Scribble World Travel Blog

Key Largo and Key West, Florida

I woke up around 5 this morning and had a nice solo walk around the YMCA grounds.  I asked how much it was to use the pool-$8/person.

We drove to Key West and went inside a McDonald’s to use their internet access ($3 for 2 hours).  It was a nicer than average McD’s with a great view of the ocean.

One challenge on this trip has been finding serenity-time to just be undisturbed  so I can think or daydream…the ability to fall through the air, in a virtual sense, and explore possibilities as of yet unknown in this reality.  The mind is so interesting to me, and i do not feel like I have truely lived until I explore it.  There are countless distractions that make it difficult though-pulling me back into this reality.  Both worlds are important, just different.  I want time to explore both.

Tonight, we’re parked along the side of the road not far from the beach.  We went for an evening stroll along the beach and watched a beautiful Key West sunset.  There were a few other tourists there also taking pictures.  The sun goes down fast-you have to be ready with your camera, it was fun. 

We kind of lucked out and found a space to park with a great ocean view without the standard “no overnight parking” signs.  I had stopped at a hotel to ask their rate-he said over $200 and it was already sold out! Then I stopped at a cheap looking motel, he had one room left for $75 which he assured me was the best rate possible.  I asked to see it and it was pretty much a dive-the floor was slanted, old carpet and fixtures. I thanked him, but decided to save our money.  So we slept in our van in Key West for free and had an exceptional oceanfront view to wake up to! 

Key Largo, Florida

Now we’re in Key Largo, Florida in an empty YMCA parking lot.  It seems like a good spot to spend the night.

We drove through Miami today and ate dinner at a Japanese Buffet.  It was expensive (or so we thought at the time) at $16.95/person but we decided to do it anyway because it was something we had never tried before.  It was not a disappointment, we enjoyed the sushi-the salmon just melted in your mouth, and the fish eggs-large and small were fun.

We’re now sitting in the van, listening to CNN-the Florida primary news is on.

Camping at Big Cypress Trail, Ochopee, Florida

Hello, we’re at a campground near the Everglades called Big Cypress Trail in Ochopee, Florida.  We spent last night at a Walmart parking lot where the whole sky lit up 3 times, it was most peculiar, and made me imagine we were being invaded by aliens-it was just so unnatural.  The power went out everywhere including Walmart.  I still don’t know what the deal was, but a few minutes later an ambulance and firetruck shot by.  Must have been interesting to have been shopping in Walmart when all the lights went out.  They were out quite a while.

Today, we walked along a boardwalk trail inside the Big Cypress National Preserve.  We admired the tree communities, birds and plants.  At the end of the boardwalk we found a small crowd gathered at the edge of a swamp viewing area with several aligators, large and small, swimming around and hunting fish.

This campground is $22 for the night, and we get to check out their animal exhibits for free which normally runs $3/person. It features lots of interestng critters like alligators, snakes, birds and lizards. We pitched the tent and are working on gathering some firewood for tonight.

We also stopped by the smallest Post Office in the United States, which is just a couple miles away.

Life Break

I’m taking a life break-overlooking the crashing waves, a bird, sailboats, and resort buildings.  It’s very windy and I’m sitting on a cheerful purple bench and feel a slight mist when the larger waves plummet to the stone.  It’s interesting seeing just one bird-perhaps an individualist or a loner.

It would be cool if we could find somewhere with a pool & shower we could use for a few bucks.  We spent the night at a rest area.  The sign said there was an armed security guard patrolling the premises.  It was a peaceful rainy night.

Today is just gorgeous-clear blue skies, sunny and windy-upper 60’s.  It’s interesting to see these great big rocks piled high around the shore.  I wonder if that happens naturally?  There are seashells embedded in them.  1:54 P.M.

Continued: 4:45 P.M. Now we’re on Siesta public beach sitting on a big beach towel together.  Chris is sipping a cappuccino beer he got at the Whole Foods in Austin, TX.  We’re playing in the sand with our feet.  It’s a very bright and windy day.  Oh, and we saw a crowd gathered around a drum circle on the beach with belly dancers in the middle.  That was different.

