Friday 2 December 2011

Three Days in....

Uh, oh, three days in and this is my first chance to blog - so don't check this space daily - I'm too busy road tripping to blog every day!!! Sooooo, to update you till now.....
Day 1 - all arrived safe and sound (including the luggage) at around 7pm Wednesday 30/11 - which despite only being 11 hours after leaving 8am Wednesday morning was in fact a tiring 26 hours of traveling. Took a shuttle straight to the hotel (after trying to find the shuttle for about 45 minutes - Miami International Airport is huge!) and then all crashed for the night. Great room - thank goodness!
Day 2 - up early for breakfast at the hotel (had a yummy omelette made especially for me by the chef) then back on the shuttle and back to the airport to pick up the rental car. We had paid for a full-size vehicle but had a coupon code for a free upgrade but apparently there where no premium cars available.  Gary pushed a little and asked the lady he had been buttering up to double check for him. Surprise, surprise, suddenly a red Chrysler C300 was available - yay, just what Gary prayed for. 
After collecting the car we drove to the everglades where we went on an airboat ride and got to see alligators - one named Lilly came right up to the boat and was opening her mouth wide for us - nice teeth.  A bit further down we found some baby alligators - they were only one year old and each was about 30cm long - there were nearly a dozen of them - we didn't see their mother (Finger Biter) but our tour guide informed us that if wanted to meet mum we just needed to pick up one of the babies.  We all declined the offer.  Saw a few other alligators along the way and we could have gone to a information show but after being to Australia Zoo we weren't that interested in the alligator talk - the tour guide couldn't understand it - CRIKEY!
Feeling completely exhausted (may have something to do with the fact that at home it was the early hours of morning) we all went back to bed to sleep for a few more hours.  Dragged ourselves up at 7pm and then headed down to Miami Beach to see the night lights and walk along a mall.  I have never seen so many restaurants crammed into one place.  After a short visit to the Apple store and a bit more walking we drove through Downtown Miami and then back to the hotel making a brief stop at iHop.  Informed the waiter we were iHop virgins and all enjoyed pancakes (Gary had new york cheesecake pancakes and Tiahna and I shared the chocolate chip). We also shared a gingerbread hot chocolate and caramel (carmel here) hot chocolate - the biggest drinks we've ever had - would fit 4 Max Brennars in this cup.
Day 3 (Phew, finally catching up to real time). Woke at 6am (Gary's a hard task master on road trips), yummy breakfast (again) and then off for a drive along the Florida Keys.  Tiahna and I started off quite enthusiastically singing 'Beach Boys' Kokomo (must learn the words properly one day), but by the time we reached the real 'Key Largo' were feeling a little flattened that you drove out of the place just as quickly as you drove into it:( Kept traveling down 'Highway 1' along the various 'Keys' (I wish the song said them all in order that would have been more fun!) and eventually (after 3 hrs 30mins) found ourselves at Key West - Wow! well worth the drive.  What an amazing place. We had a tour of 'Truman's Little White House' where 7 Presidents have stayed.  We got to go into the rooms that they used and I made sure I was the last to leave one of the rooms so that I could close the door using the same door knob that 7 Presidents have touched (I know - very corny - but I love that stuff).
We then walked around some of the streets of Key West and eventually visited the 'Most Southern Point of the USA' which is 90 miles (notice the American talk) from Cuba. As we headed back towards Miami we quickly stopped for me to dip my toes in the Gulf of Mexico (I could hear Roy in my head telling me I should do it, I knew he'd be disappointed in me if I didn't).
After finally getting back to Miami we had dinner at a Mexican place called Chipotle recommended to us by a friend in Australia who has lived in the states for several years.  We're so glad he told us about it - the food was great and vibe in the place was awesome.
Well that's it for a perfect day, until next time...
Point to ponder: Why do we drive on the opposite side of the road and have the steering wheels on the other side??? Is there a genuine reason for it?
Love u all
xxxxx

3 comments:

  1. Dear ones,
    You certainly sound as if you are enjoying your trip - and you've only just begun!! Many exciting adventures to go and many wonderful memories to make! Love, Dit xx

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  2. Dipping your toes in the Gulf of Mexico is the little things you'll remember most probably! Sounds fun!!

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  3. Re steering wheel and driving - same reason that water goes down the plughole the opposite way, and Kimmidoll feels more like she is like 'Upsy Daisy' in 'The Night Garden'as she feels dizzy, since she is no longer hanging upside down in the 'Land Downunder'. LOL!! Looking forward to next blog.

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