Our trip from SB to LA to NOLA went without a hitch. Do you like all the letters! We pronounce every letter. Here they don’t!

The Delta flight was fine. The good news was we got access into the lounge because we are Virgin VIPs! We ran into Pauline & Brian who are in their way to Boston.

We arrived on time and booked an Uber which was simple and then ……. no, not disaster. It was Dana. Our Uber driver.

An amazing introduction to NOLA. She was a little Hurricane Katrina! Well not so little – but no one here seems to little in size or heart.

She was full of ‘sugar’ ‘you all’ ‘now listen sugar… ‘

We were chatting like best friends within minutes. It was her second day as a driver and she was loving it!

I took a sneaky photo. What a gorgeous gal.

I’d be happy to have her run me all over NOLA. We heard about her broken foot.

” I’m telling you sugar it’s been a pain….” Her husbands cancer her new baby grandchild…… then the best places to eat, listen to jazz. She was a driving tourist guide.

Then just near our air bnb she pulled up to show us her 101 year old grandmother’s house.

Then we arrived at our bnb and she insisted on waiting to make sure we got inside ok. She couldn’t get out of the car to help – Remember the broken foot!

Our air bnb is fabulous and now because our good friends Peter and Carmel Harrison returned home unexpectedly we have it to ourselves. And it’s near perfect.

They have the perfect reason to rush home after the wedding. They heard at the beach fiesta on wedding eve, that their daughter ( who lives in Goondiwindi) but was minding their house went into labour 4 weeks early and baby George arrived. So first grand baby needs its grandparents.

The house is on 2 levels. A good entrance , big kitchen, lounge then a bedroom and bathroom and laundry. Upstairs is a huge bedroom and huge bathroom with the biggest shower ever seen. We could party in there.

We unpacked and quickly took to the streets of The Garden area. We had been told this was a good alternative to living a week in the midst of the FRENCH quarter or Bourbon St with its noise. And so far I’m happy. It’s a great area.

The houses are wooden and just so attractive.

The area is full of restaurants

And colourful businesses.

Even the Police Station is great.

The architecture and sculptures are eye catching. Even a street library.

We found a ‘ local’ for our first drink. So many cocktails! And fried pickles. So many fried foods. Watch out waist line!

We ate at a local seafood place called Basin. Not bad at all. Big big serves. We can’t cope.

So our first day in Nola has been great.

And sleep is needed. There’s always tomorrow and there’s always another cocktail