March 1, 2013 – Rental Car Center, Miami Airport
It was already a little after 8 p.m. when we left the airport parking garage with our rental car, packed to the roof, and drove straight into the darkness of Miami.
Our first time in Miami—and we hit Friday evening rush hour right away… *HELP!!!
Even though I’ve had my driver’s license for quite a while and driving itself isn’t much of a challenge for me anymore, this situation was a little different. The car was new to me, the GPS had just been switched on five minutes ago, the city was completely unfamiliar, and it was already dark outside. Not exactly the most comfortable starting point. All I wished for was to make it safely to the hotel, because I planned to figure everything out the next day—calmly, in daylight, and without pressure.
From the parking garage, we went straight onto the highway — and right at that on-ramp, there were five lanes and it was rush hour. I tried to trust the GPS and let it guide me through the urban jungle, but that was easier said than done. Suddenly, there was a construction zone that wasn’t marked on our navigation system. Which exit was I supposed to take? Was it the one we just passed? But that one was closed off due to the construction… and bam — we had taken the wrong exit and found ourselves at our first SunPass toll booth, which we would be seeing quite a few more times over the next three weeks.
A slight panic set in, as there were several possible lanes at this exit. One for prepaid customers, marked “SunPass Only,” and another that had to be used for cash payments. Since we hadn’t really looked into the toll system in Florida beforehand, I instinctively went for the cash lane and, as far as I remember, only had to cough up a dollar.
After a little drive through the area – it was already dark, so not exactly ideal for sightseeing – the GPS thankfully led us back onto the highway and, after about five miles, finally to the correct exit that would take us to our hotel. At last, the long-awaited “Holiday Inn Express” sign came into view – and right next to it, a McDonald’s. That couldn’t be real. The first sin of the trip, right on the very first night, was within reach.
Was that the entrance to the hotel? Too late – didn’t see it in time. Damn… So I just took the next one right behind it. That should surely get me to the hotel parking lot too. Well… never celebrate too soon. It did take us close to the hotel, very close in fact, but then high curbs brought our journey to an abrupt halt just before the parking lot we had longed for.
Where even were we? Upon closer inspection, we realized we had ended up in the parking lot of a business located right next to the hotel. So… kind of close, but still far. After turning around and heading back to the main road at McDonald’s, we finally made it through the proper entrance and up to the hotel. We had made it. No accidents. Okay, we got a little lost – but who cares. We were finally there.
I think it was around 9 p.m. when our journey finally reached its destination for the day. We got out of the car, and immediately the smell of burgers hit us, since the drive-thru windows weren’t more than 20 meters away. Time to suppress temptation and resist the scent.
The three of us – Melly, Mary, and I – unloaded the car while Kathy went into the hotel to check in. Once she signaled that she had secured the coveted key card, we moved like a weary caravan with our suitcases and trolleys into the hotel.
I can’t say for sure, but I think I caught a surprised look from the receptionist behind the front desk as I disappeared into the elevator with the three ladies. Once we got to the room, we were pleasantly surprised at how spacious it was – especially the two beds.
Three women and one man in a hotel room. What might sound like every man’s dream wasn’t even worth a second thought after a day like that – no energy left for any porn-worthy fantasies.
We were all exhausted – and looked the part.
Oops, the sink and bathroom mirror were right there in the room. That was a first – not just for me.
Next up was the all-important question: who sleeps where, with whom, and where does everyone park their suitcase—with enough space to spread out, of course.
Since Melly and Mary are best friends, it was immediately clear that they’d share a bed. “We’ll take this one!” they said, pointing straight at the bed near the door. “Okay, Kathy, guess that means we’ll take this one by the window then.”
Now you’re probably wondering, “Wait, you shared a bed with Kathy?”
Yes, I shared a bed with Kathy!!! Just because you share a bed with a woman doesn’t mean there are any romantic intentions involved. Over the next three weeks, Kathy and I became a well-oiled team—more like good friends, or like brother and sister when it came to sharing a bed. So, all cool!
