Alligators and Airboats

Claire

We are heading to Key West. I’m still the selfie queen. I am having the best time of my life with my family.

Today on our drive I had fresh cut sugar cane… it was delicious 😋 we watched the sugar cane being harvested. We saw some alligators in the canal near the harvesters. They are tiny compared to our crocodiles.

Disney World was awesome. I took ma on the scariest roller coaster there. She was scared and squealed. I also got to hold an Alligator and a snake.

Hugh

We went on a long car trip and we saw some sugar cane harvesters. We saw the tractors tipping the sugar cane into trucks and train carriages. We saw two alligators.

We went on an Airboat ride and I got splashed. Then we watched the snake show. I got to hold a biiiiiig snake and a I patted an alligator. Daddy taught me how to snorkel and it was fun.

Judith

After leaving Orlando we headed south for Key West, with a nights stop in Florida City. 1st day was a long day in the car and the kids coped very well. Lots of “I Spy” and counting of trucks etc. Best part of the day was when we stopped to watch some sugar cane harvesting. The cane had been burnt and there were many cane harvesters loading into trailers, tractors pulling 3 trailers and the trailers being unloaded into trucks. All very well synchronised so there was no waiting for any trailers or trucks, fascinating to watch. We were stopped alongside a canal so we did a bit of alligator hunting as well, catching sight of our first few “gators”. Tristram is the chief “gator spotter”. We arrived at our overnight stop and the kids, Joanne and I enjoyed a swim in the pool before heading down the road for dinner. Texas Steakhouse. Very nice.

(P- The huge sugar cane harvest operation was followed up by a “drive by” tour of one of the many sugar mills. They were huge by Australian standards! We passed many Beef farms and also large Dairy farms before going thru a fruit growing area on the outskirts of Florida City. Pa seems to get landed (or handballed ) the technical questions each day! Question? “ What is a Gentleman’s Club? – “ASK PA” is the quick reply from all the other adults! Same applied for a sign promoting STD awareness- “Pa what is a STD”? “Pa why is one of those turtles riding on the other ones back”? Pa why is that big Monkey bouncing up and down on the other Monkeys back? These questions are gold and I will remember them for a lifetime! I do enjoy explaining the answers in a way they can understand.

Monday 9th

We breakfasted at our Holiday Inn before hitting the road. Claire thought breakfast was ok as she could make pancakes with maple syrup. Others tried the breakfast sausage (hamburger) with gravy, or the cereal, (packaged sugar), or good old toast and jam. P J and T sampled the coffee, Home Blend made specially for Holiday Inn and promptly decided we would stop at Starbucks just down the street as soon as we checked out. Needless to say the House Blend didn’t reach their high expectations. (Jo – I think we must be spoilt with our coffee at home, it’s made us coffee snobs).

Our first stop today (P- second after Starbucks!) was at the Alligator Farm. We were out there by 9 am and got the first Airboat Ride of the morning out thru the fascinating Everglades. Warning signs saying it was a wet ride, but it’s 88 degrees so we will dry out quickly. We hopped on the airboat with 4 others and donned our ear muffs to shut out the noise and off we went. Nice and sedately to start while Jose our guide and driver told us a bit about the Everglades and the Alligators. We spotted a few gators as we motored away from the dock and into the swampy areas. The water level is very low. Jose wound up the air prop (P- powered by a Big Block Chev V8!) and wound up the speed and we were flying over the grassy reeds and water then into an open area of water and a 360 degree spin with water flying everywhere. The kids, big and small in the front whooping and hollering, P, T, C and H splattered with mud and water. Water washing over the front of the boat and over all our feet. What a rush, then off again through the reeds to another clearing and more spins and turns. Great fun, we all loved it.

After a half hour ride we returned to the dock and wandered around the alligator pens with alligators of various ages, iguanas and lizards, snake cages, beautiful Macaws and turtles. We stopped for the snake show, only about 20 at the show. Liz, the snake handler was great and had several different snakes to show us. She needed a volunteer to feel a snake so guess it was my turn. They feel surprisingly smooth and dry, not what I expected. (Jo – surprisingly brave for someone whom hates snakes). I eventually held the python for a few minutes. Gave the kids a bit of encouragement to have a go. Next it was Claire and Hughs turn. They thought they were going to hold the same smaller one I had but had a big albino python hung around their necks and over their hands. Gave Hugh a bit of a fright but they both did a great job. After the show most people got to hold or feel the snake, even Lilly gave one a very brief touch. Next it was the Alligator show. Liz, now the Alligator handler, gave a talk about the gators, handled several of the large ones and then handed out three small ones for people to hold and feel. Great shows and a terrific park. We’ve spent almost all morning here and we need to hit the road. Heading for the Keys.

We stopped at Key Largo Visitors Centre to get some info and found a great spot for a bit of snorkelling only a few mile away so best go check it out. John Penneykamp National Park, the first underwater park in the USA. Nice little beaches that you can snorkel from the shore. Pa had been to Walmart early this morning (before we were all up) and purchased some snorkels and flippers so after a very brief introduction all the kids were off snorkelling. They all did an amazing job. Lilly kept giving little squeals and her head would pop up with a big smile and a giggle, Claire discovered she could still talk underwater and Hugh after a few false starts swam like a fish. They all looked quite the part. Jo and Tristram also snorkelled. Although it’s not a brilliant spot for coral etc they did see some fish and crabs, were able to swim among the mangroves and get a feel for the snorkelling gear. Another great experience for them. Philip and I spent time with the kids swimming to us or away from us or around us. Our turn will come tomorrow, maybe.

After a couple of hours in the water we really need to get on the road, we still have several hours drive ahead to reach our accommodation in Key West.

After several more short stops and a drive over a seven mile long bridge, we reach our destination about 5.30. Another longish day, but lots of fun. We find our Accommodation, Courtney’s Place, down some very cute and narrow streets near Duval Street in Key West. Parking was a slight issue with signs on most spots for a compact cars. Guess our Suburban will be compact tonight.

The kids hit the pool while we unpacked and decided on dinner details then we walked to Duval Street and found a restaurant. Had a lovely meal upstairs on the open deck, overlooking the very quaint old Main Street with a Blues band playing just far enough a way to be pleasant.