Back in Cali

New Orleans - Thursday, I finally found this store I was looking for in the Quarter. I had walked all around looking for this one store and couldn't find it. Well I found it right before I left town. All for a T-shirt! :)
Had breakfast near Jackson Square and right before I checked out, I got a full muffaletta to take home to my Uncle Johnny.
http://www.nolacuisine.com/2009/05/24/central-grocery/

The drive wasn't so bad. I left about 12:15pm and got to my Uncle's house close to 4:30pm.

Didn't do too much after I got there. My cousin Sally came over for a little bit. I did some laundry and repacked my luggage. We had to get up early to drive to the airport the next day.

Friday - woke up about 4:20am to pack and get ready. Uncle Johnny and I left the house at 5am to drive to the Shreveport Airport. It had started raining sometime throughout the night, so when we left it was pouring rain. He took some back roads before we got on the I-49 North freeway and it was a little sketchy. Just pouring rain, a little foggy and super dark. Big puddles in the road too. Once we got on the freeway it was fine and the rain had simmered down.

Got to the Airport about 6:20am, my plane didn't take off until 7:35am so I had a little time to get some coffee and wait. The flight to Dallas was only about 30-35 minutes and it was in one of those little planes. Once in Dallas, I had about a 3 hour layover - enough time to find my gate and get something to eat. Good thing I had a lot of time, because the gate # changed a couple times, but it was still in Concourse A for American Airlines flights. Flight from Dallas to Fresno was about 3 hours. Not too bad, except for the crying baby the last hour or so of the flight.
Ryan, Whit & Ian picked me up from the airport and I am safe and sound at my parents house. I will probably go back to Aptos Monday. I can't wait to go back to the cool coastal weather even if it is a bit warmer for summertime. I'll have about a week left of vaca before I go back to work.
I think I gained like 5-7 lbs. just being on a road trip and eating/drinking in New Orleans. Ugh!

Here's all our stops.
Visalia, CA
Harrah's Laughlin Hotel and Casino, NV   http://www.harrahslaughlin.com/hotel.html
Grand Canyon, AZ                                     http://www.nps.gov/index.htm
Route 66 Casino Hotel, NM                       http://www.rt66casino.com/#hotel
WinStar Casino, OK                                   http://winstarworldcasino.com/casino
(We didn't stay here because it was booked, but we did go to the casino). We stayed at: Red River Suites: http://www.redriversuites.com/ )
Sugarland, TX                                             
Natchitoches, LA

 Good times! I had a really good time and am really happy that I ventured on this road trip. Thanks Uncle Johnny and family.

:)

xoxo