This is a post in a series of posts that detail various trips I've been on over the years. Trips and stories will be posted nonlinearly. READ ME.
Laissez le bon temps rouler.
Thursday, May 11th, 2017
Like most of my trips, this one started early in the morning. Alarm rang at 6:00am and I had no issues getting up - much easier process than an hour later when I normally get up for work. Finished packing and fired up the Uber-machine - the first of many Uber trips over the next few days.
Louis picked me up in his Nissan Sentra and we were on our way. I will always talk to my Uber/Lyft drivers regardless of time of day because I love hearing their stories.
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Here's the thing. Generally speaking, people need to do a better job of learning more about the people around them. Talk to strangers when it's appropriate. Talk to your driver. Talk to a front desk person. People that are willing to open up and share thoughts and opinions (good or bad) make the world a more interesting place. One of the many great things in life are the people you come across and the experiences that shape and define their character. We all have a story to tell.
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Louis starts the conversation and we talk about where I'm off to. I tell him I'm heading to New Orleans for a bachelor party and the conversation blossoms from there. Soon enough we're talking about his former job as a Miller Lite keg delivery guy. He stopped working there because his back couldn't take the constant lifting - Uber is much more his speed.
From there I took the conversation slightly more personal and asked where he got his love for talking to
From there, Louis asked me about my story. I told him that I'm from PA and that I went to Temple. Like most drivers when I mention Temple, Louis responded with "ah, John Chaney!" I shared why I went to Temple and we talked about living the city life and why it's important for an adolescent to get that experience during primitive years of adult maturation. "The city will eat you up and spit you out if you don't have common sense."
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Finally get to the United terminal at O'Hare and breeze through security and get to my gate. Down a western omelette while watching HLN on the only TV in the area. Great people watching at the airport per usual. A guy walked by rockin' a mullet and full camo - a little too hardcore for 7:00am. A mom wasn't paying attention as her toddler grabbed a pack of gum from one of the stands.
I board the plane and sit in my window seat. At this point I'm ready to dive into the new Fleet Foxes album, but a couple finally take their place beside me and start asking questions. I normally enjoy talking to people, but a flight is slightly different. When I fly, I like to be in my own space. Throw on some jams. Do some writing. Edit photos. But if someone starts talking to me, I'm going to talk. I immediately knew they were Canadians - great accents, eh.
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Small talk leads almost directly to them asking me my thoughts on Donald Trump and American politics. "How did it come to this?" "What is wrong with the political climate in America?" Pretty heavy questions in the morning with a complete stranger, but I love a good conversation. This was the first time I've shared my views and thoughts with strangers in a public setting - my friends know my thoughts, but I try not to force my opinions on others. I'll spare you what I said, but if you want to know my thoughts, ask me.
The conversation shifts to travel and we trade stories. As an older couple with an empty nest, they have a lot of time on their hands and have been all across the globe. As a graduation present to their daughter, they brought her along and were going to New Orleans as a family for the first time. The second part of her gift was a 19-day tour across Western Europe - lucky girl.
We finally bid adieu to each other and I go back to Fleet Foxes.
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I've flown a good amount over the years, but not United that often. They came through with a snack I haven't had since being in Holland in the early 2000s... stroopwafels!
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We land in New Orleans and I meet up with Ryan and Ryan who landed before me. Always good to see my best friends from home - the 2-3 times a year it happens is never enough. I fire up Uber again and we're off in Raul's Toyota Sienna and its PRAZGOD license plate.
This is when the fun started. Raul gave us a few initial ideas, but I started firing off more and more questions and writing a million miles an hour trying to keep up with him. To keep my notes as authentic as possible, I've typed them below, spelling mistakes, weird markings and all:
Bikes - bike tour
WWII Museum - check Groupon
Green/red cable cars $3 hop on/hop off
-Green is St. Charles
-St. Charles/Washington is free walking tour
[Cafe du Mond]
Jean Lefite Nat'l Park - 417 Decator
-free French Quarter tour
NOLA Motor Sports
-go-carts go 50mph check Groupon
Lafayette Park
-free concerts Thursdays?
Global Wildlife pet animals, not main zoo though
Free Walking Tours
Breakfast - Camilia's Grill
-St. Louis Cathedral
Drago's for oysters
-inside Hilton
-named best oysters in NOLA
Poland/River
Surgi
beignets
-Cafe du Mond
-Morning Call
Rouse's Super Market
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And with that, we reached our first destination: Willie Mae's.
To be continued...
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