New Orleans

It's 11.48pm. Everyone else is out at the Jazz Club, I'm sat in the hotel canceling all my credit and debit cards. Paid the bill for a meal out tonight (using my wallet), then 3 minutes later in the bathroom, realise my wallet is not in my pocket. As I moved no more than 10 feet to the bathroom, right beside the table I knew that it had either fallen out or was taken. No sign of it anywhere in the restaurant, despite the manger and lots of other people looking for it.

Fast forward two hours, after I'm back at the hotel canceling cards, I get a phone from the restaurant, saying that the wallet has been found in the garbage bin in the bathroom. Minus $70 cash and all my credit and debit cards. Good job I cancelled them all right away.

But as there was only one bathroom, and I went straight in there after paying my bill, this means that when I came out frantically looking for my wallet, that the person who stole it must have still been in the restaurant, taking my cash and cards, and then when i left to go back to the hotel to cancel the cards, then went back into the bathroom and threw it in the trash. Thankfully, they left my drivers license, which I absolutely need for Hawaii (to rent the car I've booked), but the cash and cards are a bit of a nightmare. Going to have to get them sent to the last hotel (in New York)...

Why are there people like this in the world?

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Sunday October 14th

Anyway, what's this place like. They say it's the most "cultural city" in the America. And I suppose they're right. Not ventured much out of the French quaters, apart from the swamp tour on the way in (60 miles west) but there's definitely a vibe to this place.





The Cathedral in Jackson Square. Just far too touristy for me. I'm starting to learn that I'm really not all that much of a city person. Or maybe it's just cause this place has claimed my credit cards?



There are a lot of down and outs. Got quite a bit of banter just wondering around town on my own today, some guy trying to engage in conversation about my sandels, thought it was just friendly banter at first, but he was clearly after some money. Pretended to be Spanish and moved away, "apesadumbrado no entiendo"

Felt strange being at the other end of the Mississippi, 7 weeks ago I swam in the Northern Mississippi in Minnesota, 3000 miles away, and thought it would seem ages til I saw it again. But it doesn't really. Just feels kinda like yesterday.

Bought some new trainers as it's suddenly dawned on me I've got the Hawaii Half Marathon in little over 3 weeks and I'm running in off road shoes more suited to the Colorado Rockies...

Walked around New Orleans, then chilled for 2 or 3 hours in the park, winding away the hours with the cheeky ipod. Couldn't kick myself into gear after the wallet issue, and also trying to rest the left calf, which just seems to be getting tighter and tighter with every run. Hopefully these new trainers and 2 days off will sort it out...hate not getting out in the parks and on the roads though...

On the way into New Orleans stopped by Cajun Jack's - seemed a good lad, but couldn't understand one word he said for 3 hours as he whisked us off through the swamp on his pride and joy: "Cajun Jack II"



Saw alligators, beavers, and got told about all the deadly snakes. Not a big swamp man, even though I love Shrek. But it was worth it. Even met some of the Cajun locals like Uncle Joe here:



Had a box load of crawfish (amongst other delicacies) worth over $1000, the best fisherman in the area can make this by lunch time when the swamp is higher than usual. He's definitely not doing too bad for himself, though the risks are huge as all three of them have to venture off the boat into the raised parts of the swamps to collect nets left over night. 3 types of snake in the area have venom that kill pretty much instantly, there's alligators all over the shop, perhaps not my idea of a career.



Here's just a small alligator we saw. Though they can grow to over 9 feet!

Just before Uncle Joe left us to the tour, I knew the conversation was turning bad. At 89, he might know his stuff, but as soon as he mentioned he was a Democrat, and then what he'd do to Bush if he saw him, I saw only one direction this conversation was going in - as I tried to depict via facial expression: