The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (2023) s03e03 Episode Script

1
[whimsical music plays]
I'm the living example
of "better late than never."
Until a few years ago,
my life was steady, predictable,
reassuringly repetitive.
But my recent adventures
have changed all that.
So what's next for me?
Now that I'm considered
something of a traveller,
I've challenged myself
to complete my own bucket list
before actually kicking the bucket.
I did a lot of research,
kept an open mind…
- Who's going hiking in the Amazon?
- [animals chittering]
…and came up with a list of my own.
Take a look at this.
[fireworks exploding]
- [tour guide] Welcome to London.
- [cheering]
Never felt more like a tourist.
These are some of the greatest…
[exclaims]
…once in a lifetime travel experiences
you can have.
Don't take this the wrong way,
but this is a horrible ride.
[laughs]
Tick that off the bucket list.
- This is my first time in Ireland.
- Of course, I've been here before.
- Yep. Once.
- Once or twice.
- Once.
- Once.
Whether they should be
once in my lifetime…
- [crowd cheering]
- Oh!
…is another matter.
Whoo-hoo!
- But I'd like to think…
- Whoa!
I've gotten a little bit bolder…
It's hard to believe I'm actually here.
…a little bit braver…
What a save!
Course I work well under pressure.
…so this could be
my most memorable trip yet.
Was getting drunk with Prince William
on your bucket list?
- That's the bucket.
- [chuckles] That's the bucket, is it?
[shopkeeper] Good morning.
- Welcome to Doucet's.
- How are you?
Very good how are you?
I'm good.
[shopkeeper] What brings you to the area?
I'm actually going on a road trip.
Nice. If you need help just let me know.
Somebody to talk me out of it
might be good.
- But I'll see what I can find.
- [laughs]
Well, I'm picking up some supplies
for the big RV excursion.
Cashews.
Something chocolatey. Things that
will make me kind of feel good.
Ooh, yeah!
I'll tell you what it is I don't need.
The memory of seeing this.
That I don't need.
What am I doing? I'm so in
over my head here. It's crazy.
But it is my first RV trip.
Millions of people do it.
So I'm trying to figure out
what the appeal is.
Love this hat.
- Thank you.
- Don't close the door on anything.
Thank you so much.
Appreciate it.
And a road trip with a complete stranger
is one of those things
I am not closing the door on.
This is unfamiliar territory for me
in more ways than one.
I've spent very little time in Louisiana,
a beautiful state in the deep south
known for its wild landscapes
and vast swamplands
that stretches as far as the eye can see.
More than 45 million Americans go
on an RV vacation every year,
which is why I'm in Cajun country,
a favourite destination
of this massive mobile community.
[horn honks]
It's large.
I've prepped myself. I'm pumped.
I'm ready to go.
- Hey, Eugene.
- Don't tell me. Will the RV guy.
- I am the RV guy.
- Okay.
You're kinda tall.
- Tall?
- Yeah.
- Oh, it's just my hair.
- [laughs]
- I'm actually not.
- You're not.
So this is what you do a lot of?
- RVing, road trips.
- RVing, camping, glamping.
Yeah. I'm not sure why
but I'm sure I'll find out.
[Will] Eugene, hop on in.
[Levy] RV, of course,
stands for Recreational Vehicle,
and not as I always thought,
"Ruined Vacation."
Right here, we have the living room area.
It's pretty comfortable.
What do you think?
- Ooh.
- I know right.
- This is good.
- Stove top, microwave,
toilet area, then a full shower.
[Levy] There's nothing
Will doesn't know about RVs.
So I'm hoping
he can answer all my questions.
Namely, "why?"
A lot of people from Canada,
the Canadians, you know,
they migrate here, you know,
to escape, the coldness
to be in a more milder condition here
in Louisiana.
- Well, you're talking about snowbirds.
- [Will] Yes.
[Levy] Over one million winter travellers
migrate south every year.
Many of them flock to Louisiana
for its wide open spaces.
It looks a little tight right here.
When we go to the RV…
A little tight? I'm trying to turn around.
I know you're stuck.
Oh. Let me help you, there you go.
- We're gonna be off…
- Okay.
…for a Cajun country adventure.
I couldn't be more excited and the sooner
we start, the sooner we get there.
- Let's go.
- Yeah. Okay.
- [Will] Here we go.
- [Levy] Good, good, good.
You get a sense as to how big this thing
is now once you're taking it on the road.
[Will] Very big.
Take it easy, easy breezy.
[Levy] Our three-day trip through Southern
Louisiana will start in the swamps,
then wind through Cajun Country,
before finishing
at the Mighty Mississippi in New Orleans.
[Will] All right, Eugene.
We're officially on the road.
- We're on the road!
- We're gonna have an adventure.
It's like Bonnie and Clyde,
but we're Clyde and Clyde.
- Clyde and Clyde. [laughs]
- Clyde and Clyde.
Eugene, the tradition is that
you give the RV a name.
I wanna say Nightmare…
Nightmare. [laughs]
- But…
- I just have one coming to mind.
Yeah, yeah. What is it?
I feel like this RV shakes a little bit.
- Old Shaky.
- Old Shaky.
- All right. I like that.
- Old Shaky.
- [laughs]
- If you get a bump you're gonna feel it.
[Levy] At what age did you say
I just gotta hit the road?
It hit me
when my dad bought a pop-up camper.
I was around six or seven.
And I was like, wow, this is amazing.
I just love being outdoors.
I just love the peace and the quietness.
[Levy] For over a century,
motorhomes have given ordinary Americans
the chance to get out of the suburbs
and take to the open road.
All you need is a full tank of gas.
Sometimes I wanna be like… [sighs]
I wanna breathe,
I wanna smell the fresh air.
I wanna see a bear.
- You and me both.
- [laughs]
You had the kind of upbringing that was
the polar opposite of my upbringing.
Of yours?
- Never went camping, never went…
- You've never been camping.
[Levy] No. We just didn't do that.
Only 20% of Americans live in rural areas.
For the other 80,
a good pal like Old Shaky gives
easy access to the great outdoors.
[Will] Right now we're driving
through the Atchafalaya Basin.
It's the largest swamp
in the United States.
[Levy] Louisiana has a unique geography.
Around half of the state is
water and wetlands.
The Atchafalaya Basin is roughly
a million acres and a haven for wildlife.
[Will] You can't come to South Louisiana
without doing a swamp tour.
If you set your mind to it, you probably
can come here without doing that.
[laughs]
[Will] Look at this swamp.
Watch. This is kinda slippery.
Captain Tucker!
- Hey!
- [Will, Levy] Hey!
How did you get promoted to captain?
Captain is an actual official title
because I am a licensed captain.
Okay.
I've spread a few ashes and I've married
a few people on the water too.
- Captains can do that.
- [laughs]
We're getting rained on here.
Let's get up under the canopy
and we'll head out there.
Good thing you brought that hat.
[laughs] I know I need one.
Every time we do a new adventure,
- pound it.
- All right. Here we go!
- Nice.
- [whoops]
Whoo!
[Tucker] Eugene, have you ever been
in a swamp before?
No. I've never really had a strong desire
to go into one, for many reasons.
One, let's say alligators.
[Tucker, Will laugh]
If you want,
I'll try to call one up for you.
If it doesn't work I might need
somebody to hang a leg in the water.
Ah… Who writes his material?
This is what I wanna know.
[speaking French]
They only speak French.
Apparently.
So why French?
The French migrated here
from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
back in the mid-1700s.
[Levy] They were exiled by the British
and took refuge in these swamplands,
where they became known as Cajuns.
The British didn't come down?
[Tucker] They came down
but they didn't come in the swamps.
- Oh, I see. And who can blame them?
- [Tucker laughs]
You'd think the British would have
liked this rain.
But this swamp saved the Cajuns
from invasion.
And now it's a place to talk with nature,
even if you gotta do it in French.
[speaking French]
[Tucker] The beauty is, to me,
unlike anywhere in the world, you know.
In French, every morning we wake up
and we say un autre jour en paradis,
another day in paradise.
[Levy] Okay.
[Tucker] Uh…
I think it's just too late in the day.
You purposefully came when it cooled off.
You can…
I didn't see any lions in South Africa.
I didn't see any moose in Sweden.
I didn't see any gators here in Louisiana.
But you know what, that's all okay.
Au revoir, mes amis. Bonsoir.
In hindsight, I guess I should have
gone with "later, alligator."
I'm glad I was on this swamp ride,
you know.
There was a beauty to it that
I had never quite experienced before.
Eugene, you know
what's about to happen now?
- Keys.
- You're about to drive this big baby.
Me driving?
- [Will] Oh. There we go.
- [Levy] Okay.
- [engine starts]
- Oh! [laughs]
- Hi, Will.
- Hey, Eugene.
There we go. Move that RV!
So you wanna start turning your wheels.
So cut your wheels this way.
The other way, the other way. There we go.
You're a natural.
Now wait a minute, Eugene.
Don't drive too fast.
You're gonna make me run.
[laughs]
- [door closes]
- Did you take out insurance?
- I did.
- Okay, that's good.
- We have a million-dollar policy.
- Yeah. All right.
I'm ready to get this bus on the road.
Here we go.
- Here we go.
- All right.
[Will] Will and Eugene on the road again.
- [Levy] Clyde and Clyde hitting the road.
- Hitting the road.
[Levy] Yeah.
It's kind of exciting, you know.
- [Will] How's it feeling right now?
- It feels pretty damn good.
- Mm-hmm.
- I gotta be honest.
Well, you look good driving it.
- Well, that's the main thing obviously.
- It's all that matters.
It's not a question of what I'm doing,
it's how I'm looking.
First oncoming car.
Whoa!
[chuckling] All right.
Okay, well this thing is wide.
- I got my booty clenched.
- [laughs]
- [Levy] Where are we going?
- [Will] We're going to an RV park.
[Levy] Will tells me that the RV lifestyle
isn't just about seeing the world
through your windshield.
- There's the owners right there.
- Oh.
[Levy] You need to climb out of the cab,
and join the community of those
who have chosen a mobile home sweet home.
[Will] We're gonna be right in there.
Keep on going back.
There we go.
Good? Love it.
This where the electricity, water,
and this is where the black water goes.
- Okay.
- All right?
Fire pit is right there.
You got your little table here.
- And then we got string lights.
- Did you arrange that?
[Will] Oh, look there.
That's Shane. That's the owner.
[Shane] Welcome to Cajun Heritage RV Park.
- [Will] What's up, man?
- How you doing?
- Hey, Shane. Eugene. How are ya?
- Good to meet you.
How was your drive in the Cajun country?
- I backed her in myself.
- [laughs]
I mean, what is it about this place
that draws people in from all over?
It's Cajun people. We have a good time.
We love to cook. We love to eat.
We love music. The atmosphere
that we provide for campers.
They love it.
And we're going to get him more into this.
- Yes.
- Real soon.
Today's your lucky day.
Because we actually have
a big event in our pavilion tonight.
We're having a big crawfish boil.
We would like you to come to it.
See you down at the boil.
Okay. Coffee.
I'm usually pretty good on my own.
I can get by very, very easily.
Will?
Okay. Oh.
Coffee.
[stove top ticking]
Okay. Guess I'll have to check with Will.
Uh…
[chuckles]
- Well, you can't do it like that.
- Oh.
'Cause the glass is still down.
- Okay.
- So we gotta lift this up here.
[Levy laughs]
[Will] Like that.
- Thank you.
- Here we go.
It's like a bad picnic.
Coffee's supposed to have lumps.
Is this instant?
No, it's not.
I thought it was instant coffee.
[Levy] So, despite the coffee
being like my love for RVing,
not instant,
it's time for me to throw myself
head, tail, and shell first
into a very Cajun crawfish boil.
[Levy] Wow. Look at this, huh?
It's a party. It's crazy.
Wait. Look there, look there. Watch this.
Mud bugs.
- Wow.
- [laughs]
- Shane. Love the shirt.
- Hey, my friend. You made it.
- Eugene.
- Hey, Shane. How're you doing?
I want y'all to meet my bride
for 35 years. This is Stacy.
