Category Archives: New Experiences

Everglades National Park, Florida Keys, New Experiences, Troy's Blog

The Top 5 Best Parts of Our Travels to South Florida

March 13, 2011 Troy 1 Comment

There are a lot of great memories from our recent adventure to Miami and the Caribbean. Here are the top 5:

#5: The Beautiful Florida Keys. Whenever travel to southern Florida is mentioned, the keys are often talked about or written about and have been a destination that has intrigued me for several years. This seemed like a good time to see why they are mentioned. Our first official key was visited in Biscayne National Park however during our driving adventure we arrived in Key Largo first. I never knew how close Miami was to Key Largo. It seemed a lot further on the maps I was looking at. There was a lot of activity and traffic heading back towards Miami. It was Sunday night so we thought it was just people who were returning home after a weekend in the keys. As it turns out, there was a Seafood Festival taking place and we arrived just as it was ending. Continuing south I was amazed at how many islands actually make up the Florida Keys. It was great to experience all of these keys and the number of bridges with people fishing from them. Driving on the seven mile bridge was interesting as this is a well known expanse of road. We finally arrived in Key West just after sunset. While in Key West we drove around the key, watched people get off of a cruise ship (so many people it was difficult to drive), took our pictures at the Southern Most Point Monument, and found lunch on the beach. One other memorable part of Key West was standing on a pier getting our last views of the water on this island when a stingray swam right next to the pier, stopped, and covered itself with sand waiting for its next meal. We all had a great time on our visit to the Florida Keys.

One of the Many American Alligators We Saw

#4: Alligators, Crocodiles, and Manatees Ohh My! While we were in Everglades National Park, our main goal was to see a manatee. Not really knowing much about alligators and crocodiles, I was a little nervous about running into one. In an effort to face this nervousness, we participated in an alligator talk to learn more and possibly see one. Not only did we see one, we saw over 20 of them in one afternoon. During our time in the Everglades we also were able to see crocodiles and witness firsthand the subtle differences between the American alligator and the American crocodile. Our mission to see a manatee began to appear as though we wouldn’t accomplish this goal as time was running short and we needed to leave to get to our next destination. The last opportunity was to join a ranger program on manatees and hope the park ranger had better luck than we did. During the program, the ranger was looking for a manatee in the spot one was last observed but with no success. Finally, a manatee was spotted and gave us several opportunities for pictures although we had to be quick as it only surfaced long enough to exchange oxygen and then quickly re-submerged. Having met our goals of seeing some of the local wildlife, there was a sense of satisfaction as we left the park. I certainly could have spent several more days exploring but the time there was fulfilling.

#3: A stingray massage takes this spot. For the short time we were in Grand Turk we enjoyed a snorkeling excursion. This was Kristy’s first time snorkeling and Lysa’s first time going off of a boat. It was a lot of fun watching them swim around the reef and watch the corals and fish in a natural setting. Once our time at the reef was complete, our excursion took us to an island to play with the local stingrays. After watching them swim in and out of our feet, one of the stingrays was caught to allow us to take pictures with it and then get a stingray massage. It was an interesting adventure.

Being pushed by a dolphin — Being Pushed by a Dolphin

#2: Our greatest experience was swimming with the dolphins. I absolutely believe this was a once in a lifetime experience. Just remembering the dolphin swim puts a smile on my face. Personally being able to touch dolphins and go dolphin skiing was amazing. The only way an adventure such as this could get better is to be able to watch your spouse and children do it also. Seeing the exhilaration on their faces as the dolphins swam right next to them and popped their heads out of the water to say hello was remarkable. The huge smiles we all had after skiing with the dolphins is a memory all of its’ own. This experience is one that has been talked about over and over again since we did it. The kids love to share videos with friends and watching their expressions helps to realize what a lifetime event it was.

#1: This may seem a little cliché but the number one part of our travels was being able to share this adventure with family. We were fortunate to be able to go on this trip with four other family members in addition to the four of us. There are experiences that we can share and talk about for the rest of our lives. There were certainly some challenges in trying to see and do as much as possible with a larger group as each person has their own interests. I believe all of us got a lot of enjoyment out of our travels together if at the very least we escaped winter for ten days. What great memories for Kristy and Lysa to be able to share as they get older and remember this adventure.

