{"id":62134,"date":"2013-05-20T21:37:56","date_gmt":"2013-05-20T19:37:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/?p=62134"},"modified":"2025-05-21T23:25:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T21:25:56","slug":"road-trip-through-florida-my-travel-diary-part-4-the-everglades-are-calling-airboat-action-and-pure-solitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/?p=62134&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Road Trip through Florida \u2013 My Travel Diary \u2013 Part 4 \u2013 The Everglades Are Calling \u2013 Airboat Action and Pure Solitude"},"content":{"rendered":"

March 3, 2013<\/strong><\/span>
Homestead \u2013 Florida City<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After Melly bravely withstood the pressure and survived, we refueled both ourselves with new drinks and the car at the gas station right next to McDonald’s. Then we headed straight north along Krome Avenue. While the drive down to Key West on the Florida Keys had been a bit more winding, now we encountered a typical phenomenon of the American road system \u2013 the endless straight line. When the road seems to go on forever without a single curve, only interrupted by the occasional intersection, you find yourself grateful for any change of scenery.<\/p>\n

Where the morning had still felt quite tropical as we made our way back over the Keys, it now felt more like being in the foothills \u2013 or even back in Germany. On both sides: fields, cultivated farmland, greenhouses, meadows, and trees \u2013 just like home.<\/p>\n

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

The Florida flair gradually gave way to the charm of a flat, rural German plain\u2014except for one detail: an endlessly straight road lined with American cars and trucks, constantly reminding us where we actually were. Since our last stop because of Melly, all three ladies had been unusually quiet or slightly low-spirited. Understandable, really\u2014today\u2019s stretch was dragging on, even though everyone had known it would be a long driving day.<\/p>\n

Finally, we reached the long-awaited junction where we had to turn left. This would put us on the famous Tamiami Trail, which merged with our current road and would lead us westward through the heart of the Everglades. Once we passed the intersection, one could have feared that the long, straight road ahead might become mind-numbingly monotonous\u2014but luckily, there were roadworks. And in their very own way, these construction sites actually brought some welcome variety to the drive and the view. Without them, we would\u2019ve seen nothing but a canal flowing alongside us on the right and endless green shrubbery on the left.<\/p>\n

Before each roadwork section came into sight, it was heralded by bright red warning signs. The first site actually sparked a bit of curiosity\u2014after all, something new is always at least a little exciting. Eventually, we spotted it: the road would narrow to a single lane, requiring one direction to stop while the other had the green light. But before we reached the waiting point, the road gave us a little nudge\u2014literally. Raised bumps had been installed, and driving over them gave us such a violent shake that it was like a wake-up call: \u201cHey you fool, slow down already!\u201d<\/p>\n

And then came the stopping point on our side, where we had to wait our turn to proceed.<\/p>\n

\n

Construction zones in the U.S. are somehow… different.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Worth mentioning: unlike in Germany, where you\u2019d expect a traffic light at exactly this kind of spot, traffic here was managed by a person\u2014yes, a real person\u2014holding a sign that read \u201cSTOP\u201d on one side and \u201cGO\u201d on the other. Depending on the phase of the \u201cmanual traffic light,\u201d he\u2019d simply flip the sign toward our direction. His job had just two tasks: 1. Flip the sign, and 2. Coordinate with his colleague at the other end of the site about when it was time to flip. Kind of strange, when you think about it\u2014doing this all day long. Then again, you only think about it for a moment… and then it\u2019s gone.<\/p>\n

In total, we hit another three to five construction zones, each with the exact same setup. Needless to say, our mood didn\u2019t exactly improve. After the final one\u2014and we probably said this after each one, but this time it was actually true\u2014we still had about 50 kilometers left to follow the Tamiami Trail. To the right: the canal. To the left: more green shrubbery. Occasionally, a few alligator farms or airboat stations appeared on either side of the road, briefly injecting a hint of civilization into the scenery. But we didn\u2019t stop. We literally left them on the left\u2014and sometimes right\u2014side of the road.<\/p>\n

Our goal was the town of Everglades City<\/em>, and we now wanted to get there as fast as possible. Mainly because we still had no idea where we were going to sleep that night\u2014we had only booked the first two nights of the trip in advance back in Germany. So things were still exciting. Would it all work out? Would things go according to plan?<\/p>\n

The long-awaited next junction finally appeared on the horizon\u2014there really aren\u2019t many along this road. Another left turn, and we\u2019d have just 5 or 6 kilometers to go before reaching our destination.<\/p>\n

Everglades City.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"karte-everglades\"<\/a>
\nFinally, we reached the sign that said „Everglades“ \u2013 we had arrived. Looking back, this was the most remote and eerie stop of our entire trip, and the only one where we stayed overnight. A single main road connects this place to civilization \u2013 in or out. Beyond that, it\u2019s nothing but swamp and water surrounding the town. If you’re looking for solitude to truly dive deep into yourself, this is the perfect place to explore the hidden corners of your soul. Just make sure you find your way back out again. (smile)<\/p>\n

