Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Fort Lauderdale
First stop, USA.
We'd been told on board that we needed a hard copy of our ESTA, the USA visa waiver but I hadn't bothered to print one before leaving home. I knew it wasn't necessary but checked with the Purser to make sure.
When we got to the Customs shed in Port Everglades my heart sank. The officers who were checking passports did not have computers and I was worried. I did have the waiver numbers but no hard copies. How could we prove it?
We waited anxiously in line. Eventually it was our turn.
"Hiya," he said. "You Aussies?"
We nodded and offered our passports.
"We don't have hard copies of our ESTA," I said nervously, "but here are the numbers."
He didn't even look at the the piece of paper I had held out.
"You got the waiver? That's alright, then. You Aussies are like us. You're OK." he said as he stamped our passports.
So much for hi-tech US security.
We left the shed and found our bus. Our group was Green 6 which meant we'd be on Bus 6 but there were two No 6 buses. After some confusion it was decided that we were on the first one.
We'd been to Fort Lauderdale a couple of years ago so didn't need to look at alligators, etc, hence we'd reluctantly booked to do a ship's tour because I wanted an easy driving, not a walking tour. It was to take us on a cruise on the canals and then on a bus tour around the city.
Simple, but, as we all know, life often doesn't work out as planned.
Our guide was a loud and gregarious German woman named Issy who knew everything. The driver was on his first day of the job and didn't know anything.
We were off to a good start.
Issy told us a few sketchy facts about the city and a lot about herself. Most of her time was taken up with directing the driver.
We boarded the boat, a paddle wheeler which was tied up in a broad canal along with half a dozen others, and found a seat on the top. Although still early, it was already hot but we were under cover and I thought that we'd get a breeze once we were underway. While we were waiting for everyone to get settled, a bright green iguana scuttled up a tree right next to us and hung there over a branch, eyeing us balefully for disturbing his morning nap.
The canal trip was interesting. Lots of money so lots of luxurious houses and massive moored boats but nothing more than we'd see at home in places like Sovereign Islands on the Gold Coast. It was cool and a pleasant way to spend an hour or so. We saw Elizabeth Murdoch's boat, the narrow canals from the 50s when boats were smaller and the much wider and later canals built to accommodate larger boats, bridges that opened to allow these large boats through and finally a yacht that is the highest man-made structure afloat. It is also the longest single-masted boat in the world.
Back ashore there was more confusion about the buses. Greens 5, 6 and 7 all thought we had to board No 6 bus and by then there were three
No 6 buses, but one also had No 7 as well in its window.
Issy soon had us sorted out and we drove away from the chaos. She directed the driver to a charming parking spot between a concrete car park and a concrete cinema complex. We sat while she conferred with the driver for 5 or 6 minutes, and it was then she that she assumed her Commandant role.
"I vill take you on a little valk to see the houses," she said.
"But that's not on the itinerary," objected a victim who was sitting in a front seat, clutching her folded walking frame.
This didn't go down at all well with Fraulein Hitler.
Glaring down at the cringing pensioner, Issy proclaimed,
"I am in charge and I vill decide vhere ve vill go. If you don't vant to do the valk, you vill stay on the bus."
Most obediently rose and followed her meekly out into the scorching heat. She was off and up the street even before half the passengers were out of the bus. Seven of us were left to enjoy the view of concrete walls.
Time passed slowly; 10, 20, 30 minutes went by.
After another 10 minutes I could see a red glow approaching and then I saw From where it was emanating. It came from Patricia's face as she staggered out through the cinema complex. She'd taken a short cut and was in a state of exhaustion.
Gradually others came into sight, all in the same condition.
Only Issy looked fresh and pleased with the excursion.
Once everyone was aboard we continued the tour with a drive by the long stretch of beach which was crowded with people enjoying themselves on the sand or cooling off in the water. We looked on enviously as we flashed past.
On the way back to the port a brave soul asked if they come be dropped off at a shopping centre that we'd passed on the way.
"Impossible!" the Commandant replied. "Zere is no safe place to stop the bus."
We sped past. We could see two other buses pulling into the huge car park at the shopping centre, obviously heading straight into danger. Not us, though. We were safely on our way to the ship.
As we approached the dock Issy advised us that the driver would stand outside so we could give him our tips and that she would be inside the bus to receive hers.
I refrained from giving the two of them a tip or two about learning routes, sticking to itineraries and being obliging to customers. I don't think they would grow rich on gratuities!
The one thing she had told us about, though, that turned out to be significant was Hurricane Emily. She'd told us that there was a low pressure area that was threatening to become a danger to the area.
Once aboard again we lunched and then found a long chair on Deck 7. We were docked opposite the tall ship I told you about and next to one of the bridges that opened. It was quite entertaining enjoying the view of the passing boats but we were also watching the sky.
It was darkening rapidly.
As we left Port Everglades the storm put on a spectacular display with thunder rumbling and lightning flashing above the city skyline.
Then the bad news hit.
Ding! Ding! The ship's public address system came into life.
We know that when the captain makes an announcement at odd times it's usually to announce something that will disappoint us and we weren't wrong this time.
We would not be going to Cartagena in Colombia due to the danger of being caught up in Hurricane Emily. Instead we would take a slow and circuitous route around Key West, into the Gulf of Mexico, around the western tip of Cuba, and then south east through islands before heading due south to Colon at the entrance to the Panama Canal.
We would overnight there before entering the canal early the next morning.
Oh, well.
Next port, Colon.
- comments