Caribbean, Lysa's Blog, New Experiences

My Favorite Place Was Nassau

February 27, 2011 Lysa 1 Comment

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Shawn and Goombay

It was an awesome trip! We did so much when we were gone and in so little time. We had a chance to swim each day which was a lot of fun! I personally love to swim. The weather was nice too. It was sunny and warm with a slight breeze so we weren’t too hot in the sun! Although when I got back everyone was telling me I was really tan! Of all of the islands Nassau, Bahamas was my favorite because we went swimming with the dolphins on Blue Lagoon Island through Dolphin Encounters.

We took a taxi to the Dolphin Encounters check-in and got our wrist bands/ tickets. From there we took a boat ride to Blue Lagoon Island where the dolphins are. The staff taught us a little about dolphin anatomy and dangers to wild dolphins. They don’t like to be scratched or patted, just rubbed on their back and stomach. Don’t go past the bellybutton though! One of the trainers talked about their bones in their pectoral fins which resemble a human hand. We also learned about how to tell if a dolphin is a boy or a girl. A boy dolphin has two slits and a girl has four slits below their bellybutton. Then, after all the information, we put on wet suits because the water was really cold! We also put on life jackets so we could float. It was also easier to swim without having to stay at the surface.

We climbed down a ladder to a platform and stuck our feet in the water. The trainers introduced the dolphins we swam with, Shawn and Goombay. We rubbed their bellies and backs. They have hard skin but it’s so smooth! Then the trainers said “get in the water” which was freezing cold at first! We got used to it though and had fun. The trainers called the first part a Date with a Dolphin because first we would hug one of the dolphins. Then we kissed the same one and they kiss us on the cheek. Then Shawn and Goombay would get a fish which they would give to us. We would give it back if we didn’t want it and the dolphins would eat it. Then we danced with our dolphin. We held the fins and the dolphin starts dancing with us! Then it’s one last hug goodbye. I got to go on my date with Goombay.

After everybody went on a date with either Shawn or Goombay we experienced the dolphin push. The trainers told one person at a time to swim to the starting point and lay flat on the surface with your feet bent down so the dolphins had a place to push us, and arms stretched out. Then a dolphin or two came and pushed us. You have to lift your arms for it to work. The dolphins would then push us through the water to the other side of the lagoon! It’s like water skiing without a boat because you start to lift up because of the speed! Our trainers told us the dolphins were pushing us 25 – 30 miles an hour. When we reached the end of the lagoon, the dolphins stopped pushing us and it’s like falling off a cliff because we stopped immediately and dropped back into the water. It goes so fast! It’s a one way trip though so we had to swim all the way back! I only had one dolphin which is harder because you have to balance on one leg instead of two! Once everyone went we got out of the water and took off the wetsuits and life jackets.

Then we went and looked around Blue Lagoon Island before we had to get on a boat to go back where we checked in. While looking around we saw an iguana, a cat, and shells and stuff in a touch table. Dolphin Encounters has a sea lion encounter too so we went to see the sea lions which was cool! I really liked that place, but then we had to go. So we took a boat back to Nassau and got back on the cruise ship. I miss Dolphin Encounters a lot; it’s something I’ll never forget! You can get more information about them at http://www.dolphinencounters.com/. I would go again! it’s a really cool experience! As they say “It’s a once in a life time experience!”

Become a Monopoly Traveler, New Experiences, Travel Review, Troy's Blog

A Vacation Post Mortem

February 19, 2011 Troy 2 Comments

What exactly do you mean by a traveling post mortem? This is something that is done by almost everyone with ever realizing it. For most people this is done by simply unpacking from a vacation, putting away any souvenirs, and looking over their photos. It’s a great way to remember all of those memories you created and experiences that you have to share for years to come all the while wishing you could be back on vacation. I take my vacation post mortems a little further.

