Have you ever been to Louisiana?

I’ve only been one time. It was a trip to visit New Orleans before I moved away from Austin. It was memorable because I got really sick (and it’s not what you think).

I traveled there with a coworker/friend of mine and her family. They were planning on being at Jazz Fest all weekend and I figured a ride along would be a great time to see the city while I was still within driving distance. It was late April and the weather was incredible. It was sunny and warm but not hot and humid which is what I had been told the weather is typically like.

The first night there we were invited to an epic crawfish boil at the house of one of their family friends. It was incredible. There were 3 big tables set up with crawfish, potatoes, corn, and sausage. There was beer and wine being served. The house and backyard were big and beautiful. I felt super special to be there and had a really nice time. I was caught up in all the fun so when someone asked if I wanted to try the grilled oyster I said yes! This despite the fact that the last time I ate oysters I was up all night with bad stomach cramps and getting sick.

I didn’t think about it too much until an hour or so after I went to bed. My stomach pains woke me up and I knew exactly what it meant. I headed into the bathroom to wait until I needed to puke. It was miserable. I took turns laying down and standing up to get faster results. I assumed after it happened maybe I’d be ok. Nope. It happened again and again all night long. Not the best time to confirm an oyster allergy.

Let me say this under normal circumstance a night like that would suck badly. As it were I was in an old house in a new city with mostly people I didn’t know. Since the house was old there wasn’t a lot of noise cancelling and every time I had to run to the bathroom I felt terrible in case I was keeping anyone up but also embarrassed knowing I’d have to explain it all the next day so everyone didn’t just think I got hammered! I didn’t just in case you were wondering.

Finally sometime around dawn the pain subsided and I was able to get a little bit of sleep. The next day I was tired and still a bit shaky from my long night but I was ready to explore the city. The rest of my trip was great and the upside of being sick during the night was that I didn’t miss anything during the day.

Despite that awful night I had a really fun trip. I got to try the famous snow cones, I had a poboy, we ate beignets, and on the last day we all enjoyed Jazz Fest together!

It’s nice that even some of the worst moments can be wrapped up in some of the best experiences. It’s a good reminder that things don’t always go the way you planned but it doesn’t mean the whole thing is ruined. I’m sure glad I didn’t let that night define my trip because when I look back all I have are fond memories.

Do you have any Louisiana or New Orleans stories? I’d love to hear them! Reply to this message and share away. Also I have plans to head back this summer with Walker (his first time) and I’d love to know what else we should do there if you have any recommendations.

Want to take a look at my old posts from that trip? Head here and here.

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