FLASHBACK #52: Floridian Adventure (Part 3)

Day 8 – April 15th – Key Largo → Key West 75ºF – Hot / Sunny.

After an early rise at 8am, we headed down to the busy breakfast area for the usual fayre which included a luscious fruit salad. We left the hotel at 10am and headed towards the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Established in 1963, the park was the first underwater park in the USA. The park, combined with the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, encompasses 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps. These areas were established to protect and preserve the only living coral reef in the continental United States.

Here, you can get easy access to the Florida Reef by going snorkelling, going on a glass bottom boat and even scuba diving. There is even a visitor centre where you can learn about the reef and it's marine life.

Named after the late Miami newspaper editor, John D. Pennekamp, who was instrumental in preserving the land that would become the Everglades National Park, Coral Reef State Park now enjoys over a million visitors per year from around the world.

When we arrived, we paid the $3 per person entry fee and were disappointed to find that the Glass Bottom Boats were not operating on this particular day. What a big shame. We headed for the ticket office with the intent of going on a snorkelling tour of the reef instead. Within minutes of joining the queue, we approached the salesperson manning the desk and were told that a tour was leaving in ten minutes and asked if we were interested. We took it and handed over a whopping $74! My first thoughts were that it was bloody expensive, but then again it was all for a unique experience.

We collected our flippers, masks and snorkels in a rush and then headed to the departure dock and boarded the huge speedboat with 49 passengers on board plus 3 crew members who started to give out safetly instructions and advice on how to get the most out of our snorkelling experience. If you were to believe the advertising material for this attraction, you would be guaranteed 'bright coral teeming with colourful marine life'. Naturally, we were feeling extremely positive about the experience.

The huge multi horse-powered speedboat whizzed across the Atlantic and, twenty minutes later, we had reached our destination, four miles from land. During the journey, people had learnt to put on the life jackets and, when the boat came to a stop, one by one we started to jump off the boat and into the cold sea. We adjusted our masks and snorkels and, as advised by the instructor, stayed close together and within the designated area. The sea was a bit choppy which made the snorkelling a bit difficult at times. We head into an area about 100 metres away from the boat which promised a view of the underwater Christ of the Deep statue.

With our heads down in the water, eyes darting in every direction, Bree tapped my arm and pointed to the right and there it was. There is was! The 'Christ of the Deep' Statue is an eery, moving shrine of Christ himself designed by Italian Guido Galletti, and installed as a tribute to sailors and those lost at sea.

We encircled the statue many times, it's mesmerising yearning for the surface with two outstretched arms in this world of silence a truly powerful scene. I personally felt at home in this world of silence, especially with my profound deafness.

Despite the cost, the snorkelling experience was worth it although the choppiness of the water and the fact that the coral - and marine life - wasn't as colourful nor full of life as I expected. Seeing the statue, however, was worth the money in itself. To an extent, it felt like a con, just like the Airboat ride in Boggy Creek; there, we had been hopeful of seeing alligators in their own habitat and, comparably, here the wildlife was also not especially remarkable. However, to be fair, there were some big fish and sometimes I abandoned the snorkel, held my breath and went underwater to swim with them. It was great, but there were none of the impressive, colourful fish you were led to expect.

After an hour in the water, we boarded the boat, suffering an attack of the shivers as the cool sea air engulfed our bodies. The shivering lasted for what seemed like ages. Before long, the other snorkellers got back onto the boat and the boat was speeding its way back to base.

Upon arrival, we headed to the Park's own private beach. It was more like a bed of rock with access to a rocky lagoon, but it was hot and we wanted to make the most of the sun before moving on; we intended to be in Key West by evening, our final destination along the Overseas Highway. We spent an hour at the beach, but the sun was too intense and we thought it best to move on, rather than risk burning.

The 90 mile drive towards Key West went by very quickly. We drove over all of the Keys in quick succession, the bridges linking them a feat of modern engineering. As time went by, the palm trees looked richer, an indication that we were heading towards a warmer climate. Initial impressions were that the Keys were run down and in need of revamping.

Tourists trailed eachother down the highway, local fishermen dotted the bridges hoping for a catch. Half of the buildings were in good shape, the other half needing a good lick of paint, no doubt a result of the dry, salty environment.

We passed the Seven Mile Bridge that links Marathon and Bahia Honda Keys. The bridge, commissioned when a Hurricane destroyed the old bridge in 1935, replaced the old one which now serves as the 'worlds longest fishing bridge'.

We arrived in Key West just after 6pm, the suns rays still intense. We travelled along Atlantic Boulevard then zig-zigged across town to get our bearings. Suddenly, we came to Truman Avenue, the main artery running from the north to south Key West, which I located on the map; from there, we headed south until we reached Whitehead Street and, by coincidence, were right nearby the Lighthouse Court Hotel, our hotel for the next two nights.

We checked in and, on our way to our room, we noticed there was a jacuzzi so we quickly dumped our bags and took a dip in the hot tub. By 8pm, we were out on the town and tracked down a restaurant recommended by our receptionist at the hotel that sold 'the best ribs in town'. I opted for the full rack of ribs and, more fool me, couldn't finish it. I felt defeated! The sun had taken it's tole; Bree had burned himself a bit and had severe shivers. We went back to the hotel and had a couple of drinks there before turning in.

Day 9 – April 16th – Key West 83ºF – Hot / Sunny.

When I woke up at 8:30, I couldn't think of a better way to wake up than to activate the jacuzzi and be literally shaken awake! We left our hotel about 9:30 in search of a breakfast bar, but first we made a detour by walking to the Southernmost Point Monument on the corner of Whitehead & South. Nearby, we also noticed the Southernmost House. When you think about it, it is kind of tacky! The House was very colonial in style.

Just round the corner, there was a beach-club-looking kind of place, but the sheltered outdoor area of the restuarant was open to non-members. We sat down to enjoy bagels with cream cheese and cereal with yoghurt and coffee for less than $10. Not bad!

After breakfast, we drove to the centre, parking very close to Mallory Square, the place where – according to my Lonely Planet guide – the 'sunset celebration' was held each night in Key West.

We looked around and noticed the Catamaran and Glass Bottom Boat tours on offer. Deterred from our experience at Key Largo, we gave it a miss and noticed the hilariously small cars you could rent, obviously targetting the tourists who had arrived at Key West via one of the many cruise ships sitting in the harbour.

We looked around the stores at Mallory Square and I took a shine to the conches, the large spiral shells you often see in photos of beaches on far-away lands. Key West is know as the 'Conch Republic' and, for the first time due to my cochlear implantation, I could 'hear' the sounds of the sea eerily coming from within. I was tempted, but showed restraint on this occasion; don't you just hate it when you walk around later and find the same product half the price somewhere else when you've already bought it?!

Leaving Mallory Square, I noticed an ad for Key Lime Pie, one of Florida's most famous deserts. Having sampled this sweet pie on my last visit to Florida in 2000, I persuaded Bree to try it.