With the bed situation sorted, we dug out our adapters and finally plugged in our energy-hungry phones. Since it was already the middle of the night back in Germany, there wasn’t much chatting going on with friends via Facebook or WhatsApp. But the main thing was: the phones were coming back to life.
“Who’s up for McDonald’s?” – There it was. The dreaded question I had feared would be asked today. And worst of all, it came from my own mouth.
“Yeah, not a bad idea,” said Melly and Kathy, “we’re kinda hungry again too. Just something small, of course!”
Sure. “Something small.” At McDonald’s. Who believes that?
Mary, on the other hand, decided to go take a shower already, so the three of us snuck out alone.
Just a few hours in the States and already experiencing something totally foreign to us: a burger joint called McDonald’s.
And then, we saw something we didn’t know from Germany—something called a McFlurry Oreo.
That night, fate took its course. I tried this dessert, with its soft vanilla ice cream and little cookie bits—and it became a constant companion for the rest of the trip. No matter what I did, we somehow ended up at McDonald’s nearly every single day over the next three weeks.
Why this obsession took hold, I’ll explain another time. The obsession wasn’t there yet—but it would come.
Once we were sort of full and had settled down a bit, we headed back to the hotel. Mary was already gone—off in dreamland. After everyone had finally taken that much-anticipated shower, the room grew quiet and dark, with only the occasional glow of a phone screen lighting up the blackness of the night.
March 2, 2013 – Holiday Inn Express, Miami
Ausblick aus unserem Hotelzimmer
A Typical American Breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express
Our first morning in the U.S. had arrived. We were woken not by warming sunrays, but by the light slipping in through the window – not that any rays could’ve fought their way through the thick cloud cover anyway. Somehow, we had pictured Florida’s weather a bit differently. Instead of the Sunshine State, it looked more like “It’s Raining Men.” But hey – it was just Day 1 of 21, and weather-wise, anything could still happen. At least it was noticeably warmer than back in Germany.
This morning also marked our first attempt at coordinating and scheduling bathroom time. Luckily, the hotel had Wi-Fi, so everyone had something to do while waiting for their turn. By 8:30 a.m., we were all fresh and ready to experience our very first American breakfast.
The “Express” in Holiday Inn Express really says it all. The breakfast was pretty minimalistic and managed by one single hotel employee. Around 90% of the offerings were pre-packaged convenience food. Perfect opportunity to paint a picture of this classic American breakfast setup: There was coffee, a pancake machine (super funny – just push a button and two perfectly formed pancakes slide out on a conveyor belt), bagels, toast, cream cheese, jam, yogurt, instant juice, cornflakes, and a few other small things. At least there was a bowl with apples and bananas on the counter – the only remotely healthy-looking option.
But where were the cold cuts, the ham, the slices of regular cheese?! And let’s not even talk about crusty wholegrain bread – Americans love their soft white toast. Or rather, most of them probably don’t even know anything else.
It was our very first morning in the U.S., and we were treated to a rather adventurous breakfast. And I mean that quite literally – it was a fascinating experience to see what exactly was served. It goes without saying that this “fascination” would soon wear off over the next few weeks, as this was far from the last time we’d be served breakfast like this.
Most important of all – and this remained a constant throughout the entire trip – was the coffee for Kathy and me. For Melly and Mary, however, it was all about the “chai.” They loved their tea.
By the end of the trip, I couldn’t bear to hear the word “chai” anymore. Especially the sentence Mary repeated to Melly almost daily: “I’m going to make myself a chai – do you want one too, Melly?” At the start of the trip, I had no clue what they were talking about. Now, I wish I still didn’t – it was just way overused.
With our bellies full, we packed up our stuff, used a photo I’d taken the night before to help reorganize the trunk, and finally hit the road in daylight – heading for the Florida Keys.
Our stage today – From Miami to Key West
Just arrived in Florida, and we’re already heading to the famous “Keys.”