Stacy, nice to meet you.
- Here's to you. Here's to you.
- Cheers. Cheers.
When we pulled up, I wasn't seeing, like,
a lot of people. And now, look at this.
[Shane] Some Saturday nights,
we have 800 people out here.
I believe the crawfish are ready.
Come help me get 'em out.
- Can't wait.
- [Shane] All right, Eugene.
- Uh-huh.
- Hold the top open.
Here comes a crawfish.
Hold the top open.
Ooh, they smell good.
We seasoned a little before in the water.
Now we're gonna shake it up.
- One, two.
- [Shane] Now put it down.
[Levy] Crawfish started
as survival food for the early Cajuns.
A poor man's protein
straight from the swamp.
Starving.
[Levy]
"Swamp food" may not sound appetising,
but today,
it's a multi-million-dollar industry,
with Louisiana producing 90%
of U.S. crawfish.
- You ready, Eugene?
- Oh.
[Stacy] All righty.
So you gonna take the tail.
[Levy] Yeah.
Snap it.
Then you gonna suck the head.
- [sucks]
- [woman laughing]
- Try it.
- Try it.
It won't disappoint you.
- [Shane] Try it. You got it.
- [Stacy] You might like it.
- Suck the head.
- Come on.
[Shane] Suck it hard.
[Will snickers]
- [Stacy laughs]
- [Shane] What'd you think? Tasty, innit?
- Ah.
- [all laugh]
[Stacy] And then you're gonna peel it,
the outer layer.
- Pull it out.
- [Shane] There you go.
That's perfect.
- You got some shell?
- Mmm, a little bit.
[all laugh]
It's actually not bad.
It's a staple
in every household in Louisiana.
- Grab another.
- Let me try another.
[Will] You got it now, Eugene.
[Levy] It seems food is friendship here
in the RV community,
and I couldn't think of a nicer bunch
of people to suck a crawfish's head with.
[crowd cheering]
[Levy] Zydeco music is
a signature sound of Louisiana.
Created by the Creoles,
they took a washboard and put it on a vest
so you could do your laundry
at the same time.
Crazy good. I love these things.
The scrub board, huh?
I think you should play it.
Come on. Come on.
- Come on. Come on.
- Scrub board?
[crowd cheering]
[Levy] I gotta say, I don't think
I could ever be a great drummer,
but, boy, I could give anybody
a run for their money on a washboard.
This was one of the great nights.
There's an enormous sense
of community with RVers.
Friendliest people I think I've ever met,
truly outstanding.
- [music ends]
- [crowd cheering]
That's what I call rhythm.
I'm gonna take one of these things home.
[Levy] Today won me over.
Tonight definitely was great fun.
So, I got both eyes open
for the road tomorrow.
And-And whatever happens,
I think I'll take it in in
a more positive light and good for me.
[gentle music playing]
Making, uh, breakfast. First breakfast.
And I'm going with oatmeal.
I would usually go out for breakfast
and have a…
Let's say, a lovely latte and, uh,
you know,
on a special day, maybe a waffle.
No sugar. So…
I'm gonna see
if the people next door have sugar.
[person] Hello, neighbour.
- Eugene.
- Steve Manuel. How are you doing?
- Hello, Steve.
- This is my wife, Diane.
- Pleased to meet you.
- Hey, nice to meet you, neighbour.
- This is a sizeable RV.
- [Diane chuckles]
- [Steve] Just a little biddy one.
- I thought this was massive
when I got in it.
This is nothing compared to…
- Would you like to see the inside?
- I would love to come in and take a look.
I just wondered if you guys had any sugar
- 'cause I…
- It's not a problem.
Let me see. Oh, my God.
This is an RV!
Oh, my goodness.
- Okay, you know what, I can't go back.
- [Diane, Steve laugh]
- [Levy] Yeah, I can't get back to…
- [Steve] Let me grab you some sugar.
[Levy] Thank you.
What is it about these trips,
other than getting behind the wheel?
Well, I've been in the trucking business
all my life.
And I've passed everywhere
in the United States.
- [Levy] Okay.
- But I would pass through.