I like to see how many miles we flew, drove, and walked during our adventure. Trip cost get broken down into categories such as hotels, meals, car rental and gas, airfare and luggage, park entrance fees, souvenirs, and any other miscellaneous expenses related to each trip. If I remember to reset the trip information on my GPS I will also record average speed, max speed, hours moving, and hours stopped. I put all of this information into a document for each adventure we take. What is the purpose of keeping track of all this information?

There are a couple of reasons that this information if kept track of. First of all, it’s interesting to see how many miles we travel and how those miles are traveled. Also, it’s always a good idea to make sure costs add up with receipts and whatever method is used to pay for those items. Portions of vacations are paid for at different times which makes keeping track of all those costs a little more challenging. After a few of these adventures I can average out the costs per trip giving me an idea of how much I need to save in order to cover the costs of any upcoming vacations.

Wonders below the Surface — Looking Below the Surface

This was an idea giving to me from a family member a number of years ago. I didn’t fully appreciate the benefits of doing this at the time and decided it was more work than I wanted to take on after a trip. Once we started traveling our Monopoly National Parks edition, the decision was made to track costs along with some other travel information. So what where some of the stats from this last adventure:

Miles Traveled:
By air: 2,222 miles
By sea: 1,197 miles
By car: 732 miles
By foot: 11 miles
Total Miles: 4,162

Wow! Now that I look at the numbers to think we did all those miles in only 10 days. Let’s take out the air miles and that leaves us with 1960 miles in 10 days. That is 196 miles per day and I know there were days that we did less than 50 miles such as 2 of those days while we flew to Florida and back from Florida. That leaves us with 232 miles per day taking out 100 miles for the two air travel days and dividing 1860 by 8 days. Either way you look at it, it’s about 200 miles per day either by sea, car, or walking. That leaves a lot of things to see each day.

Playing with Dolphins — Playing with the Dolphins

(Please excuse me for a few moments while I go shovel the driveway as we are getting another blizzard.)

Back to the City — Returning to the City

O.K. got the first wave of snow cleared from the driveway. Now, where was I? Ohh ya, our Florida trip post mortem. I was recently going through our pictures. We ended up taking over 700 pictures. It certainly would be nice to be back in those locations on this snowy day. That’s an advantage to the digital age in cameras – if you are unsure about taking a certain photo take it. You can always erase it later but you are not likely to have the opportunity to take the exact picture again. I rarely erase a photo. It really doesn’t cost me anything extra to save the picture on a cd or dvd with all of my other pictures. Who knows, I may want that picture again someday or just enjoy viewing it and remembering the experience associated with it.

A post mortem of an adventure helps to solidify the memories created on that adventure and will become more valuable to you as each year passes and you want to recall a detail or two about the many adventures you’ve been on. This will also help in budgeting for future vacations and give you an idea of where you spend the most or least during a trip. If you really need to reduce costs you can see which categories are the highest and work on ways of reducing that category or categories. A thorough trip analysis can also help determine what you could do differently that would make the next adventure more meaningful, enjoyable, and memorable!

Exploring, Florida Keys, New Experiences, Troy's Blog

Driving the Florida Keys

February 13, 2011 Troy

: On the Way to Key West

The Last part of our trip had arrived. I have seen US 1 on several movies and have been intrigued by the length of bridges connecting the different keys. Also, I wanted to see Key Largo and Key West. Like much of our vacation, we only had a short time to experience the keys. In order to see where we were going we left Everglades National Park mid-afternoon. Entering Key Largo the Seafood Festival was just wrapping up so there were a lot of people heading back towards their cars to return home giving us the opportunity to look around as we drove slowly through the key. As the drive continued, I was surprised at how much of this highway was built on ground instead of over the water. The other thing that surprised me was how shallow the water was all around us.

As we continued towards Key West there were more bridges with some impressive stretches over water including the famous seven mile bridge. It could not have been a nicer day with warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine. The timing of this drive could also not have been better because as we neared Key West the sun was setting giving us a beautiful view of some of the keys surrounded by the ocean. We arrived at Key West right as the darkness overtook the island so there wasn’t much for to see on this day. Anticipation for exploring the island in the morning was building however it was a long day and rest was much needed. This was our second to last night in the warm Florida weather so I took a few moments to step outside our hotel room and feel the ocean breeze and gaze up at the stars shining brightly. The night sky was the most beautiful star lit sky we witnessed during our entire trip and there were some nice nights to star gaze from our cruise ship.

