Return to Oz

We're back. 2.5 years in the making. The flight home was good. Qantas have refitted their 747's since I traveled last on them and I was blown away by the leg room in economy. I didn't have to dislocate my hip and could almost stretch out straight when my chair was reclined. Good on you Qantas.

We were greeted at the airport by Tracy's mum, Di, who had a nice welcoming sign. We then headed home and had some decent breakfast. Oh how we both missed Aussie bacon loin. 

After breakfast we headed out to Eastern Creek to collect Dasha. we'd really missed the little guy and could not wait to get him. We had visions similar to that YouTube Video where the guy who raised the lions visits them 15 years later and they come running over and cuddle him. Well it was not quite as emotional as that. Dasha was locked in his create in the back of a truck with other dogs which were being collected. He was pretty excited as you can see in the short video below. He was in good spirits. A tad skinnier than when he left but I doubt it will take much time to fatten him up

I was surprised to find my parents had popped up from Geelong for the day. Bit of a shock when they walk into the shower when you're in it. There was then a steady stream of visitors and a great afternoon was had feasting on some slow cooked lamb.

We were both pretty tired and ended up hitting the hay at about 8pm. I'm back at work now and Tracy has begun her domestic goddess apprenticeship. 

The airport welcoming committee

The welcoming sign at Di's place

Yum choc cake

Oh bacon loin how I've missed you

Woohoo we've got our puppy back

Dasha watching patiently as Waz carves the lamb.

Was a big day for the rodent. He didn't know what to do with himself with all the space to run around.

The joys of jet lag.

New Orleans

The final stop on our trip was the city of New Orleans. The flight from Miami took about 1.5 hours and I was quite occupied playing Brickbreaker on my Blackers and set a new land speed record.

We'd hooked up some accommodation in the French Quarter and after ditching our bags went for a bit of a wander. The city is very touristy but you only need to go a street or two back where it quietens down and you can admire the unique architecture of the French Quarter.

For dinner we headed to Frenchmens Street. It's meant to be where the locals go to play and a tad off the radar. We had a nice dinner outside and were entertained by some hill billy style street performers.

The following day we headed to the WW2 museum. This was an amazing place which we spent many hours at. We did a tour of one of the PT boats (think McHales Navy) followed by watching the short film on Americas involvement in the war. We then spent several hours wandering around the exhibitions. It was a really well setup place and is under some major construction. They are expanding it and I could see myself coming back there at some time in the future.

The reason the museum is there is that the famous PA boats which made amphibious landings possible were built in New Orleans. Eisenhower credited these as being the number one innovation that enabled the allies to win the war hence their importance.

We then spent some time wandering around the Garden District admiring the massive old homes. It was very Newport style. We then headed to Magazine St to have a squid at some of the shops. This is a very bohemian part of the city akin to King St in Newtown, Sydney or Smith St, Collingwood in Melbs. We spent our final sunset on a verandah having a sneaky ale pondering the awesome time we've had.

Later that night we headed to a restaurant called Irene's in the French Quarter. It's a very popular spot and a bit off the track so less touristy. We had to wait awhile but we had one of the most sensational meals we've had in a long time and it would have easily given any decent place in NYC a run for its money. Tracy had duck and I had lamb and we left proper satisfied.

We cut a lap of Bourbon Street at night. I guess it's one of those places you have to see. It is pure tourist trash hell and so bad it is actually amusing. As some others described its kind of a cross between Pat Pong in Bangkok and Caval Ave on the Gold Coast. Actually I'm sure it's fun if your in the party mood but being at the end of a pretty hectic trip all we wanted to do was go home and hit the hay.

New Orleans.......check.

One of the many bands on the street

 

The city was kitting up for Halloween which is in a couple of days

 

Some of the colorful houses in the French Quarter

Bourban Street by day

 

 

Marti Gras legacy?

Bourban St by night

 

 

 

 

 

 

WW2 museum

Plans for the PT boat being refurbished

Magazine Street

One of the cemeteries. Bodies are placed in these tomb style graves due to New Orleans being below the water table and the inability to be able to bury people.

 

The Garden District at sundown

 

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Key West Madness - Fantasy Week

Warning this one is 18+.

Well let me set the context. First of all when I went for a swim the pool was loaded with topless chicks. When leaving we came across another woman with this mesh number on and no bra and her nipples sticking through like little leaning towers of Pisa. It ends up that we unknowingly stumbled upon Fantasy Week which is Key Wests equivalent of the Marti Gras in New Orleans.

As the sun started to go down in Key West, the craziness of the night began to increase. The theme for Monday night was leather and boy did the crew put on a show. I've seen some crazy things in my time but this was right up there. Picture middle aged to older people walking around with their baps or sausage and two vege hanging out, people fully naked except for body painting and g-strings left, right and central.

It was bedlam. I tried to get Tracy to strip down but she wouldn't have any part of it. We ate dinner at a place on Duval St so we could admire the show as we devoured down key lime pie. From there we spent some time people watching.

Apparently it was the first night and only a taster for the anarchy of later in the week. I'd like to see that but I think I've seen enough saggy boobs and wrinkly lolly bags to last a lifetime. It was all good fun though and good on people for putting it out there.

 

 

After sunset we came across a charity auction of bras supporting breast cancer research.

The mannequins had majorly crazy assets.

This woman was a hit on the steet as she was slowly painted.

 

 

Save the whales.

This woman was entirely naked. Was a hit on the street as well. Are they real??!

 

Bring on the Gimp.

Interesting scooter. Wonder if the leather is biker approved?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Key West, Florida

Another short plane flight and we were back on mainland USA soil. We ended up in Miami with Key West being our destination.

The short story is we'd been to all of the places in the Beach Boy song Kokomo except Key Largo so we thought we'd better check it off.

We hired a car and decided to go all out and get a red convertible Mustang for the drive. It was a beautiful day and we thought it would be great to travel through the Keys in it. Our first stop however was a slight detour to a place which we'd been hanging to visit for 8 months or so.

It had been a long time between Ellos (Elevation Burger) and we were stoked to find that there were several stores in Florida. We beelined for it with strategies of how we would eat but ended up getting the same old order. Per usual the burgers were nothing short of sensational and a tremendous base for a road trip.

We hit Key Largo in about an hour but pretty much buzzed through it. Another hour and a half later and we pulled up at our hotel in Key West. We'd picked a pretty nice sot at the end of Duval St and headed straight for the pool. There was a beach at the hotel but we've become full blown Caribbean snobs now and the way was just not clear enough.

We checked out sunset which was pretty spectacular. Would give the Mindel Beach market in Darwin a run for its money. From there is was home but not after the entertainment of Fantasy Week in Key West. I'm going to save another blog for that as it deserves one in its own right.

The following day we checked out the southern most point in continental USA and then began the drive back. As we we leaving we were treated to a bit of an aerial show by 10 FA-18 Hornets which were doing some training from the nearby Navel air base. There may have also been a little stop at Ellos again for another couple of burgers.

We wrapped up the night by cruising up and down Ocean Bld in Miami a couple of times in the convertible.

Ah a sight for empty bellies

Tracy was one happy camper with her cheeseburger with mustard, mayo and hot pepper relish.

The end results of round two.

Our ride down to Key West

 

 

One of the causeways connecting the islands.

The hotel beach

Sunset

A the marker for the southern most point in the US.

 

The speck is one of the Hornets coming in to land.

The Mustang was nice but I would have taken this bad boy any day of the week. Ocean Boulevard in Miami.

 

 

 

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