So much has happened in the last few days- I hope I can do this story justice. First off, I’m happy to report that I am another step closer to checking bucket list item number 74 off (which is to stay at every single Southwest overnight). I will admit that this is one bucket list item that I may never check off wholly. The reason why is because my employer constantly changes what overnights are available to the flight attendants. Since I’m based in Denver, there are some places where we just don’t go. Now, if I were still Baltimore-based, there would be some other places that I would not be able to go- layovers that may be only available to Denver-based flight crews. Does that make any sense? Regardless, it’s good to have goals and reach for dreams, even if they may never come to fruition.

That being said, I finally spent my first night in Memphis. After checking in at our hotel, Ashley, Will, and I changed into “regular people” clothes and had the hotel’s van driver take us to “the best Memphis barbecue.” We ended up about a mile away, at a restaurant called Central BBQ (map). Ashely and Will (who happen to be my roommates at my crashpad) got half racks, but I opted for a full rack! It was so delicious! The sauce was incredible, and the meat fell off the bone pretty magically! And just like that- bucket list item number 66 is checked off!

The Civil Rights Museum: Across the street from the restaurant is the Lorraine Motel- this is the place where the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed as he stood on the motel’s balcony. It was such an unimaginable experience to be there. The motel has been preserved in the same condition that it had been back on April 4th, 1968, the day of his assassination.

Next, we headed up to historic Beale Street, stopped in a few gift shops, and then sat down to hear a live blues band play. It was incredible! The perfect day, with the ideal weather- the upper ’70s and not too humid. Later, I walked back to the hotel by myself, wanting to see more of the city. Ashley and Will weren’t feeling it, and they opted to call the shuttle driver back from the hotel.

Now- to report on two nights ago. We ended up in one of my favorite places: Nashville, Tennessee! Before our last flight landed in Nashville, I logged on to our plane’s wifi signal and checked to see if there were any tickets left for The Grand Ole Opry. Thank goodness- there were a few left! I asked Will if he was interested in getting tickets, and he wasn’t. I then walked to the after galley and asked Ashely and Lori the same question (Lori is our “D” flight attendant who wasn’t with us yet in Memphis but had worked with us this second day and would be staying with us in Nashville). They said they were indeed interested!

After checking in at our hotel, the four of us Uber’d into Nashville and found dinner at Dave & Buster’s, adjacent to The Opry House (map). Will was with us for dinner, but we said our goodbyes since he didn’t want to go to the Opry. He headed back to the hotel, then Ashley, Lori, and I went to the show.

This was my second Nashville overnight, where I attended the Opry (the first time having been at the Ryman downtown- see post). Some of the artists were the same, but I was also introduced to a few new ones. Unfortunately, there were no surprise visitors, as there had been on that first visit. Maybe this is a good thing since we had to head to the airport this morning at 05:00. When Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood showed up that night, that stretch things out pretty late, and even though it was a fantastic experience, I was a zombie the next day.

Still, the show was incredible, and I need to research and find out if they do some kind of Opry season pass. I will love to get one of those if they’re not too expensive (and if they even exist).

Tonight I’m back in my own home, getting ready to sleep in my own bed. I was supposed to work another trip yesterday, but unfortunately, I have something going on with my throat that I hope doesn’t turn into laryngitis. The last time I experienced this (that I can recall) was back in December of 1996. I can remember the experience so well because I was required to sing in Handel’s Messiah over the Christmas break, and even though no sound would come out, I stood there with the choir and mouthed the entire thing. Good times!

When I worked back to base yesterday morning, I had no voice left and even had to ask the other flight attendants to make my required announcements. Today I’ve been sipping on herbal teas, and unfortunately, I can now am being bugged with a headache and sore throat as well. I hope I’m better by Wednesday when I’m planning on commuting back to work.