{"id":62131,"date":"2013-05-20T19:04:55","date_gmt":"2013-05-20T17:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/?p=62131"},"modified":"2025-05-21T23:26:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T21:26:45","slug":"road-trip-through-florida-my-travel-diary-part-3-a-visit-to-key-west-and-then-off-to-the-everglades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/?p=62131&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Road Trip Through Florida \u2013 My Travel Diary \u2013 Part 3: A Visit to Key West and Then Off to the Everglades"},"content":{"rendered":"

March 1, 2013<\/strong><\/span>
Key West<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So we had successfully completed the first leg of our journey on our very first real day in Florida and opened the door to our hotel room. The hotel was located right by the water, separated only by a main road and a construction site. As is typical for many hotels in the U.S., we were able to park our car right in front of our room, since we had direct access to our little \u201cchamber\u201d via an outdoor staircase and walkway on the first floor.<\/p>\n

\"hotel\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Looking back, I have to say that it wasn\u2019t just the smallest hotel room on our entire trip \u2013 it was also the most expensive one. Key West is seriously pricey, and if you\u2019re planning a trip there, it\u2019s definitely smart to book your accommodation in advance. That way, you can compare prices more easily \u2013 because yes, it can get even more expensive.<\/p>\n

\n

Alarm!! Who\u2019s got the hotel Wi-Fi password? Hand it over!!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

After we unloaded the car and dropped everything off in the room, we moved on to something that would soon become a daily ritual over the next three weeks: the search for the hotel Wi-Fi. Who has the code? Do you even need one?<\/p>\n

\"hotel2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After that question had been cleared up for everyone, a contemplative silence suddenly filled the room. Everyone had instinctively grabbed their phone or tablet and logged into Facebook via mobile internet to check what was new or to upload the latest pics. I have to say, this was the first time I truly realized how the internet can influence and steer a person nowadays\u2014both in positive and negative ways.<\/p>\n

Positively, to start with the benefits: staying in touch with family and friends even over thousands of kilometers, being able to access important travel information exactly when needed, and staying informed about what\u2019s happening in the world\u2014and back home. On the flip side, though, it often stole quite a bit of our time. You really had to discipline yourself to „pull the plug,“ literally, and continue to experience the trip in real life. But as a team, we mostly managed to strike a good balance\u2014using the internet wisely and in moderation.<\/p>\n

„Alright, let\u2019s head into the center of Key West now,“ I said to the rest of the crew after about 30 minutes of collectively zoning out online. A unanimous nod and murmur of agreement confirmed my decision, and I immediately headed for the door. A smart psychological move, by the way\u2014it puts a bit of pressure on the others to get moving (aka: get their act together).<\/p>\n

Our original idea had been to explore the island by bike, but the late hour and the price of the two-wheelers (minimum rental: 24 hours) made us change plans. In the end, we took inspiration from an old Aral TV commercial and decided to stroll around on foot. I\u2019ll just say: „I\u2019m walking, yes indeed, I\u2019m walking, just you and me\u2026\u201d<\/em> (whistling).<\/p>\n

\"melly-und-mary\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The weather was mixed \u2014 the sun was shining, yes, but there were still plenty of clouds in the sky, and puddles along the way served as lingering remnants of the last rain, which clearly hadn\u2019t been all that long ago. Sometimes, exploring a city on foot gives you a completely different perspective. Okay, Key West isn\u2019t exactly a huge city, but it\u2019s not a village either. We soon realized that the walk to the actual city center was dragging on a bit \u2014 or maybe it just felt<\/em> that way because Melly and Mary kept finding photo ops around every corner, turning each one into a full-blown production, which drastically slowed our pace.<\/p>\n

\n

Melly and Mary explain how to take proper<\/em> vacation photos!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The process was always the same:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Find a subject \u2014 anything with that classic American look and a decent backdrop will do.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Melly or Mary positions herself in front of the chosen scene, which now only serves as a background.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    The other one takes the photos \u2014 not just one or two, mind you, but twenty to thirty.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    A solo or joint review follows to determine which of those photos is the best. If none pass the test, it\u2019s back to step 3 \u2014 or even back to square one.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If the perfect shot is finally found, they switch roles and repeat the whole process. Another variation, of course, is that Kathy or I get pulled in when both Melly and Mary want to be in the picture together. But that doesn\u2019t change the fact that steps 3 and 4 must still be followed religiously. By now, the reader might be getting a sense of what lies ahead for me \u2014 or rather, us<\/em> \u2014 over the next three weeks.<\/p>\n

