NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

New Orleans is still in a devastated state post hurricane Katrina. So Much so that resident levels are still hovering around 10% of what they were throughout the inner city and downtown areas. If you move away from the tourist dominated areas of Bourbon street ( thats the closest thing to kings cross ive seen in my life, packed full of tourists, trash bars, strip clubs and crazy local people that literally pumps all day every day) and the iconic french quarter, youll see urban decay and desolate areas. The ninth ward is arguably the worst affected area and even after six years the damage is still openly visible and spine tingling. The area was ravished with 12 feet of water from the Mississippi and gale force winds during the peak of Katrina that caused unfathomable destruction. I saw an Imax doco called hurricane bayou that outlined the hurricanes intensity and the damage caused, a rattling experience showing just how scary and destructive the disaster was, with the whole city being literally flooded with 6 feet of water leading to no services or communication for weeks on end.

The bar scene here in this city is definitely something worth a mention too and is known as a huge driver for tourism money into the area simply due to how ridiculously unique it is. Crazy jazz and funk gigs in shack style venues on Frenchmen street, animals roaming through bars, stupidly cheap potent cocktails along bourbon street and hands down the friendliest local people ive ever met out at night embracing the New Orleans culture that is hard liquor, jazz and funk festivities, voodoo superstitions and positive vibes.

During my 10 day stay in the area i visited the new orleans museum of art that housed some inspirational B+W photographs of the city and surrounding Louisiana landscapes. Did a Ghost tour, that although being extremely novelty was interesting as the city and its rich history makes it recognised as one of the most haunted cities in america. Drunk Hurricane's and hand grenade cocktails down bourbon street, ate world class seafood and french delicacies, visited memorial museums and explored the trendy boutiques and cafe scene of magazine street, Jackson square and the french quarter.

CANADIAN WINTER PART 2-BRITISH COLUMBIA

I knew very little about British columbia before i ventured across to the west coast of Canada. I Arrived in Whistler on the 28th for a week of partying, skiing, NYE celebrations and to catch up with a good friend from back home Courtney. On a whole, Whistler is epic. the epitome of a ski town, big village packed full of bars, clubs and restaurants situated at the bottom of two world class mountains inhabited by 1000000000000 Australian's doing a season. Spent a few days skiing the mountains that were dumped with snow,with people who were far above my ability, challenging to say the least and not to mention stupidly expensive. The nightlive in the town is well wild and fun, from 80's sing alongs at Tapleys to crazy and drunken new years celebrations at Dusty's with Coco and here legend roomies, there is always somewhere to party in this town.

Next stop, i decided to kill a few days in Vancouver before venturing back into the states. Wrong time of year to visit as its basically been raining 24/7, bar 2 hours of sunlight this afternoon, cool little city however that reminds me alot of sydney with a big alternate scene and water surroundings. However shit the weather was on my stay i braved the cold rainy conditions and explored the racoon and squirrel abundant stanley park, visited a brewery on Granville island for a couple ales, saw an impressive comedy show and cruised through the world renowed Vancouver aquarium, highlighted by 2 huge white Buluga whales.

Tomorrow morning im off to a place i have been stinging to get too. A photographic metropolitan city famous for cuisine, the birthplace of jazz music, and diverse heritage in the deep south of America, an area where lets be honest, pure ignorance and excessively conservative people are prominent. MORE PHOTOS SOON. X