So we drove across from Panama City Beach through Alabama and Mississipi to Louisianna where we stayed two nights - one night in Plantation country and one night in Cajun Country!! It was brilliant!! The people in this area of the world are extremely friendly and we enjoyed talking to so many different people. It was really interesting once we drove off the main road (10) and got down through all the little towns - it is precisely as you see on film - a bit deserted, trailers to live in for some and massive mansions on the other side with lots of space. By far the best day was when we went on the swamp tour and fed alligators. It only started getting a bit worrying once the thunder and lightning started - needless to say we needed to get off the water fairly quick! That is the other amazing thing about the south - the weather just changes within minutes and you have to be a bit carefull - especially as we are in the middle of tornado and hurricane season (the latter you get plenty of warning for but the first can just form quickly and off it goes!!) After the swamp tour where we had some dinner at a typical american diner which was by far the best lunch we've had on the whole trip(and the cheapest) - and a place we only went to because we were so hungry and there was nothing else - we went on to stay in a typical cajun cabin. This was beautiful and romantic (apart from the Cayotes howling at night) and we wished we had a few more days to spare here. The Cajun food once again is just amazing, lots of grilled fish and spices- they just make a little too much of it - yes even for me the portion size is a bit too daring, although I do my best to accomodate and respect the chefs efforts!!
The driving has been lots of fun for the views and lots of despair for the parents...well lets face it; driving with a 2-year old who can't sit still and a 4-year old who never stops talking can make anyone go crazy - not to mention driving with a husband who proudly exercises his selftaught american accent at any given opportunity.......and of course the american's mad driving - have already witnessed two accidents!! To be fair the boys have coped remarkably well and so far there are no regrets just the hope that this trip continues in the same style for the next 3 months. Right now we are in Houston and we spent the morning at the Childrens Museum of Houston (the first time we've actually had to drag the boys away from a museum!) and then ventured to a park, but it is just too hot here so the boys played a bit in some water playground and then it was straight to the hotel and the pool. I just don't know how people get themselves suited for a days work in this part of the world...hot, hot, hot!
Tomorrow morning we fly to San Diego for a 5 day sunny holiday (we seem to follow the hot weather around) and then it's off to New Zealand and some cooler climate where hopefully we can go sightseeing a lot more!!