Day Eight: New Orleans to Sulphur, LA

I miscalculated. I admit it. And, as a result, we spent the night in Sulphur, Louisiana, which is exactly as charming as the name suggests. Perhaps less so.

Assuming we could negotiate a late check-out in New Orleans, I booked us months ago at accommodations about 4 hours away so we could take it easy after a few intense days. Sulphur's A+ Motel and RV Park, with its very own fishing pond stocked with catfish and bass (limit 3 per day) also boasts a bridge leading to the Family Dollar, aka town center. Rolling in, we passed Wayne’s and Layne’s pool hall, GG’s drive-thru liquor store, and the Tobacco Barn. These were the highlights. Was I worried? Yes, I was.

But we were tired after a hectic morning stuffing our faces with Café De Monde, touring Mardi Gras World with the cousins, and then racing back to the RV for an 11 am check out. Our laundry pile was growing and the RV park had a pool, so we stuck to the plan. And I’m not entirely sorry that we did. The park was clean and safe, the proprietor was friendly, and the crawfish etouffee at LeBleu’s Landing was frickin’ delicious. Also, had we not eaten there, we would have missed the 6’7” gentleman in cowboy boots, cowboy hat and bright yellow shirt who chastised his waitress for bringing a sweet tea instead of a beer — and then ended the night giving her a big, unexpected bear hug. Next, onward to Austin!

p.s. So far on this trip, one or both of our kids have consumed the following for the first time: alligator, crawfish, hush puppies, blue and snow crabs, pralines, raw oysters, a Sonic blast, beignets, shrimp and chorizo po boys, Shirley Temples, and Chick Fil-A. I asked them to choose a favorite, and was told that was impossible; it was all too good.