I ordered two slices and two coffees and we sat and watched the mass of tourists boarding the tourist train across the road. The pie wasn't the freshest, but it was nice. Bree didn't like it, claiming it was all cream and sugar. Sure enough, his Finnish palate was talking there since Finns eat some of the most bland food on offer. In fact, anything containing excessive amounts of sugar and fat are shunned by most Finns and this attitude is reflected in their slimmer waist-lines.

For those of you who are curious as to what Key Lime Pie is, here's the recipe:

Separate 4 eggs. Combine the egg yolks and a 14oz. can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix well. Slowly add 3oz. Key Lime juice and stir until filling is smooth and creamy. Pour into a biscuit base suitable for baking. Preheat the oven at 350º and bake for 10 minutes. Serve chilled and topped with whipped cream. I guarantee you'll like it and, if you don't, you can have fun with the whipped cream instead, if you know what I mean?!

By now, it was gone 13:00 and I just wanted to chill. We head back to the hotel; the really surprising thing was the sun was so strong here in the Keys. To pass some time, we visited the Ernest Hemingway House which was literally just across the road from our hotel.

The Spanish Colonial style home was constructed of native rock hewn from the grounds and boasts the first pool built in Key West. The pool, built in the late 1930's, cost $20,000. The cost prompted Hemingway to take a penny from his pocket and press it into the wet cement of the surrounding patio and announce to his wife: "Here, take the last penny I've got!" That penny is still there. Mary, our guide, told Ernest's story, a Nobel Prize winning author, one of America's most honoured and respected citizens. Hemingway's works include A Farewell to Arms, Garden of Even and To Have and Have Not.

Admittedly, I knew nothing about Ernest Hemingway prior to my visit. Mary went on about his four wives (and the trials and tribulations four marriages entail!), possessing a knack for story-telling. Here head lolled as she walked from room to room like a hippy saying: 'Hey, man!'. The tour was entertaining and, from there, we went to the Key West Lighthouse.

After an 88-step climb and reaching a height of 86 feet , you could see the whole of Key West; you could see the cruise liners docked at Mallory Square, you could see all the way down Whitehead Street to the tourist centre where we had been earlier in the morning. You could see the Hemingway House and you could even see the swimming pool of our very own hotel next door!

Built in 1825, it was the first lighthouse in Key West to guide ships around the beautiful, but treacherous reefs that surround the Florida Keys and Key West. The original Key West Lighthouse was destroyed by a Hurricane in 1846.

The new lighthouse was constucted inland on Whitehead Street. In 1894, twenty feet was added to the lighthouse so that it would be more visible to passing ships. The lighthouse was decommisoned in 1969 and opened as a tourist attraction by the Key West Historical Society in 1972.

It was approaching 3pm and we headed back to the hotel and lounged around the pool. We met this couple who lived in California, drank ice-cold Smirnoff Ice and had a laugh. Among the things we discussed were British-ness, the range of accents in which English are spoken and my use of 'soda', 'candy' and 'garbage', all of which are American-English words which I had started using during my time in Finland and under the American-English influence there. Bree spoke about Finland and their neighbours, the Swedes. It was an education for this American couple who rarely travelled outside of the States.

I wanted to see the famous Key West sunset so, about 6:30pm, we showered, got dressed and took the car to Mallory Square. It was 7:30pm and the roads were mobbed, packed with people who were obviously there to see the infamous sunset at the Southernmost Point of the Continental USA.

We tried again and again and again and again to find a parking space and time was running out… After a brief argument, we decided to just park and abandon the car at the last minute, just before the sun's disc reached the horzion; the sun was surprisingly larger than usual and the colour went from the usual golden yellow to a warm, glowing orange as it sunk beneath the horizon.

There were over fifty people on the narrow pier where we were stood, all eyes gazing at the sun as it continued its journey to others lands. We hadn't quite reached Mallory Square, but it was impressive nonetheless.

Having parked ilegally – and still not being able to find a space - we drove the car back to the hotel. Taking the car seemed like a good idea at the time, but if you want my advice, don't bother! Nobody could have guessed how popular Key West would have been on this Friday night.

Back at the hotel, I changed into jeans and put on a black t-shirt. We walked along Duval Street, checking out some of the bars while looking for somewhere to eat. We ended up at Crabby Dickies, a restaurant that sounded like a sexually transmitted disease and perhaps an inappropriate name for a family restaurant. The food, however, was lovely; I opted for the Shrimp Cocktail followed by a huge bowl of Chicken Breast Caesar Salad. Washed down with a Tequila Margarita, it was just yummy!

Afterwards, we went to some bars and it has to be said that there wasn't much of an atmosphere. We ordered some Long Island Ice Teas to try to give things a kick start. Knackered out from another long, sun drenched day, I headed back to the hotel. It was now dark, but while Bree slept, I went for a midnight swim. I had some drinks round the pool, staring up at the sky and pondered upon the infinitity of the star-infested sky. As I updated my notes, I realised that there was just one more full day left in Florida. And I was determined to enjoy it. I remember being as quiet as I could possibly be when I went back to the hotel room. It was nearly 3am and I don't even remember trying to fall asleep.

Day 10 – April 17th – Key West 84ºF – Clear / Sunny / Hot

After waking at 9:30, we decided that we would stay in Key West another day. After checking availability at the hotel, the only drawback was that we had to move into another room since the room we were in had already been reserved. In a way, we were lucky because our flight back to Europe tomorrow didn't leave until 6pm so we would have more than enough time to get back to Miami from the Keys. Wouldn't we?

We headed down to Duval Street and ate omolettes and hash browns! Feeling a bit blobby, I was starting to worry about the effect of all this lovely food on my body! After breakfast, we continued down Duval passing eateries, bars, ice cream parlours and row upon row of souvenir stores. We bought fridge magnets, Key West Salt Water taffee and I bought a "Mile 0 – Key West" beach towel.

We made our way to Mallory Square where we would witness the Sunset celebration on this Saturday night. Having done our shopping, we headed back to the apartment and made the most of the sunshine. I went to the pool and floated on the water using one of the complimentary lilos; I could feel the sun's rays heating the oil on my body. Oooh, it was lovely…

Bree came down to the pool and we sipped ice-cold Smirnoff Ice. After the pool, I headed to the Jacuzzi and noticed that my sunburnt shins and feet didn't burn in the hot water of the jacuzzi anymore. About 6:30pm, I went to the apartment, showered and threw on my smart grey shorts, white Lacoste t-shirt and sandals.

We left for Mallory Square – this time on foot to avoid a repeat of yesterday's traffic ordeal. When we arrived, the area was once again teeming with people. The promenade was full of tourists and, no doubt, some locals. Street entertainers and vendors littered the area also.

With just 15 minutes until sunset, we parked ourselves at a railing. Pelicans flew low over the water, either hunting or on their way home to roost. A series of jet skiers hit the water and pleasure cruises dotted the horizon, wowing their customers with sunset promise. Minutes before the sunset would hit the horizon, we were told to move out of the way for this couple who had got married that day; they wanted to have their photos taken by the sunset. Cheeky bastards, stealing our vantage point like that. Not my fault they were stupid enough to get married.

Begrudgingly, we moved, but they were soon forgotten as the sun made contact with the horizon. The crowd cheered and I was amazed by how popular the Sunset Celebration was.

