Houston, we have canned food

Yesterday saw a visit to Houston space center. Certain magnificence was sensible in everything but the space shuttle's toilet. Especially Saturn V was daunting. Pro tip: go as early as possible. Few hours after opening the place becomes an ants' nest of screaming children - Otter almost killed two or three.

On a totally different subject, if you want to eat well and very cheap, feast on canned food. They're relatively healthy and when stored in the car under scorching sun, even the temperature is just about right.

-Tuoppi

The mission control

Cajun country to NASA

This day was not that interesting or anything but we HAVE had a drink or two at the motel pool as the tradition dictates. Now we're in Texas but we had a great breakfast in Louisiana at Suire's. On our way here we spotted houses by the gulf that were built on poles to save them from floods. Something very haunting about them. Oh, pro tip for the day: motels and hotels have free ice vending machines. If you have drinks that need cooling (as often is the case) forget about the small bucket provided by the motel and instead fill out a big plastic bag with the ice.

Tomorrow: NASA and San Antonio.

-Tuoppi

Southern hospitality

Today was definitely one of the highlights of the trip but first I will quickly review the evening in Big Easy. We had a few drinks in a pirate themed bar, ate very well at Gumbo Shop and sat on a balcony looking over Bourbon street. All good and fun but don't order a gin&tonic - you just might get a bucket of water, ice and gin.

This day for long seemed to turn out a pretty boring driving day. We drove through some small cities trying to find a cozy b&b. No such luck with that, nobody was home. Eventually we drove to one's yard and the adorable couple running the b&b, Mike and Anne, invited us to their home for some southern treats and good info about the town, Abbeville. I've never encountered such a welcoming and genuinely warm attitude towards total strangers, too bad their b&b was fully booked. However, they gave us a great tip about a seafood joint close by, Shucks.

Shucks was absolutely packed when we arrived there but soon we were seated and the owner Dave (who Ann called ahead telling we were coming) told us a bit about Cajun cuisine. Everything from there blends into an orgasmic series of  simple but deeply flavored seafood tastes. Absolutely brilliant. If you're ever anywhere within 200 mile radius you can't miss it. True Cajun cooking and amazing people.

-Tuoppi

They also had huge trees.

New Orleans (before dark)

Natchez steamboat took us for a ride today down the Mississippi. 'Twas all good with the heavy lunch and access to the steamboat's engine room.

I forgot to mention couple of things. We're not visiting Patton tank museum after all - big sacrifice which had to be done. Other thing was about prepaid plans. AT&T got nothing, T-mobile got me unlimited data and talk for a month at $50. Of course, the network coverage is far from perfect and usually I can't read my mail on the road. Interestingly the number I got seems to have belonged to someone else; I'm receiving text messages in Spanish from facebook.. "Muki quiero saber q onda san fermenin something something."

In New Orleans, parking is relatively cheap but I'm not sure if an outdoor parking spot is safe for a night. Probably is but we didn't take the chance.

Now we're all drinking Jack Daniel's and preparing for a feast and and New Orleans nightlife, watching Food network nomnomnom.

Road to New Orleans

Yesterday I was mildly intoxicated and swimming in the motel pool so I couldn't write. Motel pools have become somewhat of a tradition on our trip for me and Otter. Taking a short swim before driving hundreds of miles is a good way to start the day. And like yesterday, pool and booze can be good fun.

If you want to see the Peabody ducks in Memphis, be early and 10 years old. Kids get the front seats (floor) and as fun as the ducks are, they run like their asses were on fire. They will make Usain Bolt look bad if dashing from elevator to fountain ever makes it to the olympics.

Vicksburg was a great stop on our way down the Mississippi. Lots of civil war history and an ironclad - it's basically a shallow water steam boat covered in armor and armed with cannons. It was also baffling to see the flood marks at the flood gates. I had no idea Mississippi can flood THAT much.

Now we're happily in New Orleans, anxious to dig in to the food, drinks and music.

-Tuoppi

Natchez Trace Parkway - very pretty road indeed, the picture can't capture it.

Whisky and peanuts

Now that we've been following American TV, radio and print ads, it looks like the average US citizen is deep in debt. This is not a big surprise of course but the ads somehow make it more real. I'm not sure how legit all these financial consultants are but the cynic in me says they exist only to rip off whatever their clients have left. I hope I'm very wrong.

Also terribly many ads try to scare the audience and get them to take expensive medical exams. "You may have chicken pox."

On a more positive note, our tour at Jack Daniel's distillery was very interesting and our 400 mile drive today is done. Pro tip: drive from east to west, you have the scorching sun in your back.

Oh, avoid boiled peanuts.

Goat and his ride.

-Tuoppi

A Drinking game

So here's a drinking game Günther came up with: every time you see a church take a sip. In West Virginia, you will not go 300 meters with a dry mouth.

