guarro

Wow - loads of great advice, thanks! This forum really is fantastic.

Yes, I do like to drive, especially in new places! I'll be seeing enough airports during the trip, and so am keen to explore a little at my own pace, checking out new things - for me the journey is an important part of the trip. I've never seen a swamp before, so I doubt I'll find it too boring!

Anyway, Beachgirl, I'll be using SWA to fly back from NO to OKC - I've used SWA before (Reno to LA) and found them very good value - and so much leg room! Air stewards dressed in shorts and hawaian shirts I seem to remember. Very fetching.

Possum - the wedding's in the Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond, which I think is in the North of OKC. I'm going to be there from the Thursday to the Monday, and I have a feeling that every moment has already been planned for me. I'm staying in the Sheraton Hotel on the Thursday & Friday nights, and at the bride's house (my best American friend Amy who I met when we were students in Spain together 14 years ago - how time passes!) the other nights. I have to go to a wedding rehearsal, a rehearsal dinner (whatever that may be), dinner in a German restaurant (I never knew there were such things!), and I've been promised th biggest hangover in the world for the Sunday! I.e. i'll be fully occupied, but many thanks for the offer.

Christie - re. car rental, amazingly I can book through a British agent (www.airline-network.co.uk/carhire/) and it's cheaper than booking direct with Budget, and they don't charge a one-way drop off fee. A Chrysler Sebring Convertible for 4 days including a full tank of petrol for £120 (about $190?). That's a bargain.

And thanks everyone for the tips on Natchitoches.

Cheers,
Dave

ChristieP

That's a good deal on the car!

But if you are going to be driving a convertible with the top down through the swamp country of Louisiana in September, I'd highly recommend getting the biggest can of insect repellent you can find BEFORE you start your trip!! ;-)

rkkwan

Oh boy... September is lovebug season. Driving through I-49, your car will be covered with millions of dead bugs. Yuck... [They are around twice a year, usually May and September, I believe.]

A_Traveller

Guarro mentioned that he'd probably "get lost trying to get out of Dallas". He can easily avoid that by going to www.mapquest.com and putting in he departure location and destination for maps and instructions. He can do this for any leg of his trip. I hope he has a great trip and enjoys all the sights.

Jayne1973

Sounds likes a fun road trip. FYI-- be sure and drive the speed limit in Louisiana...they have somewhat of a reputation for their traffic stops.

swblouisiana

I'm from Shreveport, a town you will pretty much have to drive through to get to NO from Dallas. It used to take me 5 hours to get to NO from S'Port and, if I can recall correctly, 2.5 to drive to Dallas from S'Port.

It used to be a lovely, intersting drive through all of the rural cities of Louisiana (from Shreveport). Now that I49 has taken over you miss most of that flavor. But you could still get off the beaten path and wind down Hwy. 1 and 71 to at least Baton Rouge. I loved doing that drive, or maybe I am just getting nostalgic for my LSU days now that football season is here. One word of advice: don't panic when you drive through the outskirts of New Orleans. The suburbs are pretty ugly from the interstate but the French Quarter is a very special place, as are the Garden District, Magazine Street, and plenty of other areas. I have heard there is a great swamp tour right outside of Baton Rouge, so if you have time, try it. The Louisiana swamps are amazing. You'll feel like you've left civilization behind.

Good luck.

travelbuff

This post is more than 3 years old, he probably made the trip and is home,,,,,,,

swblouisiana

oops. how did you pick it up??

Barbara

I wonder if he went at all. Wasn't that just after Katrina?