Key West, Florida

We took a bus for about 4-5hours to Key West from Miami.

I slept most of the way but woke up for the bridges. There’s 70miles of them and it’s the only place in the world where you have the Atlantic Ocean on your left and the Gulf Ocean on your right. You literally drive across bridges from ocean to ocean, it’s gorgeous.

In Key West we had planned to snorkel but with all the trips out being 3 hours and we only had 5 to explore we decided to hang about and go parasailing instead.

First we went to try one of the specialties of the island, conch fritters. Conch are the snails from the gorgeous shells you find on the beaches that sound like the ocean. They didn’t taste like anytging really. just batter and deep fried fritters. I’d like to have tried them fried simply go get the actual taste. We also had tuna tataki.

Parasailing was awesome! $35 each, plus tips, for a tandem. The guys on the boat were funny and we saw dolphins playing in the bay before we got to the open ocean.

We went got dunked in the ocean then were up in the air the next 15mins. It was stunning, views right over the island at the southernmost tip of the USA, only 90miles from Cuba. The sun was bright and shining and it was gorgeous up there.

On arrival we found a place with .50c oysters! I was in love! We also got a key lime colada. Yum! Lovely staff and great live music.

After that we walked Duval Street, I’ve heard it called the Duval Crawl coz you’re crawling by the time you get to the end of it from having drinks at the pubs that litter the sidewalks.

Down the very end is the southernmost point of the USA. Here you are only 90miles from Cuba and closer to Cuba than to Miami.

Being in Key West we had to try Key Lime pie! Unfortunately being lactose intolerant I could only have a bite but that one bite was delicious!

We had a few cocktails before the bus back, I finished my book. It was fantastic, about a guy with asperges and his struggle to find a wife when the women he was after was under his nose the whole time. It’s called ‘The Rosie Project’ and is written by a Melbourne author who plays on the social awkwardness of the main character.

It was then a rush after we were dropped off to get pretty and ready for the limo to pick us up and transport is to Story.

I was a bit pissed, we’d paid for the limo transfer and entrance with a promo guy (who later asked me out on a date) who had organised a VIP table and drinks. We had to wait for ages for the bottles of Grey to arrive so impatient me went and ordered two shots for $25.

The promo guy showed up and started giving us preferential treatment. I still wanted to leave so eventually he gave up and we grabbed a cab to Ocean Drive and went to line up for Clevelander but we were intercepted and taken to a rooftop party.

We met a lovely guy called Jerry who bought us drinks and I got him hooked on my current fave, Ciroc coconut with fresh lime and soda.

I got called to dance in VIP and met some nice guys. They told me this amazing story which was reinforced by other tales I had heard recently.

In a nutshell, the local girls in Miami will dance and play with the guy then as they go to leave the club together she will ask for money! Mind blown! Evidently a regular occurrence.

So after that one if the funniest events happened. I decided to walk home (read stumble) but of course, I wanted pizza! So I stopped for my pizza, had a great chat with the other customers then BAM!!! I fell. I fell so damn hard. BUT I saved my pizza! Very important. There was a collective gasp as I smashed my knees into the concrete at 4am, but a round of applause as I quickly stood up and proclaimed my pizza safe.

After that I waved down a cab to take me back to the hostel, seemed like a safer option!

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Miami, Florida, Day five

Today was a lazy day.

We went for lunch at Java Juice – amazing! Great, fresh, organic menu. I had a pesto chicken wrap.

We hung out at the beach, caught a few rays then got ready for dinner back at our fave place, Nexxt.

Nexxt was just delicious! Two lobsters, tuna tartare & warm crab dip mmm. Oh and my new fave drink, the strawberry colada. Perfect!

We started walking back but a lovely guy in a golf buggy type car picked us up and dropped us back for a few dollars.

Early night before Key West at 7am!

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Miami, Florida, day two

Topdeck tour day eight.

I slept in and it was wonderful.

Then I went to the Aventure Mall… I didn’t mean to buy anything… But I ended up with:
– exercise bra
– exercise tights
– bikini
– play suit
– mini skirt

Whoops.

I sunbathed and read until dinner, which was included and was Cuban.. The pork was nice but that was about it.

Back at the hotel it was our last night on tour and we had organised to take the under 21s out to an underage club. Except $56 per taxi x3 later the club was shut and there were no others in the area. Pissed off we taxi’d back to the hotel and had a room party!

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Miami, Florida, Day one

Topdeck tour day seven

I woke up early and headed down the beach to meet my new friend, Jacob and watch the sunrise.

It was spectacular. One of the best things I did on this trip. Gorgeous sunrise and great company. We walked along the beach and sat and chatted for a bit then he had to head to Orlando for uni.

I went back for breakfast and to do my work emails – I’m still kind of on call.

