Florida

Florida
February 16, 2010
Travel trivia:
I've put on 25,000 km since leaving Sudbury,
I've stayed with 18 couchsurfing hosts for a total of 30 nights. Total couches 5, floors 3, rest beds.
Stayed with 13 friends/relatives for a total of 44(18 in Mexico) nights...all beds.
107 travel days therefore 36 hotels/motels,
The heat and sun are not following me
I arrived in the Sunshine state on February 8th. Put shorts on 2 times, no catching any rays, no swimming, no snorkeling, no kayaking.

In Tallahassee, I stayed with a very nice East Indian couple, both IT persons, for two nights. And they also left me the key to their beautiful home while I went exploring during the day and they were at work....
I then drove to Zephyrhills and visited with Butch and Rocco, two guys I golfed with on Tuesdays at Cedar Green. They were very surprised to find me on their doorstep with no advanced warning. Both live in a mobile home(not a trailer park!!!) community of snowbirds, made up of 30% Ontarians.
Then it was off to Fort Myers where I stayed with Lori, a 74 year old CS hostess. A very nice lady full of zip and zest for life. She shared with me her love of playing the role of Mina,(a one person play)who lived in a concentration camp.

Then it was off to Hollywood driving through the Florida Everglades and "Alligator Alley", as a stretch of highway is called. I arrived at the St Onges, friends from Timmins, where I stayed for three nights. We played cards, shopped, walked the beach at Fort Lauderdale, went to a beautiful art show, and watched the Olympics. There was a internet camera on the beach; I called my daughter Julie in Montreal who was able to see us and she sent me a copy of the picture. Thanks Jo and Rob.

Then, Feb. 15 I drove to Key West. It's a nice drive, about 4 hours from Miami, going from one island to another and they are joined by a highway that runs over the ocean. Each island is loaded with all types of boats. It's expensive here. A camping site for a tent goes for $50.00 a night. Hotels run about $200.00. Meals are pretty expensive too. At happy hour, you get two beers for $5.00. Other times or places, you can get a beer for a buck. Drinking is allowed on the street as long as it's not in a bottle.
Today was Mardi Gras and there were a lot of people roaming the streets, the main one is Duval. A group of people above a bar was calling for passers-by to show skin ie. butts, boobs or more and those who did were showered with beads; it's the same thing that I saw on Bourbon Street in New Oleans only this time, I was on the balcony throwing beads with my hostess and another couch surfer. My hosts, Lori and Desi both work in the service industry, she as a waitress in a bar called "Big Uns" and Desi is a chef in a big hotel. Lori was telling me that waitresses get $4.00 per hour but the tips are very high. When Key West becomes deserted in the spring, her and Desi move to Martha's Vineyard and they work in bars. She says she makes on average $700.00 per night on tips.
The small two bedroom condo they rent is being sold for $190.000.00 . The owner paid $400.000.00 for it two years ago and put in $60,000.00 in renovations. You do the math. These are crazy times for homeowners in the states.