\"Everglades-City\"<\/a>
\nThe sky was blue, the sun was shining, it was warm, and the place seemed completely peaceful\u2014and even a little romantic\u2014in the daylight. The atmosphere at night, however, was something we\u2019d experience later. For now, we focused on finding a place to stay and stopped at the first motel we saw after entering the town: the \u201cIvey House.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Everglades-City-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The motel looked very modest from the outside, but still quite inviting. I don\u2019t remember exactly how the decision was made, but it was the girls who took charge of going inside to ask for a room. After what felt like 15 to 20 minutes, they finally came back out, beaming with joy, and announced that we would be staying here for the night. The only difference compared to other hotels was that we had to book two rooms instead of one, since each room was just big enough to fit two beds with a bit of walking space around them. And the beds themselves were only large enough for one person each.<\/p>\n

But before we could check into our rooms \u2014 which were located in a separate building from the „hotel“ itself \u2014 we grabbed our suitcases from the car and trotted in single file behind a hotel staff member who was leading us to our rooms. As mentioned, we had to leave the main building, walk a few meters outside, and then entered the annex. A bleak hallway stretched before us, ending in a room that served as a common area \u2014 though it felt more like a clich\u00e9 American „living room“ from a movie set.<\/p>\n

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

Since our two rooms were right at the very end, we basically had the \u201cliving room\u201d directly in front of our doors. The only thing we were still missing were the sanitary facilities. But where were they? Ah, there\u2014a door on the right side of the hallway was open, and I immediately stopped with my suitcase and curiously peeked into the room that was visible from there.<\/p>\n

Anyone who has ever seen the inside of a youth hostel\u2014or even stayed in one\u2014knows all too well what communal washrooms are. And there it was, right in front of me. The room itself looked a bit like a museum exhibit of how people might have washed themselves 50 years ago\u2014but definitely not in 2013. Every youth hostel is more modern than this. Tiny sinks and cute little twist taps lined the left wall, and directly across from them, on the right side of the room, were three Western-style toilets. You could have easily looked into each one without even standing on tiptoes\u2014or being a giant\u2014and calmly watched anyone doing their business.<\/p>\n

In the back, there was a side room where four futuristic plastic showers stood in a row. All I could think was: Well, this\u2019ll be fun…<\/em> Then I quickly followed the others, who had already disappeared into our rooms.<\/p>\n

As usual, the first thing we all did was go online for a bit. Outside the window, dusk was already falling, and as my stomach began to growl again, I asked the group if we shouldn\u2019t go grab something to eat now. Melly and Kathy agreed immediately, while Mary wasn\u2019t hungry\u2014or didn\u2019t feel well that evening\u2014so she stayed in her room. That this wasn\u2019t the only reason she didn\u2019t want to come along, I would find out later…<\/p>\n

\n

You honestly felt like you were in a movie\u2014something like Halloween<\/em> or Friday the 13th<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We got in the car and simply headed south through town, with a few tips from reception in hand about where we might still find something to eat. That\u2019s when we realized just how deserted this place really was. With the growing darkness, it more and more resembled the perfect setting for a horror film. Halloween<\/em> or Friday the 13th<\/em> could\u2019ve easily been filmed here. A town, far from the next, only reachable by road\u2014or otherwise by water\u2014offered the ideal conditions that every clich\u00e9 horror movie calls for.<\/p>\n

After we explored the area a little, we finally spotted a diner. It looked somewhat lively, thanks to its bright lights shining out through big windows into the darkness. We parked right next to it and experienced a diner just like the ones you see in American films set in small towns.<\/p>\n

Okay, it wasn\u2019t exactly bustling, but there were a few guests. We sat down at a table and were immediately served by a young, pretty girl, which made me instantly wonder what she was doing in a place like this. She really seemed like she belonged anywhere but<\/em> here in this forgotten town. Before I could pursue that thought any further, I focused on the menu instead. Kathy and I ordered a small pizza, and I think Melly went for a salad.<\/p>\n

\"pizza-fassen\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Alright, in the end, the pizza wasn\u2019t that small after all, and we actually had to take half of it with us. But wow, was it delicious! Honestly, one of the best pizzas I\u2019ve ever had \u2013 and that in a tiny backwater town. No one\u2019s ever going to believe me. But yes, yes \u2013 just look at the photo. If that doesn\u2019t make your mouth water, then you clearly don\u2019t know what good food is. (grins)<\/p>\n

Suddenly, the topic came up: why hadn\u2019t Mary joined us? She usually never misses a chance when there\u2019s food involved. And how bad was she really feeling? Before I go into that, I want to make one thing clear: I had explained in detail to everyone beforehand that this was a road trip I\u2019d be documenting in multimedia format \u2013 with daily updates both in a separate blog and on Facebook. I also emphasized that we were a team, and of course I wanted to shine a light on the whole<\/em> team \u2013 not just myself.<\/p>\n