This way I go and I stop and I visit,
tour, see everything around
instead of just zooming through
in an 18-wheeler.
This is a taste of this kind of RV life
that I'm-I'm getting a little taste of.
I wish it was this taste.
That's my baby right across there.
Old Shaky.
- [Steve] Old Shaky. That's a good name.
- Uh…
Nice meeting you, Steve, Diane.
Oh, geez.
Okay.
Steve and Diane, I love those guys.
Well, they love RVing.
I would love RVing if I was in that thing.
[knock on door]
- Come in.
- Good morning, Eugene.
- Will, how are ya?
- I'm good.
- Thank you.
- That's for you.
Should I taste it first
- and then tell you whether…
- How about we taste it at the same time
- to see our reaction?
- All right. Let's do it together.
- That's good.
- Wow, is that good.
That's really good.
You ready to hit the road again?
I am ready. Who's taking the first shift?
I think you are.
- It'd be more fun if we were in Steve's.
- That's right.
[Levy] We might not have
the smartest wheels around,
but today Old Shaky is taking us
from the bayou to the beach
as we move east
towards Lake Pontchartrain.
- [Will] We're on the main road now.
- [Levy] All right, here we go.
- [Will] It is a gorgeous day.
- [Levy] Yeah.
- Sun is shining, making us look good.
- Yeah.
[Levy] Another advantage
of hitting the road with my wingman Will,
plenty of time to discuss the things
that really matter.
What's your favourite place
in the Caribbean?
- Barbados.
- Yeah, I enjoyed Barbados.
Swimming, to me, has always been
just a way of staying alive in the water.
[chuckles] You know what house music is?
It's like funk, R&B, soul, all together.
A lot of dancing.
Uh, no.
This is gonna be a tough one right here.
- Let them go first.
- Thank you.
- I've got a little grandchild now, right?
- Yeah.
- How old is your grandkid?
- He's two-and-a-half.
That's beautiful.
- [Levy] What's the name of this town?
- [Will] Madisonville.
You think we should fill up?
Mm-hmm. Get me some snacks too.
What do you like to eat in an RV?
Boiled peanuts. Cajun boiled peanuts.
Have you had boiled peanuts before?
- Warm peanuts?
- Boiled, boiled.
- A bowl?
- B-O-I-L-E-D. Boiled.
- It must be my accent. Boiled peanuts.
- Crunchy?
- No, it's not crunchy. It's…
- Oh, no. Then why eat it?
- [Will] I don't know. It just…
- Why eat it?
- [Will] It's just good.
- A nut has to have a crunch.
[Will] That's one thing about Louisiana.
It's just tradition.
You're gonna pull in right there.
- [Levy] This is gonna be…
- This gonna be tight,
but I think we can make it.
Got it over here.
'Cause we definitely don't wanna take out
a gas pump.
Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh.
- [metal scraping]
- [Will] Hold on a second.
- Oh.
- [Levy] What happened?
- I think we scraped it.
- Oh.
Our first accident.
I didn't do that, Eugene.
You'll take this back and tell the guy…
- That I did it. [laughs]
- Yeah, of course.
- Hi.
- [clerk] Hi.
[Levy] Well, I'm now trying to think of,
uh, what we need.
- [Levy] Oh. Boiled peanuts.
- [clerk] Boiled peanuts.
Everything in South Louisiana
is boiled or fried.
You really should try a Cajun peanut.
- Wow.
- [snickers]
- I really, really don't care for that.
- Not your type?
That is one horrible nut.
Why do people boil their nuts?
For the people that don't have teeth.
- There's a lot in South Louisiana.
- Oh, really?
Are you gonna cover Will's nuts
or does Will…
To be honest, Will can cover his own nuts.
That's the first time I've ever said that.
Well, tell him his nuts are delicious.
Thank you… [chuckles]
Well, I will pass that along.
- Thank you, Christine.
- Have a good one.
Y'all guys have a great day.
- [Will] Eugene?
- Too bad you missed that.
I tried one of these things.
They're horrible.
Did you like it?
I knew you wouldn't like 'em.
- [grunts]
- All right.
