I Left My Car in Miami Beach

Day 14: Friday, 3 June 2011
We had to wake up early, yet again. Our host Audrey had to be at work before 8am, and we didn't get to bed until past 1:30am, so (including yesterday night) we were definitely sleep-deprived. Audrey left me the key to deliver to her office. The sun was up and feeling beautifully warm. I drove us into downtown, looking for a Starbucks or something. No luck, but at least we got to see central Miami. We drove to Audrey's office to drop off her key; it was located in a warehousey-artistic district with lots of street art everywhere! I definitely liked it.

We then drove north along Biscayne Highway (US 1) to look for a Starbucks for some coffee and wifi. Yet again, we were without a host for the night, so we had to get some wireless internet in order to send some last-minute couchrequests.

I had stopped by a different cafe and asked them for directions to the nearest Starbucks. Only when I was walking out did it feel awkward.

So we stayed in Starbucks for a while; I sent out some requests, and we pondered whether to go to Pompano Beach (north of Fort Lauderdale) or whether to risk staying in Miami and finding a host here. We continued pondering as I drove the car to a nearby hand car wash to get all the road trip dirt washed off. They did a good job, and it was only $17! The car washers didn't speak much English though; which made me feel like I was back in LA - except that they were black, not Mexican.

My impression of Miami so far is that it is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Yes, it's hot and tropical, but it's also at the intersection of so many cultures. Geographically, it may be at the southern tip of the southern US, but it's definitely not in The South. In fact, I'm struck by the fact that there have been hardly any redneck Southern types here. There are plenty of black people, all types of latinos, plenty of visiting Europeans (I overheard Swedish; and Ueli noticed that we sat next to some Swiss people!), and many good looking, spoiled rich girls sitting around getting a tan in their bikini in the middle of the day.

A Full Day: Tampa - Everglades - the Keys - and Arrival in Miami!

Day 13: Thursday, 2 June 2011

We had to wake up at 6am, and leave Annie's apartment at 6:30. And, we were now an hour ahead in the Eastern Time Zone. We were up before the sun, which rose as we were driving through downtown Tampa. The air was comfortable, so I left the windows down for the first couple hours (and of course Ueli slept) until I stopped for coffee and donuts at Dunkin' Donuts in North Fort Meyers. Then, it was not much longer until we were in the Everglades. The surburban developments gradually tapered off into small rural houses and trailer parks and then into nothing but swampland. I saw an information center and stopped there for... information. The woman at the booth referred us to nearby Wooten's, which offered the cheapest airboat ride for 30 minutes (about $25 I think).

Located in the Big Cypress National Preserve (which is thousands of acres originally bought by Mr. Wooten for hunting), Wooten's Swamp Tours also includes a mini-preserve of live alligators and other animals. Right after we bought our tickets, the mosquitoes and bugs descended on us viciously - there were 8 of them on my leg, and they wouldn't fly off when I swatted them! It was unbelievable. I darted into the bathroom and there was still one on my arm, which I killed, and there was a squirt of blood. Ewww.

We had to buy bug spray, which was $8 at the gift shop. I found the spray with the most DEET and covered myself from head to toe, drenching my hair and all my clothes in the spray. The rest of the day was pleasant and bug-free :)

The airboat ride was an amazing experience! We were cruising and spinning atop the 1-foot-deep water. During the ride, we saw a big, 10-foot-long alligator, and our guide explained to us the ecology of the area (brackish [salt + fresh] water, red mangroves, cypress only growing in fresh water, the water being controlled by winds, not tides, etc.). It was a great and worthwhile way to experience the everglades on our drive through.

Through Florida

Day 12: Wednesday, June 1st, 2011
It's a new month! I taught Ashley to say "rabbit rabbit" to bring her good luck for the month. In the morning, she had to leave for work, and Ueli and I left shortly thereafter. I left her our hand grenade from New Orleans. W forgot our fruit snacks at her house. I drove the car, after applying my daily dose of sunscreen (Ueli's already got a wicked tan line on his arms). We drove to Tallahassee, sticking to small country highways. The rural communities kind of blended together and became more frequent as we headed into Tallahassee. As we entered the city, we drove by Florida State University and then headed straight for the Florida State Capitol.

