..... Destination New Orleans, took awhile to get there as the directions were hard to follow. I think things had probably changed dramatically since Katrina and the maps weren't really updated. On first impressions, New Orleans had done well to bounce back from the tragedy, but as we drove further and further out to our motel, the aftermath was more apparant. Buildings were derelict shells, big signs were over on their side, there was a slight stench in the air, it was like driving through a huge building site and there was a 24hr armed security guard at the gate of our motel. It was the most expensive motel 6 we had stayed in, which seemed a bit like taking advantage of a captive audience, as most residents were families who were stuck whilst rebuilding their homes. We met one such man as he let himself into our room. Apparantly he had been staying in the room for a few days and had extended his stay but reception had neglected to tell him he had moved rooms. He was currently rebuilding his house from scratch and expected to be there for quite some time.

Unlike the rest of America, where motel 6's were in a metropolis of fast food restaurants and shops, everywhere had to such down before 10pm, which made it impossible for to find food. Even the vending machines in the motel were empty as they had only just reopened. We ventured out to look for food but it was pitch black and there were no working street lights, so after scaring ourselves for 20 minutes we went back to the motel and asked our armed guard for directions (and safety tips). He directed us to a garage just around the corner, but specifically told us not to get out of the car until we reached it. When we found it, we loaded up on as much junk as we could as quickly as we could and as we walked back to the car we spotted an armoured tank monitoring the area. It was definately going to be a night IN the motel neither of us wishing to venture out again.

There was definately not a good feeling about the area but nevertheless we thought to give it the benefit of the doubt and stay another night even though we had been woken at 5am by screaming and shouting and babies crying. The walls were paper thin, this particular motel had advertised itself as having internal corridors like it was a good thing, but it simply meant you were surround by noise on all four sides ( we would be boycotting anymore motel 6s who advertised internal corridors).  Nevertheless, everything was much better in the decent hours of the morning, for a start it was light (and i've always been told the boogie men don't come out unless its dark) and we were going to explor the less hit areas of New Orleans,. 

We drove to the French Quarter and we felt immediatley at ease as this was the least affected areas of New Orleans, it all seemed to be going about it daily business fine. We visited 'the city of hope' exhibition, which gave us a very good insite into the devastation Katrina caused and what efforts had been made to put everything right and how alot of the efforts have dried up, yet there is still an awful lot to do before all is back to normal and the bitterness this is causing. We sampled 'beignets' ( doughnut like square with lots of icing sugar) in Cafe du Monde whilst been surrenaded by a busker with a lovely soulful voice, even whilst the heavens opened. 

In the evening we went on a ghost tour around the French Quarter which was silly rather then scary ( where we were sleeping was scarier) but how many people can say they went on a ghost tour in New Orleans on Halloween ( apart from the handful that were on the same tour of course). Our ghost guide was full of spooky stories but spoke 1000 miles an hour and was more concerned about us staying on the pavement as not to get in trouble with the please. On our tour was the scooby gang, two couples dressed up as Shaggy, Velma, Fred and Daphne all looking for scobby, they were fab. We didn't realise what a celebration Halloween was until we ventured down Brunswick Street and  saw all the people dressed up in the most amazing costumes, having one big massive street party, it was fab. It felt like a mini Mardi Gras, so colourful and wild,with people throwing coloured beads from the balconies to the passers by below. Were we glad we stayed !!......