Afterwards we packed up and left early. Stopping at a health food store and an organic cafe (at my suggestion as I wanted an acai bowl) – the Green Room. I had a delicious wrap and couldn’t eat it all!

We drove to Miami and checked into our hotel. Unfortunately it was ages from South Beach.

We went as a tour group into South Beach and ate at Nexxt – amazing!! Gets it’s own blog. In fact I’m going there again for dinner tonight.

After dinner we wandered around but eventually ended up at my old fave, Mango’s and then at Cleveland.

I met some lovely guys in a bucks party from NYC and our whole tour group went back to their condo for drinks and to chill. It was a fun night and congrats to James who gets married today!

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Cocoa Beach, Florida

Topdeck trip day six

Today we headed to Cocoa Beach from Savannah. I think I slept most of the way, most people were sleeping after a huge night for Australia Day.

We stopped at the famous Ron Jon’s surf shop. It’s massive!

Checked in to our hotel, it was crappy. The Days Inn but it was a pretty good location. Close to the beach and it had a pool.

I changed and started going for a run with the girls along the beach. The rain came in and washed that idea away so we headed back to the hotel, only for it to clear – typical.

Back at the hotel the crew had hopped in the pool. Having cleared I decided to try do a few blocks, I’ve been pretty useless at exercising on this trip.

Around the block two guys yelled out to me. I’m not actually too sure what they said, something about rolling with me. I said I was heading to the beach and they said they’d join. I did t expect them to so I ran along the water then came back by the pier to watch the sunset.

The guys I’d seen earlier came down, their names were Jacob and Marc and they’d come down to train. They did some sparring before getting me up to join them. They were lovely and I had a blast! I may have even been inspired to do some training when I get back to reality.

It was dark and I was content watching them do sprints up and down the beach. I’d had enough running.

They also advised me that the sun set on the other side but I could come back at 7am to watch it rise in the morning.

It was actually one of the highlights of my trip. I love meeting locals and making friends. I meant to meet them out for a drink after dinner but I was exhausted.

We went to the pier for dinner, I had a mahi mahi sandwich. Which is crisply a burger but their definition of a burger is a meat patty! Good to know.

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Savannah, Georgia, Day two

Topdeck tour day five.

We piled in the van and drove to the Bonaventure cemetery. What an eerily beautiful place. Savannah is the most haunted place in the USA. We got out and walks around. The Spanish moss that hangs on all the trees makes for an eery atmosphere throughout the town and even more so in the cemetery.

Next up, we went to a big park. That was pretty boring.

Lunch was at Pirates House, a big southern style buffet for only $13.75…. Plus tax plus tip.

I chose the buffet knowing full well I probably wouldn’t like it that much. I don’t like well cooked food, nor do I like stew, mash etc. I like fresh, mainly raw food. However I wanted to try the local cuisine so I loaded my plate with a bit of everything.

Some of the beans were okay, I didn’t mid the squash lasagne and the country fried chicken was good. The rest wasn’t my taste. Key lime pie for dessert, yummy but made with condensed milk so I could only have a bite. Lovely hosts at the restaurant.

Free time for the rest of the arvo. I bought a friend something from Kate Spade, a little gift and another friend a gift from Marc by Marc Jacobs. I also got a few other little things – a bracelet etc.

We sat in Starbucks for a while then walked down to a park and sat watching a water fountain. There was a gorgeous dog I played with and a weird couple, one dressed as an astronaut reading a paper on the park bench while the other took pics. We spent the rest of the time in a coffee shop before walking over to Boar’s head for dinner, stopping at a few chocolate and candy stores along the way.

I had shrimp stuffed with crab for dinner with angel hair pasta and a lemon butter sauce – mmmm.

Next up ghost tour. I’d signed up thinking it would just be folk tales. Little did I know!!

When we arrived I felt weirded out by the guy immediately. Evidently all their research is backed by the historical society of Savannah. So old mate starts telling us the stories at the first site. No probs. Then he whips out his iPad and a speaker as starts playing recordings of.. Well ‘ghosts.’ That was pretty much the end for me. I wouldn’t say I was scared but I didn’t like it and I certainly didn’t want to stick around for the ‘exciting demonic and disturbing’ stuff he had coming up. I was more worried about having nightmares in a random hotel room in my room so without further adieu I told Julia I was done and I’d be at the cafe. She asked us to meet them back at Moon River.

I like to think that all ghosts (if they’re around) are nice, just like Casper and I wasn’t gonna stick around for old mate to tell me differently.

I went to the coffee shop, chatted with the barista for a bit and he was lovely enough to charge my phone for me. I must have been daydreaming as when he gave my phone back over an hour had passed and I was late to get back to meet the rest of the crew!

It was Australia Day and seeing as 11 out of our 13 person tour was Aussie it was only right to have a hotel party and stream the Triple J hottest 100. I retired to bed about 12 I think but some of the others didn’t even go to bed that night!

Must be getting old.

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