    I have to admit, I always had my camera with me too, but usually I snapped my photos much faster \u2014 or perhaps I was just easier to please. That doesn\u2019t mean my shots turned out worse, though\u2026 at least I don\u2019t think so. Well, to each their own.<\/p>\n

    At some point, I had to nudge everyone to pick up the pace. First, because I wanted to see the sights while it was still light out \u2014 and second, because I had a specific time in mind to be at Mallory Square, which, according to insider tips, is where you can catch the most beautiful sunset. Sure, there were still clouds in the sky \u2014 but hey, sometimes you\u2019ve got to stay optimistic and let yourself be surprised.<\/p>\n

    \"southernpoint\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Our first hot spot we wanted to visit is actually just a big painted rock that supposedly marks the southernmost point of the United States. I was just thinking \u2014 shouldn\u2019t it technically be placed somewhere that actually touches water? I mean, the island doesn\u2019t end right behind the buoy, does it? I know, I\u2019m being a bit of a smartass here, but hey, just a thought experiment. It\u2019s really just a symbol, a tourist magnet \u2014 and Cuba is only 90 miles from here. Perfekto. Time for a Cohiba.<\/p>\n

    But before we could snap our mandatory photo to prove we touched this holy stone, we had to line up first. Strangely enough, almost everyone in front of us seemed to be of Latin American descent. I imagine they were telling their kids that Grandma and Grandpa are only 90 miles away from here \u2014 or something along those lines.<\/p>\n

    Finally, we got the shot.<\/p>\n

    \"latino\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Now that dusk had begun to set in, it was time to make our way as quickly as possible down the entire main street, Whitehead Street, all the way to the northern end\u2014where not only the tourist epicenter (Old Town Key West) awaited us, but hopefully also the long-awaited sunset.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Sometimes, getting the perfect shot requires a bit of acrobatics…<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \"hemingway\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Halfway through our walk, we were stopped again \u2013 because on the right-hand side stood the Hemingway House. In that moment, we found ourselves quite literally walking in the footsteps of Hemingway.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    I probably don\u2019t need to say much about Ernest Hemingway, the famous author of books like The Old Man and the Sea<\/em> \u2013 everyone should know him from school. Starting in 1928, Hemingway spent ten years of his life here in Key West with his wife.<\/p>\n

    When we arrived, it seemed that a wedding party had rented the house and the entire garden to celebrate what was probably the most beautiful moment of their lives in this historic setting \u2013 and in a rather decadent fashion, too.<\/p>\n

    My girls were so eager to peek over the wall and spy on the event that the way they went about it was absolutely hilarious. It looked like something straight out of a comedy sketch. Eventually, they managed to get their pictures, so we could continue our journey toward Mallory Square.<\/p>\n

    The closer we got to our destination, the more tourists filled the street \u2013 and the more it started to feel like a classic holiday destination. From here on, the first pubs, bars, and souvenir shops began to appear.<\/p>\n

    \"keywest\"<\/a>\"sendemast-keywest\"<\/a>\"mallory-square\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    We didn\u2019t quite make it on time, as dusk had already set in and with all the clouds in the sky, we wouldn\u2019t have seen a perfect sunset anyway. As darkness fell, it got a bit cooler, and the fresh breeze did its part too. The view, the play of sunlight behind the clouds that created a colorful spectacle, was indeed beautiful\u2014but, as always, when a place is overrun with tourists and all you hear is constant chatter, I just can\u2019t enjoy the atmosphere.<\/p>\n

    But what we can say as a group: we were there, we saw everything. Period. Checked off the list.<\/p>\n

    \"sloppyoldtown\"<\/a>\"mary\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Now we were able to take the evening at a slower pace. We strolled through Old Town without any rush, browsing the shops until we stopped in front of a bar with a glowing neon sign above the door that read \u201cCoyote Ugly.\u201d Through the open window, we had a perfect view of the bar \u2014 or rather, the counter \u2014 where two girls, dressed more or less provocatively, were performing a little show and dancing.<\/p>\n

    Kathy saw her chance and started talking to the bouncer, asking if she could dance on the counter as well. I have to admit, at first he looked like he had no idea what this tourist was trying to tell him. But after some determined hand gestures and a lot of miming, he finally understood. He asked the manager for permission \u2014 and just like that, Kathy was allowed to join the two girls on the bar.<\/p>\n

