Well, we have made it there and then we made it back!

We have made Millie’s prediction come true and been down to the ‘Keys’ for a week, but we can’t promise to match Millie’s oratory skills, so please bear with us.

Setting off last Wednesday (8th March), we drove the 300 miles to the Larry & Penny Thompson Campground, just south of Miami for a couple of nights, before venturing further South down the ‘Keys’.

Of course, it wouldn’t be us if some mishaps didn’t occur, well after booking in and unhitching the tow car, we found that it wouldn’t start – Ahhhhh!

The hunter one of the pair, had only left the ignition switch too far on, when he set the car into neutral before setting off and as it was a very cloudy day and we travelled with the lights on, it only flattened the battery – Grrr.

However, a kind fellow camper kindly pulled their car close and we applied the jump leads and away she went – phew.

Just after the site office closed, who should arrive on our camp site with their RV, was Jimbo, Cathy and Trouper, what a surprise! (you may remember them from earlier blogs).

Just kidding, we knew they were coming.

So we all set up camp and opened a bottle (or two) and awaited our next guests, Ed & Jan, arriving from England at Miami Airport about 5:30pm.

However, 5:30 came and went and so did 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30!

Panic was setting in, then at 10 ish, the message came that they had landed – good, see them soon – like heck!

After delays on immigration, followed by 1:30 hours in a queue (line in US talk) for their hire car, they finally got on the road and we notified the camp site security that they were coming.

They finally arrived at the camp site around 1:20 am!!!!!!!! – it’s a secret how much we had to drink whilst we were worrying over the extended wait period, so don’t ask!

The next day was hot and sunny and Ed took off back to Miami to show Jan the sights of South Beach.

It was her first time in the US so everything was new.

The four of us left, went to the Miami Zoo, which literally backed onto the 275 acre camp site we were on.

It was blistering hot walking round and with the very poor signage and Jimbo’s ability to keep getting lost, we ended up walking miles and miles round and round the Zoo.

We even went on a ride around the zoo on the monorail for a rest, but that was disappointing because you could see very little other than trees and bushes, which had obviously grown considerably sign the monorail was built.

Overall, we thought the zoo a little tired, just like us!!, but we still had a good day out with good friends and enjoyed ourselves.

Off the next morning for a short 125 mile trip down to Cudjoe Key and the ‘Venture Out’ Camp site with Jimbo and Cathy, whilst Ed and Jan went their own way to explore the Keys.

As usual, we had some fantastic sights as we drove over the causeways and down the length of the ‘Keys’ and finally we arrived at Mile Marker 23 and turned left down to the RV site.

Some very nice views out to sea from the site, but the lots were rather small and tight for a large rig so we will stop somewhere else if we come down here again.

Had a steady day then the following day we took off for Key West to see the ‘sights’ and to watch the sun set in Mallory Square.

Looking around for somewhere not too crowded to chill with a drink and an evening meal, we moved over a block from Duval Street where we found a truly fantastic Italian Restaurant, called Bruschetta, the food, the ambiance, the prices and the staff were all just brilliant – we definitely would recommend it.

Another couple of steady days and local sight seeing, then as the weather had started to worsen, we decided to set off for home.

We thought we would try and do the 420 miles in one go, the longest travelling day we had done to date, so we were interested to see how it would go.

Well, it went well and eight hours later, we pulled onto our drive and went Phew!!!!!!!!, then seconds later Brrrr, as a cold snap (well Florida cold) had set in and we almost had to resort to wearing long trousers, almost!

We enjoyed the trip and although we didn’t have Millie to keep us on the straight and narrow, we managed the trip without any real mishaps apart from the flat battery incident!!

A months rest to give time for the weather to improve around the USA, then we are off on our ‘Big’ tour  around the US and Canada.

Talk again soon.