Philadelphia Freedom!

(A few years ago, I went for my evening run. That song came on my ipod, and I got really enthusiastic about it, and totally wiped out, skinning my knees and hands. I still laugh about it, and can barely go to or talk about Philadelphia without adding "freedom" on the end of it.)



I've done some pretty crazy traveling. I've taken a 19 hour direct flight, and lived out of one carry on piece of luggage for two weeks. I once drove from northwestern NJ to Richmond for a day trip (680 mile round trip). I drove 3300 miles in ten days with a team of Europeans, traveling from NJ to visit Memphis and Chicago and everything in between. I drove from New Jersey to Seattle via Canada.

But I had never flown cross country for a single day before.

So when it became feasible to attend my good friend Amanda's bachelorette party in Philly from New Orleans (cheap flight+ savvy planning by her awesome maid of honor), I decided to do it. Not only would it make for a good story, but it would also probably be a really great trip.

I was at Louis Armstrong Airport before 6:00 AM CST on Saturday. Flight boarded on time, but got a late start taking off because it was excessively foggy. Turns out, a lot of flights had been cancelled the day before because it was too cold. They don't have de-icing equipment in New Orleans. As a result, it was a really full flight, which made it really fun when most of us were running late for our connecting flights in Atlanta, especially when one guy about halfway back in the cabin started yelling at everyone to get out of his way because HE had a connecting flight to make.

I had ten minutes to make it across an enormous airport that I'd never been to before. I made it. I ran onto the plane just before the closed the doors.

Landed in Philly a little late because it was actively snowing. Still made it to the hotel by 2:00 PM EST using a map I had drawn in my notebook of the few blocks surrounding City Hall. It was really great to catch up with friends while we waited for the bride, who was VERY surprised to see me-- I had told her I was going to be really busy on Saturday morning, but would talk to her in the evening during her party, which wasn't a lie, because I was busy trying to catch flights to Philadelphia.


We had a great view of the snow falling at City Hall!

We enjoyed dinner at La Viola, a lovely BYOB Italian bistro a short walk from City Hall. Amanda's almost husband has a gluten intolerance of sorts, so we try to pasta her up when we can. We spent the rest of the evening enjoying the lounge and the lanes at Lucky Strike, a bowling alley just a block or two from the hotel. After a while, the game stopped being about getting the most pins, and started being about playing for speed-- who could throw the fastest ball. We had a blast.


Jamie, Amanda and I with silly mustaches. They are also two of my bridesmaids, so I was stoked to see them!

The next morning, those who had spent the night had a full hot brunch in the hotel before taking various trains in different directions. I was exhausted but definitely had a great time seeing some friends and celebrating Amanda in a cool city!

As I waited outside on the platform at 30th Street Station waiting for the Regional Rail back to the airport, enjoying a little fresh, crisp, wintery air, I made two observations:

• The Saints hat that I was wearing because it was the only one I could find in New Orleans was probably going to get me in trouble after they knocked the Philadelphia Eagles out of the playoffs.
• I am so privileged that I can enjoy a breath of cold, fresh air before spending a day in airports and on planes. The gentleman asleep under the ratty blanket and pile of cardboard in the stairwell of the SEPTA station was probably not enjoying that same cold air.

Heading back to New Orleans via Atlanta, my layover was a bit longer. There are no real vegetarian options in that airport, which made it feel even longer. And then, after we boarded the plane, it actually got even longer, because a seat light needed to be repaired. I still made it home in New Orleans in time for dinner (thanks for cooking, Alex!).

So now that I have leveled up from "travel enthusiast" to "travel junkie", I'm looking forward to a few day trips to Baton Rouge in the next few weeks, a few days home in February for Amanda's wedding, the adventures that will certainly ensue with Abi visits in March, a conference in D.C. later that month, possibly another conference in Gainesville, FL in May... always on the go, this girl.


One of the other accomplishments of this crazy trip was to get my dress for Amanda's wedding to take back to New Orleans, since I failed to get it altered in December when I was home. Oops. Jamie kindly helped transport the gown, and left a little note for me. You know you travel a lot when: even your stuff has a travel itinerary!