Ongoing NOLA Trip Report Dec 2024

Question

I fell in love with NOLA last year and couldn’t wait to plan my next trip to this beautiful city when I got home. Heck, I was mentally planning my return trip on the flight home!

So, I started my day at 12:30am as I wanted to be at the airport by 4am, two full hours ahead of my flight from SFO to ATL to MSY that left at 6am. I always like to be early to try and beat the TSA lines. I still needed to wake myself up, pack, and hence the reason for getting up so early.

I flew Delta for the first time and wow!! They really pack people onto their planes like sardines. I prefer Alaska and KLM in terms of leg room and avoiding the dreaded don’t-let-my-thigh-touch-my-seat-mates-thigh. Luckily, on the first leg of my trip the seat next to me was empty so no encroaching feelings were had.

Flight was fine and landed at ATL with a 2-hour layover. Since I was in the south, I stopped for a bite to eat got a side of grits since I love them so. They were not seasoned well enough so I had to add salt. And those in the know, know that it’s hard to try to salt a grit after they are fully cooked.

Bought some Atlanta souvenirs and boarded my short flight from ATL to MSY. I felt bad as my seat mate had assumed no one was sitting in the seat by the window and while the plane was boarding, he was chowing down on Chick Fil A with opened dipping sauce on his pull-down tray and everything. We were so crammed in together that our thighs were touching most of the flight.

Will write more later. Breakfast is calling!

Answer

It sounds like you're having quite the adventure already, and I'm glad to hear you're back in New Orleans! There's something magical about that city that makes you want to return as soon as you've left, isn't there?

Starting with your early morning, flight prep, and the interesting experience with Delta—yep, the "sardine effect" is real on some flights. I've found that the legroom situation can really vary between airlines, but glad you had the empty seat next to you on the first leg of your journey! It always makes a big difference for comfort.

Your quick layover in Atlanta sounded like a nice break, though I can totally relate to your grit dilemma. Salted grits are a must-have, but as you said, salting them after they’ve been cooked just doesn’t have the same effect! Hopefully the rest of the meal made up for it. But hey, souvenirs from ATL are always a good stop, especially before heading into the next leg of your journey!

As for the Chick-fil-A seatmate situation, yikes! That must have been a bit uncomfortable, especially with the cramped seating on that leg of the flight. It's always tricky when you're squeezed in with someone who's got their food spread out on the tray table. Hopefully, the flight went by quickly despite the cramped conditions!

Can’t wait to hear more about your time in New Orleans once you’ve settled in! It sounds like you’ve got a fun trip ahead of you. Breakfast is calling, but I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of your adventures as you continue to explore the city.

Ongoing NOLA Trip Report Dec 2024

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