New Orleans to Los Angeles

Check out the tyres
THE Chevvy!!
Loved the NO architecture
Walter on Burbon St
Louis Armstrong park

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Next morning found us on our way back to Vermont, it was like coming home to be with Ron and Kay again. Their boys Amar and Kyle came home for Thanksgiving. Much preparation, cooking and tasting went into the feast that was Thanksgiving dinner,(at lunch time) and it was all wonderful. We were all invited toanother dinner at friends of Kay and Ron, this time there were over 30 of us around a table groaning under the weight of the food. It was a glorious night outside, it had snowed, and with the moonlight shining on it, it was breathtaking.

They have some wonderful traditions, and Thanksgiving is certainly one of the best, we count ourselves very fortunate to have been able to share with these wonderful people.
For the next few days Walter helped Ron with some finishing jobs on the new house, they enjoyed each others company. While this was happening K ay & I took the opportunity to spend some time together, doing what we enjoy, shopping. I had a great time, as the stores were full of things to do with christmas, some of which I couldn't resist buying.

Because we had enjoyed our train journeys we decided that rather than flying to LA, we would take the train again, this time going down through Atlanta and New Orleans. After a few more great days with the Clark's, we bought a 15 day rail pass and headed for Atlanta, and on to New Orleans. We are so glad now that we did this, as I don't suppose New Orleans will ever be the same after the terrible floods.

We stayed in the French Quarter in another super little B & B, see photos, we went out to a plantation, had a boat trip through the swampland, where we saw aligators in the water, Walter even got to hold one, a very little and docile one of course, it was all just like we see in the movies, water, trees with moss dripping from them, the little shacks etc.

We ate some great southern food, walked along Bourbon St., saw the paddle steamers, Louis Armstrong Park, altogether N. O. was another excellent place.

Our last train journey was from N.O. to L.A., where we were supposed to arrive at 7am, but owing to some amazing mishaps, it was 11pm, when we finally got to Annahiem where we met Ed. Thank goodness for mobile phones, as I was able to keep updating Ed and Cherie on our estimated time of arrival. That trip was another whole story, which I wont go into here, suffice to say we did arrive and were able to spend a couple of lovely relaxing days with Cherie, Ron's sister) and her husband Ed.

Ed has this amazing 1955 Chevvy., he and his son Matt, had spent the last few years restoring and modifying it. It was red of course and although it is licenced for the streets, it is actually a dragster. He took Walter for a drive in it one evening, when they returned Walter's eyes were as big as saucers, he was really blown away by the experience.

Just two days later we again reluctantly said goodbye to them, as we did all our other lovely friends from the US, Sweden, and Germany and headed for Auckland on the second last leg of our journey.

As I have previously mentioned it was the people that touched our lives, in large or small ways, that made the trip something that we will always treasure, their friendship, care, help, thoughtfulness and love wherever we went, that will live long in our memories, and we hope they will continue to think of us with the fondness they showed.

Writing this has refreshed my mind to the wonderful time we had and I can only hope that you have enjoyed reading about our travels too.

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If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?