Searching For The Rhythm Of Florida
 

Some many weeks ago, over fifty people on this board helped me and Sue plan a five week Florida road trip. Well finally we are in the sunshine state and it would be great if some of you would care to dip into the travel blog of a pair of Brits. I promise you it will not be a list of where we've been and what we've eaten. If you'd be interested in something a little more off the wall then please take a look at http://apacheterritory.blogspot.co.uk/ Hopefully some of you will elect to join us on tour. Many thanks - Richard and Sue.

Thanks for posting..having just spent most of the winter in Florida, I will be interested in your impressions of the "Sunshine State!"

Sounds like the start of a fun trip. Do you have your route planned or are you "winging"it?

Boy, is this ever planned. It's an invasion.It's a military operation - but hopefully with a good bit of "wriggle" room.

"I'm talking people, food and cars. See I'd forgotten just how much fun it is, to watch a big family, go to "work" on ribs and fries, and the kind of dessert that constitutes a miracle of trans-fat engineering"

"the national pastime - shopping?"

Well, thanks for the gratuitous insults and stereotyping. Enjoy your visit to the United States; and if you don't like cars, shopping, etc., try to avoid the outlet malls. (Are you quite sure that those weren't your fellow countrymen? They bring empty suitcases simply for the chance to fill them at the malls. And frankly, the USA isn't the only place with...beefy...citizens.)

I look forward to reading your observations, rickydicky. As a blogger, you must already have come to terms with the fact that readers can be sensitive to perceived criticism of their native land--I am no exception! But I urge you not to censor yourself because the point, for us, is to see through your eyes, and the point, for you, is surely to give your honest view. Which, as I said, I'm looking forward to reading.

So, happy travels, and keep posting!

OK, I can't resist adding that the (many, large) shopping malls of Orlando are really not where locals shop--they're built for tourists, foreign and domestic. Local flavor in Orlando can be found in, say, Little Vietnam, or the Lake Eola area, although these are not unique in the world; they're just a respite from Big Mickey :-)

Love it! And I can tell you that I live in South Florida and I shop in both strip malls and our Galleria so you'll find plenty of natives in both places. Of course, there's always Home Depot where people who actually work hangout even if some of them down here do drive a Rolls or a Ferrari. ENJOY your stay in our great state!!!!

I stand corrected. Please do continue to insult and stereotype while visiting.

Thank you so much for the comments and thanks for taking the time to write. As the days pass by I hope you'll find that I'm pretty fair. I mean I must love the country because I keep coming back! And Sylvia, I pretty much agree with most of what you said. Please don't take me too seriously. Regards Richard.

One of the great attractions of Florida, if you come from a cold clime, are outdoor eccentrics. Please keep a look out for them. And glad to read a trip report that is more than hourly account of hourly accounts.

Richard:
I also agree with some of what you wrote!
Bitterly disappointed by the Stones (and that was literally decades ago), ditto The Who (at a certain age, best to stick with bad acting, Roger), and enjoyed myself immensely in Las Vegas watching a Beatles tribute band, until I looked around and saw who else was singing along with big smiles on their faces. (Maybe it's time to move to Florida and consume huge desserts at an outlet mall food court...)
Hope you enjoy your trip and continue to write (perhaps with more of an eye to sensitive Americans). :)

This is fodors.....nobody writes anything with any concern for the sensitive. Carry on.

rickydicky:


Interesting start and looking forward to more.

Surprised that you got caught out with no change for the road tolls.

More please.

Sandy

rickydicky, I was right by the port today, The no jerseys meant football shirts. No team colors so to speak. I am sorry about the toll booth. You can go to the need receipt booth and a person mans that one. We all have sun pass so speed on through. Very hot here today. Wear lots of sun screen. Did you like seeing the Disney ships in port today?

hey rickydicky - a note on tolls in South Florida if you haven't heard yet. Once you cross Miami-Dade County line on the Florida Turnpike, there are no toll booths at all. You either have a Sunpass (which can be purchased almost anywhere for a few dollars) or you get billed by license plate. I'd check with the rental car company on how that gets billed back to you.
Enjoy your stay in our beautiful state

You people just knock me out with your information. Of course jerseys means football shirts. I should have thought of that. And I'm particularly pleased to have the information about the Sunpass. That's really handy to know. By the way there should be another blog on line tomorrow. Thanks again everyone (and Sylvia I'm paying attention!)

sorry to be so defensive.
I'm visiting the area (rental car) shortly, and missed tolls fines can be severe. $5 to $7 per day extra to the rental car agency, THEN any tolls are billed to your credit card (it seems along with an "administrative fee" that isn't included in the 5-7 bucks). Wonder how many Orlando-area-only theme park visitors get strong-armed into paying these extra fees for a 2.50 ride to their hotel?

Adult gentleman should have learned not to wear a hat indoors. It's sad they need a sign to tell them to doff them (for national anthem at outdoor parks, too).

I've read all about sunpass for out-of-state visitors. If you don't accept the rental car contract (daily fee plus tolls plus "administrative fee"), you need to buy the pass and load it (before you get on a toll road that doesn't have a booth or coin pay option). You also have to add your rental car details to the sunpass account. The fines assessed by contractors if you haven't learned about this and mistakenly go through the wrong lane, and/or the fees for the rental car sunpass lane use, seem ridiculously complicated and very tourist unfriendly. (The rental car fees are especially egregious.)