I left Birmingham in the rain.  The train to New Orleans was relatively empty.   It was very nice to stretch out.

After arriving in New Orleans, I got an Uber.  The driver didn’t pick me up in the correct spot. I know I was in the correct spot because I saw quite a few people getting picked up there. I had to walk and find her car.

Then she could not find the address of my apartment.  I don’t blame her for this.  But it was pretty chaotic because she kept driving around.  The streets here are weird and there can be 2 street names parallel to each other.   I finally told her to let me out at an intersection that Google maps said was a 2 minute walk to my apartment and I found it.

I was staying at Sonder Suites.  I was supposed to check in yesterday and did not because I had to stay another night in Birmingham to be at an important work meeting today that I did not trust my hot spot for (there is no WiFi on Amtrak west of Chicago) and who wants to be talking in a work meeting on a train like an asshole anyway?

My apartment was non refundable, no changes, so I could not change the dates.  I did have a tiny fear that since I had not checked in last night, it would have voided me out of the system, but it did not.  You do not speak to any actual person with these types of stays.  They email you a code to the building and a code to  your room.  No reception desk, nothing.

My room was really nice.

I was hungry and there was an IHOP 2 minutes away so I placed and order online and walked over to wait 45 minutes for my food.  There were a lot of angry Door Dash drivers also experiencing this.

I worked for a couple of days and did not go out at night.  I could (and probably should) have since I was off work when it was still daylight outside.  But I really enjoyed just being in the room reading books on the Kindle app on my phone. I loved not being in my apartment.

Saturday was going to be my only full day in New Orleans but I got sidetracked by Amtrak (no pun intended) when they decided to strand me in New Orleans.  You can read that rant HERE.

After dealing with that, I went outside!  Mother fucker it is hot as fuck out here.

I walk all over Bourbon Street and the waterfront.  I passed a bookstore and really wanted to buy a used book to keep with me.  Didn’t want to carry it.  Want the book.  Don’t want to carry it.  I go back and forth in my head for way longer than necessary before walking away.   To then walk back and fuck look, the books are FREE.  I limit myself to one.  I wanted 50.

 

I wanted to take a ferry ride and see the sunset but honestly it was just way too hot and I was dying.

I went back to my apartment and instead of packing to leave tomorrow, I got my laundry together since I have access to a washer and dryer.

The next morning, I took myself and my clean clothes over to Harrahs.  I purposely did not book a stay here initially since this trip was not supposed to be a gambling trip.  But after Amtrak stranded me, I could not find any hotel with rooms.  Only apartments, which come with a hefty cleaning fee that isn’t worth it to have to pay twice (once for the apartment I am checking out of) on such a short trip.

Harrahs New Orleans:

I was able to check in early at Harrahs and fuck it, let’s go gamble?   You have to show proof of vaccination to get into the casino, as well as wear a mask.

I did pretty okay in the casino.  I love that they have outside smoking areas with slots so I could play outside.  It felt great in the shade, it felt terrible when the sun would hit it.   When it got dark outside, the screens really hurt my eyes.

I took another walk down by the water.  It is really nice over here.

Harrahs stretches out for a few blocks and I passed this entrance.  This may be hurricane damage or this may be me talking shit.

And the room:

Before leaving New Orleans, I had the greatest breakfast at Ruby Slipper.  I wish I had eaten there every day on this trip.  Oh well, maybe next time…

I took an Uber to the airport for my flight to Omaha.  This was part of my “Amtrak fucked me” revised itinerary.  I am supposed to be on a train dammit.  Oh well, next stop: Nebraska.