I have to admit that the sunet does take on a different look here. As it dips towards the horizon, it tends to change colour from yellow, to orange to red whilst, at the time same, it seems to get larger. We left the area, passing a crazy street entertainer who used cats to jump through hoops of fire. Let's hope the RSPCA isn't onto him! We headed to Duval Street and found a huge outdoor restaurant selling the usual American fayre. While we waited for a table, we enjoyed frozen Pina Coladas. The cocktail was very refreshing and, later, would be the thing I would blame for ruining my appetite.

I had a Tex-Mex chicken wrap for starters; the portion was huge. Undeterred, I tucked in. When the Burger and Fries came, as large as ever, I took just three bites and I just couldn't eat anymore. What a waste of good food!

It was now about 9pm and we headed back towards the hotel, away from the crowds of Duval Street, along Whitehead Street.

It wasn't until 11pm that our stomachs were brave enough to try drinking up some of the stuff we had accumulated in our apartment. Content with what I had seen in Key West, I wasn't interested in going out so I had a midnight swim and lazed in the Jacuzzi. About 1am, I went to the apartment, showered, started packing etc. I turned in about 2am in a room tidier than any I had been in during the last ten days!

Day 11 – April 18th – Key West → Miami 83ºF – Clear / Sunny

After rising at 9am, I was instantly hit by the fact that this was our last day on holiday and that most of the day would be dedicated to getting to Miami in time for our our early evening flight. After a shower, we had breakfast at the hotel for a change. I opted for the safe bagel and cream cheese (god, I would miss these!), followed by a luxurious grain topped with yoghurt and a fruit salad of banana, strawberries and blueberries.

After breakfast, we checked out, loaded up the car and we were on our way. We drove along Atlantic Boulevard, exactly the way we came into Key West three days ago. We passed the Southernmost Monument and the Southernmost House. Leaving the Keys seemed to take longer than when we arrived. I put this down to the fact that we didn't want to leave and, when we resist, time does have a cruel way of just standing still, doesn't it?

Nevertheless, the journey was still enjoyable. We were given another opportunity to see Pelicans glide alongside us as we glided from key to key. The shallow seas were a sight to treasure.

The Seven mile bridge loomed ahead, a feat of engineering if I ever saw one, towering over the Atlantic to the East, the Gulf of Mexico to the West and the Carribean to the South. We passed the largest of the Keys, Marathon, then Key Largo.

One interesting point worthy of mentioning is the 'Hurricane Monument' which we happened upon as we drove across Islamorada Key. I took a photo of it and have transcribed the text from the plaque below. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a fitting tribute:

"The Florida Keys Memorial, know locally as the 'Hurricane Monument', was built to honor the hundreds of American veterans and local citizens who perished in the 'Great Hurricane' on Labor Day, September 2, 1935.

Islamorada sustained winds of 200 miles per hour and a barometer reading of 26.35 inches for many hours on that fateful holiday; most local buildings and the Florida East Coast Railway were destroyed by what remains the most savage hurricane on record.

Hundreds of World War 1 veterans who had camped at the Matecumbe area while working on the construction of U.S. Highway One for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) were killed. In 1937, the cremated remains of approximately 300 people were placed within the tiled crypt in front of the monumnet.

The monument is composed of native keystone, and its striking frieze depicts coconut palm trees bending under the force of hurricane winds while the waters from an angry sea lapping at the bottom of their trunks. Monument construction was funded by the WPA and regional veterans' associations. Over the years, the Hurricane Monument has been cared for by local veterans, hurricane survivors and descendents of the victims."

Realising that we were at the end of the Keys and approaching the $1 toll road to the Mainland was kind of an anti-climax. Depression aside, I thought it was great – and was kind of surprised - that there were no toll roads dotted all the way along the Overseas Highway. I had a very bad experience in Norway last Summer where, every 10-20 kilometres of driving, you were greeted by yet another toll road, bridge or ferry! You can read about that trip here.

With time on our side, we stopped at the huge Walmart in Homestead where Hurricane Andrew paid a visit in 1993, devestating the area with winds of up to 170mph. We wanted to check out the prices and ended up buying toiletries mainly which were considerably cheaper than back home. We left Walmart and, before long, there was a sign Miami – 25 Miles. Good navigation was needed in order to return the car to the rental agency. We finally found the place then took a shuttle bus to the airport terminal. Nothing could have prepared us for the next two hours..

We got to the airport at 16:30, more than three hours before our flight. Upon entering the airport, our flight was not even listed on the screens. There was no immediate indication of whether we were in an International or Domestic terminal nor was there a check-in desk specifically for our flight. We asked somebody who looked official where to go and we were directed to the American Airlines Desk.

There was a queue at the check in desk and it took 45 MINUTES to get through, only to find out that two seats were no available together. How did this happen when we had arrived so early for our flight? The woman explained that you can choose your seats online, but this was the first I had heard of such a facility. Anyway, we were given seats that were five rows apart, but were told to enquire at the gate when boarding to see if any seats were available at last minute.

One thing I remembered was that, while we were waiting in the queue, I noticed some luggage that had been left unattended for quite some time. Ten minutes went by and a guy came to collect the trolley. Immediately, a female American Airlines colleague approached him and started cursing, clearly because of his actions. The passengers demeanour wreaked of arrogance and I was both shocked and surprised by the travellers complacency.

Anyway, having checked in, we were told that the procedure to check in bags had changed. We had to take our bags with us to be scanned. I respected this because if there's a problem with the luggage, the owner can be located immediately. It made sense, I suppose, but then it took ANOTHER 30 MINUTES for this procedure to be completed. There appeared to be a problem with Bree's luggage and they wanted to inspect it so this took extra time. The thought running through my mind at this time was: I'm tired, I'm hungry, I need a piss and there's still body-security yet!

Bree got the all-clear from the inquisitive little Chinese guy and, worried about body security taking its time, we went to Gate E concourse straight away. There, people were having their hand luggage checked so there was yet another queue. Because Bree had had a problem with his case, he was expressed through the airport for the inconvenience. In the meantime, I joined the normal queue with the throng of other multinationals.

Because of the hearing device I wear, I couldn't go through the overhead metal detectors so I had to wait a further ten minutes to be frisked. I had to take off my shoes, unpack my ruck sack to place my laptop, camera and mobile phone through the x-ray separately.

When this was done, they checked my ruck sack for 'chemical residue' using a sophisticated technique where they swiped my bag with a small circular tissue and then placed is in a sealed device for analysis. Having passed that, Bree and I were reunited at the end of the very long corridor which ended in access to E-Gates 1-9.

We had one hour until boarding at 18:50, but the first thing to do was satisfy nature's urge! After that, we went to the gate to find out if we could get seats together on the plane. Now, here comes the best part. After all the hassle at the airport – which admittedly everybody had to endure – we had been UPGRADED TO FIRST CLASS!!! Wey-hey!

Before getting this good news, we had grabbed a sandwich and some tax-free alcohol. I bought 2 litres of Smirnoff Vodka and a 1.75 litre bottle of Bacardi for just $48. I had $4 left in my wallet so I bought a magazine for the flight.

