We leave Memphis early and head further south to new Orleans. Our hostel is great and we are happy again to be able to cook our own meals in the kitchen. We stay in for the night and view the hostel talent on stage at the open mic night, one particular act stands out a brother/friend/brother act from California it is a great chance to chill out and hear about the travel stories of other and do what people come to New Orleans to do, eat, drink and be merry.

We wake up quite late after a sunrise bed time but my early arvo the heat moves us into town. we start at the French quarter. The smells of decades of drinking waft up from street grills as we weave our way through the historic and somewhat dirty streets. Lunch is eaten on the side of the Missipippi and we arrived back to our hostel just before darkwith the intentions of heading back to Bourban street a little later when things start heating up. We end up catching up on news from melbourne from a fellow traveller and enjoy a drink or 2...or 3...or....with our Califorian friends...the rest of the night ... well what happens in New Orleans stays in New Orelans LOL

Time has flown here and after another late start we walk the cemetery trail admiring the graves but also saddened by their condition. The city has come together and the streets are mostly cleaned up from the Hurricane that hit not so long ago but the re-building stage is beginning and no-where near complete.When the sun goes down it's time to see the city from the water aboard a traditional paddle steamer complete with dinner, drinks and dancing. Sadly the New Orleans shores do not provide much to look at just rows of barges and factories, but after chatting with the jazz band we hear there is going to be lots of good talent offered on the ground when we dock. Bourban offers drink but not much good music, just the normal top 40 and R+B found everywhere. We heda a few streets away and stumble across a little court yard with slow circling fams hung from the roof and a jazz trio that helps us feel that we are in New Orleans and they even play us a 'special' song to help us feel right at home...Waltzing Matilda...I will miss New Orleans and everything it has to offer.