I don't understand the purpose of the Houston portion of the journey. A great place to live and work, no doubt, but to sight-see? I would choose another destination in Texas or more likely I would recommend New Orleans. In any event, Houston (and most Texas cities IMHO) would be a miserable place to visit if you are not inclined to rent a car. Whereas much of the historic area of New Orleans is easily reached by public transportion, including the ferry to Algiers, the street cars, the buses, and so on. I hope I am not stepping out of line here. Obviously I agree with others who urge you to consider renting a vehicle for at least some portion of your trip. No one is asking you to drive past "corn fields" but it would be a pity to visit North America and completely miss the American Southwest. Or the Canadian Northwest for that matter.

I guess I am too nosy, but I am puzzled as to how or why this particular itin was selected.