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For completion!!
Well we are back in sunny England now but it feels like we should finish the record of the epic journey. We struggled to get access to a computor during the last couple of weeks hence the delay.
Ok we left you in Savannah but Mark has written so little about our favorite town we need to go back one stop. Charleston!! Fantastic town really well preserved and presented and full of southern charm. We had a great couple of days wandering around fab art galleries and dining in lovely cafes. We did the whole tourist thing riding around in a horse drawn carriage, loved it AND I got a much needed haircut and a new dress. A reward I think for the Harley experience!
Set off for Savannah expecting much the same but it was not to be. Hit the edge of tropical storm Fay and boy did it rain. We did brave a trip into town and it does look nice but walking round anywhere resembling a drowned rat is no fun. Sat it out for two days tucked up in a hotel eating goodies, watching terrible American TV and doing a much needed laundry session.
Finally decided to chance it and attempt to drive through the storm to get south of it. Good decision. Managed to fit in a trip to the Okefenokee Swamp on route and braved a boat trip through it in between downpours. It was slightly disconcerting when, deep in the swamp our adolescent guide informed us that he had been lost in the swamp for four days only 3 weeks earlier.
We drove through some amazing rain not helped by the tornado warnings 'in your area' which was a bit freaky. Survived and headed into Miami. A great Thai curry followed and an explore of the city. The Venetian pool was a highlight. It is an old quarry which was created into a lovely swimming pool and is a bliissful place to spend a few hours in a hot hot city. Headed on out of Miami the next day and onto the keys. Stopped on Key Largo and spent a day at the John Pennakamp State Park which is essentially a protected coral reef. Snorkled over the reef for ages till our heads felt full of seawater. It was beautiful, loads of brightly coloured fishes and a large sting ray and thankfully no sharks!
We spent the last few days meandering up and down the keys doing lots of fishing swimming and snorkling and staying in some lovely bayside places with beautiful sunsets. This idyllic week was marred only by our attempt at deep sea fishing! Mark hired a 20ft motorboat complete with an extra rod lots of poor little shrimp to feed to the fish and two large frozen boxes of chum. We headed out into the open sea at high speed and arrived at the fishing ground (approx 4 miles out) feeling decidedly sick. Was I allowed to lie down and recover oh no. It was apparently my job to sit at the back of the boat prodding the defrosting chum into the water, lovely, nothing I like more than prodding lumps of bits of dead fish. He really knows how to treat a girl.
We reached the final point of the epic journey in the evening of 28th Aug pulling into Key West. Celebrated with several large cocktails, conch chowder and Key Lime Pie, it just had to be done. Spent a day sunning ourselves and wandering around this surprisingly large town perched on the end of the keys then shot off to see the everglades before we went home. We really did not need to rush! Woke to rain but set off anyway, undaunted. Picked up our map, identified the walks and sights we wanted to see, paid our 10 dollar entry fee to the man behind a very robust mosquito grid and headed in. Arrived at the first pond and Mark attempted to get out of the car...it was a war zone. He was dive bombed by 2million mosquitoes in 2 seconds flat. He arrived back in the car at high speed bringing at least one million of them with him. We spent the rest of the drive to Flamingo twitching uncontrollably and clapping the air vigourously seemingly oblivious to the need to steer the car. Flamingo was worse, they were chewing on the window wipers and dive bombing our reflections in the wing morrors But guess who thought it might be a good idea to try getting out of the car again. Yes, a slow learner. The journey back was equally twitchy and we arrived out of the Everglades National Park a record 1hr and 30mins after entering it, covered in red lumps. Take our advice do not on any account visit the Everglades in August.
We retreated back to Key Largo and what a blessing in disguise. Found the most idyllic spot to wile away our last 3 days. Sunshine, a fishing pier, free kayaks and a little beach all facing bayside and therefore three nights of large glasses of chilled wine sunsets and BBQs. But the best bit was the Manatees. On an early morning kayak there they were, a mum and baby, mum over 3mtrs long and very big. It was magical, a bit freaky at first to have them swimming under your tiny kayak but they are so gentle. Mark plucked up the courage to abandon the safety of his boat and spent a happy 20 mins swimming and snorkleing with them, sooo cool!!!
The final adventure came on the afternoon of our last day. Mark hooked the biggest fish of the trip. The battle went on for 30mins from the pier before I was rudely ordered out of my comfy Adirondak chair to get the pedalo out. Apparently we were going in pursuit! 1/4mile out it turned out to be a huge ray. Was Mark giving up? Ohh no. Amidst an ongoing row about wether or not you can eat Ray we were towed around the bay for the next 40mins the direction in which I was pedalling having no effect whatsoever. Finally I think it got fed up with playing with us and towed us into shore before cremoniously flicking off the line and shooting under a boat. Shame, coz he really wanted a photo but I realy didn't want BBQ Ray for tea.
So we have come to the end of this amazing trip and have to sadly return to our own little island. Thankyou America we have loved it and will be back one day for the next chapter. x
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