Key Largo

I have this friend who has what's known as a "very mild super power". He can't stop a bullet with his bare hands or see through women's clothing or anything cool like that, his super power is an ability to identify roadkill. Well I would like his help right now. Driving the interstates, the highways, the turnpikes, the beltways and the parkways gives you a unique insight to the local fauna, even if it is dead. So far I think I have seen a dead skunk, a dead armadillo, many dead squirrels and I kid you not, a black bear....dead. 

The roads here a curious in a number of ways, without the sat nav I would be hopelessly lost and pool of pitiful frustration. Even in the places that seem to have some semblance of order and understanding they too have an insatiable need to to do truly reckless and dangerous things on the road, I am thinking crossing five lanes of traffic at 85 miles an hour without the aid of an indicator. There is a massive police presence on the roads here but it seems to be only an illusory deterrent. The one real benefit is that any bad driving that I am responsible for is easily excused as normal. 

I had a relaxing breakfast on the pier at Fort Myers, checked out of my funky little hotel and headed off through the Everglades to Key Largo. Oh and I saw an alligator last night. Everyone in this country is hustling to make a buck and a couple of good ol' boys had captured a baby alligator and were selling pictures with it. The drive took me about three hours with a break at Homestead for lunch. I stopped at this Cuban place called Taqueria Morelia and waitress asked me "American or Cuban?" to which I replied "Australian" completely doing her head in. The reason being she needed to know was so she could give me the menu in the correct language. I ordered a chicken burrito and was heartily satisfied.

I arrived at Key Largo at about 3.00pm and drove up and down the strip (which is about 12 miles of highway with businesses either side and some cases in the middle). I was not that impressed and thought maybe Humphrey Bogart may have got it wrong. Then I pulled into my hotel. I think Humphrey may have got it right. Check out the view.

I know it sucks to be me right? I am sitting on the dock under a grass umbrella sipping Pinot Grigio. There are plenty of great things to do here. I could ride the real African Queen, I could go snorkeling on the reef and swimming with dolphins but I think I may just kick back and soak in some rays. Its jellyfish season here at the moment so snorkeling with jellyfish doesn't appeal to me, I was stung enough as a kid. The Dolphins are in an artificial enclosure and I don't care how good it is it just doesn't sit to well with me when they do that a wild animal. I may do the African Queen but it will take me getting motivated. I did mention I am sitting here sipping wine right?

Tomorrow I am off to Key West. It is the southern most point in Florida and the United States for that matter and less than 100 miles away from Cuba. It will only take about 2 hours to get there if I go non stop. I am deciding if I am going to stay the night or head back to Miami all in one day. I will figure it out tomorrow because as you know I may have mentioned I am sitting on the dock drinking wine and it all seems a little too hard right now.