Trip Hoppin'

It seems like an absolute age since I last blogged, so whilst I've got a spare half an hour before the New York Rangers at Minnesota Wild game starts, I thought I'd write a post about the road trip I'm planning to go on next year with Catherine, my old manager who is also a friend.

We're starting off in New York (naturally), and I'm leaving all most of the planning for our time in the city up to her, given that I have travelled extensively in the city, and she has never been before.  My only real requests were that we can eat at certain places (Crif Dogs being a must), and if the Rangers are playing at the Garden then we (or at least me) can go.  I also want to visit the Paul Frank store and Cat Fish Greetings, both of which are on Mulberry, about a block away from one another.  We will be spending about five full days in the city, plus whatever is left of the Monday once we clear immigration (we are going on Monday 3rd October), so hopefully that will give Catherine a good feel of the city, and give her plenty of time to do all the 'touristy' things she wants to do!

We were debating about which direction to take our road trip on, as one of Catherine's friends had recommended going to Chicago.  I too recommend this to anyone, but we decided that we would be able to see more things by driving Southwest rather than West, so that is the direction we will be taking.  She decided she would leave the rest of the trip up to me (obviously she has to agree and stuff, but for the most part, the planning on this is mine).  I figured we could hit Philly, Baltimore, DC, Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans, and have enough time in each in order to get a sense of the place without spending so long in each one that we miss out on the others.

My thought for a plan of action was to leave New York on the Sunday and head to Philly for the day, doing a one day tour of all the touristy places there (Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, City Hall, Rocky statue, etc), and then heading to Baltimore, where we would stay overnight and have the full day there on Monday.  At night we would head to DC, stay the night and have nearly a full day there before we set off in the direction of Nashville.  I have visited all these places before, but didn't have very long in either one then, so it will be nice to go back and see them again.

Once we leave DC, I figure we have to stop about half way between there and Nashville, as the drive is just too long to do in one evening, so my theory is to stop somewhere along the Blue Ridge Parkway as it's meant to be beautiful there.  Although we won't have that much time to explore the area, I think we should be able to appreciate it's beauty on the drive towards Nashville in the morning.  As a huge Jack Daniel's fan, I am hoping to stop in Lynchburg, TN in order to visit the Jack Daniel's Distillery, which I have wanted to do for so long.  This shouldn't be too much of a de-tour as it's on the way to Nashville, just taking a slightly different (and longer) road.

As for the rest of the trip, I have planned a couple of days in Nashville, a couple of days in Memphis (where I cannot wait to visit Graceland, and hopefully stay in the Heartbreak Hotel), and then a couple of days in New Orleans, before flying home on the 18th.  We just have to decide whether it's best to get return flights to/from New York and then buy a one way flight from New Orleans, or buy a plane ticket to New York and then from New Orleans… I guess we just have to see which works out the cheapest and most practical.  Catherine knows someone who works for a travel company, so hopefully they should be able to help us out when it comes to flights and car hire, but we will have to look ourselves as well!

I really can't wait to go, especially back to New York.  I never feel more at home than when I am there, and it's the only place that I have found where I am truly happy.  In England, my entire focus is on working to save money to go back to New York, and once I'm there I never want to leave.  It's just a shame that I have to wait so long to go back.  Maybe I'll win the lottery before then and be able to go in February…