That morning, the temperature was around 64 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 19°C), and it looked like light drizzle was in the air. Not quite the sunny weather we had hoped for, but still a good 18 to 19 degrees warmer than in Germany. At 9:30 AM, we hit an almost deserted highway, encountering only the occasional car. Let’s not forget—it was Saturday. What a stark contrast to the hectic, crowded traffic we had experienced here just the night before. But at least it gave me the chance to get to know the car better without stress. Seating arrangements in the SUV (a Chrysler Equinox) were now, let’s say, officially settled. I was in the captain’s chair—uh, I mean the driver’s seat (*loool), Kathy was riding shotgun, and Hanni and Nanni—better known as Melly and Mary—were in the child seats in the back. Since the two of them are best friends, they absolutely wanted to sit together, which of course was only possible on the back seat, where they ended up being separated the entire ride by Kathy’s suitcase. A light drizzle began to dot the windshield, dashing any hope for sunshine—quite literally. The drive down South Dixie Highway 55 first led us out of civilization after about 45 minutes, and then took us along a long, fenced-off, straight and rather desolate stretch of road through alligator territory, heading toward the northern part of the Florida Keys. Along the way, large signs constantly warned us not to stop—or worse, get out of the car—as swampy wetlands loomed just beyond the fence. We took that very seriously, and all bathroom breaks had to be postponed. I certainly didn’t want to offer my little guy as lunch for a hungry gator. Then suddenly, we saw lots of water—and our journey across the Florida Keys had officially begun.
To avoid spoiling the fun for future visitors driving across the Keys, I have to mention that for most of the journey to Key West, we never really felt like we were traveling along a narrow chain of islands. Quite often, there was no water visible to the left or right. It felt more like driving on solid mainland. And just when you got used to that feeling, a long bridge would suddenly appear, and you’d be rewarded with a breathtaking panorama over the Atlantic and endless stretches of turquoise water. It’s exactly these moments that make the drive across the Keys so special after all.
Visiting an American supermarket shatters all known expectations: “Size Does Matter!”
As we drove through Key Largo, the time had come — and we all instantly agreed: it was finally time to check out our first American supermarket. We needed drinks, fruit, cookies — basically everything you need to survive.
In the U.S., there are three major supermarket chains: Publix, Winn-Dixie, and Walmart. Our first visit was to a Winn-Dixie, and looking back on the three weeks, we can say that overall, the selection doesn’t differ much between the chains.
What’s far more interesting is comparing an American supermarket to a German one — that’s where things get fascinating. In the U.S., almost everything comes in maxi or mega packs. Small sizes simply don’t exist here. The motto is: “Size does matter.” The classic six-pack? Already outdated — now it’s all about the twelve-pack. After all, why settle for 6 cans when you can get 12?
After about 25 minutes, we were all loaded up with bags and trotted back to the car. The survival pack was restocked for everyone.
We were back on the road. Traveling along the Overseas Highway, we drew closer and closer to our next destination: Key West. The weather gradually improved, and the sun began peeking through the clouds more often—ready to greet us in proper style.
A warm hello from the legendary Seven Mile Bridge. And what a hello it was…
When we reached the town of Marathon halfway along the route, we were thrilled to catch sight of one of the most iconic landmarks of this journey: the Seven Mile Bridge.
It is the longest bridge on the Overseas Highway, which connects the islands with each other. It stretches nearly 11 kilometers and lies between the islands of Vaca Key within the city limits of Marathon. The bridge gained fame through films such as True Lies, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and the James Bond movie Licence to Kill. A little bit of education never hurts, right? *smile
After a quick photo stop – which you simply have to make here – we continued straight across the bridge.
The destination was no longer far. The mood in the car was good, the weather was improving, and everyone was excited for the upcoming three weeks. Then, after about 40 minutes, we finally saw the sign for Key West. Incredible how much traffic suddenly picked up again—it didn’t feel like we were on an island at all, but rather in a small American town somewhere on the mainland, maybe on the coast at best. Our hotel, just a mile away, was only briefly delayed by a stop at Wendy’s—to take care of some business and satisfy our hunger—before we finally pulled into the parking lot in front of the reception shortly after 3 PM.
How the story continues, how we spent the evening and night in Key West, and how our trip back over the Florida Keys into the Everglades went… you’ll find out in the next part of my travel diary.
