Travel Advice for Southern States US Trip

[toomanyhatz]

If you're going to be in Nashville, go on the RCA Studio B tour. Much more interesting, as well as longer and friendlier, than Sun. Sun was kind of a disappointment. Studio B was fascinating, and at least when the JUotA crew was there in '06, the tour guides were very cool and knowledgeable. And there's more of interest there. Sun, as historically important as it may be, is a very unimpressive tiny room. Once you "soak up the vibe," there's really not much to it.

[Charlie O.]

If you're going to be in Nashville, go on the RCA Studio B tour. Much more interesting, as well as longer and friendlier, than Sun. Sun was kind of a disappointment. Studio B was fascinating, and at least when the JUotA crew was there in '06, the tour guides were very cool and knowledgeable. And there's more of interest there. Sun, as historically important as it may be, is a very unimpressive tiny room. Once you "soak up the vibe," there's really not much to it.

But jesus, what a fuckin' vibe!

I've done both tours, and would recommend both - but of the two I'd definitely say that Sun was a bigger deal for me.

[beenieman]

Thanks guys for the thoughts. We'll do both or either.

And I've pmed the Count for contact details.

[Loki]

So....? Did I miss the posts with the photos and everything?

[beenieman]

Got back yesterday after 5 weeks away.

All went well and no real hiccups, except for bot seeing any BCB'ers.

After 30 hours of travelling started with a night in Dallas. Checked in and got a cab to a nearby mall to grab something to eat & look around.

From there it was renting a car the next day then to Lafayette, New Orleans for 3 nights (missed Nolamike as his wife was ill) then Tallahesse, Savannah, Charleston, Nashville, Memphis, back to Dallas then up to Canada for 3 weeks.

All was good but Nashville a definite highlight.

Regrets include not getting to Atlanta & therefore missing the Count, who had offered accomodation.

[Loki]

I'm esp. interested in what you saw in Savannah, Memphis, Nashville and Charleston.

[beenieman]

I'm esp. interested in what you saw in Savannah, Memphis, Nashville and Charleston.

A report to the class on my holiday? I could put something together to help future travellers if people are interested. Remember we travelled as a family not music archaelogists though.

[Loki]

I wasn't necessarily thinking about music....

That was a tall order. Start with Savannah.

[beenieman]

I wasn't necessarily thinking about music....

That was a tall order. Start with Savannah.

I'll put somehing together

[Loki]

Savannah is one of my very favourite cities. Been there quite a few times. It reeks of history, and the whole southern ambience is palpable. If you only tell me about that one, I'll be happy. Whenever you have time.

[beenieman]

Savannah is one of my very favourite cities. Been there quite a few times. It reeks of history, and the whole southern ambience is palpable. If you only tell me about that one, I'll be happy. Whenever you have time.

Coming soon

[Six String]

*taps fingers on desk*





*whistles a happy tune*








*goes outside to rake leaves and plant fava beans*

















*knocks on proverbial door and peers into front window and waves*

[Matty Red Sox]

Checks obituaries to see if beenieman is mentioned....

[beenieman]

How’s this read?

I'll start.

Some background and overall observations first:

1. I don't think people realise the effort required to travel from New Zealand. Getting there took about 30 hours and returning about 36. There is also the cost. For 4 adults (kids are 15 & 18) the airfares are over $12,000. Then there’s the costs we all encounter, hotels, food, extra shopping than usual etc. So deciding where to go and using the time wisely is important. And it's unlikely we'll ever return as a family to these places

2. We drove about 3500 miles in just under 3 weeks in the US. Bless the interstate, though we got off it quite a bit.Then more up in Canada, in winter conditions.

3. I enjoy travelling in the States, it's definitely my favourite country to travel in. Not only is there that cultural familiarity, the commonality of language and to some extent experiences but the people there are perhaps more friendly and helpful than anywhere (let's leave New York out of this). People seem genuinely engaged in what they do even in what are extraordinarily low paid menial jobs. Hell, even the beggars are more engaged than those we have at home.

4. Prices are, excluding the third world, fantastic. Food is cheap (interestingly Canada has much higher food prices, in real terms than the US, something happens at the border?) and I don't know why anyone pays retail for not only for clothes but anything at all.

5. The range of what is available is astounding too. Was it Borat who made fun of this? But really you can buy at the high or low ends or all points in between. Here we just get some stuff in between

6. As regards food, even when having the southern specialities, ribs, chicken etc it's fair to say the quality was not what we get back home. There's a blandness that has crept in everywhere. I think more so than when I was there, in the South, previously.

7. I've been to the South twice before. The family had not

8. Four of us sharing a room and a car for 4 weeks went well. It's a great way to come together and we all got along well. We stayed mainly at Holiday inn Express Inns and got 1 room with 2 queen or double beds. Our car was a Dodge Grand Caravan. As soon as we went to rent they offered up a free upgrade. God Bless America.

9. I do think there has to be a day of reckoning for America. The fiscal cliff is just part of it. It's a country with such extremes of wealth & poverty and it does not sustain itself economically. If it wasn't for the bonds of patriotism then the poorer people would surely have rebelled long ago. Instead many of them vote Republican.

Enough of the puffery etc. My tourist travels, part 1.

First real stop was New Orleans. I've been there before, pre Katrina, and of course to the tourist not much has changed. The French Quarter being spared any flooding. The city does have a different vibe to other parts of America but if you're in the tourist areas that's principally manifested by more public drunkenness. We had a good time, saw Ellis Marsalis do a Christmas concert (he was good but plainly thought he was above any pandering to the peons) and Steamboat Willie do a show at a bar. He's getting on but still fun. As the boys are both underage, though 18 is legal for drinking in NZ, we were restricted in where we could go so no jazz concerts in bars, Steamboats bar being the only one in the city we could go to. Arranged to see Nolamike but sadly that did not happen.

Much time was spent walking the streets and popping into places. We did go on the Natchez as well as doing a swamp tour, we were the only ones on the boat. That's not us in the picture below. And we did the city tour which now includes going through the Ninth Ward to see the devastation. I can't say I'm in a rush to go back to New Orleans. Once was probably enough and this time was for the family. We enjoyed it though.



We then had a lengthy drive along the coast of the Gulf & Atlantic up to Savannah, staying 1 night in Tallahesse.

I've been to Savannah before, back in 1982! It hasn't changed much. It is a lovely city though for southern feel some of the smaller towns we stopped in briefly during our trip probably evoke that better. We did a walking tour with Savannah Dan, pictured below.



He's an ex cop and a good fellow. I strongly advise you to do a walking tour if you ever go there. We had some great meals there and I got a couple of cool patriotic t-shirts on the road. If you want an NRA shirt go to Savannah. I wear that one ironically of course.

You certainly should go to Savannah if you're doing a trip around there. I was a bit reluctant as it was off to the side on the area we were generally seeing and also I've been there before. I would have gone to Harlan County ("Justified") or somewhere similar.

You don't need more than a couple of nights.

Is this what people wanted to read? I can do the rest of the trip or elaborate if there's interest.

[Count Machuki]

Great observations, beenie. Of course, I'd like to read more.

[Matty Red Sox]

Good read. And regarding how much if an effort to get there it is... yeah, I knew that. My wife used to commute to Samoa through your country and back to the states.