I'm considering booking this trip for either the September or Octobers dates. It has already been long year and I could with a jolly...

I wondered how many others were booked in, what the demographics were (I'm 36) and if any of you had been on this trip before?

Jay

I can step in with the demographics here:

On the 1st September date there are 30 travellers currently booked with ages from early/mid-30s to early-80s

On the 20th October date there are 29 travellers currently booked with ages from mid/late 40s to early-80s.

Kindest regards,

Julia

I'm completely new to this and last night I booked this tour for 1 September - I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the moment! :s

I'm sure I'll enjoy it though and have enjoyed reading the really positive posts on this forum - a big influence on me taking the plunge and getting booked, so thanks to you all

Jet

Great - thanks for the reply. I'm looking to book the 1st of September this week.

Are there many places left?

Warm regards,

Jay

Not on the two dates you mention but doing the holiday on 3rd Nov, a few of us on that trip have been in touch via this forum and are planning to visit lots of live music clubs.

I'm a Blues fan so its ideal holiday, Chicago is a favorite City of mine, St Louis I've also visited in the past and Memphis has Beale Street which is grreat fun. New Orleans is somewhere I've always wantd to go, missed out twice 2005 & 2008 because of hurricanes Katrina and Gustav in september (worst month) one of the reasons i'm leaving it while november, can't wait though.

Another good thing about this trip is all the hotels are right in the City centres, that doesn't often happen on touring holidays.

Mick

Hello Julia,

Great - thanks for the reply. I'm looking to book the 1st of September this week.

Are there many places left?

Warm regards,

Jay

Hi Jay,

There are 10 places left, so you should be ok to book this week. And looking at the responses to this thread - one of your fellow travellers has already posted here!

Please do let us know if you go on to book, and if there is anything else I can do to help, please let me know.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Hi everyone

I'm completely new to this and last night I booked this tour for 1 September - I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the moment! :s

I'm sure I'll enjoy it though and have enjoyed reading the really positive posts on this forum - a big influence on me taking the plunge and getting booked, so thanks to you all

Jet

Hello Jet,

I'm new to this, too. I normally off on jollies with buddies, but we all struggled to make our diaries meet.

Should be fun and see you on the 1st (if you're departing from Heathrow).

Warm regards,

Jay

Jay,

Not on the two dates you mention but doing the holiday on 3rd Nov, a few of us on that trip have been in touch via this forum and are planning to visit lots of live music clubs.

I'm a Blues fan so its ideal holiday, Chicago is a favorite City of mine, St Louis I've also visited in the past and Memphis has Beale Street which is grreat fun. New Orleans is somewhere I've always wantd to go, missed out twice 2005 & 2008 because of hurricanes Katrina and Gustav in september (worst month) one of the reasons i'm leaving it while november, can't wait though.

Another good thing about this trip is all the hotels are right in the City centres, that doesn't often happen on touring holidays.

Mick

Hello Mick,

I'd completely forgotten about Hurricane Season...

What's the worst that can happen?

Jay

Jay,

Not on the two dates you mention but doing the holiday on 3rd Nov, a few of us on that trip have been in touch via this forum and are planning to visit lots of live music clubs.

I'm a Blues fan so its ideal holiday, Chicago is a favorite City of mine, St Louis I've also visited in the past and Memphis has Beale Street which is grreat fun. New Orleans is somewhere I've always wantd to go, missed out twice 2005 & 2008 because of hurricanes Katrina and Gustav in september (worst month) one of the reasons i'm leaving it while november, can't wait though.

Another good thing about this trip is all the hotels are right in the City centres, that doesn't often happen on touring holidays.

Mick

Hello Mick,

I'd completely forgotten about Hurricane Season...

What's the worst that can happen?

Jay

Jay,

Most people forget but its something i consider if going to the gulf coast as have twice been caught out :-

2005 - Katrina as we know destroyed NO, i was planning to go but hadn't left the UK so was able to change my destination and ended up going to Memphis a week later, the humidity was unbelievable. Good thing was all the musicians from NO were in Memphis doing fund raising concerts for the victims.

2008 - Was in the States elsewhere and due to fly to NO the day they expected Gustav to hit. So all flights in were cancelled and lots of people evacuated. Had used expedia for my booking and they relocated me to San Antonio and had a fantastic time, another lovely City. Gustav actually hit land up the coast from NO so it wasn't badly damaged.

For the record i dont think they have had to evacuate since then so odds are very much in your favour (especially with me not going on them dates, lol). For the record history shows the hurricane season is July to October with Sept been the most likely, but you be unlucky if it did happen.

Mick

Like Mick booked on the November 3rd trip. I flew into Atlanta just as Hurricane Gustav blew in. Caused a few problems with flooding to Lake Pontchartrain and the alligators did not like it so our swamp tour was called off. Whilst in New Orleans, Hurricane Ike that was supposed to blow up the Eastern Seaboard decided to come into the Gulf of Mexico. This was 600 miles wide and I stood on Bourbon Street with a drink in my hand listening to a Blues band in 50 mph winds. That night I listened to the tv reporting from Galveston as they tried to evacuate everyone, some decided to stay and were never found as it was devastated. Ike continued upto Houston and blew out all the windows in the skyscrapers. We had to backtrack to Atlanta for a flight home missing the last few days of our holidays.

Last year I believe there were no hurricanes.

It will have been just over 6 years since I was last in NOLA by the time I go out on this tour. As Mick says, a great trip awaits us. Love Beale Street in Memphis, beside Bourbon Street, they play down by the Cathedral and who can forget MacDonalds in a church on Charles Street. Jazz cruise is brilliant.

Jan

If a hurricane hits I'll just look at it as a new experience and hope to capture a few good pics, I'm more worried about the humidity when we head south, I've heard it can really drain your energy at this time of year.

Alan

Humidity is not so bad in September, just remember to drink plenty of bottled water and keep alcohol to a minimum. I shall hopefully try the infamous Hurricane whilst in New Orleans. The electrical storm 2 days after Ike was amazing, we were on the Jazz cruise at the time.

Jan

I look forward to meeting you in September - I'm going from Heathrow and a friend has offered to drop me off there, so that's one less thing to panic about!

Jet x

I have an early connection from Manchester, I'll see you Jay and everyone else at Heathrow.

Alan

Hi everyone

I'm completely new to this and last night I booked this tour for 1 September - I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the moment! :s

I'm sure I'll enjoy it though and have enjoyed reading the really positive posts on this forum - a big influence on me taking the plunge and getting booked, so thanks to you all

Jet

Hello Jet,

I'm new to this, too. I normally off on jollies with buddies, but we all struggled to make our diaries meet.

Should be fun and see you on the 1st (if you're departing from Heathrow).

Warm regards,

Jay

Hi Jet and Jay

I've done quite a few JY holidays and have had great times on all of them. I'm on this one too, going from Heathrow. See you both soon. Wendy