Let the holiday commence!!

---

Good morning from a still quite dark outside Fort Lauderdale!

I'd originally planned to write this blog last night but sleep got the better of me and I ended up with an iPad to the face So I thought it would be best to leave the blogging until today. I'm feeling a little more human than I was when I got here last night!

Yesterday felt like an exceptionally long day, even though I've had much longer journeys (the epic train journey of doom in Vietnam for example). I flew with American Airlines, who I was quite sure I hadn't flown with before. I maintained that illusion until I got on what pretty much amounted to a sopwith camel (google it!) and it all came flooding back to me. The aircraft had a 2, 3, 2 configuration and had 3 or 4 drop-down screens along the centre of the cabin... These screens continuously played the Lego movie on a loop and that was the inflight entertainment sorted!

I was sat next to a man who was on his way back from building churches and delivering sermons in Ghana. (I only know this because I was reading his computer screen. Yep, I am THAT guy - plus it's hard not to read computer screens when you're practically sat on each other's laps!) we exchanged a few words and then he proceeded to clear his sinuses as loudly and grossly as possible for the next 8 1/2 hours. He also had the window seat (which he picked) and yet needed to stand up / get something out of his bag / go and get another drink / go to the toilet every 30 minutes or so. I even put an eye mask on and my ear plugs in hoping he would get the message and let me snooze but nope! 20 minutes later, tap tap tap on my shoulder and into his bag he went rummaging for a worthers original!



Once we landed in Chicago I walked a fair way and then cleared customs, then picked up luggage, re checked luggage and got on a train, then I stood in line for 40 minutes to get back into the airport and have my shoes scanned. I was going to get a bite to eat but figured I'd wait until I got to my hotel. One thing that was really awesome at Chicago airport were the mirrors in the ladies room (bare with me here..) they were interactive screens, and whilst you were washing your hands they showed adverts, welcome to Chicago type messages and when you looked into them they were a mirror with things going on around the edge. Either they were very very awesome or I was delirious from the journey!



The flight from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale was crammed, and even though this plane was high tech enough to have wifi, that was its only mod-con. The seats were exceptionally small and the leg room was none existent. I also had a very emotional moment when I saw a man, who must have been 400lbs squeeze himself into his seatbelt whilst I was really struggling with mine. I finally managed to get it shut but it took a lot of effort and I was mortified! I was sat next to a lovely lady and her gorgeous two year old son called Jerred. Almost right at the end of the journey they got up to use the toilet so I had to move to let them passed. As I was stood waiting for them to come back I noticed that my belt was twisted and hooked under the seat and i wasn't actually fatter than the 400lb man! Talk about relief!!

fort Lauderdale airport seems to be half a building site and half a state of the art new airport. It worked really efficiently though and I was at the car hire desk within about 20 minutes of landing. I was told I could pick any mid sized car that was in the garage.. I expected one or two Toyota corollas which had seen better days, I actually found a row of all different sorts of decent looking cars. I walked up and down for a good five minutes and was torn between two. (I decided against the Toyota as it was black and that doesn't work too well in the southern heat!) I ended up picking the one which was most comfortable and had the most extras. I drove it to the exit and spotted that it was brand new.. 3 miles on the clock. Very happy with my little car! (American little, not smart car little)



I found driving to be absolutely fine, no problems at all with the wrong side of the road thing but my sat nav told me that my hotel was where it wasn't. Much driving in circles followed until I decided just to call the place and get directions. It turned out I'd passed it at least 6 times! The owner / manager of the motel, Chuck, had waited for me as he knew I was getting in around 9:30 and put me in one of the little bungalows at the the back of the Property so I wasn't near the road. It's clean and cheap and cheerful and the bed is very very comfy. Its oldy worldy florida motel, there are palm trees on the curtains and lizards chillin' on the windows! I'd planned to nip to the store to grab a few groceries and something to eat but decided I'd rather just get to sleep ready to start today with a spring in my step!



I'm heading north this morning eventually ending up in Melbourne. I've not quite figured out my route just yet but let's see where the breeze takes me!



Kate x

---