Tuesday 9 January 2007

Awake: 5:00am sleep 5+56 clear & windy overnight @ Birmingham,
Alabama.

Again we sleep in separate beds; Kathy’s sinus condition is not improving,
but the good news is: her sense of humor, patience, driving skills,
knowledge, etc has not been affected.

This Microtel Inn was “the worst” that we have ever stayed in. Last night,
the 1st room we were assigned was being worked on & not yet cleaned. The
room we spent the night in was a handicapped room, not very clean & with
many little things not working properly: light bulbs burned out;
electrical outlets worn & needed to be jiggled to get power; a towel rack
broken; the toilet base loose & moving when sat upon + other nit-pick
items. This 1st floor was in rough condition. I did tell the desk clerk
about some of those items & she did take notes.

We passed on most of the complimentary breakfast items; all sweet.
However, we did each have a small cinnamon & raisin bagel.

We leave the “worst” Microtel Inn @ Birmingham, AL. @ 8:00am. Down the
road about 2 hrs, we make up for our skipping breakfast & stop @ the
Cracker Barrel restaurant in Meridian, Mississippi & have a real breakfast
for a change.

En route, 2 fuel stops: Livingston, Alabama paying $2.08 per gallon &
Monroe, Louisiana paying 2.18 per gallon.

We arrive in Sulphur, Louisiana @ 8:00pm. The 1st hotel we stopped at: the
Hampton Inn was booked solid. When asking the desk clerk for other nearby
hotels & their prices, she gave us current info; and upon our request for
a good place to eat, also recommended a Cajun restaurant for us to try.
She warned: “You have to get there before 9:00pm; that’s closing time.” So
we each ate a bowl of Crawfish Ettoufee (sp), which was spicy but very,
very good. It was after our 8:30pm dinner that we checked into the Hotel
Wingate.

Today’s travel: 573 miles. Driving time: 9+40 Lights out: 11:39pm