[Will] Old Shaky.
Watch the curb over here.
Uh-oh.
- There we go.
- There we go.
Not too bad.
[Levy] That's life for you, sometimes
you hit the odd bump in the road.
Best thing to do: Keep going.
Well, you try driving a house around.
So, Eugene,
how long have you been married?
- Forty-seven years.
- Mm-hmm.
[Levy] What about you?
So, I've been married for almost a year.
My partner's named Austen.
- Does Austen really love all this stuff?
- No.
- RVing, hitting the road?
- No.
He's-He's more like you,
but I've gotten him into the outdoors.
[Levy] Will's partly right.
I love being outdoors.
I just prefer not to sleep there.
[Will] We made it.
Fontainebleau State Park.
[Levy] After hours on the road,
Fontainebleau feels like nature's version
of a deep breath.
- Yeah. Wow. It's nice.
- Look at this. Beautiful trees.
- [Levy] Moss. Wow.
- [Will] Spanish moss.
[Levy] The perfect setting to enjoy
some well earned peace and tranquillity.
Look at this.
- Bikers. Yeah.
- [Will] Bikers.
- What are y'all doing here?
- What are you all doing here?
Well, we're out for a ride,
and this is what our chapter does.
- How many in your chapter?
- We have 150.
- Hundred and fifty?
- Yeah.
A lot of people like to ride bikes.
[biker 1] Here in Louisiana,
there's so many nice places to ride.
It's a very relaxing experience.
It kinda takes you out of your regular
9-to-5 routine of working.
You know,
and you're in a different environment.
You-You have complete control.
Well, I'm in this thing, this RV,
and this is the idea, is hitting the road
and being able to see exactly
what you're driving through.
And I guess
it's pretty much the same for you,
except you're even closer
to the road than an RVer.
[biker 1] Yes, it's almost
as if you're flying.
- [Levy] Feeling the wind.
- [biker 1] Yeah.
[chapter leader]
Do you wanna go for a ride?
- Oh, we can do that.
- [Levy] I mean,
I'd like to say
you're carrying precious cargo…
- I'll take it easy on you.
- …but you're really not.
- Whoa.
- I think it's gonna fit.
- Holy cow.
- Is it me or Brando?
It's a combination of the two.
[biker 2] He looks like a regular biker.
- [biker 3] Yeah.
- [biker 4] Cool.
All right,
I'm ready to feel the wind in my hair.
We're ready to go. We're going out
and we're gonna scare some people.
- We're not scaring anybody, Eugene.
- Yeah, well,
- you've never travelled with me before.
- Oh. [laughs]
- [Levy] Whoo.
- [chapter leader] All right, here we go.
See you later, Eugene. You got it.
Whoo.
[Levy] I gotta say, I'm loving this.
It's a whole other feeling
to be out on three wheels…
- [chapter leader] Yeah. Absolutely.
- …instead of four.
[Levy] Wow, look at this. It's beautiful.
[chapter leader] So what does your family
think about you being gone on the RV?
[Levy] Well, you know,
this is all something… [laughs]
…they find kind of hard to believe.
You know, I mean, they-they know me.
They know it's,
you know, not what I do, but, uh,
they're kind of glad
I'm getting these experiences.
Do you think they're gonna believe
that you were on a motorcycle?
- They'll believe it when they see it.
- [laughs]
[Levy] It's all been a good thing
for me, to be honest.
I'm trying to figure out why certain
places are on people's bucket lists.
[Levy] The truth is,
everyone's bucket list is different.
But for bikers and RVers,
there's a common thread.
Freedom on the open road.
I'm ticking off quite
a few things on this trip.
We have packed a lot in.
Well, taking Eugene Levy wasn't
on my bingo card,
but I'm very glad
I get to cover that number up.
[Levy chuckles]
- Here you go.
- Mindy! Good one.
[Will laughs] How was it?
- It was fantastic. It's great.
- Was it fantastic?
- I gotta get myself one of these.
- Oh!
[all laugh]
[Levy] I understand
why people are so passionate about that.
Seeing the country,
you know, the American Dream.
And I think that dream
can be anything you want.
