Travelin' Jones

sigh......

This time of year always gets me thinking of just leaving. Packing it in and GOING. anywhere.

Must be the winter blues.

These pictures are from our 1st train trip to New Orleans in 2005, a month before the hurricane.

Have you ever taken an Amtrak trip? If not, I highly recommend it.

We spent the extra money (I think it was $129 total) for a bedroom and with that upgrade everyone in your party gets all their meals for FREE!

The bedroom was really nice when it was configured as a living room, the beds were not so fantastic. We had a toilet, sink and shower in our compartment which was, umm, interesting. I really don't think I'd be showering on my next trip. OK, maybe if we went on a 3 or 4 day trip.....

The meals were so unbelieveably fantastic. They took our reservations for us. We had linen napkins, white glove service and 3 course meals that were really, truly scrumptious. That was, by far, the best part of the train trip. We packed a bunch of snacks but didn't need them at all. We were full the whole time. And that makes us VERY happy!

We were on the train for 19 hours. We had 2 dinners and a breakfast and a lunch. Well worth the 129 bucks.

I can't say enough about New Orleans. We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it. From the hotel, to the architecture of the French Quarter, to the plantations, to the swamps and alligators, to the food (and drinks!), to Bourbon Street, and the jazz..........it was just the most amazing city. Brett played with the band at a Fais Do-Do, we held baby alligators, we heard live jazz at Preservation Hall and visited places we'd seen on TV. wow.

Anyway, we really would like to go somewhere this summer.

(don't tell the kids, but we're thinking, HOPING maybe Disney World)

Wherever we go, I'm sure it will be a trip-----and I mean that in every sense of the word!