TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS - 2001


IF IT FLIES AND CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED...
Or how we almost didn't survive the trip to New Orleans


September 25, 2001

Sally and I drove to New Orleans on Wednesday night...All was going well because after Spring Hill there is NOTHING on US 19 worth mentioning. Basically, you drive many, many miles in total darkness (nary a streetlamp) dodging wildlife at like 70mph (65 if Sally is driving, 80 if I am driving). You come across a sign that says "slow speed ahead" and you have to reduce to 35MPH to drive through a one-horse hick town that apparently closed down at sunset. (Fear of vampires maybe?)

It was in the middle of one of the longer stretches of nothingness that SOMETHING occurred. Sally was driving and she suddenly swerved to keep from decimating a possum in the middle of the road. Up until that point we had SEEN many deer of various ages and sizes, but that was our first true wildlife close encounter. Not a minute later, Sally swerved to avoid a fast-moving shrew running across the street. There were NO OTHER CARS FOR MILES and this suicidal shrew (ooohhhh band name...) had to jump out in front of us!!! A few seconds later, a bunny did the same thing. I said to Sally, "what do you think that means? Three animals in three minutes..." She had no clue. I looked at the clock and started calculating the time we had been on the road. It was 2:38 and we were listening to "If I wanted to" by Melissa Etheridge. Suddenly, Sally said, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" I looked up and there it was - hovering at tree level (silently) was a huge blue light coming from a silvery, cylindrical object. I stared openmouthed as it suddenly vanished. Quickly I looked at the clock. It was 2:45 AND we were at the exact same point in the song as we had been when I looked up. Sally realized we had decelerated (but her foot was on the gas, not the brake)...Then, just as we were really starting to freak out, the object appeared behind us - hovering and floating. I screamed at Sally to drive faster and I think I was on the verge of hysteria, when suddenly, the THING was gone...My heart didn't stop pounding for miles.

Now I won't drop my Scullyish perspective and say it was a UFO, but it *was* an object...it *was* flying...and it *was* unidentified...

Excuse me while I freak out.


NAWLINS FOR DUMMIES


New Orleans was so incredible! We went on a history tour, as well as the Cemetary tour, AND we took two mule rides / tours. Very tour happy. I loved sitting in Jackson Square and listening to jazz music. The Square is lined with artists and palm readers and psychics, as well as old men selling praline candy. The praline candy is wonderful - I ate my body weight (which is substantial) in it! There's really cool store in the French Quarter called Yesteryears and it's all pagan and artsy. We spent a lot of time and money there. I bought a crystal ball and had my tarot cards read. Once AGAIN I was informed that I am a High Priestess and to stop trying to fight it. Do you think I will ever listen? :-) We went back there so often that they knew us by name and we had some excellent talks with Serena and Steven. I could see being good friends with them if they lived in Florida.

We made the required trip to Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo, which didn't impress me much, although the museum was creepy. It made me very dizzy and wonky. Also, we saw her grave in the cemetary and it made me feel like the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end. Various people had requested Voodoo dolls, but we didn't get the expensive "hand-made by a Voodoo practitioner dolls" because most of the people who asked for them are the kind who could accidentally do real damage. You can buy 6 dolls for $5.00 at the French Market. Hot off the press from China! We got Razzle a voodoo doll fridge magnet because she commented how she loves to look at people's fridges because they say so much about people.

Another "required" stop was Cafe Du Monde for beignets. They were wonderful - hot little donuts covered in powdered sugar. We ate them with milk because it was too hot for coffee.

The last night we were there, we ate at Lucky Chengs, which serves Chinese/Cajun cuisine. No joke! The waitresses are DRAG QUEENS who also do a show. TOTALLY worth the expensive food. Sally was in 7th heaven - she got to have her first filet mignon. I had a chicken pad thai dish. The food in New Orleans was fabulous. Our first night there, we had calzones at the Mystic Cafe and I swear they were as big as hubcaps and filled with garlic. Everything in New Orleans has garlic in it. Probably to scare off vampires. I don't think I saw any vampires, but we weren't out much after dusk. Bourbon Street at night is just one giant keg party and definitely not my cuppa.

The drive back was about as uneventful as it could be - except for the rain! Sally drove most of the trip, which I didn't mind at all. I REALLY want to go back some day and stay longer...



PHOTOS COMING AS SOON AS I CAN SCAN THEM...






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