Vacation Adventure's part 1

( The cold night before we left)

I know, I know I have been taking too long to put up my vacation stories and pictures getting back into the groove of work and housework is hard on a person.  I am basically going to do a picture entry which will have to be in a few parts otherwise it would take everyone 2 hours to read it and that would be too much I am sure!

 

Day 1 Saturday:

We got up at 3:30 a.m. (groan) to leave to catch the 4:30 shuttle to the airport our plane was scheduled to leave at 6:45 a.m. and NO that did not happen we where delayed for an hour and a half while they de-iced the plane TWICE.  Then they promised us a free movie for the delay, but that never happened.  We flew Jet Blue and they have the little TV screens to watch cable on the back of every seat so that was good (headphones not included unless you buy them or have your own and we did. Jet blue still gives you free soda and snacks and 1 free bag to check by the way.

  the TV on the back of the seat I got stuck in the middle seat as usual while Dave enjoyed the aisle seat at least the guy next to the window was tall and thin.

 

We finally land at 11:00 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. the pilot made up some lost time here is the Ft. Lauderdale Airport (mad house)

I am sure these people I do not know will be pleased I have posted their pictures...doooh

 

Alright next we get our luggage and I swore I would not overpack this time you are allowed to have your suitcase weigh only 50lbs or you pay for it and it is not cheap....mine weighed 45 lbs!  I really tried this time not too mention I had my knapsack I carried on the plane loaded with 2 camera's, an Ipod, a Zune, A PDA, chargers for everything, a blanket,a pocket book, sunglasses... I could go on....I am an over packing freak.

Well we get our rental car and drive to Dave's dads condo as we had talked about staying with him for Saturday night since our reservations down in the keys (Beautiful Marathon key) where not until Sunday. We get to the condo and he was not there, I said to Dave did you ever call him to see when he would be there (he drives down from MA but was still here on XMAS) he said No....Ok good move smarty.  We then decide to go to the best Walmart ever its as large as a small city that's when the heart attacks ensued.

the roads are crazy out here and so are the drivers and pedestrians

 

First turning into walmart two not so bright skate boarding teens decided to step off the curb and were too cool to stop, I'm glad they think their coolness can stop a 1000 lbs of metal traveling 20 mph...Dave slams on the brakes and they give us this look....Then 2 seconds later we have the right away to go straight and this lady decides to fly across the path of oncoming traffic  in a big suv right in front of us.  Dave slammed on the brakes again, she slammed on the brakes we came 2 inches from having a major accident....AUGH  She Shrugs...OMG!  We are now white as ghosts and get into walmart and had to shop for like an hour to calm down.  If you can even imagine one more driving nightmare happened this chick decides to try to do U-turn in the middle of the 3 way road as we are turning onto it...we decided at that moment to get off the dam road so we go looking for a cheap motel.  Let's just say I did not take any pictures of this place it was a little scary and it was not that cheap it was $80 for the night and there where some good old boys minus there shirts drinking beers and smoking butts outside there rooms in the parking lot.  

We went out for a nice dinner at Pat Flanagans (we are in Fort Lauderdale by the way at this time). I had chicken finger meal and Dave had some kind of fish (I despise seafood)

Dave at Pat Flanagans

the place we ate

Then later this is the famous Elbow room bar we just cruised the Fort Lauderdale beach after dinner looking at stuff.  After that we just went back to the room so we could get a good night sleep to start our drive down to Paradise in the morning.  After being to the Keys I have no patience to the rest of Florida I have the Keys Disease. 

In the morning we just ate at McDonald's then took a drive to the Fort Lauderdale beach because every time we go is it at  night here are some shots. Note the sky is dark we out ran the rain and had beautiful all week except 1 hour of a tropical downpour one night.

wild Iguana leaving the no tell motel

Lauderdale beach see the clouds rolling in the next few pics are all Ft. Lauderdale beach

We get on the road for our 3 hour drive and we got stuck in the Miami Dolphin fans traffic going to the football game (they lost by the way, no I am not grinning too much)

 

Now the road to Paradise this is the connection between the mainland and the keys

 

There is water on both sides of you and crocodile crossing too!

Hitting the 1st key this is Key Largo, yes where the movie was filmed the bar it was filmed in is the next picture

See that the Caribbean club the blue awning in the background is where the famous movie was shot

You gotta love Burger King with coconut tree's next to it!

what a view!

The Theatre of the sea in Islamorada key fishing capital of the world

To Be continued....just so you know to come there are Sharks, Scorpions, Iguanas Stay Tuned!