Day 18 - New Orleans to Tallahassee

New Orleans was muggy again the day we left its jazzy streets and gumbo alleyways. We made good time, leaving at 9.10 in the morning, and decided to get breakfast on the road. After about 45 minutes we drove up to a diner-looking chain restaurant called Shoney's and were seated straight away by a haggard but friendly waitress. Immediately enticed by the sight of the breakfast buffet (which had fruit and vegetables!), we all signed up and got plate loading. After some necessary bacon binging and pancake piling, we each had some fruit to wash it all down. Old friends grapes and melon slices - oh so sweet.

We hit the road again, as Jannick drove us on eastwards. I had a little nap in the back while the boys discussed Joe's bank balance and the plights of war-ravaged states in the Middle East. We took a rest stop and swapped drivers, so I was in the front with Joe at the wheel. Jannick took his turn to sleep off his early start and driving stint. We had found a place online with good reviews and at our price point called Five Sisters Blues Cafe, which we found without much bother. Located in Pensacola, Florida, we came off the highway and went directly south almost to the coast to find the quaint little restaurant.

Our server Iain instantly gave us the restaurant pitch, explaining that Five Sisters was famous for its fried chicken and had won several awards in the area for its crispy poultry. That was all the boys needed to hear and so were set on goujons and a 2-piece meal. I was feeling a little less sure of my ability to consume my own weight in chicken and chips, opting instead for Caribbean salad. When the meals arrived, it transpired that I would still have the option of consuming my own body weight, but at least this was mostly greenery.

Monster salad

Back on the road again after letting our meals churn in our stomachs and using the lavatory and wi-fi facilities, Joe continued as pilot over the increasingly wet Floridian motorway. We traversed over a bridge to the island-like beaches that border the Gulf of Mexico and nervously looked over at the monolithic rain cloud we were heading straight towards. In ordinary circumstances (Florida: the "sunshine" state...), we would have had a great drive along the sunny coast. As it turned out, we got black skies and walls of water and the massive disaster movie cloud ominously beckoned us in with its unignorable force.

No CGI used

Joe battled through limited visibility as we were rendered virtually speechless by the sheer volume of torrential rain that came down. Taking it steadily, we eventually overcame the torrent and came out the other side of the cloud. Sadly, there was no podium nor medal ceremony waiting for us. The screaming fans we presumed were congratulating us from inside.

Not ideal

Joe prepares to face off

We arrived at our final rest stop before getting to our destination, switched drivers, and filled up on petrol. The petrol station was located in Hickville Central. While I went into the station to pay, passing a shirtless oval-shaped man, the boys overheard a 'Billybob' name drop (amazing) and heard someone inquire if the person in question was in fact 'Loretta's baby'. Meanwhile, I was caught up amongst moustasches, wife-beaters, and discussions of Harley Davidson sponsored beer as I tried to engineer a quick transaction and swift exit. The card machine made it his mission to thwart such lofty designs.

View from the 12th floor

We eventually arrived in the state capital city of Tallahassee after 8pm, crossing back over the Eastern time zone line in the process. We checked in to our hotel, located at the heart of downtown, and were sent to the top floor. The room was fine and we kept our rituals brief so we could head back out the main avenue, Tennessee Street, to grab a bite for dinner. We settled on a Greek place called the Pitaria, which was fronted by two chatty girls that gave us a tip or two on local attractions of both Tallahassee and Miami (one was a native). After ordering and sitting down, one of the girls brought us over a baklava to share on the house! What sweet golden crusted treasure for the weary travelers! According to her, we had been the nicest customers out of her near twelve-hour shift, but it was a lovely gesture all the same.

We went home and promptly crashed out after a long day and 360 miles of sitting and eating.