Staying at my aunt Maria's afforded us the opportunity to sleep in (given the two straight nights of copious partying, we sorely needed it). I stayed in bed for a little bit, watching an episode of Frasier and imagining Sideshow Bob was actually speaking instead of Frasier Crane. Everyone mozied on downstairs for breakfast at their own pace. The jacuzzi happened, and severely delayed our departure. We stayed so long that we wound up having lunch there, too. I don't think anyone wanted to leave. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. God, I freaking hate snow.

Eventually, we did leave and made our way to the southernmost point on our tour. The thrill of being on tour for me is seeing new places and traveling down new roads. This was the complete opposite. The Florida Turnpike from Orlando to Miami is one I've done hundreds of times, usually on the summer pilgrimage to Disney World as a kid. It's a weird feeling, not sure I quite understand it. I also never realized how goddamned expensive the tolls are on the Turnpike. They put the Mass Pike to shame, and I never thought I'd say that in my life. We probably spent $25 by the time we got to Miami on tolls alone. Looks like it's I-95 on the way back up.

Made it all the way down to Port St. Lucie. Jon needed to buy something from Best Buy real quick-like, Jen used the opportunity to buy that Glassvegas CD, and Ryan and I used to opportunity to stretch our legs. Gassed up somewhere nearby and learned the hilarious fact that the name of Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture is Charles Bronson.

We arrived pretty close to 10pm, everyone was still up. After unloading our gear, we went down the street to my grandparents' house, which is when it seems like my entire family descended upon us. My grandma (the previously mentioned Wizard of the Kitchen) had food ready, which was scarfed down until stomachs were ready to burst. We went out later to the Alehouse in Doral, but didn't stay out too long. We were tired as hell. Headed back to grandma's, crashed.

Next: visiting the Grove, Coral Gables, and the Miami show.

Henry

Labels: tourdiary