Florida actually has 2 state capitol buildings: The old capitol is a now a museum and looks like a nice 19th-century colonial courthouse. We walked around inside this building for a while, taking in facts about Floridian history and about the state legislative process (we had already heard all this before at the Texas state capitol). In contrast, the new state capitol building is a stark, 22-story concrete block of a building that towers behind the old capitol. It's also currently in use as the functioning state capitol, so there's a security check to enter the building. The view from the top floor, the 22nd, is amazing; however, trying to get the elevator to the 22nd floor is a frustrating exercise (the trick is, you have to take an elevator to the 21st floor and then transfer to the elevator to the 22nd). At the top, you can see out in all directions, looking out until the landscape disappears into a thick, hot summer haze.

Staying Healthy on the Road

Maintaining a healthy and well-balanced diet while traveling is always a challenge. As intent as you may be on staying healthy, it's hard to resist the urge to simply eat what is most convenient. And just as importantly, you want to sample local foods as much as possible. On this trip, I've fared pretty well: In each city, I've eaten some sort of local specialty (or at least tried something famously featured on Travel Channel or Food Network), and when a big, greasy plate of fried Southern food presented itself, I split it with Ueli. So no major food incidents, so far, but it's still hard to maintain proper nutrition.

Snacking on fruits is a good habit to maintain while driving long distances. And a lot of times when you think you feel hungry, you may just be dehydrated, so make sure to drink water regularly, even if it means making more bathroom breaks along the way!

Passing Through Mississippi and Alabama

Day 11: Tuesday, 31 May 2011
We left New Orleans around 10:30am, saying bye to Allen and stepping into our already hot car. One last pass through the Crescent City, and then headed east along highway 90 (Chef Menteur Highway). The route took us first through New Orleans East. where we stopped at Winn-Dixie for snacks and supplies. We drove through the bayous, which were just lots of swamp plants and a few houses raised on stilts; nothing extremely interesting. Into Mississippi, we passed through some small, rural towns before stopping at the beach (near Pass Christian). The Gulf of Mexico was a brownish-greenish color; the "waves" lapped every 2-3 seconds, way too quickly. It felt like the water was hyperventilating and did not feel relaxing. The sand was fine, but not as powdery as the other Gulf beach we went to in Louisiana.

It's incredible to think that this is already day 11 of the trip. It's intimidating that so much of the rest of this trip is yet unplanned, but mostly it has just been exciting. Every place we've been to so far has been amazing, and I wish I could stay at each place much longer. But the road beckons...

New Orleans, I Love You

Day 10: Monday, May 30
I was sleeping soundly on the couch, and Ueli was still snoozing on the air mattress when Allen and his dog came down the stairs. It was already 8:40 and we needed to leave for breakfast by 9. We rushed ready and Allen drove us across town to Elizabeth's, which unfortunately was closed. We then headed back across New Orleans, Allen giving us a really detailed and local tour along the way. We learned about bounce music, the experience of LSU playing the Sugar Bowl, and passed by a Banksy piece.

The neighbor Isaac met us at the restaurant, Shelley's (or something starting with an "s") on Magazine. which had some great breakfast selections (I had a boudin biscuit and eggs, while Allen opted for some amazing shrimp and grits). Soon Allen had to go to work, and it was Ueli and I left to explore the city.

New Orleans is an incredible city. It is by far the most interesting and unique place that I have visited in the US. Every street corner oozes with history and culture. People here are very genuine, which can often mean that they're excessively upfront and rude, but they're also friendly, just like many Southerners. People here will approach you or comment on something you do without thinking twice about it, but they do so without the slightest hint of judgment. New Orleans is truly one of the most unique places in the world. It's a city of music, jazz, the historic South, cajun culture, swamps, river barges, and (most unfortunately) neglect and natural disaster. And all of these aspects of the city blend together until they become indistinguishable.

Ueli and I began our exploration with a walk through Audobon Park in the "upriver" part of New Orleans. It was a very pleasant place to stroll (it's too hot and humid to run, even in the morning). We then walked through a portion of Tulane University's campus, which was gorgeous. Interestingly, right next to serious academic buildings and historic 19th-century plantation-style houses were trees covered with beads thrown during the mardi gras parades.

Houston to New Orleans: A Last-Minute Save

Sunday, 29 May 2011
A series of fortunate coincidences has largely shaped this trip for me so far. I'm very fortunate to have been put it touch with Noa, whose car I'm driving to Miami. (Well, firstly, I'm fortunate to have been accepted to LSE.) I'm fortunate to have found a $1/day car rental to Newark. And I'm fortunate to have found Ueli to travel with. And one of the most fortunate parts of this journey has been meeting some awesome people whom we've been couchsurfing with. It's amazing what people will do for others, and what has happened today is a testament to the power of people's kindness.

