put on bug spray.

I didnt know much about the yellow biting fly but I do now.  It is a ferocious pest and its bites are definitely painful.  The repellent we had, useful against Mosquitos, provided some protection but it was impossible to be completely covered.

At one point Hatty shouted in pain.  We thought she had been bitten by a fly - annoying but her reaction seemed to be excessive.  However we soon learned better when we saw the scorpion!  Amazingly she could shrug It off and go to sleep fine (with Fetch of course!)

It practically confined us to the inside.  This was so frustrating because the park was just so beautiful.

During Saturday we visited the swimming  area.  Hatty had a great time but it was intolerable for us.  They just kept coming and coming and we were covered in bites.

Back at the RV we thought we would get relief when it started to rain.  Any nice thoughts evaporated when we saw we were sharing the shelter of the awning with a fly the size of an adult's fist.

The rain turned into a torrential downpour and the site was soon flooded.  It was relentless and there was little to do but sit inside and swat any flies that had made it in (and they were very good at getting in as soon as the door was opened).

All in all a horror show so we called it off early.  When I left for the airport J and Hatty left for the next place, which luckily could accommodate us early.  Another horror was waiting for me but I will recount that on my travel blog.