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A few weeks ago my wife and I set out on a 10 day car trip that took us from Orlando, FL to New Orleans, LA to Hannibal, MO to Mairon, IL and back home again. We traveled around 3,200 miles. Leaving behind kids, grandchildren and other extended family my wife and I had lots of time to do something we rarely find time for, visit with each other.

Typically our vacations involve traveling up the east coast, this year's trip afforded my wife an opportunity to visit a few states for the first time. Our first stop was just outside of Panama City. We had gotten off to a late start and decided to drive along the coast of the Florida Panhandle instead of taking I-10. The route added a couple of hours to our travel time, but the scenery was pleasant and not having to drive the interest state helped me to begin the process of decompressing.

After a brief stop outside of Dothan AL to visit some relatives, it was on to the Big Easy-New Orleans. Our route was not the most direct, we decided to drive along the coast through Biloxi and Gulfport, MS and see if any signs of Katrina remained. We were shocked at how much has not been rebuilt. God bless those who are still being affected by the storm two years later. Once in New Orleans, I had to introduce my wife to the pleasure of eating hot beignets at Café DuMon. We enjoyed the cuisine, culture and history of the city. Our combination of walking and taking a carriage tour afforded us the opportunity to learn about the city and to talk with the locals.

After a stop in Vicksburg, MS to experience a Civil War plantation it was off to Hannibal, MO. As a child I had watched The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn on the Wonderful World of Disney. I had always been curious as to how much of the story was based on Mark Twain’s life experiences and how much was pure fiction. Turns out a lot of the experiences that Tom had were based on Twain’s boyhood.

We toured the town, visited Twain’s boyhood home, the home where his childhood sweetheart lived (she was the basis for his character Becky Thatcher), read about the real life Indian Joe and, best of all, toured the cave. Two tours of the caves around Hannibal were available. We opted for the traditional tour which lasted about 45 minutes. I had expected the type of cave I had previously toured in Tennessee and North Carolina. Instead the cave had smooth walls and because of its formation had a totally different look and feel. The guide was great and the tour was well worth it.

The second tour is for the heartier soul. It is also a guided tour. However, the portions of the cave are in more of a primitive state and the hikers carry torches instead of relying on cave lights. I do want to give that tour a shot in the future.

Our trip back to Orlando involved stops in St. Louis to see the arch, southern Illinois to do genealogical research, a family reunion in Cordele, GA and finally the trip back to Orlando. My wife and I had a wonderful time. To visit the Hannibal, MO chamber of commerce page click here.

Olan