I had forgotten my laptop in Houston. We had been driving through Louisiana for a couple hours already when we stopped for wifi and I noticed that it wasn't in my bag. So immediately, after double-checking the car, my heart sank. Could I have lost it? I knew I had last used it in Houston, at our host's house. So I called up our host Josue and asked him if he saw my laptop in his house, and alas, there it was. I sighed some relief, but then thought: Would I have to drive back so many hours to Houston to get it? We didn't have a host in New Orleans, so we could've just essentially spent another night in Houston. But I decided to give Josue my destination address in Miami and have him ship it ahead, so it'd be in Miami by the time of my arrival. I felt embarrassed, but so thankful to Josue for going through the trouble of shipping it to me.

I was still feeling down from having forgotten my laptop as I drove on through Louisiana. The landscape was swampy but verdant. We began driving over a long bridge/causeway that swooped for 20 miles or so above water. It was Atchafalaya River, but must've also been the spillway that was open to divert all the floodwater away from the Mississippi river.

Ueli was asleep when I received a phone call. It was from Allen, a guy from couchsurfing who had seen my last-minute posting and who offered us a place to stay! Immediately my mood flipped, from downtrodden to absolutely ecstatic.

It wasn't much longer until we were in Baton Rouge. I drove us over the Mississippi River and straight to the Louisiana State Capitol, which is actually the tallest state capitol building in the US (taller than Texas). It was closed so we just took pictures outside. We then drove to the river and I dipped my hands in (the slope into the river was covered in slimy sludge and did not seem like something I'd want to swim in).

We then drove onward into New Orleans, filling up gas along the way. The sun set behind us, and a horde of motorcycle rides swooped along the freeway at breakneck speed. Lupe Fiasco's "The Show Goes On" played as we drove into the city, and I could feel the electric energy of the city. It was going to be a good night - and was I right!

Fitting Houston All into One Day

Saturday, 28 May 2011
Our time in Houston was limited but productive. We left around 10:30am from Austin, picking up our ridesharers Crystal and Dustin (I had misunderstood their address), and they were rushed because they had to be at a wedding in Houston at 2pm. I drove relatively quickly, getting us into Houston at 1:20. Along the way, they had written down in my notebook a list of places to eat and things to do in the city. We dropped off Crystal, then Dustin, and headed straight for our host Josue's house. He lives just south of central Houston in a big house that he has been thoroughly renovating for the last couple years. He was extremely welcoming. We had our introductions, dropped off our stuff, and then headed straight for the NASA Space Center, about 45 minutes south of the city center. Along the way, we ate at a Popeye's Chicken, in a noticeably more... ghetto part of town. There were high school girls washing cars in the Popeye's lot to raise money for their school. A homeless man approached me (at close range!) for some food.

There was a traffic jam on the 45 south headed toward NASA, so we detoured around to get there. We parked, and as I walked in to the space center, I had to do a double take and make sure that I was in the right place. The space center looks like a big Chuck E Cheese's, full of games and rides for kids. It had the atmosphere more of a laser tag course than of the site where they guided The US's historic space missions.

I really expected more of a quiet museum. Whatever.

Our time was limited, so we went straight for the tram tour that would take us to visit the actual mission control room. I expected a shabby tour, staying on the tram (which was just like the ones on the backlot tour at Universal Studios), but it actually was better than I expected - we actually got to go outside and into the mission control building to see the room, and then we were driven to a hangar housing a historic Saturn V rocket. We powered through the other exhibits at the space center and then headed back into Houston, driving through downtown. We drove by Minute Maid Park, where the Astros were playing a game. Then back to Josue's, and Josue took us out to a wonderful dinner with his 2 kids at Niko Niko's, a great Greek restaurant that was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. He then drove us around in his truck, showing us a few nearby bars, and then took us to a small meet-up of local couchsurfers. It was late and the kids had to sleep, so we were at the meetup for only a little bit. But I got to meet a husband and wife (from California) who were traveling around screening the film they made; I also met Natalie and Charlee, whom she had dragged over from the comic book convention that was going on that weekend (he's also known as the "St. Louis Superman" - google him!).

