Mark
6th July 2006, 02:59
Having already been out and about in New York, we decided to get away and take a break in Florida (about 1000 miles south of New York).
It was an amazing trip and we managed to visit Orlando, Cape Canaveral, Miami, the Everglades and Tampa all in 4 days (and lots of other places in between).
We started by picking up a hire car at Orlando airport, and headed out to Titusville, just across the water from Cape Canaveral. We were hoping to see the Shuttle launch (on Saturday), but clouds delayed the launch until 2 days later (too late for us unfortunately).
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_001.jpg
So we travelled down the east coast of Florida to Miami. Rather than the nice hotel from the day before, we decided to stay in a budget motel. No windows, a bed, a toilet and a very dodgy lock on the door that wouldn't keep a determined gerbil out.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_002.jpg
A trip to Miami wouldn't be complete without visiting the beaches.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_003.jpg
By now the heat was getting intense, around 38 degrees C (100 F).
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_004.jpg
We left the beach and headed for Shark Valley in the Everglades.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_005.jpg
The GPS really helped us out a lot, I wouldn't leave home without one on a journey like this.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_006.jpg
I thought it was hot in Miami, the Everglades managed to be even hotter. There was life everywhere and I'd definitely take insect repellant if you visit here.
This guy and his relatives were everywhere, and they didn't seem that fussed about the humans.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_007.jpg
And I nearly missed this little critter.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_008.jpg
I guess this is in America, where you have to spell everything out (for fear of litigation). I must admit that I hadn't even entertained the idea of feeding an alligator. Would it really be interested in a piece of a bagel when it could have my arm instead?
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_009.jpg
I saw this and thought it was cool.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_010.jpg
And I couldn't believe how big this thing was. It looked like a blue-bottle fly, but it was over an inch and a half long!
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_011.jpg
After getting soaked in the heaviest rain I have ever experienced in my life (it came from nowhere), we headed up the west coast to Tampa.
I was too busy having fun in Busch Gardens to take many photos, but here you can see TweetyPie's feet sticking out of my pocket (I won it).
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_012.jpg
By now it was the 4th of July (a big holiday here in the USA), and it was amazing to be at the top of one of the tallest rollercoasters in the world as all the fireworks went off in the city around us.
Dumped the car at Tampa airport and headed back to New York (where it was raining).
So that was our long-weekend in Florida. Now I need some sleep...
It was an amazing trip and we managed to visit Orlando, Cape Canaveral, Miami, the Everglades and Tampa all in 4 days (and lots of other places in between).
We started by picking up a hire car at Orlando airport, and headed out to Titusville, just across the water from Cape Canaveral. We were hoping to see the Shuttle launch (on Saturday), but clouds delayed the launch until 2 days later (too late for us unfortunately).
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_001.jpg
So we travelled down the east coast of Florida to Miami. Rather than the nice hotel from the day before, we decided to stay in a budget motel. No windows, a bed, a toilet and a very dodgy lock on the door that wouldn't keep a determined gerbil out.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_002.jpg
A trip to Miami wouldn't be complete without visiting the beaches.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_003.jpg
By now the heat was getting intense, around 38 degrees C (100 F).
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_004.jpg
We left the beach and headed for Shark Valley in the Everglades.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_005.jpg
The GPS really helped us out a lot, I wouldn't leave home without one on a journey like this.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_006.jpg
I thought it was hot in Miami, the Everglades managed to be even hotter. There was life everywhere and I'd definitely take insect repellant if you visit here.
This guy and his relatives were everywhere, and they didn't seem that fussed about the humans.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_007.jpg
And I nearly missed this little critter.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_008.jpg
I guess this is in America, where you have to spell everything out (for fear of litigation). I must admit that I hadn't even entertained the idea of feeding an alligator. Would it really be interested in a piece of a bagel when it could have my arm instead?
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_009.jpg
I saw this and thought it was cool.
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_010.jpg
And I couldn't believe how big this thing was. It looked like a blue-bottle fly, but it was over an inch and a half long!
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_011.jpg
After getting soaked in the heaviest rain I have ever experienced in my life (it came from nowhere), we headed up the west coast to Tampa.
I was too busy having fun in Busch Gardens to take many photos, but here you can see TweetyPie's feet sticking out of my pocket (I won it).
http://www.saxperience.com/members/Mark/FL_012.jpg
By now it was the 4th of July (a big holiday here in the USA), and it was amazing to be at the top of one of the tallest rollercoasters in the world as all the fireworks went off in the city around us.
Dumped the car at Tampa airport and headed back to New York (where it was raining).
So that was our long-weekend in Florida. Now I need some sleep...