Florida 2023 - February 5

 Travel to the keys day.

In a surprise move, I actually used the hotel treadmill.  Because it was raining cats and dogs when I woke up.  There was technically a sidewalk by my hotel, but not really.  It just wasn't worth it. 

Then, we drove.  The ride from the mainland to Key West is just slow.  The speed limit in a lot of places is 45mph, and there's very few opportunities for passing.  Luckily, it's gorgeous.  Dungeon Master was curious how I'd do but the bridges didn't bother me at all.  I'd been over them before so I had an idea in my mind of what to expect.

Ft Zachary Taylor: First stop in Key West was a state park.  Luckily it was culture day so everyone was dressed up in costumes telling us about their life in the civil war.  It was fascinating.  Long story short: Florida did secede from the union, but the Union always held the Florida Keys. 

Southern Most Point: It was very important to Dungeon Master to have a picture next to the buoy.  So we waited in line and did the thing.  I totally missed all the iguanas on the rocks the first time around.

Fried seafood: I was on a mission to basically eat all the fried seafood I could find, and bonus points if it's from a building that looks like a shack.  It was at about this time we discovered that several shacks are closed on Sundays and Mondays.  Boo.  DJs clam shack was open and they did me a solid. 

Shopping: We got some souvenirs, including for the person who's watching my plants, and my most favorite 3 year old.  (Side note here, I really only know one 3 year old well.  Thanks Pooky.) 

Sunset on the beach: We had such a good time we went back to Ft Zachary Taylor state park, sat on the beach, and watched the sun set.  It was amazing.

Hotel drama: Then we checked in to a super expensive hotel, not for amenities but just for existing on Key West.  Okay. So, we walk around to our rooms and the hotel keys don't work.  Dungeon Master walks back to the front desk to get that sorted out. Then we get in the room and there is a millipede just chilling on what would have been my bed.  This sucker was enormous.  It's a first floor room in Florida.  It was one of our preference to ask for another room.  This time the keys did work.  There were no visible bugs.

After that excitement I sat outside in my shorts and talked to Mom and Dad for a while