Sunday, 29 May 2011
Ueli and I slept in for a bit, not getting up until around 11. It was about time to hit the road so we said our byes and left. I drove us around, passing by the Astrodome and Reliant Stadium, then by some of Houston's renowned medical centers, a part of Rice University, and through the Montrose neighborhood (where we were the previous night) to try some kolaches. Kolaches are apparently a Houston specialty, but it's not that great - just a small sausage in a piece of bread. My mind was not blown.

As we left Texas, driving east on the 10, we spontaneously decided to detour south to the Gulf Coast, which added an hour or so to our 5-hour drive. We crossed over Sabine Bay and into Louisiana, where we drove for a few minutes before stopping at Gulf Breeze Beach to dip our feet into the Gulf. The water in the Gulf of Mexico is murky and yucky! It was brown and the waves were choppy. There were beach flies and gnats swarming around piles of decomposing seaweed. The water was warm, though, and at least there was no oil washing ashore from last year's spill. Ueli then drove us onward, passing through bayous with locals going fishing at small outposts along the way. We still had no host lined up for us in New Orleans; Ueli kept saying that we should just ask random people to host us when we get there, and I frankly wouldn't mind sleeping in the car for a night. I had posted on the couchsurfing last-minute group asking for someone to call if they could host, but no responses to this point.

But the road went on, and we (literally!) were halfway there, (whoa) living on a prayer!

LAPTOP'S BACK!

I am now in Miami, have just given the car back to the girl form whom I was driving, and (possibly most importantly) I have just received my laptop again! No more sharing Ueli's little notebook; I can finally update everything regularly.

Now time to start typing up all the travel entries I've been writing in my notebook. I've filled up 15 pages of the notebook with things we've done in the last 4 days (!), so stay tuned for the updates!

Houston, We Have a Problem

Houston was fun. Only one day, one night, but we got to see the NASA space center, which was more touristy-children-focused than I expected. We had an amazing couchsurfing host Josue, who took us out to Niko Nikos for awesome Greek food. He brought his kids too! Then we met some cool couchsurfing people at a meetup at Barnabys bar. Natalie and the St Louis Superman were there.

We left Houston this morning, had some kolaches adn donuts. Then drove into Louisiana, detoured into the gulf coast. Here we are now in Rayne, LA and I realized that I left my laptop in Houston. FUCK.

Dont expect any more travel blog updates for a while until I figure out my laptop situation.

The Floating Continues, and the Austin I've Been Waiting For [no pictures!]

Floating downriver does not require much skill at all; in fact, all you do (literally) is just sit there, yet somehow I manage to suck at it!

As I explained in my previous post, I basically killed my camera by soaking it in the river. Real smart, Jason.

After realizing that my camera was dead, I quickly went through the 12 stages of grief right there in the hot Texan sun. I tried to walk back to the tube rental place, but I had docked myself in a private resort, and all the exits to the main road were fenced off. There was one way back, however: jumping in the water to go around the fence. So I was set to throw my camera and beers over the fence and then swim myself and my tube up to meet them, when, like a guardian angel, Ueli appeared right on the other side of the fence. He was wondering why I hadn't floated downriver in over 20 minutes. My flustered and panicked disposition must have given away the fact that I was grieving over my camera. We walked back, about 4 blocks along an abandoned set of railroad tracks, the pavement was so hot that my feet burned with each step. Then I realized that I had my slippers with me in the bag (because I was too smart to realize this earlier). Ueli barefooted it all the way back, over 200-degree gravel. I put my camera in the car, hoping against hope that it would dry out and that at least my memory card would be intact. We switched inner tubes to one without a bottom; there was a girl at the front desk, but she was just as sweet and sympathetic as the one earlier, despite my demandingly assertive tone. It felt reassuring.

We floated downriver again, this time going all the way. It took about an hour and a half, but I rushed us, because we got in the water at 5:30 and I thought that they closed at 6:00. So I urged Ueli and I to paddle ourselves downriver. At the now-infamous "tube shoot," I managed to get stuck swirling around in the same vortex. I had to get out of the tube and walk myself away (Ueli, like clockwork, was all the way downriver waiting for me). There was a second tube shoot which was just a waterfall, but I got stuck there too. Seriously?! Floating downriver does not require much skill at all; in fact, all you do (literally) is just sit there, yet somehow I manage to suck at it!