Devall Travels

So once the week in Punta Gorda comes to an end we have to decide what to do for the other 5 nights before the flight home. Currently we have started to look further down the Gulf Coast and so I have a booked a couple of nights near Naples. but the wanderlust to see more things has started to bite and although at the time of writing there are 221 days to go. Currently I have the Fairways Inn of Naples and Wyndham Garden in Fort Myers Beach that leave a single night to look at.......

Since the scare stories about hours to wait to fly anywhere I have always been a little paranoid about turning up late to the airport. So we were up at 7am a full five and a half hours before our first flight from Fort Myers to Toronto.  I packed the car. The Mustang is a fine car but luggage capacity is not good.  The overall mpg, titchy US gallon was 24.6 on the onboard computer with a high of 30.4 on a long boring 55mph limit zones. Not bad for a big engine. In fact it was more economical at 50 than 35. Both popular limits in Florida. We stopped for breakfast at a Denny's on Gladiolus Drive.  This is a nice chrome jobbie. Nice not belly busting breakfast and then off again. Next stop to fill the car. Guessed at $35 since Weston. Took $23.11! Then TomTom took us to the airport and we waved goodbye to Sally. Back in the hands of Alamo. With all insurances she cost us $800 for 16 days. GULP!!!! And now enjoying a Dunkin Donuts coffee (too ...

Today we decided to take a short drive down US41 to Fort Myers to the Edison-Ford Winter Estates. TomTom was already primed from the Tyre program on the laptop at home to have all the addresses we would need, apartment resorts and hotels in Key West and Fort Myers Beach. Plus the EFWE and the Triumph and HD shops in Fort Myers. The lady at Alamo chuckled when we called TomTom "satnav" as it is apparently geepee-ess or I guess (see what I did there?) GPS. Anyway, the Mustang (aka Sally) is a thirsty beast and manages only 24mpg at these around town tiddling along speeds.  She needed a drink of something called regular. There seemed to be three varieties of unleaded at Sunoco. The pump wanted a zip code and refused the one here at the village. Having to pre-pay for petrol never happens at home. I decided to spend $20 and that took the gauge to half and the estimated mileage from 72 to 198. Maybe try a different station next time? On the way home we have ...

Okay. Once I saw this baby the Charger was history. No need for words. Midlife crisis?

Once on the ground at Fort Myers it was a short walk into the terminal building. At the gate the less lucky people waiting to fly back north on our plane on AC1235 were able to watch us arrive. Baggage claim quick and then straight out into the street.  Man is it HOT. It's what we came for I suppose, somewhere warm and sunny. We picked up the car from Alamo. See other blog entry " Extravagant ". With the TomTom mount and power in the missing suitcase (!) it became handheld for Claire and once it had found the satellites we were off for the apartment complex at Fisherman's Village at Punta Gorda. We arrived about 1230 local time and booked in. Did I say it was hot? The apartment is about halfway along the site and on the corner, so we have two aspects, South and west facing. I'm sure the balcony facing west will be good come sunset. The apartments are on the second floor, or what we would call first. T...

Up at 4.30am local time to make sure we are packed and ready to rock and roll. Easier with one suitcase!! Checked Air Canada baggage and not yet returned. Had hoped that the people that had ours would have had the decency to go back to the airport in a hurry but apparently not yet. Caught the 5.25 shuttle bus and after some problems with the automated check-in we finally entered the US pre-security area.  I was singled out for a chat with the officials and then allowed through! Very nerve racking. But another stamp in my nine year old passport. Two now!! All the right information had been entered months ago via Air Canada, passport numbers etc and where we are staying in the US. But I gave it to them again plus it was on the customs form we had filled in. Once air side we had breakfast and found the wifi. Slow to connect on iPhones as seems the norm but was okay. Then aboard the fight from gate F57. Writing this as we ...