To finish...a few days in paradise

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Geo: 24.587, -81.6952

The Florida Keys stretch out like a string of pearls about 100 miles long from the Florida coast. They were first connected by a railway but that failed in the early 20th century, due to the damage caused by 3 hurricanes, and now it is US Route 1 (that starts at the Canadian border) that reaches the end across bridges and causeways.

We have 2 nights at Tavernier, about one third of the way along, then one night at the very end, Key West, before driving back to the airport and our flight home getting to London Friday morning.

The Island Bay resort on Tavernier is a little piece of paradise. 9 bungalows in a line, ours being the last one at the end right on the beach,with the best view. A little private beach, lots of recliners and armchairs..and the water warm enough to swim... even for Peter.

Here you don't go looking for the wildlife, it comes to you. Iguana waddled up our deck to join us for breakfast and then slithered back to his mate in the rocks by the lapping water. Egrets posed on the boat key , alhingas and pelicans flew nearby. And that's it. Nothing happened, we went nowhere, ate food we bought in the supermarket yesterday. Well Liz has just gone off in a kayak in the cool of the the afternoon, and she snorkelled earlier, reporting on several varieties of fish and sea weeds underwater. But that's it. it is wonderfully warm for November - about 25 C . Sat in an outside lounge area as the sun set and into the evening, sipping cold white wine with nibbles. A good way to end our trip.

It was a long drive the next day to Key West, with some perfect white sand beaches on the way, but Key West was touristy and commercial. Much longer Back to Miami airport ready for a 8.00pm flight home, arriving 10 in the morning in Heathrow. Braciing ourseves for a return to winter, but looking forward to seeng family and friends after so long.

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