We waited to board the aircraft, holding our First Class tickets proudly! When we entered the Boeing 767 aircraft capable of seating 213 passengers, seats 2D and 2E were waiting for us. We were offered champagne and a menu from which we had a choice of dinner and breakfast options. All this before the plane even took off!

Shortly after the plane took off, a host took our food orders and promised to return with our Bacardi's. Shortly after that, we were offered a compact DVD player for personal use with a choice of twenty movies. Wow! People pay an exorbitant amount of money for this kind of service and we were getting it for free! Bree reckoned the flight might have costs over $1300 per person. We also received the usual exclusive on-board pack for first class travellers.

The food came and went and, as one should (!), I ate warm roasted nuts and an oh-so-petit serving of fresh vegetables in a ranch dressing to start. This was followed by another starter of Smoked Salmon, Maine Lobster and Herber Marinated Shrimp with salad. For main course, I chose the Manchego Chicken followed by a Grand Marnier fruit salad for dessert. A stewardess passed by, offering me a choice of red or white wine. After she finished doing all the talking about where the wine came from, how old it was and blah, blah, blah, I asked for the one on the left. The food was nice, but it was all a bit too healthy for me. A burger would have been great! Oh, dear! Stuart was in first class and showing his class too!

I watched Basic, a movie with John Travolta, on DVD. It was good and, afterwards I was ready for a good nights sleep. I awoke when breakfast was being served. This time, it was Asiago Omelette served with Roasted Red Pepper Turkey Sausage and a Scallion and Sour Cream Potato Timbale. Please, will some tell me was Asiago is? a Scallion? Timbale? The people organising these menus must be the classiest Americans you're ever likely to come across.

Within an hour after breakfast, at 10:30 local time, we had landed in Paris. The 7,378km flight had gone very quickly and it was a blessing that it was a night-time flight. Our connecting flight to Helsinki was at 12:25 so we had nearly two hours to while away. We got a coffee, the bright sunlight straining our tired eyes. The rest of the trip was uneventful but already – in Paris – I was feeling jetlagged! We looked like shit, we really did. And if we didn't look it, we felt it. We walked round the shops and, already, I could see a difference in the prices.

We boarded the plane and it left Paris on time. I actually slept during this flight while Bree read the Helsingin Sanomat, Finland's national newspaper, which was provided on-board this Finnair flight. We joked about how naff economy travel was and how we had not-so-long-ago experienced better!

We landed just after 16:00 Finnish time and, surprise surprise, our luggage had been lost. Whether the luggage was still in America or Paris, we didn't know and were too tired to care. Bree filled in the necessary forms for the both of us and we jumped into a taxi, bound for home.

The weather was truly lovely. Bright sunshine, clean breathable air and a reasonable 18ºC. When we had left Finland on April 8th, it had been -3ºC. Had summer finally arrived in Finland?! Well, maybe that was too much, but it looked like Spring might have arrived at least.
The evening was a strange one; I had so much energy because of the jetlag that I went for a cycle ride. Was I glad to be back? Yes, I was. The trip made realise that Finland had become part of me. Florida was nice, but would never become my home!

FLASHBACK #52: Floridian Adventure (Part 2)

Day 5 – April 12th – (Easter Monday) Cocoa Beach → Cape Canaveral → Orlando 79ºF – Rainy turning pleasant

At 8am in the morning, the rain was STILL falling! How annoying! Breakfast was over by 9.30am and rain still fell. Not disuaded, we headed for Cape Canaveral, north of Cocoa Beach. Our intention was to visit Kennedy Space Centre. We found the signs and, within half an hour, we pulled into the nearly-empty car park. It was already 11am and we were in the queue for the Kennedy Space Centre, the place I had wanted to visit – but hadn't had the opportunity – during my first visit to Florida in 2000.

We got our Maximum Access tickets costing a whopping $40 + taxes and headed straight to the I-MAX theatre for the 11.30am screening of "The Dream Is Alive", an amazing programme about the space race. The footage was shot by astronauts themselves and some of the filming was just mind-blowing! After the 40 minute screening, we headed to the Astronaut Memorial, a fitting observation deck paying tribute to those who lost their lives during the quest for space exploration. From there, we went to an area where a replic of the Space Shuttle Explorer lay, complete with gas tank and twin booster rockets. Amazing!

After the impressive sight of the Space Shuttle Explorer, we headed towards the Rocket Garden, a collection of replica rockets each with its own story to tell.

On our way back to the I-MAX theatre for the 1.30pm screening, we popped into the sourvenir shop. I couldn't resist buying my six month old neice a NASA emblazoned babygrow!

We made our way to the 1.30pm screening of "Space Station 3D", an awesome 3D presentation about the piecing together of the International Space Station (ISS). After the presentation ended, we had an encounter with an astronaut which seemed like a good idea at the time! Bree and I posed with the bulky astronaut; what kids we must have looked liked!

I have to admit that, by this time, I was starting to flag. It had been a long day taking in lots of information; a trip to the Kennedy Space Centre is no joyride. It's a serious place to be with lots of exhibits to get through.

We forced ourselves onto the bus tour that would take us to the LC39 Oberservatory Gantry – housing the launch pad that is used to launch modern day Space Shuttle missions – followed by a visit to the Apollo/Saturn V Centre.

We left the Kennedy Space Centre visitor complex and headed to the Astronaut Hall of Fame, - included in the price of the ticket of the Kennedy Space Centre – five miles away. Again, it was information overload with even more exhibits of old launches, astronauts experiences, all the tragedies and triumphs relating to Space Exploration etc.

We went on a simulator ride that put people through their paces with 360º turns. The amusing thing was that those waiting to embark on the ride could see the people inside the capsule; some bore faces crunched up with fear, hair all over the place as they were suspended upside down while others grinned from ear-to-ear, clearly loving the thrill! And soon we would be in their shoes and the public would have their turn to point at us on the TV screens and laugh.

We left the place about 7pm, filled the car up with petrol and headed towards Orlando. Within an hour, we were cruising along International Drive, the main throughfare for tourists. We pulled up at the Rodeway Inn and paid $60 for the night! We were impressed with the price and, after dumping our stuff in our room, headed to the nearby Pizza Hut.

During dinner, we were served by a black waitress who oozed with wit and charm. I can actually recall what she looked like, the way she walked and the way she talked. She was lovely! We were both exhausted, but it wasn't physical, it was mental. We had overdosed on information at the Kennedy Space Centre so we headed back to the hotel – it was nearly 10pm – and watched Cosby Show and Roseanne repeats on TV. In bed by 11pm.

Day 6 – April 13th – Orlando → Fort Lauderdale 74ºF – Warm / Overcast

After a later-than-usual start of 9am, the sky still grey and much cooler than ever, we headed for breakfast at the nearby Sizzlers. As I got into the car, I noticed how much the humidity had reduced; for the first time since our arrival, we could really breathe. Over breakfast, we decided that we would not – as we had planned – visit one of the huge Disney water parks on the basis that: a) the weather; and b) the cost when the weather was nothing special.

