2019 USA

March 15th to 30th

Our bucket list has always included a paddle steamer trip on the Mississippi.

Well, we did it this year.

What made life a little easier was the recently introduced direct flight from Heathrow to New Orleans.

The river journey we booked started in New Orleans, and sailed up river to Memphis, and was on a paddle steamer called the American Queen .

Day 1

But first, a three night stay in New Orleans, so on the 15th March off we flew from Terminal 5 at about 2pm, arriving at our hotel at around 10 pm. This followed one hell of a long queue at imigration which took us well over an hour to navigate!

Our three night stay was at the Omni Royal in St Louis Street, not quite Bourbon Street, but as we were later in the holiday to learn, probably a good acclimitisation.
A very good hotel, very comfortable with all that could be needed, but first, I/we needed a beer.
The hotel bar was as far as we wanted to venture before crashing out,and with no draught beer on tap , bottled ale, an IPA, was good enough for me.