To these guys,
I guess it's riding out with your friends
on some very serious motorcycles.
Thank you. This was really something.
Mindy did a great job.
This is… This is a good memory I'll be
taking with me all the way to New Orleans.
Just, um, taking in the view here at, uh,
Fontainebleau National Park.
It's lovely, isn't it?
If I was travelling on my own, honestly,
I wouldn't be standing here right now.
You know, getting to see the country
that you're actually moving through is,
um, I mean, I think there's something
to be said for that.
You can't argue with a sunset like this.
But you can't talk to it either.
Which has got me thinking about
what I've really come
to appreciate on this trip.
What's hit me
about the people here is just
how openly, friendly, and lovely they are.
I'm always in awe of people
who are that open, you know.
I'm not put together that way.
I'm a giving person.
I think… I think I'm a loving person.
I always gravitate to people
whose hearts are on their sleeve.
There's kind of an instant bond.
I just don't express it
as well as they do,
and I wish… I wish I could.
It's safe to say this road trip is having
an impact that I wasn't quite expecting.
I can feel myself warming to it,
and a lot of that is down to Will.
Look what you've done out here.
- This is fantastic.
- It feels good to sit around the fire.
Yeah, and on a night like this,
there's nothing better.
- Oh, marshmallows. Come on.
- Roast a few marshmallows.
- This is what I do with my family.
- Yeah.
Especially my dad.
He got… Oh, man. That's…
I think I'm gonna need some more strength.
- Try it. See if you can do that.
- Huh?
- Oh. That's… That's smart.
- You stick with me, Will.
- [chuckles] I'ma stick with you.
- All right. There.
Who first taught you
about roasting marshmallows?
- Was it your dad?
- [Will] That's right.
So what's he like? Tell me about your dad.
My dad is…
pretty amazing.
I would say.
Um, he's helped me so much in life.
[voice breaking] Like, anything I need,
my dad is always there.
[shudders]
I wasn't expecting to cry
around the fire pit.
- [chuckles]
- That… That…
You know, I just love
that kind of relationship.
You sometimes hear it
with mothers and daughters,
where, you know,
a daughter will say, you know,
"My mom's my best friend."
It happens a little less
with fathers and sons.
When did you come out to your dad?
- About 21. 21.
- Twenty-one.
At first I was kind of nervous.
I was very nervous,
'cause my dad is a… [sniffles]
…a very Southern man.
Um, my dad loves church.
- He's very religious.
- Right.
And I didn't know,
um, how he's gonna take it.
And when I told him, he was…
he was… I think he was shocked,
um, 'cause I'm his only son.
And I'm the oldest.
I mean, he wasn't…
he wasn't upset or mad. But…
But you could feel he wasn't…
he wasn't embracing it.
For a couple of weeks, yeah.
But when I came out to him… [sniffles]
- Yeah.
- My mom, I think, helped my dad,
like, be like, "This is your only son,"
you know.
"No matter what he does,
you'll still love him."
And then my dad… [imitates whooshing]
…instantly changed.
- Yeah.
- It's like a big breath of fresh air.
It's like…
[exhales deeply]
- …for months. [laughs]
- Yeah, it must be.
I mean, it must be, right?
I mean, you were 21.
I think Daniel was, what, 19?
Nineteen.
When Daniel came out to you,
how did you feel?
We were…
- I think well aware that he was gay.
- Mm-hmm. You did?
But we were just, uh, waiting…
- Nice.
- …you know, for the right time
for him to feel comfortable enough
to tell us.
I mean, it was out, and it was
a huge thing off of the plate for him.
And it was… and it was fine.
It was just like,
- "Okay. There you go."
- That's good.
If somebody's watching this, you know,
they'll see men like you and my dad,
or hearing about my dad,
and maybe they can accept their kid more
or love them more.
That's what it's about.
That's the only thing that matters.
- Mm-hmm. That's right.
- Love and respect. Yeah.
And also, we don't want, uh…
[laughs] …burnt marshmallows.
You don't want your burnt marshmallows?
But you know what?
When it comes to marshmallows…
it takes all kinds.
- It takes all kinds, that's right.
