New Orleans Trip, 2026, Day 1

 Travel Day

Our flight didn't leave until 3 pm, so we didn't have to leave the house until 11 am. What a luxury! No mad rush in the dark trying to make an early flight. And an unanticipated benefit was that we didn't have to wait in long lines at the airport. The flight left on time and had no problems. That was the way to go.

While waiting on our flight, we perused the airport shops where I found Berger cookies for $25! Berger Cookies are a handmade Baltimore cookie that is very rich and very delicious. In the grocery store, they sell for about $10. Airport prices!#!&

As we approached New Orleans, the land got swampier and swampier.

Upon arriving in New Orleans, there was a different feel in the airport--one of fun with jazz music playing in the background. The icing on the cake was that all of our bags arrived and were some of the first ones on the carousel.

The New Orleans airport is named after jazz legend, Louis Armstrong.

Leaving the terminal, the first thing we noticed was that we weren't bowled over by stifling air as we had so many times in the past upon returning to New Orleans when we lived here. It was a comfortable 70 F with moderate humidity.

Then began the rental car odyssey (she says with a bit of exaggeration.) We waited in a very long line for the shuttle to the rental car area. Luckily, we got on the second bus, but it took 20 minutes to get to the rental car place. It was adjacent to the airport, but we had to travel the entire perimeter to get there. 

After retrieving our car, we figured out the downside to having an afternoon flight. It was now dark, and we had to try to maneuver in an unfamiliar place. That would have been much easier to do if we had daylight.

However, we eventually found our Vrbo. We're staying in the Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans in a new apartment building. Security is very good in that we had to punch in a code 5 times to get from our car to our apartment. However, the apartment is very sparsely equipped. Not one lamp in the place. No pot holders. No cutting board. No baking pans. But I guess that's what Walmart's for. We found our way to Walmart and got some basic food and supplies for the week.

Main room of the Vrbo.

Then it was to settle down to a restless night of sleep that always happens in a new place.

We woke this morning to rain, but should be clearing up soon before we make our way to City Park.

We saw rain on the bayou outside our window this morning. Bayous are ubiquitous in the area to help deal with drainage.

Until next time...