After the long sail yesterday, we dropped anchor just off the Barracuda Keys around midnight. We woke to the beautiful sunrise and a gorgeous beach. We hopped in the dingy and we rode over to the beach for a dip. There is a gorgeous limestone rock up the pass and we decided to dingy over and snorkel around it. There were a few grouper hanging around the rocks. Caroline found a Starfish and the boys found some Conch. We headed back to the boat around lunchtime, and after taking a break for some tacos, we decided to float around the sailboat [View Full Entry]

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I guess it is finally time to enter this last blog. I purposely delayed writing this last entry because my time in Russia was a significant and historical part of my life. Each of you taught me so much about the Russian people and culture, but just as importantly, you taught me to know myself and the US people and our culture. It is hard to explain in words; but at times, I felt more at home than I do in my own country while at the same time so alone and far from home. These were the times I reached [View Full Entry]

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Fun in the Sun - Key West, FL After living in Florida for several years, one begins to master the bargains of the "off season". Florida generally has two main tourist seasons. The first, and probably most notable due to the influx of "Snowbirds", is from December through Easter. The second tourist season typically runs from June through mid-August when kids are out of school and parents are on a mission to experience that perfect family summer vacation (those were the days....) As for the weeks and months between those seasons....Sun-sational deals! Hotel: [View Full Entry]

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I had to get a very early bus this morning, 0650hrs! A tour bus collected me from my hotel and took me on a tour to the Key West, which was about 3 hours drive south. As lucky as I continuously seem to be on this holiday, I managed to get the front seat behind the driver, therefore having a really good view enabling me to get lots of great photos. The Key West is very picturesque, with the blue ocean either side of you, it is certainly heaven. Everyone seems to be very laid back; there is no need to [View Full Entry]

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All over the news these days is the swine flu outbreak. This past week the CDC put out a travel advisory for travel to Mexico which of course effects us on ships. I’m not in a position to comment into detail about the company’s approach to the entire thing - if you’re interested you can find out through proper channels like the company’s website, or chat with me on a personal level. But I can say that our regular itinerary has changed. Which cause some chaos on a planning and organizational level a couple days back. But now that the cruise [View Full Entry]

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We left the Tampa area on a 6 day trip to Key West. Neither of us had ever been out there. It is getting kind of warm and sticky in this part of the world about now. First we drove the motorhome to Fort Lauderdale as a base of operations and there were a few things to do in this area. Then from here we drove the pick up truck out to Key West. We could have taken the motor home the entire way, but instead we stayed at two different Inns right in the heart of Old Town so it [View Full Entry]

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So it took a while but I've finally come to terms with the fact that I turned 30 last month and DAMN I did it in style!!!! My actual birthday was pretty quiet I went out to dinner with a friend. It was a mexican restaurant and I had mexicans sing happy birthday to me in spanish. That was right after they smeared cream on my nose and upper lip to look like a mexican moustache.......How rude!!!! I was not impressed. My friend thought it was hilarious, at least I got a free dessert out of the whole deal. My birthday [View Full Entry]

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February 10, Tuesday Jerry and Judy decided to split up with us and begin their trek back north, so Deb and I loaded up Bear and took off for Key West. We stopped once or twice for coffee, and after checking with the Ranger Station at Bahia Honda State Park, which was all reserved 11 months in advance, we ended up at the KOA campground on Sugarloaf Key, at about mile marker 20 something. A tent site was going for $60 a night, but if you spent $24 to become a KOA member, you got 10% off. I became a member, [View Full Entry]

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“When the heart of you heart opens, you can take deep pleasure in the company of the people around you … When you are open to the beauty, mystery, and grandeur of ordinary existence, you “get it” that it always has been beautiful, mysterious and grand and always will be.” Timothy Ray Millar I arrived in Key West on December 20th in the mid afternoon. I checked into the hostel and then quickly hit the street to enjoy the last few hours of daylight. After enjoying a “Sloppy Joe” at Sloppy Joe’s I headed back to the hostel to enjoy my [View Full Entry]

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Hello I knew it would be fast. Here we are on the 5th day of our holiday already! Our flight on Tuesday went without a hitch. Our room in Ft. Lauderdale was very nice and had a great breakfast. We are traveling in a Black Ford Explorer, so traveling is very comfortable for us all. Wednesday we headed south. Our first stop was at Coopertown, where we boarded an air boat for a 45 min. tour through the river of grass that is the Everglades. Scooter, our guide, was a good ole down south boy. Lives out on an island in [View Full Entry]

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