My travel log is finally coming to an end. Last week, I found myself dragging my feet, hesitant to post the last of my travel photos --- as if posting them was going to end the trip. Fear is such a funny thing. 

Closing out the trip allows the blog to shift in focus towards lifestyle. As a high school dropout,  I never imagined I would have the opportunity to travel.  As I look back, I'm glad I took my time on this road trip. It wasn't the cheapest venture... and Miami was quite possibly the furthest out-of-the-way I could have travelled when heading west but I learned a lot and that is what matters.

You know those romantic things people say about the South West? How the color palette is so wonderful, the sunsets so pink and dry air is wildly inviting..... 

It's all true. 

I now understand why so many people retire to Arizona. 

On travel days I wake up at sunrise, pack the night before and check-out in a flurry to get on the road. As I get older, I don't like driving at night and try avoid it the best I can. Plus it's nice to have extra day-time once you have arrived at your destination. 

Once we reached Austin Texas we had been driving all day since 5am from New Orleans (part 1). Somewhere along the line, I decided to drink a grape flavored 5 Hour Energy drink and skip lunch. Bad move. Have you ever had this chemical nonsense passing as food?

Our first night out we walked up to Royal House Oyster Bar. Neither of us are seafood eaters which is a crime in a city like New Orleans. Despite my picky tendencies, I am willing to try most things- at least once. When the well-dressed gentleman behind the bar offered to ease me into eating oysters, I had to agree.

Being nomadic requires one tries new things.

Stepping through the doors of the restaurant we entered another world, the world of the Louisiana Creole!