Let's see, I believe we last left off on Thursday, December 8th, and the night ended well, really relaxing just what I needed..
Friday, December 9th, I watched Megan give Mary a sick trumpet tattoo on her forearm, it was process, and I sat in for a couple hours of it, waiting to trade rooms in the hostel, but it was really cool watching the process as well as being able to talk to them for a bit. Mary is originally from Seattle, she actually headed back there on Wednesday, the 14th, but that's later in the story. Megan... Hmm.. it just blanked on me where she's from, but it's in the US, I want to say New York.. Anyway, it was nice talking with them and checking out how she does her tattooing, I'm really excited to see where it takes her. I ended up doing a few applications and then headed to a bar called Lucky's Bar, which was obviously a bar... and a laundry mat. Boom! Right? Who'd have thought they made such a great pair? Well, apparently New Orleans, because I ended up seeing a decent handful of them in the area during my wanderings haha. Afterward, I received some really useful tips from a dear friend back home recovering from a pretty scary heart attack about some old friends and contacts she has in the area. Richard, Rich, a tattoo artist and shop owner on Magazine street with a very cool spot. There was also a couple other women in Jackson Square, Linda and Miranda, both working in the area as a tarot reader and shop owner, respectively. I spoke to one of them over Facebook and got ideas for finding work but ultimately, all searches for work turned up nothing that could happen soon enough. I finished the night from Rich's shop and wandered down Magazine Street, ending up a nice little pub across from a small park boasting a weekly flea market, which I surprisingly attended on Sunday.
Saturday, the 10th I want to say I slept in a while, since I didn't need to move rooms. Eventually night came, and I went out with the hostel as a group, to Bourbon Street. If I thought going to a couple small town bars was tricky enough with this group and not getting lost/losing people, Bourbon Street made it very clear. We started the night checking out bands, some really awesome blues and jazz bands, the music was amazing, but as the night went on, people started getting drunk and things started falling apart by the time we got to 30/90. At the start of this, I mostly hung out with Nick and Paul, a couple of best friends I'd previously met the night before at some point, both from a place in California close to where I'm from. I also made friends with Adam, originally from Boston, spent some time in Los Angeles, and currently living in New York. I was really enjoying the musical pub crawl, so when things started falling apart, I tried helping getting the group together to keep moving, checking out The Spotted Cat, the next place to checkout... unfortunately some stragglers got left behind, so after I ran back in to find them while the group headed to the next spot, The Spotted Cat. Upon sweeping the bar, I concluded nobody was there and headed to Spotted Cat, where nobody was. I didn't mind so much because the music was good and I met some pretty fun people there, figuring I probably beat the group there on account of how sloppy they were getting before we'd even left. After about a half hour, the band ending, I decided to continue my search, and after popping into bars along the street, I concluded they weren't in any of the bars in the area. Again I was separated from the group, though this time around I had someone's number, Adam, whom at this point I believe I was calling Alex, or Aaron, I'm really horrible with names. Turns out my luck is pretty bad, so my phone died, and I was alone in the outskirts of Bourbon Street, walking in circles trying to find somewhere to charge it. As I wandered, getting further and further from where everyone was last spotted, I ended up at a bar called, R Bar and ran into two women from the hostel, I never got their names but they let me wander with them for a while, so I was happy for that. Around probably 2am, I finally had a charge on my phone and tried to get a hold of Adam, unsuccessfully for another half hour or so. Eventually I ended up getting a hold of him, and was only about a 15 minute run away. Yeah, I ran alright, I was not going to get stuck going in circles on my own, but I know the temperament of a drunk, wandering crowd, prone to episodes of restless, so I ran as quickly as I could. At around 3:30am, technically the Sunday morning, I ended up getting distracted by a sight seen often enough I'm sure, though not at this time of year; some tourist flashing for beads haha. She looked around my age, maroon hair and glasses, I had to laugh about it at the time, someone in the middle of winter, doing something typical of Mardi Gras. Needless to say I slowed my run for that show, but continued on. When I began to near the area, I slowed a bit and tried to find the place, but got distracted by a group of women from out of the country, their accents giving it away, thinking they may have been from my hostel, I struck up a conversation to see where they were headed, just in case Adam wasn't where he said he was. After confirming their plans, I found where Adam was... unfortunately, I only found Adam, or rather, I found Adam, as well as a couple of women he'd met previously in the night, Isabella and I never got the other one's name. They were dancing, Adam was incredibly trashed, so I figured we should probably end the night and just find that other group whom I thought were from the same hostel, and get back so we could get some sleep. We left Isabella and headed to the club the other foreigners were at, figuring we'd hangout there till we all left.. As time went on, and conversations were had, I realized they were not staying at our hostel haha. I end up saying fine, I'm not going to win, so I start feeding Adam water, trying to sober him up. Long story short, we end up without our shirts on at this d dance club, which ends up being a gay bar, though at the time I didn't realize it. Adam is on stage dancing with a rather attractive redhead, and a rather muscular bald man, named Guy. I signal to Adam at this point the discovery I have made, but he says he doesn't care and seems to be having a good time, so I say, fuck it, when in Rome, and start dancing up on stage with my shirt off as well haha... Once Adam sobers up and is more coherent, we leave and for the hostel by Uber, because we do not find anyone we know, it being roughly 5am at this point.