But apparently, that had become too much for Mary. All of a sudden, she didn\u2019t like that I was posting pictures with all of us in them and even tagging her. At that moment, I felt like I was in the wrong movie. What had Mary expected? Had she not informed herself about the trip beforehand \u2013 even though she\u2019s Melly\u2019s best friend and maybe said yes without asking too many questions? But that couldn\u2019t be, because I had spoken to her on the phone and explained everything, or so I thought.<\/p>\n

For me, this was the first crack in our project \u2013 and in our team dynamic. How was I supposed to deal with Mary in the future when it came to photos? So many questions, and I didn\u2019t have any answers yet. The only thing I knew for sure was that, for the first time since the start of the trip, my mood had taken a hit that evening.<\/p>\n

Anyway \u2013 time to head back to the motel. Maybe the world would look better in the morning. On the way back \u2013 it must\u2019ve been around 10 p.m. \u2013 you could really feel the eerie atmosphere of the place. The darkness and ghostly silence gave the whole area a truly spooky vibe.<\/p>\n

Inside, I was relieved that we were only spending one night here and would be returning to civilization the next day. When we arrived at the motel, I disappeared straight into the bathroom, took a long-awaited, relaxing shower I\u2019d been craving all day, and then collapsed, dead tired, into bed.<\/p>\n

March 4th, 2013<\/strong><\/span>
Everglades (City)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"wlan\"<\/a>
\nWhen I woke up in the morning, gently roused by the sunlight sneaking through the wooden blinds, I knew I was still alive \u2013 and that Jason or Michael Myers hadn\u2019t dropped by after all last night. (smile)<\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

\n

Hotel, youth hostel or retirement home? Who knows\u2026 the lines definitely seemed blurred here.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

With thoughts of a delicious breakfast in mind, I made my way straight to the bathroom \u2014 or rather, the communal washroom \u2014 and I was so<\/em> happy when I finally made it out. Let\u2019s just say: space showers and tiny sinks are a real adventure. But now it was time for breakfast.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for us to realize that we four were by far the youngest ones there. The other guests were all sprightly seniors, sure \u2014 but somehow, it felt like we had spent the night in a retirement home. Was this place cursed? Were we now trapped in this town forever, doomed to live out our days like the elderly around us? Hopefully not. I quickly pushed that strange thought aside.<\/p>\n

Back to breakfast. Once again, we were treated to a \u201ctypical American breakfast\u201d \u2014 lucky us \u2014 but the real highlight? The tablecloth. Its subtle palette was a true feast for the eyes.<\/p>\n

\"knallbunter-tisch\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Oh God, that tablecloth was an assault on the eyes. You could get eye cancer just by looking at it. Any small object placed on that table would have been instantly lost, never to be seen again\u2014it blended in with the pattern that quickly.<\/p>\n

After breakfast, clearing the table on your own was the rule of the day here as well. Felt just like home. And without any complaints, we followed suit like good kids.<\/p>\n

Then it was time to check out, and less than 100 meters from the motel, our first highlight of the day was already waiting: Speedy\u2019s Airboat Tours<\/em>. That morning, we were in for an epic ride through the Everglades on one of those awesome airboats.<\/p>\n

\"speedy\"<\/a>\"plan-airboat-tour\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

My First Time!! Well\u2026 with a classic airboat in Florida!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The vibe within our group was great again, and everyone was excited for what was about to happen. First, we each paid $40 per person for the ride and got a small red slip of paper in return \u2013 with the name of our captain and the number of the dock where our airboat would be waiting for us shortly.<\/p>\n

Melly and Mary made themselves comfortable in the sun, lying down on a nearby patch of grass, while I checked out the boats that were already tied up at the dock. Since this wasn\u2019t one of those airboat operators along the busy Tamiami Trail \u2013 the road we\u2019d taken the day before through all those construction zones \u2013 there didn\u2019t seem to be a massive tourist crowd here. Everything felt small and personal \u2013 just like the whole operation.<\/p>\n

The boats had two rows of seats with room for a maximum of six people, and the captain sat on an elevated seat at the back. While I relaxed, took in the surroundings, soaked up the sun, and quietly filmed a few shots with my camera, a loud shout suddenly rang out. It was none other than our captain, calling out our number to signal that he was ready to go.<\/p>\n

Since my girls hadn’t noticed a thing (as usual), I rushed over to the sunbathing duo and shouted, \u201cChop-chop, let\u2019s go! Sunbathing is over \u2013 time to hit the boat!\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that the gang was complete again, we made our way to the dock, where our captain was already waiting for us with a grin. We took our seats on the benches. Joining us on board were two more passengers \u2013 a younger woman and an older lady. As we later found out, they were mother and daughter. And big respect \u2013 the mom, despite her age, just couldn\u2019t get enough speed. She was loving<\/em> the airboat ride!<\/p>\n

After a brief safety talk from the captain and putting on our ear protectors, he fired up the engine \u2013 and off we went.
How the airboat ride actually turned out? You can watch it in the video:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n