Attending the Annual Gathering on a Budget
In 1992, I attended my first Annual Gathering. It cost around $300! Since then I've spent a bit more, but I still try to enjoy things as inexpensively as possible.
Here are some tips for making your Coven Party experience less painful
No matter how early you start, Muprhy's Law guarantees that you will not get your information pack from the Visitors' Bureau before you begin your trip. But order one anyway, so that you can see all the places that you would have liked to have gone when you get back.
Starting early also goes for financial stuff. Budget as soon as possible and saving won't hurt nearly as much. From January until mid-October, I save at least $15/week, which gets me $600 by party-time.
Contact Visitor's Bureau
Not only will the packet include lots of information and ideas, but there will be FREE maps and COUPONS.Get info from people who have been before
New Orleans is one of those places that the people who fall in love with it love to talk about it. Email me and I'll fill up your mailbox and refer you to other people who will do the same.
Visit New Orleans related message boards and websites.Read New Orleans related magazines
New Orleans magazine, Southern Living, Times-Picayune
These come out several times a year (or daily in the case of the newspaper) and have much more up-to-date information than tourist guides.Get a good map. I stress good.
I have one that's really cute, but couldn't show me how to get accross the street. Remember that there are several parts to New Orleans and make sure your map has the areas you'll be visiting on it.
LOOK FOR DISCOUNTS
New Orleans makes most of its money from tourism, but that doesn't mean you should be guilted into paying full price. Make reservations online, visit places on slow days, eat lunch at Commander's Palace instead of dinner, get a VisiTour pass and use public transportation instead of taxis.
DECIDE WHAT YOU CAN SACRIFICE
Unless you visit for 10 years at a time, you won't be able to do it all. Your pre-NOLA research should give you some insite about what events, places may have similar content. Even as unique a place as New Orleans is, there are things that are repeated. Instead of going to every cemetery in greater New Orleans, unless that's your thing, pick out a few that have something that interests you or are near other things you want to do.
KNOW WHAT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
So maybe you do *have* to all the cememteries. A little advanced planning, will let you know that about 8 of them are located within blocks of each other and you can easily and inexpensively get to them on the bus [marked 'Cememteries'].
DON'T ACT LIKE A TOURIST
If strange people come up and challenge you with brainteasers such as "I bet I can tell you how many letters there are in your last name," you're either acting too much like a tourist or on Bourbon Street.
Don't be stupid. Flashing about loads of credit cards and dollars can invite trouble no matter how much black and eyeliner you're wearing. Get a moneybelt, and don't keep everything you own in your backpack or purse.
New Orleans does have a reputation for being a dangerous place. Don't assume that you're any safer in neighborhoods with million dollar houses than ones with government housing. Basically, the less you act like you're out of place the less you'll look like it.
NOLA-goth
weather
 |
Anneticipation | Anneticipation 2000 |
|
Tales of Coven Parties Past |
|
http://www.geocites.com/madylyn/frugalvampire.html madylyn@aol.com