    \n

    When Melly and Kathy are dancing on the bar\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \"coyote-ugly\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Of course, Melly\u2014with her Dancing Queen gene running through her veins\u2014wouldn\u2019t miss out on this moment. She immediately jumped up on the counter too. And then the wild dancing began. Once again, the regular guests had no idea what hit them. You could tell by the looks on their faces\u2014they were confused, maybe even a little overwhelmed\u2014but somehow still entertained.<\/p>\n

    Guys, let me tell you: send girls up onto a counter to dance, and they\u2019ll be totally happy afterwards. This phenomenon was confirmed to me by Kathy and Melly themselves as they hopped off the counter and came over to me, beaming. Their first words? A big smile and: \u201cOh my God, that was aaaawesome!!!\u201d Strange, but true. \ud83d\ude04<\/p>\n

    By now, though, we were all starting to feel the tiredness kick in\u2014a long day was clearly catching up with us, and it hit like someone flipped a switch. But before we could call it a night, there was one thing left to do: satisfy our hunger at the Hard Rock Caf\u00e9 in Key West.<\/p>\n

    \"hard-rock-cafe-key-west-florida-2013\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    After we were assigned a lovely spot under the trees and our order had finally arrived, something happened that \u2014 in my humble opinion (not that anyone asked) \u2014 was completely<\/em> out of place in that moment: it started pouring rain.<\/p>\n

    It’s in moments like these, when the rain appears out of nowhere and hits you with such spontaneity, that you realize just how much energy people carry within them \u2014 how fast they can suddenly move and how many things they\u2019re able to juggle at once.<\/p>\n

    Luckily, we were mostly protected by a sunshade that, despite the darkness, still hovered above us like a brave little soldier. Now and then, when a nasty side wind hit us, we definitely felt the downpour \u2014 and not just a little. After about five minutes, the madness was over. Everything was soaked through, the terrace was empty \u2014 except for our table \u2014 but soon people started crawling out from their hiding spots, and the colorful hustle and bustle returned to the streets.<\/p>\n

    Since we had finished eating and didn\u2019t really feel like sitting there alone any longer, we decided to head back to the hotel by taxi. But before we could call one, Melly wanted to grab a Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt \u2014 and as you might already guess, the process of deciding and finding just the right<\/em> one took a while.<\/p>\n

    To spare you the details, let me just skip ahead and say: yes, she did find a nice T-shirt \u2014 and also picked up two or three other little souvenir items. Finally, we could go.<\/p>\n

    It didn\u2019t take long to find a taxi, and driving it was a friendly American woman in her mid-forties. We ended up having a really lively conversation with her. After about 10 to 15 minutes, we finally arrived back at the hotel, said goodbye, and were happy to finally see our beds.<\/p>\n

    And then came the moment of realization.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHas anyone seen my Hard Rock Cafe bag?\u201d Melly suddenly asked.<\/p>\n

    \u201cUhhh\u2026 nope,\u201d came the unanimous reply from everyone.<\/p>\n

    \u201cFuck, shit, I left the bag in the taxi,\u201d Melly shouted in frustration.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWell,\u201d I said, \u201cthen either the next passenger or the driver will be thrilled. It\u2019s a nice souvenir.\u201d<\/p>\n

    What else could we do at that point? We didn\u2019t know her name, nor the taxi number. Gone is gone. Taxis are like black holes \u2014 once something falls in, it disappears forever into the abyss\u2026 or, more likely, into someone\u2019s wallet. Return it? Completely unheard of.<\/p>\n

    March 2, 2013<\/strong><\/span>
    Key West<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    Having breakfast outside in early March\u2026 there\u2019s just something magical about it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \"hotelpool\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    After a relaxing night marked by heavy rain, we were all feeling refreshed, and Melly had come to terms with her loss. Freshly showered and neatly dressed, we headed to the hotel\u2019s indoor breakfast area, which offered a view of the pool. And it was a beautiful moment\u2014just two days ago, we had been freezing outdoors at zero degrees in Germany, and now we were sitting under the open sky, with light cloud cover but pleasantly warm temperatures, enjoying our coffee and an American breakfast.<\/p>\n

    Okay, the word \u201cenjoying\u201d and \u201cAmerican breakfast\u201d were two concepts that didn\u2019t quite line up for me. Cups, plates, and cutlery were all disposable, and by the end of it, our table looked more like a giant pile of garbage. The breakfast filled us up, but I wouldn\u2019t exactly say we looked truly happy afterward.<\/p>\n

    Then, finally ready to continue our tour, we left Key West\u2014after properly stowing everything in the car\u2014via the same road we had taken to get to the island the day before. Since we were now familiar with the route, it didn\u2019t feel as exciting anymore and didn\u2019t quite get the same level of attention from us. Melly and Mary had completely checked out just a few miles outside Key West, their faces practically glued to the side windows. Only Kathy stayed awake with me. Well, I didn\u2019t really have the option to nod off\u2014because if I did, it would most likely have been for good.<\/p>\n