: A Watching Beautiful Starfish While on a Leisurely Stroll

The next morning started with breakfast outside on the hotel patio while taking care of a few things on the computer. A reminder of what summer is like and how much I enjoy it. Following breakfast, we took a stroll by the ocean smelling the ocean air and watching the ebb and flow of the water as it crashed against the shore. Upon returning to the hotel we packed up and got ready to leave when something to one of our cars was noticed as being out of place. Further inspection showed that some trim around a passenger door window was bent out indicating that someone had tried to break into the car overnight. This was disappointing and delayed our leaving the hotel as we examined for anything missing even though there wasn’t much left in the car to take and notified both the hotel and local police. We certainly weren’t going to let this ruin our adventures in the keys.

: The Southern Most Point Monument

One highlight of Key West that was on the top of our priority was to see the Southern Most Point of the continental U.S. We had a fun experience to be at this monument and share this moment with the entire group traveling together. Once the pictures were taken (we did have to wait in line a few minutes to get these pictures) it was off to find a souvenir or two. Irony hit us in this quest as we neared a number of stores we couldn’t find a place to park and even had difficulty navigating the streets as there were so many people crowding Key West due to a cruise ship that was docked for the day. A great perspective of how much of an impact a cruise ship can have on a port and what impact we had at each of our destinations on our recent cruise experience. The decision was made to abort the souvenir portion and head to the beach in search of a restaurant. Success was had in this objective as we enjoyed our food in an open air restaurant watching the people stroll on the beach with the ocean in the background.

After lunch we had time for a stroll along the beach and on to one of the piers allowing the opportunity to smell the ocean and hear the waves as they crash into the sandy shore. On our way out to the end of the pier we spotted several fish and a sailboat or two. Now for the toughest part of the day, the return to the car knowing it was time to head back to Miami to get ready to leave the Florida sun in exchange for ice and snow. As we walked back towards shore like condemned souls we noticed a stingray swimming by. The stingray slowed and eventually stopped and began burying itself in the sand waiting for its next prey. As we watched, it was evident that the stingray was also watching us because the longer we observed the more sand it buried itself in. This completed our experience on Key West and gave me a sense of satisfaction and completion of our adventure along the keys. Now back towards Key Largo and on to Miami.

Everglades National Park, Exploring, National Parks, New Experiences, Troy's Blog

A Taste of the Everglades

February 5, 2011 Troy 6 Comments

Eventually we wandered into the visitor center to peruse the displays and ask a ranger for the best chance to see some crocodiles and perhaps a manatee.The everglades are the only place in the country where alligators and crocodiles overlap. We were given a location and immediately headed for the recommendation. Scouring the water from shore we became more and more disappointed as there were none in sight. As we continued to explore, a crocodile was sighted although we weren’t convinced that it was a live crocodile because there was no movement for a long time. I think the only movement for about an hour and a half was opening its eyes. This crocodile kept it mouth open for that entire time which seemed unusual for a live animal. Later we found out that this is one way for a crocodile to regulate its temperature.

: A Crocodile Resting on a Branch

Early in the afternoon there was a ranger program about manatees which we decided to attend. While waiting for this program, a nest above the visitor center was spotted where an osprey was feeding its young. Another satisfying discovering on this great adventure!

The manatee program got underway with some great information about manatees such as their resemblances to elephants and the amount of food required for this animal to survive. Manatees are able to live in fresh or saltwater and their largest predator is a propeller from boats. After taking in this information, we headed to the area suggested for sighting a manatee and searched and searched to no luck. Then out of the dark water emerged a manatee surfacing for air. Once sighted, we were able to see this animal a number of times. Satisfied that we had accomplished what we had set out to do, it was time to leave Everglades National Park and continue our adventure to the Florida Keys and Key West.

