To start the New Year Mrs B and I went to sunny Florida. The trip got off to a fantastic start when we got upgraded to Business Class on our out-bound flight. We thought it had got even better when Avis offered us an upgrade on our pre-booked hire car. I had booked a Mustang convertible which failed to materialise. Would you like a Corvette Stingray instead? The sales girl showed Mrs B a picture –
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| Corvette Stingray |
Avis agent – “OK that will be another $200”
Me - Ouch, are you sure Mrs B?
Mrs B – “It looks really sporty”
Me – “But how are we going to get all the luggage in?”
Mrs B – “You are great at packing cars..”
Me - "$200 is a lot extra to pay when you can’t supply the car we booked"
Avis Agent - "That's $200 a day sir"
Me - "Noooooooo"
Avis Agent – “My manager says we can do a deal for just an extra "$1,000" for the week”
Mrs B - "You mean on top of what we have already paid…..Hmmm….. next"
We ended up with this gas guzzler, an impressive 18mpg
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| Chevrolet Camaro The back seats came in useful for most of our luggage |
"Aaaaarrrgghhh"
I would love to have felt sorry for the parents but I was too busy supressing murderess thoughts and trying not to offer my pillow as a solution. Fortunately for my freedom I had to keep the pillow clamped tightly over my ears.
C.A.C.T.U.S (Cheap As Chips TUeSday)
A new section cataloguing the films shown at Bishop’s Stortford cinema which has a half price policy on a Tuesday.
This week the delights of “The Theory of Everything” – I particularly enjoyed it as I met the real Professor Hawkins in person last year (you would have read about it if I had been blogging properly last year - try and keep up).
I even got to hear his iconic voice – He only managed “Y E S” but it was an incredible moment, which would have been a lot better if I had not been so busy biting my lip trying not to inappropriately laugh….
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| Stephens bid for my photographic services 2 and 1/2 oranges - ouch |
Marb (saved from Blackwidow 2)
Natalie
Penny
Almost attendees
I'm guessing my new friend Stephen didn't get the text
Photo Finish
Sanibel Island
(is it just me - it sounds like a pretentious manufacturer of bathroom suites)
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| Fly me to the moon |
Click here if you want to see more pretentious bathroom suite pictures
Miami
If you ever watch "Burn Notice"this has to be said in a fake Irish accent (just like Fi says it: Moi-Am-Me in the title sequence for the show)
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| The Pool at our hotel |
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| South Beach Moi-Am-Me |
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| No messing with this lady I think that was blood on her nails |
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| I'm guessing our hotel had a name change as it is no longer called Tiffany's but the slightly pretentious sounding The Hotel South Beach Thanks to Big Sis for the recommendation |
Florida wildlife
(Sadly I heard only 2% of visitors who come to Florida bother with the wildlife. Most people come for the stupid mouse with the big ears and annoying voice….. )
Great places to visit for wild life
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
J.N.Ding Darling National Wildlife Sanctuary (on Sanibel island)
Shark Valley
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| The Gators like to get close to the boat Mrs B refused to get in this shot.... |
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| They are so cute when they are small but remember you will need at least a 15ft Bath tub for when they grow older (available through Sanibel Island bathroom suppliers to the rich and deluded) |
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| Anhinga |
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| Mrs B and I got very excited at seeing Raccoons while the Americans around us thought we ere mad make a fuss over just vermin she looks like she is doing an impression of Tommy cooper "Not like that, like this" |
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| Male Brown Anole |
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| Osprey with the remains of a fish big prize for anyone who can work out what type of fish it was..... |
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| Flipper in full play mode |
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| Bald Eagle surveying his kingdom |
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| Brown Pelican |
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| Roseate Spoon Bill |
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| Little Blue Heron Not sure if it is fishing or just playing with his bath water "Now where did I put my rubber duckie" |
I had always thought that the Everglades were a swamp but it is in fact a very slow moving river.
Catch you next time