Park near Tampa, Florida

We spent the night in an elementary school parking lot.  It was Saturday so we didn’t have to worry about waking up to a swarm of school children.  We stopped at a city park somewhere near Tampa that was just a really cool place.  There were trails that had fitness activities to try-things to climb, jump over or stretch on.  There was also a wooded area to walk around.

We continued on to Tampa where there was a parade going on, but the roads were narrow and there were people everywhere. We couldn’t find parking for less than $20 and decided to move on.

Help, We’re Locked Out of Our Van!

Ok, so around 3:30 we stopped at a Starbucks.  Chris had been driving, but my keys were in the ignition-I ran inside to use the restroom, taking for granted that he had the keys.  We ordered our drinks and were on our way back out when Chris got this concerned look on his face and asked if I had a spare key-I thought he was joking.  Turns out he had taken the keys out of the ignition, then opened the side door to get something-set my keys down next to his, then forgot BOTH sets of keys.

I’m irritated, he’s defensive-things are escalating-he’s determined to fix it ourselves-not to pay someone a bunch of money for a careless mistake. He’s trying to figure out a way to get through the window, or open the hood in hopes of triggering a fuse that might unlock the doors..I’m worrying he’s going to make things worse…things are getting tense and neither one of us wants to be the one to ask for help…plus our cell phones are in the van.

Then Mike came along…this guy had the patience of a saint-he stood with me for 2 hours as we worked things out.  I said how we didn’t have much money & mentioned how our cargo box had been hit and it seemed like we were having a bit of bad luck.  He had suggested AAA, then had another thought-what about the Honda Dealer?

Next thing I know, I’m back in Starbucks using their phone book to find a Honda dealer & and I get ahold of a nice guy who says, “no problem, happens to all of us, I can get you a spare for $5, where are you?”  Only it turns out the unfamilar city I’m in is more than an hour and a half away, so he goes online and gets me another number.  Only the next guy is more concerned with red tape-he says he needs proof of ownership-my ID and insurance card are not enough.  I say I’ve got the title in my van..he talks to his manager and calls me back to say he’s sorry but they can’t.  I’m breaking the bad news to Chris & Mike-Mike says I should call back and ask to speak with the manager-to be persistant.  This I do, but am still getting the same story.  I’m about the hang up, Chris reaches for the phone, “so if I pull up our registration online, will that suffice?”  Finally, the guy relents, but we still had to get there.  Mike’s car was full of stuff, but he pointed to a car from Montana with a bike on the roof, “he’s got a bike, you’ve got a bike….worth a shot.”  And sure enough, the guy from Montana comes out, is real nice and agrees to give Chris a ride to the dealer.  Mike waits with me and keeps me entertained with travel stories, stem cell research, a restaurant he walked by in South Korea with a cat chained to the oven, his soft spot for animals and the 3 cats he’s adopted, among other things.

A guy from the Honda dealership gave Chris a ride back, and we had a spare key for just $3, (plus the $4 it had cost to pull up our proof of ownership)-but all in all, way cheaper than the alternatives.

It’s funny how things can just sort of work themselves out. The lesson of the day was persistence.  I never would have thought to pick up that phone and call again after being told no.  Plus, in a funny way I got what I had wanted-to stop driving, spend some time outdoors and get to know someone.  Kind of reminds me of The Secret.

Apalachicola Florida and St. George State Park Island

It was nice relaxing by the docks and people watching in Apalachicola earlier….imagining what people’s lives are like….what’s it like to live on a boat? I see a computer-do they have internet access?…How did that couple meet?

Anyway, we’re spending the night on St. George State Park Island. It was around $20, kind of high, but it’s nice-we took hot showers, and the facilities are clean and well maintained. Our campsite has an electric box with a light, our own picnic table, a place to have a fire, if we had any wood, and when I’m outside I can hear the ocean. A sign posted nearby says there are aligators on the island and they will eat anything. Now we’re listening to Radio Classics on Sirius Satellite radio from the comfort of our van.

We’ve Got The Florida Parking Blues…

So far, Florida has not been the most welcoming state-there are so many “no overnight parking” signs everywhere we go.  We finally just pulled over in a Walmart parking lot, and got an oil change while we were at it.
Earlier, we explored a couple nice beaches.  Bit of rain this evening, so it’s humid and warm-we’re on top of the covers.