: An Anhinga Hiding

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Biscayne National Park, Exploring, Lysa's Blog, National Parks, New Experiences

Leaving the Cold

December 18, 2010 Lysa 3 Comments

The Dante Fascell Visitor Center at Biscayne National Park

I am excited to go to Miami in this cold weather. Biscayne National Park looks and sounds really cool too. So it isn’t just to get away from the cold weather. Biscayne National park has a lot of things I would like to do and see. “It protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs.” according to their website. Now that sounds really interesting! It has 10,000 years of human history from pirates and shipwrecks to pineapple farmers and presidents. I hope to see a lot of wildlife out there! I also would like to snorkel.

I like to look at the colors and designs of fish. I like blue fish the most though. I’ve never seen a manatee and would like to. There are many tiny creatures to look out for too. Boating would be fun too! I like to feel the breeze in the air. There would be a lot of breeze too according to the website. Camping would be cool but I don’t think we’ll be camping. Biscayne was established for its natural history! Almost every island at the park has evidence that the native people used it. As stated in the Biscayne National Park website: “underwater, shipwrecks lay as silent witnesses to one violent moment of time, having a promise of teaching us about our collective past.” I would like to see a shipwreck and see how I feel about the history. I like to learn about history whenever I get the chance. I’ve learned so much already. You could even hear the story of how the park got established from one of the people who actually made it happen! I would love to hear that story!

Snorkeling — Sights to see while snorkeling

I will become a Junior Ranger for this park. You do a little booklet at your level and to complete it you have to venture around the park for the answers and use your knowledge. After completing it you get a badge with the parks name on it and if you’re a Girl Scout, or Boy Scout you can add patches to your vest or you can just get them for fun too if you aren’t! It is a really fun activity for kids and family. A glass bottom boat over Biscayne’s coral reef would be a great experience, but to see the reef well you would have to swim from the boat to the reef. It would not only be fun for me but a very good sight and experience. I don’t think anything could replace a trip to this park! You can learn so much from traveling in a fun and an exciting way, especially if you go as a family. That’s how I like to travel at least. Like I said, I am so excited for the trip and to see even more National Parks!

Rocky Mountain Junior Ranger — Becoming a Junior Ranger

Exploring, Florida Keys, New Experiences, Troy's Blog

The Keys

December 4, 2010 Troy 3 Comments

Driving US 1 — Dividing the Waters of the Florida Keys

After visiting the Everglades National Park, we are going to begin our journey to the southernmost point in the continental United States – Key West. Driving the U.S. 1 through the Florida Keys is something that I have wanted to experience for a long time. During our excursion to Southern Florida we have decided to finally do just that – Drive the almost 160 miles from Miami to Key West. This highway has been highlighted in such movies as True Lies and Licence to Kill which began my interest in wanting to drive this long span of bridges that connect many of the Florida Keys. We will be staying in Key West for one night before returning to the mainland for our trip back home.

The plan currently is to leave right from the Everglades about mid-afternoon and drive the 4 hours straight for Key West where we will enjoy the rest of the night. One of our games right now is to figure out where we’ll be for the sunset on this drive. The next day we plan to take in some of the sights and attractions as we meander back towards Miami. Since time will be limited we will have to stick to some shorter excursions. Some of the places in Key West that may be interesting see are the southernmost point marker, beaches, the Butterfly Conservatory, the aquarium, and the Hemingway House. I’m sure there is much more than this but these are some attractions the caught my attention.

As we drive back through the Florida Keys some of the other places that might be of interest in our short time are Bahia Honda State Park, feeding the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada or visiting Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park. Continuing on to Key Largo could bring a stop at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park where there is snorkeling, hiking, or kayaking to enjoy. I have read many positive reviews of this state park which moves it a little higher on our list of places to see while driving the Florida Keys. Of course snorkeling is abundant in any of these areas and there is always the option of sitting back and taking in our surroundings.

While researching the drive on U.S. 1 through the keys, I discovered that we could easily spend our entire 10 days in Southern Florida playing in the keys so to only take a day is a great teaser for future endeavors to this area. I am eager to experience driving on a highway that has the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. It’s hard for me to imagine driving on such a long span of bridges connecting so many islands together.

Gaining Life Experience