I'm watching 'UP' and just twenty minutes in, it is definitely going to be a favourite of mine for the rest of my life.  And, it just re-affirms that travel is something that should never, ever, be put off.  They should have gone to Peru together.  But the adorable way he's going on his own... ah I love this movie!

Fort Lauderdale (yes, again)

Yes, I was just here a few weeks ago.  And somehow, I'm lucky enough to be here again.  Ahhhh the hardships of dating an American businessman...always getting to tag along on business trips.

Not that today consisted of much 'business'.  Inside now after spending hours basking in the beautiful, hot sun.  And the water... oh my.  I have to say, this is one of the best, if not actually THE best, beach I've ever been to.  The water is WARM.  Apparently it's always like that.  And as soon as you walk in, it gets deep.  Walk in a few feet, and you can barely touch the ground.  Just enough waves to make it entertaining, but not enough to make you nervous (and I get nervous.  Especially after being left to drown by my snorkelling team in Exmouth, Western Australia last year. I don't think I'll ever get over that).

I hate resorts, but am admittedly falling for this 'resort hotel' deal.  The luxuries of most resorts without being stuck on it all the time; and without the shitty all-inclusive deals where they pad you full of weak drinks and meager buffets.  Here, you are on the beach; there are tons of restaurants and bars in the hotel; but you are also IN the city, not on some remote area where you have to pay a tour bus a hundred bux to get you anywhere.  So, you can lay on the beach if you choose, or you can head out.  I like it.  More than I thought I would, which is actually a nice surprise.  Turns out I'm not *just* a backpacking addict; I could kind of get used to these lazy sunny days.

It has been almost two years since I went to Central America and realized what my true love in life was: travelling (Well, one of my loves.  I also love cats. And cupcakes.  And something else that starts with 'c', but I'll keep this PG for now).

When I got back from Central America, I was so in love with travelling I saved my ass off and took myself to Australia for six weeks. And since then, I haven't left North America.  Wtf?

My man takes me to the States pretty much all the time now, and not to sound ungrateful, but it's not 'travelling'.  He takes me to fancy hotels, and we eat out at restaurants all the time, all possible amenities provided for.  No adventure, no uncertainty. Lots of fun, yes, but.  I miss the uncertainty.

Not to say I've been lacking adventure completely - when A and I did our east coast trip, we decided as we went along where/what we were doing; we turned my car into a bed for three; and we saw things that rival what I saw in Belize, and Australia, for most gorgeous scenery ever.

But I want to get out of my own again.  I want to do my southeast Asia trip.  Me and my backpack.  I want to go somewhere foreign.  Where I'm challenged, every day, to socialize, adapt, and survive.  Life here in North America is pretty damned easy,  no matter where you turn.

This past year I kept trying to recover from my robbery, and couldn't.  And other things happened which changed my life, in very hard ways, and made it difficult to leave.  When you keep losing friends, it's hard to pick up and run off on the ones that are still here.

But I'm still here.  And part of who I am is having to run off from time to time.  It's the biggest reason I do the job I do: I have the freedom to do what I want, when I want.  I have a good income.  So why the hell haven't I left?  Hmmmmmm.

Florida Keys

What a beautiful day.  Drove from Fort Lauderdale right down to Key West.  Traded in the original rental for a convertible, my very first time riding in one - and first time driving one!  God it felt amazing to zip over the bridges between keys, top down, wearing nothing but a bikini.

Stopped at Bahia Honda State Park, and found a beautiful, small, white sandy beach.  Little piece of heaven.  Got onto Key West right before the sun set, so sat on a pier and reveled in that before heading back here.  The drive back to Fort Lauderdale was definitely not as exciting at night as it was during the day, instead it was just LONG.  Flight leaves in 5.5 hours, so now to try and stay awake so I can get to the airport on time.

Although, I have to say, I wouldn't be too upset if I had to stay down here for a while longer... :)

Best drives in the world

Well, A and I did the Cabot Trail, one of the best drives in the world, and today I get to cross another one off that list - I'm about to drive from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to the end of the Florida Keys.  Gonna be another day wishing I had more time here, but at least I'll get to do a bit of it!

I know what I'm getting myself in to when I share a room with three people. But does it have to seem weird that i cant sleep inthe middle of a loud bright room? really?  I can't sleep when people are talking/the teevee is blaring/ the lights are on.  I like dark and quiet when I sleep, that's NOT WEIRD PEOPLE it's normal!!!!

DINOSAURS!!!!!

Road triiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip!!!!

Currently sitting in my hotel room in Hartford, CT, drinking a vodka redbull before heading off to the venue to see a few of my favourite punk bands play tonight.  And today, just about an hour ago, I touched an actual dinosaur footprint!!!!!!!! I love travelling with Karine because instead of just party she likes to check out the area and do cool things, and we discovered last night that Hartford is the site of 200 million year old dinosaur tracks.  We walked in and I was actually shaking with excitement; I think it was one of the coolest things I've ever done.

It's funny because as I'm typing this, the television show in the background is playing 'Kokomo' by The Beach Boys, and it started the song right at the part about the Florida Keys - which is my next trip, in less than two weeks, ha!

My last three trips, this one included, have all been so different from each other it's hilarious.  A friend of mine was laughing the other day about how, looking through my photos, you see me and A on a trip, living in my car, and only two weeks later there I am in the States with my man, living in swanky hotels.  Now I'm in a swanky hotel, but the room is overtaken by punks, and one snores so loudly that last night I set myself up in the bathtub to sleep so I could shut the bathroom door and keep the noise out - seriously

I'm so happy that this year I'm actually doing what I wanted to do - I'm travelling around North America.  There is a possibility that in October I'll drive a friends car down to California from Ottawa - which means that I can stop in Utah, Nevada, and all of the gorgeous scenic places I've been dreaming about.  AND it means that my decision for next year of either doing Western Canada or America will be made: if I drive to California now, then next year will be Western Canada for sure.  And the year after that... well then, by then I think I'll have to step off this continent again :D