Gulf Islands National Seashore in Mississippi

It was a chilly night, dropping below freezing-I guess we packed our warm blankets away a little  too soon.  They’re in our roof rack back, so we’ll have to fish them out or it’ll likely be another cold night.

We bopped around the Island for a while admiring seashells, and taking pictures.  Then, we drove along a beautiful scenic route in Alabama and stopped at a cute and friendly restaurant with 25 cent oysters and chicken wings.  We had an awesome meal for two for less than $10.

Now we’re at Weeks Bay in a large, fairly secluded parking lot.  We took sunset pictures at a nearby park.  Chris is in the passenger seat holding Paws.  It was a really nice low-stress kind of day.

p.s. We stopped at the side of the road once to each pick a piece of cotton out of a field.  It was interesting to see the little seeds and imagine how hard it must have been to remove them by hand in the old days.

Pontchartrain-World’s Longest Bridge!

The elevator wasn’t working this morning, so it made for a great workout making multiple last minute trips up and down 5 flights of stairs to check out by eleven.  We stopped at an above ground graveyard just because it was different and we were driving past it.

We drove across Pontchartrain, the world’s longest bridge-it was 23 miles long going from Metairie, Louisiana to Mandeville, Louisiana-trimming about 50 minutes off commute times to New Orleans compared with other alternatives.

The bridge so long, it’d be nice if there had been a pull out rest stop somewhere in the middle for tourists like us to get out and take pictures.  The speed limit was 65 mph though so there was little chance for sightseeing on the bridge itself, but we found a park in Mandeville to stretch and take some pictures.

Now, we’re at The Gulf Island’s National Seashore in Mississippi.  We stopped at a grocery store and I bought lots of good stuff-cherry tomatoes, carrots, honey dew melon, apples, and a peach.  Oh, and a pint of fresh strawberries at a roadside stand.  Life is good.

New Orleans and The Ten Dollar Beer

We spent a couple nights at the Canal Street Inn which was a comfortable walking distance to Bourbon Street.  There were homeless people hanging out under the bridge across the street.  In the morning, when I went down for breakfast a homeless guy came in and asked if he could take something to eat.  I said, “sure.” 

Chris & I walked around Bourbon street for a few hours and bopped in and out of different places searching for jazz and blues music.

One tip, ask the price before ordering. Chris ordered a beer at one really run down dirty looking place without live music or anything, because he really had to use the bathroom, and was shocked when the guy put the beer in front of him and said, “$10.”

Driving & Exploring Louisiana

We spent the night outside a state park by a marina.  We were hoping to stay at the park, but the employees came honking and knocking on our window at 8:55 to let us know the park was about to close.  So we paid a buck and parked at the marina instead.

Today has been a peaceful day-driving and exploring.  We walked around by a river in Morgan City, and stopped at a couple unique shops including a coffee/bookshop called, Cover to Cover.  I tried a Texas-Cream Frappacino, and was surprised to see a unique looking bag of gunpowder tea for sale, so I bought that too.  There were free tea samples, and the people were really nice.  I love places like that-such a unique and non-corporate feel.

Now, we’re in Baton Rouge, but we’re thinking about heading to New Orleans.  I was talking to a guy about things to do around here, but he said this was more of a college town and most of the stuff to do was in New Orleans.

Louisiana

Pretty straight course through Louisiana so far-we went to Intercoastal City, which turned out to be a dead end without even a gas station. They seem to be sparse in these parts. We were on Hwy 82. It’s already getting dark and lightly sprinkling. It rained non-stop the whole night on the border between Texas and Louisiana. Lots of run down destroyed buildings-everywhere seems so old. Lots of swampy marsh grasses. Saw a wild pig with babies near the side of the road. Pink birds. Cows with big floppy ears.

We’re listening to Sirius Satellite, the “Movin’ Easy”station. Chris is driving. Ox and Paws have both taken turns on my lap. I fed Chris Cheese Puffs 2 at a time. Now we’re headed toward? Not sure. The ditch is filled with water and garbage. Instead of garages, I’ve seen lots of covered parking spaces. We have about a quarter of a tank of gas left. Have gone 230 miles since Galveston. Just passed a small 2 pump old style station charging $3.19/gallon-Chris kept going, he says we can probably find it cheaper. It was $2.88 in Galveston.