-Tuoppi

Jefferson and Shady Spring (VA and WV)

Even at 6 AM Washington DC was hot as, I quote "Devil's sweaty armpit". We drove 100 miles to Monticello, Jefferson's mansion. Quite neat actually with wine elevators and imported furniture - he was a big fan of European things. The tour price, 24 dollars, was enough to make me noticeably bitter which in turn made Otter grumpy. Fair enough and shame on me.

From there we continued to Babcock state park and Grist Mill. Wonderful scenery and a very pleasant drive through the winding small roads in the shade of trees. We also saw some of the destruction left by the storm some days ago. At Danese local post office power was out but that didn't stop the clerk from being very friendly and helpful - I do like the surface of American people, haven't had a chance to scratch it.

On our way to the current lodging (which is computer store/motel!) we passed through a place called Shady Spring. Very authentic with its fair share of destruction from the storm.

-Tuoppi

Danese post office

Grist Mill

4th of July

4th of July started very hot so we headed to a nice, air conditioned shopping centre. Pro tip for the Metro system in Washington: if there's even a slight chance that you use it more than 5 times a day, take the daily pass. We used single fares and the joke was on us.

After the air conditioned shopping centre we want to an air conditioned Irish Pub, had a few drinks and continued to an air conditioned Thai restaurant.

In Finland, every kind of outdoors festivity tends to be an excuse to get wasted. I'm not certain if public drinking is banned here but we saw very few beer bottles and not a single teenager crying/vomiting/crawling/all above. Also people don't aim at by passers with the fireworks. In any case, the big fireworks at the mall were great and atmosphere very relaxed and jolly.

-Tuoppi

Washington DC

Ok, we've gotten properly on the road. Jet lag woke us up at 4 AM, we took a refreshing dip in the motel swimming pool and hit the road. We've noticed that American drivers like to speed a bit more than Finns. If the limit is 55, the traffic in general moves at 65 mph and they don't really slow down for work areas where the limit is 45.

In Washington DC we're lodging at Capitol City Hostel. It's not the most modern I've been in but the owner more than makes up for it - thumbs up. City itself hasn't so far impressed me or Otter. We've walked our feet off at the mall, seen the sights and visited Air & Space Museum but meh. Tomorrow should be more lively. Günther on the other hand is still full of energy sipping his drink of Jaloviina and Dr.Pepper.

Vaultboy felt right at home.

-Tuoppi

Oh and good luck trying to find a restaurant, grocery store or anything else at the mall. The only places to get drinks and snacks are the street vendors.

-Otter

It's slightly warm in here.

-Günther

Day 1

Ok, we're here in three pieces. Flight was nice and forgettable as it should be. Some tips/observations so far:

-Road tolls are expensive
-If you have some money to spend, book a suite from Vegas. Luxury don't come this cheap anywhere else. We're not in Vegas yet but already we've been contacted to make sure the limo can pick us up.
-Book your seats in front of the plane, you'll get through the immigration a lot faster

Finally, here's the monster of a car we'll be driving. The damn car is TOO comfortable with the cruise control and shit. I feel almost useless on the driver's seat.

-Tuoppi

You guys got so easily upsold and almost scammed with the titanic - I mean the car.

-Otter

Crew complete

Along with Vault-boy, our crew is complete and raring to go. There are three humans: Me (Tuoppi), Otter and Günther M. Two personified inanimate objects are also tagging along: Goat and Vault-boy.

-Tuoppi

Packing

1. Osprey backpack that is so complicated, fancy and of high quality that it makes me feel kinda dumb.
2. More straightforward, smaller backpack for day trips. Bundeswehr quality with World of Tanks clan emblem.
3. Towel.
4. Light, comfortable and well ventilated shoes for the southern states.
5. Headphones.
6. Some clothing. I plan to buy more from US.
7. Shitloads of dollars.
8. Travelling documents.
9. Aviator sunglasses.
10. Universal adapter.
11. Manly pink Marimekko bag for toothbrush and such.
12. Heavy duty sunscreen.
13. Spoon and a bowl.
14. Satnav.
15. Jenkki-bubblegum.
16. Chargers for cellphone and camera battery.
17. Leatherman. With this baby I've opened cans, fixed electronics, cut my thumb, prepared food and performed surgery. MacGyver ain't got shit on me.

-Tuoppi

From coast to coast

Dear traveler/reader/mother,

We're starting our journey through the USA in three weeks. Expectations are high and we're all starting to get butterflies as the day gets closer. I suspect USA is a very unique travel destination in the sense that we're all so saturated by American culture. We all have a very clear picture of the country and I can't wait to have it permanently changed.

We'll try to find some hidden gems and provide practical tips to those who are planning a similar trip. Above is the map of our route, roughly 5000 miles long. There are two of us to drive the car from coast to coast and one to sleep and ask if we're there yet. Oh, she's not a toddler, she just acts like one when bored.

-Tuoppi

Oi! I'm no toddler. By the way, are we at the candy factory yet?

-Otter