- Yes.
- The dark one, the white one…
- It takes all kinds. That's all there is.
- …the brown one, the gooey one.
- You see what I'm saying?
- Yeah.
- This is the beautiful life.
It could be more beautiful
if it was about ten degrees warmer.
[Will laughs]
[Levy] Who knew it got
this cold down here?
You need more marshmallows over there?
- [Levy] Okay. New Orleans, here we come.
- [Will] Here we come.
[Levy] After an evening
of toasting and talking,
it's time to get back in Old Shaky
and make the final push to New Orleans.
You think you're gonna miss our friend
Old Shaky here?
I think I'll probably, uh, miss Old Shaky.
In fact, every time
I hear the word "shaky" from now…
- [chuckles]
- …till the end of my life,
- I'll be thinking of Old Shaky.
- Mm-hmm.
[Old Shaky rattling, shaking]
Old Shaky's really talking to us now.
[stammers]
I take this back about Old Shaky.
- [laughs]
- I'm not gonna miss…
I'm not gonna miss her one bit.
[Will]
We're going over Lake Pontchartrain.
[Levy] This is a big bridge.
This is a big bridge.
[Levy] Talk about stating the obvious.
At nearly 24 miles long,
Lake Pontchartrain causeway is the longest
continuous bridge over water in the world.
- Boy, we're still not halfway across.
- Not even close.
We still got 17 or 18 miles to go.
You see those buildings
to the left over there on the horizon?
- [Levy] Yeah.
- That is New Orleans.
- [Levy] That's New Orleans?
- That's Nawlins.
We're coming in!
This is great, Will.
Yeah, that's a good way to finish.
[jazz music playing]
[Levy] There's no other town
quite like New Orleans, you know.
I don't think it really has a twin.
[jazz music continues]
[Levy] New Orleans is a big city
with an even bigger reputation.
It's full of history
and moves at its own pace.
Just like the grand old river
that rolls right through it.
Will, the mighty Mississippi.
That's beautiful.
[Levy] And what better way
to end this incredible trip
than swapping four wheels
for one giant one?
- Welcome aboard the steamboat Natchez.
- [Levy] Thank you.
[Levy] Good morning. Good morning.
Will is the greatest guy.
I think I've made a new friend.
[chattering]
- [Levy] Oh, you gotta give…
- [Will] Oh! Look at that. Wow.
[clapping] Whoo!
This is it,
the end of the road, literally.
The end of the road trip.
I really do understand
why people take to RVing
and discovering America mile by mile.
Being able to stop here and stop there
and smell the roses.
[uplifting music playing]
My thing was,
the sooner we get there, the better,
but this was a good lesson
in why it's not so great
to get there as fast as you would like.
You know, there are things
to see along the way.
For me, it's been a really rewarding, um,
experience. Gotta be honest.
Like jazz legend Miles Davis once said,
"It's all about the notes you don't play."
And maybe that's
what I'm learning about travelling.
It's the bits in-between that matter.
Your bucket list doesn't have
to be adrenaline-fuelled.
It can be about the small moments,
the conversations, the people.
But hey, if you want my advice,
take a pass on the boiled peanuts.
- [Will] Eugene.
- Hey.
You took very good care of me.
- I told you you were in good hands.
- The best guy in the business.
- [laughs]
- Clyde and Clyde.
- Clyde and Clyde.
- There we go.
Cheers.
- It's not bad.
- Not bad.
Cocktails down the Mississippi River.
[Levy] Fantastic.
[majestic music playing]
[music ends]
[guide] Welcome to London!
[Levy] Next on my bucket list.
Never felt more like a tourist.
Thank you.
"Why don't you pop down to the castle?"
"William."
From the Prince of Wales. [laughs]
- Your Royal Highness. [laughs]
- [laughs] Nice to see you.
We provide this service for everyone.
We do personalised tours everywhere.
- What do you do in your home?
- [chuckles]
- Sleep. [laughs]
- Really?
When you have three small children,
sleep is an important part of my life.
I'd say 2024 was the hardest year
I've ever had.
You know, life is out to test us as well,
and being able to overcome that
is what makes us who we are.