A word from Ox and Paws…

Meow-weee, Hey folks! We’ll have to make this quick,  We’re  busy guys you know….lots of windows to keep an eye on, food that needs eatin’, water that needs tipping over, blankets to fuzz up, kitty litter to scatter, massages to purr through, suitcases to claw, catnaps to take, humans to train… We’re swamped! Some days I just don’t know how we manage,  but that’s what they’re feedin’ us the good stuff for.  Speaking of which….*gasp* we’re almost out of food! Help a cat out,

PurrBallFully,

Ox & Paws *kiss kiss*

Houston Space Center

We spent last night in an empty restaurant parking lot in a small town near Brehan~then drove to Houston, where we went to the Space Center.  It was another expensive day-$5 for parking, $23/person, which included an extra fee to rent an ipod for the audio tour-(we probably could have done without the audio).  It was entertaining just walking around and reading about the many things.  I wish we’d have gotten there sooner, we didn’t have time to do everything before closing.

We’re spending a second night in our van and are only about 100 feet from the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston, TX.

My Perfect Day

It was Chris’s 33rd birthday and my wonderful uncle was letting us stay at their ranch while they were out of town.  So when I awoke at 5AM it was still dark, I lay in bed relishing in my dreamy thoughts, then grabbing a couple blankets to keep cozy, I slipped out to make myself a cup of tea, and let the birthday boy sleep in.

I sat plopped down on the hammock outside in the dark, senses piqued, noticing every rustle of the leaves, wisp of wind, drop of heavy dew falling..it was just this beautiful poetic beginning to a day, almost surreal.

I patiently watched as the beautiful sun began to rise over the distant hills.  I ran to grab the camera and ask Chris if he wanted to see his 33rd birthday sunrise (he opted to stay in bed), and I got back just as the sun was disappearing behind gray clouds.

It was just such a perfect and leisurely day, I began thinking up a new story idea and just felt so happy and content with my existence.  Chris played his guitar.  I thought about my life, thoughts and experiences freely flowing in and out of my mind-understanding things more deeply and fully than ever before.

12:03 A.M.

I look at my watch, just now, as the desire to do something with purpose arises- the desire to be productive-to build toward something tangible.  And when I see the lateness of the hour, it is not relief I feel-to be spared the burden of this task-but a twinge of disappointment-that it would be nice to stay up late, thinking & writing.  We are housesitting, however, and the dogs will need feeding and to be taken outside around 6A.M. 

I wonder why I make so many unsatisfactory decisions-especially with money…like that taco salad that was far from the fresh mixed greens experience I had hoped for-a nasty fried tortilla shell smothered with sour cream-one could hardly call it a salad.  And why did I let myself get suckered into getting that silly back scratcher from Mexico? 

The Alamo in San Antonio, TX

The Alamo in San Antonio still stands after all these years, and we walked around looking at the relics-the old guns, the beds, the dust and the stories.  The Battle of the Alamo, which is a famous turning point in the Texas Revolution, was a victory for the Republic of Mexico, but the siege, which lasted 13 days from February 23, 1836-March 6, 1836 stalled the Mexican Army giving the Texan Revolutionaries time to gather troops and supplies for a victory at the Battle of San Jacinto.

San Antonio River Walk

Beneath the crowded streets of downtown San Antonio there is a refreshing retreat, an urban River Walk where pedestrians can walk along more than 17,000 feet of pathways and admire the beautiful oak trees,  old stairwells, bridges and calming waters.  The idea for the River Walk was that of Robert Hugman in the late 1920s.  His design allowed for both flood prevention and commercial development.

If you visit the River Walk, you’ll notice the many shops, restaurants and hotels.  Many of these establishments have street side entrances and separate River Walk entrances down below.

The Hyatt Regency makes for an convenient place to stay as they’ve built a beautiful pedestrian walkway connecting the cities two largest tourist attractions-The Alamo Plaza and the River Walk.