Instead, we headed to one of the nearby Outlet Centres where goods are sold at lower prices than usual. At Belz, the huge Outlet Centre at the end of International Drive, the spending began. I bought three pairs of Reebok sports trainers for $127, a Nike rucksack and cap for $50 and a Levi's branded shirt for $19. Not major savings, but with no sun on offer and no interest in the usual tourist-trail attractions, shopping seemed like a good idea before we moved on.

About 3pm, we headed towards Boggy Creek, a place where you could experience the thrill of an Airboat and perhaps see a real life alligator – and other wildlife - in its natural habitat. I had found their website through a search engine on the internet and the content conjured images from Gentle Ben, a program I used to watch after school as a kid, about a father who was a cop in Florida and used an Airboat as a means of going about his daily work. Other characters included an oh-so-perfect mother and a cute young son – who I wanted to be – and, of course, Ben, the huge grizzly bear they kept as a pet. If any of you remember it, I'm sure you'll agree it was good entertainment and believable at the time! Did I say a huge grizzly bear?!

It took over an hour to find Boggy Creek, located just 15 miles south of the Belz retail Outlets. We managed to get booked onto their last Airboat tour of the day; as we waited for our airboat ride, I was surprised by how isolated the place was, just outside of Kissimmee.

The half-hour tour of the marshy Floridian lakes was setting us back $20 per person, a bit pricey perhaps, but what an experience it would be. And a great time we had too! When the huge rear propellor jerked into action, I was surprised by the sheer noise.

Within minutes, we were gliding over reeds at lightning speed; the Airboat felt surprisingly smooth and the driver made some mad but exhiliarting moves over the water and mud. Unfortunately, we wouldn't see any alligators, but the experience of moving over water, mud and flora was well worth the outlay.

People whooped with delight, although not much else could be heard through the ear muffs. When we returned to base, I asked the driver to take a picture of us and he did us the pleasure of suggesting we seat ourselves in the Captains seat and having our pictures taken there. What tourists we were!

The frustrating thing about the Airboat experience was that, like good sex, it was all over too quickly. We left the centre and headed South on Route 441 before rejoining the I-95 to Fort Lauderdale, our intended destination for the evening.

We stopped briefly at West Palm Beach for dinner, but the grease-pit we had chosen to dine at put me off food completely; everything tasted of oil. By the time we got back on the road, it was completely dark and careless drivers veered from lane to lane on the I-95; there was a race going on before our very eyes!

About 9.30pm, we saw the signs for Fort Lauderdale; we exited at East Sunset Boulevard and saw a Holiday Inn. We stopped at a few places, but rates quoted ranged from $129 to $140, even this late at night. The lowest we came across was $75, but I have to say it looked somewhat like a brothel and quite unsafe.

It was getting late, I was getting cranky and we were getting nowhere. I suggested we drive North along the seafront and see what was there. Within minutes, we both noticed the Best Western Pelican Beach Resort Hotel. The best they could do was $120 + tax for a room with a sea view. Parking was included and so was breakfast so we took it.

The hotel room was huge – double the size of any we had stayed in so far – and the view (from what I could discern in the darkness) was that we were less than 25 metres from the sea; I could hear the crash of the waves and could see the whiteness of the surf as it reached the shore. The light emanating from the hotel room lit up nearby palm trees and I couldn't wait till morning to take in the view.

I was in need of a bath after another long day. I remember laying in the bathtub, just dozing.. I had a shave and watched a Golden Girls repeat on TV. About midnight, I fell asleep and, unusually for me, I don't even remember turning in.

Day 7 – April 14th – Fort Lauderdale → Little Havana → Key Largo. 75ºF – Warm / Sunny

I woke up at 7am, the sun on my face. It was my birthday and I couldn't think of a better way to wake up than the way I woke up that morning in Fort Lauderdale. I stepped out onto the narrow balcony and nearly blinded myself with the early morning sun which my tired eyes were not prepared for. I grabbed my sunglasses then went back outside. What a sight; the view was AMAZING! I had never stayed this close to the sea in my entire life and, as soon as Bree woke up, we headed for a walk along the beach.

Compared to Miami, the beach was very narrow. When we returned to the hotel, we ate – al fresco – the usual fayre: bagels with cream cheese, cereal, coffee and juice. Yummy! As we ate, a flock of pelicans hovered over the sea nearby; such strange looking birds.

By 10am, we had checked out, but took advantage of the hotel's sunbeds on the beach. Next door, they were in the process of putting the finishing touches to the NEW Best Western hotel which, I could tell, would be a huge improvement on the already more than adequate current establishment.

I got myself oiled-up on Factor 15 and laid in the sun for a while. The water was crystal clear and not too cold; it's funny how humans acclimatise to the weather considering it had been -3ºC the day we had left Finland. The beach was very low-key, not densely populated like that of Miami.

About 1pm, we left the beach and decided to head towards the City of Miami and 'Little Havana'; from there, we would get as close to the Florida Keys as possible, weather and traffic permitting.

We got to Miami later in the afternoon and tried desparately to locate Calle Ocho otherwise known as SW 8th St. As my Lonely Planet Guide states: 'Little Havana is an elusive bugger'. Calle Ocho is the reputed heart of Little Havana, home to masses of Cuban exiles. Most people blame the influx of Cubans on the rise of Fidel Castro in 1959. Many people immigrated when Fulgenicio Batista, whose regime controlled Cuba for more than 30 years, set out on terrorising the nation. At this time, the best alternative was to back Batista's adversary, Fidel Castro.

In late 1958, President Eisenhower of the US announced an arms embargo against the Batista government. This was seen as a sign of support for Castro and his revolutionary coalition. The Batista government abdicated on January 1st, 1959, and Casto made a promise to hold free elections as soon as possible. Castro broke his many promises and the US responded by cancelling its Cuban sugar quota. Pressed for cash, Cuba turned – and allied itself - to the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War.

As we slowly drove along Calle Ocho, we finally came to the elusive Bay of Pigs Memorial. Admittedly, I had known nothing about the Bay of Pigs incident until I consulted my Loney Planet guide.

Apparently, after a revolution in Cuba in 1959, Miami and South Florida became flooded with immigrants who didn't agree with Fidel Castro's regime; they continued to gather and managed to arrange a 'counter-revolutionary' (CR) force. Over time, they managed to establish a permanent cuban society in Miami.

A group of exiles formed the 2506th Brigade, sanctioned by the US Government which provided weapons and CIA training for the purpose of launching an attack on Cuba. On April 17th, 1961, the CRs landed on the beach of Playa Giroin, a town on the Bay of Pigs.

Somehow, the Cubans knew of the planned landing.. In fact, a New York Times worker
claimed to have heard about the impending attack weeks before it had even happened; the badly executed attack found itself up against forces who were waiting in a virtual ambush.

To add insult to injury, when the magnitude of the botch-up became clear, President Kennedy, in the name of plausible deniability, refused to send air cover or naval support. The first wave of counter revolutionaries were left on the beach with no reinforcements or supplies; they were all captured or killed although all prisoners were released by Cuba three months later.

The Bay of Pigs Monument is one of many monuments erected to commemorate Cuban patriots and freedom fighters. This particular monument is dedicated to those who died in the botched Bay of Pigs invasion.

