Miami

Hi from Miami!
Getting here was one big (and not so fun) adventure. We left our resort at 9.30am last Sunday to catch our 11.30am flight. We landed in Mexico City at about 1.00pm and waited around until our 4.30 flight to New York. We landed there at around 10.30pm (after maybe one too many Bacardi and Cokes on the flight) and spent the night in the airport. We tried to get some sleep on some stretchers (or the floor which may have been more comfortable) but gave up not long after we started. We left the airport at 7.30am for our flight to Miami and arrived at our hostel at about 11am.

The hostel is small but "trendy", situated about 200m from Miami beach. We're staying in a 10 bed mixed dorm and have come across some very nice and sometimes a little strange people. This area used to be the "Art Deco" area of Miami in the 20's (where all the rich people came to have fun) and lots of the hotels have been built to look like the area did back then. (photo's below) It's very fun!

Now to what we have been doing. Lots of walking around taking in the beautiful buildings and scenery. The beach (although the sand and waves have nothing on Australia) is a beautiful colour and although a bit too cold to swim, lots of reading has been done on its shores.
Yesterday we ventured over the bridge on a bus to the city (where we accidently put a $20 note in the bus machine and it didn't give change... oops) and walked around not really knowing where we were going. After a long and unfruitful search for anything that resembled a shopping centre we (well me to be exact) asked for directions and found the hustle and bustle!
Last night we walked up "Espenola Way" and found a lovely little restaurant with some great live spanish music (piano, classical guitar and a lovely female singer and for a few songs an old man who was an absolute character with a deep rich voice). Prices for drinks weren't displayed and after tax and the awful gratuity the Americans put on everything we ended up paying $17 for two not so large, not so divine glasses of house red. Yes it was a scandal!

On that note we are being very careful with money and are cooking all dinners at the hostel. We went out to one of the fancy restaurants for lunch today which was nice.

So a pretty cruisy few days, with lots of reading and games (the score in chess is one to me and one to Alex... We'll see the ultimate winner tonight) and tonight we are going to see Alice in Wonderland 3D at 12.01am. We leave the hostel at about 8am tomorrow and catch a bus to the airport (a lot longer but a whole lot cheaper than a taxi) and fly to Nicaragua where we will visit one of our sponsor children which I cannot wait for!

Hope your all doing well.
Lots of love!
Al and Nik
xx


A cool building on our city adventure!


The little restaurant.





Miami beach.




Our street at night.


Original Hotel from the 20's, also where we had lunch


We think the car was parked there for effect.



Lifesavers shack.




An all American Diner!