The next day found me wandered with group for lunch, to market street where I had an S.A.F. which was amazing, and went through flea market on Magazine Street. Afterward I hit St Charles Ave with a small group, Nick, Adam, and Lee, eating at St Charles' Tavern before heading out with the group from the hostel. It was this point Adam began to realize how sick he was feeling, though he powered through it and we hit the town, hostel leader Mary taking us through the streets to French Square, it was nice being able to talk to her a bit, told her about myself and unfortunately, I ended up in my head for a while there afterward, with memories of my mother and brother... It was an interesting night, I'm going to leave it at this.. It started with searching for live bands and all that fun with the group from the Hostel, but after leaving the group with Adam and Nick and heading to the French Quarters, well let's just say Adam kept getting piggy back rides and we had some really delicious hot dogs from street vendors. Eventually we ended up back in the hostel around 5:30am.
Monday morning, the 12th, I was moved from my room, hazards of extending your stay, and fell asleep in the hammock outside. Stayed in hung out with Nick, Paul, Adam, played a card game I want to say they called Shit Outta Luck? Then went to see the Christmas lights with Paul, Nick, Adam, but decided to come back and have hot dogs and chill at the Hostel, play more card games, met French girl that was leaving the same Friday I was.
The following day Nick and Paul were set to leave, I learned there were leaving when Paul left the bathroom door open while I was getting out of the shower haha.. Thank God for no privacy in hostels haha.. Later that night I tried oysters with Iman and Adam, he was still incredibly under the weather, but he said the charbroiled oysters helped him feel a bit better, and they were delicious. I later took a nap, went to get food, and a beer with Iman and Dana at The Avenue Pub, from there we went our separate ways, and I wandered around alone, Tuesday ended.
Wednesday, the 14th, started with Adam, Dana, and Iman prepping to leave, but wanting to hit up a few places before they hit the road. I decided to catch a ride to check out the Medical Museum with them, which was pretty interesting, from there we went to a Hot Sauce shop. Afterward, Adam and I went to checkout Lafayette Graveyard, where we found a crypt with a hole in it... so curious me, I have to peak inside... Yes, there were definitely bones, scattered everywhere, did not expect to see that. Afterward I just hung out by myself, trying to decide what my plan was going to be.
Thursday, I just slept in, started working on catching the blog up, did laundry at Lucky's Bar, and then got my pack all put together and ready to hit the road in the morning.
Friday, the 16th, today, I headed out, trying to find my way through New Orleans to the route that would take me to Florida. I ended up passing through Jackson Square, where I lost the viewfinder eyepiece, and met a photo journalist named Mark. He showed me to a museum, which use to be a United States Mint, which houses exhibits for Louis Armstrong, different artifacts from it's time as a Mint, as well as a Photo Of The Year exhibit, which Mark was very adamant I see. While I wandered the exhibit, I can only hope to do work as as well as these contributors, he was writing down places to checkout, State Parks, camping, and another traveler, female, going by Halfpint. After leaving the area, I continued on and ended up at Foster's Almonaster House? Haha some house where travelers can crash, stay as long as they want, have a good meal, shower, etc, all that's asked is you don't mess with anyone else's stuff, you help out when you can, however you can. Almonaster Travelers, a place where tramps of all sorts come through, stay a while, and trade stories. It's run by Foster, and interesting, kind of eccentric man with a wild beard. They helped point me in the direction of a faster route to Slidell, where I was heading to camp and crash for a while, and in return, I helped take photos for them, of a friend's property that was partially destroyed by fire. Long story short, I've burned all the daylight I allotted for travel and am staying the night here.. We'll see how it goes. The people here are very seasons travelers, train hopping and just catching rides however they can, really interesting, one guy has been doing this for at least 8 years. Apparently, if I help Foster in his wheel chair, he'll show me around St. Roch Cemetery, he's got keys to the place and everything. Life is interesting, we'll see where things go, that's for sure.
Anyway, later days.
NOTE TO SELF, and don't let your blog go this long, if you do, write notes as the time goes on.
“I hope that you like it in your little motel
And I hope that the suite sleeps and suits you well
Well, I can see it as time and a sight through smell, and
That’s why it’s nice to be by yourself
’Cause that’s what I’m waiting for
That’s what I’m waiting for
That’s what I’m waiting for, aren’t I?
That’s what I’m waiting for
That’s what I’m waiting for
That’s what I’m waiting for, darlin’”