We walked down the street and noticed an old-style greengrocer-like store selling fruit and vegetables and light refreshments. I asked if they sold Guarapo, a drink I had read about in my Lonely Planet guide. He nodded and proceeded to prepare me a class of the pure sugar cane extract; it's sweet, slightly bitter and a but too much. I can still taste it when I think about it. Urgh! I'm sure that if you can be arsed to look, you'll find culture in Little Havana. For us, it was elusive and quite a disappointing find.

We left Little Havana, intent on heading towards the Keys in the South. We stopped at a garage for some petrol. Sorry! We stopped at a service station for some gas! I tried to operate the petrol pump, but it wouldn't work. The driver waiting behind us got frustrated, sounding his horn. A friendly old guy dressed in a white suit came up to me and explained that I had to give the person working behind the counter in the station a deposit before petrol would be dispensed. I thought he was taking the piss for a minute, but realised that nothing was happening this way so I went inside.

True enough, in this particular petrol station, customers had to pay a $50 deposit which was deducted from their credit card. When you finished drawing petrol, the $50 deposit would be paid back to your card and the actual spend would be debited from the card. Obviously, in Miami and/or Little Havana, there's been a case of people helping themselves to petrol then driving off!

We worked our way out of Little Havana and onto Route 1. Within minutes, there was a traffic jam of some kind and, after a while, we reached the scene of what looked like a hit-and-run incident; there was a stationary civilian car ahead with a solitary running shoe on the tarmac. Police rushed around nearby, taking what looked like statements from people who may have been nearby at the time of the incident. As we passed the scene, the traffic sped up once again.

We cruised along the highway and I could feel my shins and feet burning from too much exposure to the sun. Before long, Route 1 split into two, North and South. We took the South exit and, within minutes, were whisked away to a land of palms. We realised that we were passing a palm tree farm and were now on US1, otherwise known as the Overseas Highway.

The Overseas Highway is 126 miles long, stretching all the way from Florida City to Key West. We passed Homestead, a small town with a piece of recent history; Hurricane Andrew ripped through this area in 1993, bringing unprecedented economic devastation with it. Damage was estimated at $25 billion, making Andrew the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.

Time passed and we came to a bridge that seemed to soar above the first stretch of water separating Key Largo from the Continental USA. For a minute, I thought it was a drawbridge. As we came over the bridge, we were greeted with a massive expanse of rich green vegetation; we were flanked by trees, trees and more trees, but then civilisation slowly began to re-emerge with the odd smattering of souvenirs stores and camping grounds. We saw a sign for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, our trip for tomorrow.

We stopped at the tourist office, got some advice about hotels, then made our way. We stopped at four hotels in Key Largo. Prices ranged from $149 - $269, but a bit further on we managed to get into the spacious Ramada Inn for $99! We quickly checked in and were please with the view from our hotel room.

I soaked in the bath tub, then showered off, feeling all clean again. I poured us some Bacardi while watching an episode of The Nanny, a comedy I hadn't seen before. Darkness arrived quickly in Key Largo so I pulled on some jeans, shirt and a jumper – it was windy and cool by this time. Bree had noticed a marina-side restauarant nearby called Spicy Coconuts. I feasted on Spicy Chicken Wings and a Seafood Pasta, washed down with a strawberry margarita.

Later on, I was woozy from the birthday drinks and starting to feel the cold. It was nearly midnight and my birthday has seen me travel from Fort Lauderdale to Miami, onto Little Havana and Key Largo. What a day! What a birthday!

FLASHBACK #52: Floridian Adventure (Part 1)

Introduction

Imagine you've just spent a long cold winter in Finland (my third, actually) with temperatures of around -20ºC. You're exploring your options for a break in the Spring. Clearly, somewhere warm is preferable, but not in Europe and preferably not the Canary Islands, undoubtedly the only warm place in Europe in April. What's wrong with the Canary Islands? Nothing except a) I have been there more than ten times and b) it's not as cheap an option as it used to be.

To date, Bree and I have visited Europe, travelling through fourteen countries in fourteen days, a weekend in London (to him, something I knew about), a Christmas weekend in Rovaniemi (for him to show me where Santa lived) and a New Year's break in Amsterdam. But this trip would be different…it had to be; the winter had gotten to us this year and, quite frankly, I was starting to get sick of the non-stop endless bitterly cold winds with nothing but alcohol to restore my warmth on those weekend nights out.

We considered Italy, but it would be busy there. We considered the Canary Islands, but the prices were too high from Finland. We thought about Greece, but the temperatures were an unusual 4ºC in February and, quite frankly, if that was the option I would rather stay at home. Then our thoughts turned further…. we thought of the States and where other than Florida – The Sunshine State - could we be guaranteed good weather with lots to do? So, we booked up!

Day 1 – April 8th – On Our Way

First, we had to travel from Helsinki to London Heathrow to catch our connection flight to Miami. On-board a British Airways Airbus A310 aircraft, we read the morning papers and ate a breakfast served to us by a very friendly hostess in her late 30's.

At one point, I made conversation with the same hostess while waiting for the toilet at the back of the place. I explained that we were on our way to London to catch a flight to Miami and weren't looking forward to the long flight. When I came from the toilet, she had prepared a plastic bag full of goodies, a 'long-haul survival pack' she called it. It contained a litre bottle of water, four mini-bottles of bacardi, four mini-bottles of whisky, countless cans of coca-cola and plastic cups. I thanked her again and again, genuinely grateful for this thoughtfulness so early in the morning! Well, the advertising of the 80's was: British Airways, The Worlds Favourite Airline! And at this particular moment, it was my favourite airline.

When we arrived at Heathrow Terminal 1, I landed with a mission. I wanted to send a very special package to my family to let them know that I was thinking of them at Easter, even though I had chosen to spend it on the other side of the world. In Finland, they sell these very charming eggs at Easter time, their equivalent to the Cadbury's Creme Egg, containing solid, rich praline chocolate. Known as Fazer Mignon (Fazer being the manufacturer), rich chocolate is melted and real egg shells are then filled with the chocolate to create a very novel, unique way of enjoying chocolate at Easter time. Fazer has been creating these since 1896 and the eggs were a favourite choice of the Russian Royal family. Anyway, that's enough about the package. On with the story!

So, we had landed at Terminal 1… I needed to get to Terminal 2 to post the package so we agreed to split up and meet later. I walked to Terminal 2 air-side, then vacated Departures so as to get to the Post Office.

To cut a long story short, after a lot of faffing about and being fed inaccurate information, they wouldn't let me back in through Terminal 2 because my flight was departing from Terminal 3. When I got to Terminal 3, my flight ticket was deemed void so I had to queue up at the American Airlines desk and get my ticket renewed for some reason. By this time, there was no time to queue through the huge long queue for international departures so, starting to panic, I requested to be expressed through the airport.

I had a public announcement put out for Bree because I had told him to meet me back at Terminal 1 since I thought I would be able to get back to Terminal 1 via Terminal 2, but you can imagine the frustration. Anyway, the woman escorted me towards the Gates, but I begged her to let me stop and grab a duty-free bottle of Bacardi; I had come from Finland with some pounds sterling and was deflated by the thought of not being able to spend any after hanging onto it for so long since my last visit to the UK at Christmas. She explained that it was her job, under the current circumstances, to ensure that I got on the flight, but would gladly escort me to the duty-free shop then straight onto the plane. A bit dictatorial, I thought, but she didn't want me to miss my flight and I respected her for that.

