NOLA

Here we are in New Orleans. Thirty one hours Sydney to NO with smooth flying all the way and only one delay leaving Auckland which was made up along the way. Our blog title is already living up to it's name. We have both had a little trouble adjusting our own state of mind, me because I have bronchitis and Dira has jet lag. So as a result we have been laying fairly low. We did venture out for dinner and of course went to a tourist spot where the food was ordinary but looked down from a balcony the length of Bourbon St from there we saw some of the other altered states that people enter into in this city. We saw many, many people (tourists) whose sole purpose was to drink large amounts of alcohol out of large plastic cups and other shaped containers and this was at 7 pm! The two fully Mardi Gras style feathered Indians looked a little tattered in the early evening light, posing for photos with (drunk)tourists for a donation. The tap dancing boys were seriously harassing of anyone who even glanced at their dancing feet, for bills to be placed in their cardboard boxes. A brass band then came out of a resturant followed by a whole wedding party! They stood in the street waving their serviettes in the air. They were then escorted by the police to march and dance their way around the block. The bride was having a ball! This morning we went to Royal St which is a block from Bourbon St and could be a million miles away. Jewellery and antique shops abound and we found a nice cafe for breakfast, Dira got her fruit and yogurt and I tried a beignet which is like a doughnut but nicer. Izac and Akiko arrive this afternoon!