Our trip to New Orleans was originally to be part of a group vacation, mostly with lawyers from Scott’s firm. Some of the group had booked flights and hotels. They were arriving Thursday the 26th of May, leaving Sunday, May 29. Just as we were about to book our flights, Sidney told us her high school graduation was on the Saturday, May 28, a day we planned to be away. We couldn’t skip the last high school grad we would attend for our kids, so we are leaving earlier and returning earlier. Instead of a group going together, one of whom is familiar with New Orleans, Scott and I will spend two days in New Orleans on our own before four of our friends join us.

Sure takes a long time to get there. There are no direct flights from Calgary. We will be flying through Houston, a flight of just over 4 hours. Then only a little over an hour to New Orleans after a two and a half hour layover in George Bush Intercontinental Airport. (I try not to cringe when I say the airport name.)

We leave at 7 am and get to New Orleans, in the Central time zone, a bit before 4 pm.

From news reports, the Mississippi River will be at its highest on May 23, the day we arrive. And temperatures have been very warm and humidity high. If it stays that way, it’s going to be one shock to our system since we’ve hardly experienced warm weather and it certainly has not be humid despite some rainy days.

We’re staying at the airport hotel the night before to avoid the early morning rush to the airport.