Anyway, we got the Bacardi then I met Bree at the Gate. I was sweating…. I had been in three terminals, argued with countless staff, even had to beg to buy some duty free and all because I wanted to send some eggs to my family to let them know I was thinking of them at Easter. I just hoped they were bloody grateful for them! It was worth the effort in the end, because they loved them!

After a very thorough security process involving the hand searching of passengers' hand luggages and the removal of passenger footware, we boarded the huge American Airlines Boeing 777-200 aircraft, capable of seating 245 passengers while cruising at 555mph.

When we found our seats, it was a relief to find our lives for the next 8 hours would be spacious and the entertainment more than adequate with seat-back displays offering a choice of channels ranging from movies to comedies to documentaries; there was even a music jukebox to while away the time with. I lulled in and out of sleep. The food was surprisingly good, but it was shocking to be charged €6 / £4 for two small bottles of wine since I had become accustomed to travelling with Finnair and British Airways (who only offer scheduled services – and therefore free alcohol! - between the UK and Finland) for the last two years!

We landed late in the afternoon and the temperature registered at 31ºC. What a contrast; Helsink had been -3ºC when we had left! Clearing immigration was a slow process and collecting our car – a brand new silver coloured Jeep Cherokee - was a bit of an ordeal too, but it wasn't long before we were travelling over the Julia Tuttle Causeway over Biscayne Bay, granting us our first view of Miami Beach.

We arrived at our hotel, the Richmond Hotel on Collins Avenue, before 6pm. Parking was near impossible so we opted for Valet parking at a rate of $18/day. A bit extravagant perhaps, but it left us free to dump our bags in our room and go for a walk along South Beach.

After a long, cold winter in Finland, I couldn't believe it: WE WERE ON SOUTH BEACH AND I WAS WEARING SHORTS AND SANDALS! It was windy and a bit grey, but who cared?!

We headed back to the hotel and I had a lovely steamy hot shower that I truly needed! I enjoyed one of the Bacardi's that had been so thoughtfully offered to us by the lovely hostess on the BA flight. While Bree showered, I consulted my Lonely Planet Guide to Florida.

I found information about Jerry's Famous Deli, a diner-like establishment in an art-deco building on Collins Avenue. Enticed, we headed there and I washed downed a ½lb burger, onion rings and a plate of fries smothered in ketchup, with Coca-Cola! How American!
Jetlag was looming and Bree could feel it too. It was now 10pm and we had been awake for over 23 hours! It was off to bed for me! I woke up at 1am, then again at 7am, the jetlag playing with my mind.

Day 2 – April 9th – Miami - 79ºF Humid/Hazy

After waking up at 7am, my body wouldn't let me sleep again. I looked at the window, smiling… I could see the sunshine struggling to infiltrate the room through the thin curtains. Within minutes, Bree had woken and we agreed to head out into the sun, fearing that it would run away like it tends to do in Helsinki.

After a quick wash, I threw on a vest, some shorts, sandals and sunglasses, determined to blend in with the locals down the beach. We walked along the beach and found ourselves on Ocean Drive, a sea-facing road where people cruised around in sports cars, fit people roller-bladed, played volleyball and where art-deco buildings stood at their most impressive. We saw a place where people were reading newspapers while they ate and decided to breakfast there.

A friendly waiter came by, handing us menus and greeting us in the annoying lazy-speaking kind of way that only American's excel at; many times, we had to ask him to repeat what he said. I am often amazed how the English language has taken on so many forms, dialects and accents. You don't need to leave the UK to witness this; just visit Scotland or even Manchester.

I opted for a healthy breakfast of Fruit Salad and Yoghurt with freshly squeezed orange juice; after the long flight, I was feeling a bit bloated and was determined not to put on another 7 kilos like I did during my last holiday! The food was of high quality and worth every cent.

After breakfast, we headed back to the hotel, grabbed our swimming stuff and headed down to the pool. I continued to read my Lonely Planet guide, keeping myself informed on the things we could do during our stay… We occasionally chatted, listened to music and just enjoyed the sun, so overwhelmingly grateful that the sun hadn't chosen to be a bitch and pay a visit to Helsinki on this particular day!

About 3pm, it started to cloud over so we requested the car from reception and drove to the Holocaust Memorial, the 2nd most popular visitor attraction in Miami from a list of the Top 7 according to Lonely Planet. Having visited the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, this was a fitting tribute.

After the Holocaust Memorial, we visited the tourist office just across the road in search of some more up-to-date and local information. We got back into the car and headed towards South Pointe park, the southernmost tip of South Beach. The traffic was getting busier now and it occured to me that it was rush hour on Good Friday so we dumped the car and took our time as we walked around the park.

Huge cruise liners sat in Miami Port across the causeway and the park contained a number of sky-scraper-like structures housing what looked like individual apartments; we wondered what it must cost to live here and what the views must be like. Further along, there was a boardwalk which took you all the way along South Pointe Park towards South Beach. Our hotel – which we couldn't see – was somewhere up there.

I felt raindrops on my head and knew that, in this part of the world, when it rains, it doesn't just rain, it pisses down! I suggested we head back to the car. We drove down Ocean Drive and, hitting 6pm, was surprised how lively the area was on this Thursday night after work; bars were filling up and Samba music was pouring out onto the streets.

I looked to the right where the beach was and noticed a sign that pointed out that this was where we should come if we ever required evacuation as a result from an incoming hurricane. Hmmmm! Try not to worry, I thought to myself. Still, it's not the kind of sign you see everyday and I thought it worthy to take a photo of it!

We passed a bar that was playing the kind of addictive Latin music that gets your hips gyrating in your seat! Now and then, a car would overtake playing it's own music so loudly that it would drown out that emenating from the bars!

It made you question how much attitude can co-exist in one place, but when you think about it, this is the playground of the rich and famous and so-called body beautifuls and all the materialism and superficiality that comes with it. And since we had entered their territory, I suppose we had to accept that.

We drove to the end of Ocean Drive and were back on Collin's Avenue. We dumped the car at the hotel, had a drink in the hotel room and then headed back to Ocean Drive - on foot – with the intention of having dinner.

We sat down at an outdoor restaurant and I ordered a Strawberry Margerita and a large Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. Yummy! Feeling the humidity and the dinner in my tummy, we embarked on a walk towards Lincoln Road, the pedestrian-only part of town which was heaving. Before we got there, we witnessed a small police-escorted parade promoting Haitian culture.

On Lincoln Road, people filled the streets; families, couples and friends filled food courts dined, enjoying their time. There were street entertainers amusing the youngsters. Later that evening, we went to a bar and got ourselves a couple of drinks… we noticed how different the music was here in the States, much more drum-like, not the digitally-created sounds that run rife around Europe. Here, your ear-drums are bombarded with bass-splitting booms!

