Final leg of trip leading to Everglades

I am returning home this week after a relaxing, event- and friend-filled vacation, with the final leg  the weekend of Jan. 31 bringing me and company to the Everglades. 

 

This past weekend I picked up editor/writer Deb Bently and her sister-in-law Joan from the Orlando International Airport. Their flight was quite delayed, from 6 p.m. to until after 9 p.m. when I picked them up. A four-hour car ride south brought us to a Florida City hotel around 1:15 a.m. I had a horrible time sleeping and only managed three or so hours of sleep. 

 

Saturday morning we departed around 10 a.m. or so for the Everglades. We enjoyed a scenic drive through ‘the heart’ of the Everglades as we drove to Everglades City where two air boat tours, a “swamp buggy” ride and an alligator show awaited us. 

 

Rain started early and lasted until the buggy ride. During the airboat rides, I felt as if I was being pelted in the face with icicles. Repeatedly. 

 

The first ride was a smaller boat which held only about six passengers. The second ride was on a larger, 20-person boat. Both rides were scenic and a little bit of a roller coaster ride as the drivers liked to do spins and go fast. Oh, and don’t let me forget. Cold and painful. Thankfully, I brought sunglasses for the second ride so I could keep my eyes open while we were moving. 

 

Still, a very fun tour. Oh, and the smell. Our operators said the smell was not feces, but mud. Did I forget to mention Florida is built on a swamp? 

 

Our swamp buggy ride was last, where our driver explained that during the summer we would have been driving through four feet of water in addition to the 12-foot-tall grass which gives the Everglades its name: “forever grass.” However the tires of our extra-tall, combination bus and all-terrain vehicle only touched water occasionally because Florida is experiencing a drought. The road was clear enough my truck could have driven down it. 

The tour guides were excellent, giving us information about our surroundings along with a bit of history. 

 

An alligator ‘wrestling’ show and tour of a small zoo completed our day of activities. Oh, and Deb and I each held an alligator. It was odd. They are not supposed to be pets and I don’t enjoy seeing animals look sad/out of their natural habitats. That said, the tiger we saw did come up to the edge of the cage and purr as he rubbed his face against the fencing. 

 

The night concluded with a seafood dinner before a return trip to the hotel. I fell asleep promptly by 9 p.m. or so, utterly exhausted. Thankfully the cold rain kept me wide awake during the daytime hours. 

 

Sunday morning, after a breakfast of waffles, we made the decision to drive most of the way to Key West, to see the beautiful highway into the ocean. It was scenic, and after driving slightly further than we originally planned, we stopped at “Anne’s Beach” along the ocean to enjoy the morning views, and beautiful, baby blue water. 

 

A five or so hour drive from there returned us to Orlando, where we enjoyed dinner at Disney Springs, a large outdoor Disney Mall unlike any in the world. Joan recommended an excellent Mexican place for dinner. Our trip ended with hugs as I dropped Joan and Deb off at the Shades of Green resort. 

 

Deb and Joan were excellent company this entire trip. Notable car-conversations included talks of C.S. Lewis, his works, the “most American” foods, favorite restaurants, the subject of dying, religion, a little politics, and many many life stories. 

 

I’m grateful for their company and shared experiences. And I would be remiss if I did not mention the old-timey Polaroid film camera I purchased which prints out photographs. I don’t like bringing a camera with me to places, but I wanted a physical representation of the trips I take. So, this camera allows me to snap a photo at the beginning of the trip and go on enjoying my time and the views, with my eyes and mind clear. 

 

We snapped group photos at the Everglades and along the ocean at Anne’s Beach. 

 

For now, the day is Tuesday: Kyle and Anastasiia and I are spending our last day going to a Disney Wildlife Preserve to spend the day hiking, before enjoying smoked salmon for dinner. Wednesday and Thursday I will spend commuting home.

 

"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles." - Tim Cahill