Shokufeh is... home

We've arrived

Yesterday, we fit in an hour's worth of an Ayyam-i-ha party on the windward side, before going home to finish packing before the cab came. Thank goodness our driver was so patient - we had to fit the three of us, four l-a-r-g-e bags, a stroller, and MrMan's carseat in the cab. I was sad to say goodbye to Honolulu and my life there, but it was made a little easier by the fact that it was raining.

MrMan gets not only 500 frequent flier miles for his travels, he gets ten huge gold stars from me. He really was great - sleeping most of the time and chilling the majority of the rest. We were lucky to get a bassinet and he was quite content in it. The only bump was on our first takeoff which was capped off by the contents of MrMan's stomach spewing all over the front of my shirt. I guess the pressure was too much. I was afraid that it was a sign of things to come. Thank goodness I was wrong.

So, now we are in New Orleans. New Orleans of a parallel dimension. Driving around this city I knew so well, I've lost my bearings, as my visual landmarks are altered. Some areas look virtually normal, others are so very not. Yet I feel like I'm looking through a haze, as tears have not come. I expect they will fill my eyes as I hear a marching band.

For now, I will focus on... the Mardi Gras celebrations of tonight and tomorrow... the Ayyam-i-ha celebrations (and seeing old friends) of tomorrow... saying goodbye to Sam on Wednesday morning... trying to comfort MrMan as he struggles with the strange sights and smells and time of day. I'm sure he'll adjust soon enough. On Saturday, we took him to Ala Moana beach to dip his feet in the ocean for the first time. I expected tears at the new sensation, but he liked it. The boy is ocean type.