We left the bar at 1am. I have to admit I remember feeling really tired on this particular night, but nothing could stop me going into a huge supermarket – still open at this hour – for an ice cream! Well, I AM on holiday, I told myself. In the queue ahead of us, I noticed that people were buying hairdryers, toothpaste, even deodorant! Who buys a hairdryer at 1am in the morning?, I thought to myself. Downright weird, really! We walked back to the hotel, downing our ice creams on the way. And straight into bed!

Day 3 – April 10th – Miami - 79ºF - Humid/Hazy

I woke up at 9am and, eventually, we ended up on the Hotel veranda for breakfast al fresco! At $9 per person (plus the sales tax, don't forget!), on offer was a buffet of bagels, cereals, fresh fruit salad, muffins etc. Mmmm! After a filling breakfast, a walk on the beach was in order. By the time we got back to the hotel at 11am, the sun was out and in full force!

Out came the Hawaiian Tropic Sun Tan Oil and the next few hours were devoted to enjoying the heat and the pool, complete with an outdoor jacuzzi. Quite conveniently, our hotel had a rear security gate allowing direct access to South Beach. About 2pm, I went to the packed beach for a quick dip in the clear sea.

By 3pm, I was done! I took a break, showered and relaxed before heading out at 5pm for a stroll down Lincoln Road. We ate at an outdoor eatery and made the predictable order of a double patty burger with fries and a mangorita for refreshment! It was sooo filling that even I wasn't able to stomach the last of the fries!

It was twilight by this time and, at 8pm, I felt surprisingly tired. So much so that I went back to the hotel and slept until 7am! So much for the plan to hit the bars! Perhaps the jetlag had finally caught up with me? Or perhaps the sun had deceivingly knackerred me out? Or had I overdosed on carbs?

Day 4 – April 11th – (Easter Sunday) Miami → Ft. Lauderdale → Cocoa Beach85ºF – Humid turning Unsettled and Stormy

It's interesting to witness America's – or at least Florida's – obsession with health and nutrition. Everywhere you look, there are references to how healthy certain products are. If products were that healthy, would there be that many fat people? Almost a contradiction, isn't it? As I am studying Marketing at the moment, it was interesting – and sometimes hilarious – to see how Americans market their products, sometimes in the most unethical ways.

Take a look at the picture below, an advert that I noticed on top of a taxi. Now, remember the last time you drank a beer? Were you worried about the number of carbs – carbohydrates – you were consuming? Most likely not. American advertising – at least the examples I noticed – always target things that people know least about. People know nothing about carbs, but they trust the Miller Lite brand so they trust the 'message' that the Miller drink is healthy since it claims to be less filling than Bud Light. Shocking, isn't it?

Anyway, today was Easter Sunday, the day we would leave Miami and kick off our tour of Florida. The apartment was in a mess so we packed before heading down to the veranda for Sunday brunch. Greedily, I washed down bagels with ham, sausages, bacon, cereal and muffins, with tea. Well, it will give me energy to get through the day! Don't judge me!

Before we left the hotel, we took one last walk on the beach, this time heading north. After about half an hour, we decided that it all looked the same so we came off the beach – where early morning joggers dotted the coastline – and onto the boardwalk. Nearby, we could hear a gospel choir and after focusing our vision, could see that we were walking towards them on our way back to the hotel. What uplifting music on this Easter Sunday morning, I thought to myself. As we walked away, the hearty sound of the gospel receded into the distance.

We checked out of the hotel at 10.30am and – by car – took in Ocean Drive one last time. We purposefully stopped at Casa Casuarina, the home of the late Gianni Versace, the famous international fashion designer. In 1997, as Versace was unlocking the gates, he was shot and killed; his murderer has never been bought to justice.

We reached the end of Ocean Drive, then hooked up to Collins Avenue, also known as Route A1A. We passed North Beach and SurfSide, which gave way to Ocean Boulevard. Gradually, as we drove further and further away from South Beach, the landscape changed; tourism gave way to mordern high-rise residences, an Archers Fish & Chip Shop and The Kings Head British Pub!

Within an hour after leaving Miami, we had arrived at Fort Lauderdale. We saw a sign for Fort Lauderdale Beach and decided to check it out. We pulled off the A1A and, with reference to the maps in the Lonely Planet guide, I directed us across a huge bridge on East Las Olas Boulevard. Huge cruiseliners flanked the bridge, docked at the nearby Port Everglades.

A bit further on, we came to a sudden halt, stuck in traffic. Suddenly realising it was Easter Sunday, we considered that it might be mobbed. We did a U-turn, agreeing to head North using Route A1A / Interstate 95 because it was faster. At 1.30pm, we arrived at Palm Beach and headed towards West Palm Beach. Having taken the Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard exit from the I95, we headed towards Royal Park Bridge onto Palm Beach itself, an island reachable via two causeways.

On the Island, we headed down Royal Palm Way towards the beach where the Atlantic ocean awaited us. The first thing that struck me were the neatly planned roads lined with palms and white-washed plantation-like buildings. We drove along South Ocean Boulevard and looked for a space to park the car; there were many restrictions requiring parking permits, but eventually we found a space by the sea-front where parking was allowed for an hour.

The sea was clear and, while the waves were not as calm as Miami Beach, the water was really warm! There was no flinching as I tried to enter the sea today! We left the beach about 3pm and took a quick tour of the island before heading 'back to the states' via the Flagler Memorial Bridge so called in tribute to Henry Flagler, one of Florida's leading pioneers who decided to develop this very area that would become known as West Palm Beach.

With reference to my maps in my Lonely Planet guide, I directed us to Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard and, from there, we left the area the same way we had come. Back on the I-95, we continued to head North and, within minutes, we had entered a storm. The highway was heavy with rain with visibility severely reduced. Ten minutes later, it was sunny again! Just after 7pm, we took exit 180 to Melbourne, 13 miles south of Cocoa Beach; the place was vast, littered with deserted retail estates, movie-plexes etc. This was a sprawling community, one where having a car was a must.

We passed what looked like a huge military base that went on for miles and miles. Eventually, a sign told us that the base was known as Patrick Air Force Base. I kind of expected some kind of military presence since Cape Canaveral wasn't that far away and, of course, you would expect some security to be backing up the nation's Space Operations.

On the road to Cocoa beach, there was a sudden influx of international hotel chains, a 7-11, SubWay, McDonalds, KFC and Burger King all vying for hungry customers. Shortly before our arrival in the area, a streak of lightning lit up the sky, signifying the start of a severe storm that would last most of the night.

We checked out three hotels and settled for the Hampton Inn; $109 for both of us, including breakfast. Not cheap, but the cheapest we could find was $79.95 and that didn't include breakfast nor did it look all that.

We quickly checked into our 7th Floor room with a sea view. It was great! We dumped our bags, but left quite quickly, this time heading for the SubWay and 7-11 for a supply of sandwiches, ice cream and soda! We returned to the hotel room and sat on the balcony, downing our chicken subs with an ice cold Bacardi and Coke! As darkness approached, never-ending lightning lit up the whole sky. About 10pm, the cable TV failed and the rain just came! A storm of the most tropical kind had arrived in the region. There didn't seem anything obvious in terms of nightlife in the area and we didn't even attempt to try and find any. In bed by 11pm!