    \"keys3\"<\/a>\"seven\"<\/a>\"seven2\"<\/a>\"die-seven-mile-bridge-florida-keys-florida-2013\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Up ahead, I saw the Seven Mile Bridge reappear on the horizon. Almost instinctively, just before we were about to drive onto it, I spotted a turnoff on the right\u2014leading to a slightly hidden parking area with a stunning view of the bridge. Since no car was tailgating us, I slammed on the brakes, yanked the steering wheel to the right, and just barely managed to make it into the parking lot. Smooth move\u2014everyone was instantly wide awake. From an ADAC safety test perspective, I\u2019d say: passed with flying colors. The luggage didn\u2019t even complain, except for a gentle groan as it was pressed against the back seat.<\/p>\n

    Everyone was immediately thankful I pulled off that maneuver. The break\u2014and especially the view\u2014was absolutely worth it. And, as if on cue, the long-awaited blue sky finally broke through. The sun lit up the scene as if it wanted to erase the last two days of gloomy weather from our memories. The timing couldn\u2019t have been more perfect.<\/p>\n

    And then, to top it all off, a group of Harley-Davidson riders rolled into the lot. That was it\u2014there was no holding us back. The bikers were instantly charmed by my girls, who just had<\/em> to get a photo with the bikes. The riders didn\u2019t hesitate and gladly agreed. Okay\u2026 I had to have one too. But hey, why not? Somehow, I do<\/em> look like I belong on a bike like that. (laughs)<\/p>\n

    \"rocker\"<\/a>
    \nJust to mention it on the side: the bikers were actually regular businessmen in their everyday lives, heading to Key West, where their wives were already waiting for them \u2014 they had flown ahead because they had no interest whatsoever in the motorcycle tour. I immediately had the feeling that the men were quite happy about that arrangement anyway. A proper all-male trip. Whether the guys envied me or pitied me for being the total opposite \u2014 tagging along with three women \u2014 I honestly couldn\u2019t tell you in hindsight.<\/p>\n

    \"keys1\"<\/a>\"keys2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    After that, the tour continued and we were almost at the end of the Keys. It was time to drive back along that alligator-infested, fenced-in stretch of road. That\u2019s when Melly spoke up and simply said that she urgently<\/em> needed to go \u2014 and you know exactly what I mean.<\/p>\n

    But it was already too late. We had just passed the point of no return<\/em>, and now there was no turning back. We had to finish this stretch first and just hope that a gas station, a burger joint, or some other sort of establishment would appear at the end \u2014 anywhere Melly could release the pressure.<\/p>\n

    And the road\u2026 just. wouldn\u2019t. end.<\/p>\n

    On the way there, it hadn\u2019t felt nearly as long. But now it stretched on forever \u2014 especially for Melly. It was the Highway to Hell.<\/p>\n

    Melly was suffering.
    Melly was in agony.
    Melly whimpered.
    Melly was on the verge of tears.<\/p>\n

    But the road kept going.<\/p>\n

    Honestly, I think she was close to exploding.<\/p>\n

    And then \u2014 finally \u2014 in the distance, we saw it. The end of the road. Houses. Civilization.
    And then\u2026 the holy sign appeared. The golden M of salvation.<\/p>\n

    McDonald\u2019s.<\/p>\n

    I swerved straight into the parking lot, and before I had even come to a full stop, Melly leapt out of the car and vanished into the building.<\/p>\n

    We parked and followed soon after.<\/p>\n

    And I swear \u2014 I have never<\/em> seen a woman look so relieved, so free, so radiant<\/em>, as Melly did when she walked out of that bathroom.<\/p>\n

    I have to admit \u2014 the whole situation was pretty hilarious.<\/p>\n

    How the story continues, how we made it to Everglades City that evening and experienced an epic airboat tour the next day\u2026 you\u2019ll find out in part four of my travel diary.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    March 1, 2013Key West So we had successfully completed the first leg of our journey on our very first real day in Florida and opened the door to our hotel room. The hotel was located right by the water, separated only by a main road…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4082,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1256,1299],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-best-stories","category-road-trip-across-florida"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.misterunique.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/hemingway-haus1.jpg?fit=1001%2C748&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6UJkf-ga7","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=62131"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62133,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62131\/revisions\/62133"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=62131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=62131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=62131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}