On the evening that I flew out of my beloved New Orleans, close to 2 months ago, my plans and excitement of moving to New York City seemed to escape me. My former fervor and anxiousness for Brooklyn was not packed among my belongings, though, that's where I had them shipped.
And so I set forth! With a diminishing lump sum in my bank account and a growing lump of nervousness in my entire body! I'll use travel vouchers, airline miles, Mega Bus, my legs and (hopefully) an income from using Gig Walk (more on this later) throughout the cities I travel through. And of course, I'll start out by going back. Yes. Why? To test my strength and to remind myself that life can change at any given turn; at any moment someone can walk into your life; at any millisecond, your racing mind can render each moment into infinite gladness and these are the exact realizations I found in New Orleans.
Throughout the next few months, I'll be deciding between these cities: Austin, San Francisco and Nashville. During this time, I'll be working an amazing gig with Outstanding in the Field and will be traveling with them around the Bay Area and then joining them again on the east coast, unless I fall into the great fortune of finding a car with a sign that says, "TAKE ME" on it. Well, maybe not, that seems a bit sketchy. During this time, I share with you all of my travel tips, favorite spots to eat and my favorite rest areas--I'm a fool for rest areas.
Travel Advice
I bounce around a lot and I do it on the cheap. I never understood when people said they couldn't afford to travel--now, don't get me wrong--I understand that I don't have as many financial responsibilities as homeowners or parents--but I do live minimally with a fluctuating income. I find ways of traveling on the cheap but obviously I always take into consideration safety and strong efforts to avoid prolonged, utter discomfort!
I now travel solely with Southwest Airlines. My fickle mind and itinerary can change flight itineraries the day before travel and never have to pay any change fees--I might even find a cheaper flight, thus receiving a voucher towards future travel. It's a priceless luxury when you're on a tight budget. Not to mention you can check in 2 bags for free. I suggest you try to purchase your tickets from Tuesday-Thursday, as you'll find the cheapest fares on these days--and I don't mean just traveling on those days, but literally buying them on those days. My flight from Tampa to New Orleans, leaving on a weekend, was $91.00.
I'll be in New Orleans from Saturday evening to Tuesday night. I depart for Austin at 11:59pm. Now, I know I said I try to avoid utter discomfort, and leaving this late hardly seems like anyone's dream travel experience, but I found tickets on MegaBus. My normal route with them is from DC to New York City and vice-versa--costing me around $10 roundtrip. However, their tickets start at just $1 when purchased far enough in advance. The bus that leaves at 11:59 from the French Quarter was a whopping $4! It gets into Houston in the early morning (after I've taken my Melatonin) and take one more bus from Houston to Austin for $1. $1. $1. As you can see, I'm excited about this bit of savings. This bus line is clean, efficient and of course, they have Wi-Fi, a convenient time-passer.
Essentially, I am traveling half-way across the country for $96. Planned with or without proper time, you can find a great deal in traveling, you just have to know where to look and how to combine the modes of transportation. Arrivederci!
