Since writing about my stay in Miami this morning, I seem to have actually done something today (besides trying to sort my mobile phone out to call International numbers - it can send SMS' overseas, and do calls to the states but no international calls which makes no sense whatsoever). First priority of the day was to pick up a second luggage bag to lower the weight of my main one for the train tomorrow. The street just round the corner from the hotel is full of luggage shops which are ridiculously cheap, however I didn't want a hard bag on wheels, so got a soft bag that I can fold down at a later date (wasn't bad for $9.99 and came with a drinks bottle - can't figure that out myself).
I then headed back to the hotel but my room still hadn't been made up, so I decided to take another stroll out and to get some lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe in Bayside Park. I've never been in a Hard Rock Cafe before but the place was great, and my judgements not clouded by the fact that it was buy one draught (for some reason they spell it draft over here) beer get one free and get the glass for free. So despite getting a bargain on beer, I've now also got a pilsner glass for the rest of my travels. I finally got round to trying some American beers, Samuel Adams and Samuel Adams Summer Ale (which weren't all that bad, Summer Ale was a little cloudy though), however the Bud I had to end off the meal tasted quite wrong. This does also bring me onto the subject on American waiting staff, they are exceptionally friendly and pleasant. Also they have Heinz mustard in a bottle here! Anyway when I left the Hard Rock there was a sudden thunderstorm which really wasn't that bad, just it would appear that American drains really aren't much use when the slightest bit of rain rears its head.
I started reading the Bill Bryson book that collected his weekly columns on living in America again yesterday (his books are much better than any travel guide - if you're going to Oz you have to read Down Under), and I have to say so many of his observations are correct. Firstly the mention of waiting staff being so generally pleasant and appearing to actually enjoy their work. Then there was his rant about adverts for prescription medicine (i.e. tell your doctor you need this) - I'm amazed at how many there are on the TV. My favourite has to be the one for getting rid of nail infections, it ends with the voiceover warning: side effects have included rashes, stomach pains etc, some other mild side effects have been diahorrea, and about 20 other bad things as well as a printed disclaimer stating that new nails won't grow for 10-12 months. Finally the other thing that stuck in my mind was Mr Brysons mention of how TV channels can't show a film without continuous advert breaks. I was watching a movie last night and there was literally seven minutes of film between each break!
As I said earlier today I should have some more interesting things to talk about after today.
Well it's now wednesday so I've been in Miami for 3 whole days. The flight over was pleasant enough (no screaming kids and a decent selection of movies on the TVs). Didn't get much sleep and consequently crashed out from about 8pm when I got to my hotel until about 6am. The hotel (Travelodge Downtown) wasn't to be honest that great, I won't go into detail, but I decided to head out first thing the next morning to find another. I've come to the conclusion that American town designers must be on something, as the grid arrangement just confuses the hell out of me. I tried a few hotels which were charging $109 a night, but eventually found a nice one over the road from Bayside Park which was a lot cheaper and has a wonderful view of the bay (as opposed to the roof of a shopping mall and bus stop). I really couldn't remember how I'd got there and seeing as I didn't have a map I was fearing a long walk back with my bags. But surprisingly I'd come a full circle from where I started and the new hotel was only a couple of streets away from the old one (but what a difference two or three streets make!).
A couple of other minor gripes, it is ridiculously warm here, it's pretty much unbearable for walking more than a couple of blocks after about 1 (well for me anyway). There was a big thunderstorm last night and quite a lot of areas around have inches of floods (I say nearby areas, we're talking London to Yorkshire distances here). The funny thing about thunderstorms is that they interrupt the TV programs you're watching to warn you about them, and not like a weather flash as we'd do in England, oh no, a high pitched squeal, the sound goes and a green bar appears across the top of the screen to warn you that between x and y hours there may be some sever weather. And for the life of me I can't figure out how pedestrian crossings and traffic lights work. It would appear that at crossroads if you're turning and the light facing you is red, you can just carry on, even if there's a walk sign lit on the road you're turning into!
I haven't really got up to much else, went out for dinner on Monday night to a fish restaurant in Bayside Park, they do insist on serving the beer ridiculously cold (and Fosters did taste decidedly different). Then took the Metroline yesterday across to the Amtrak station to collect my tickets for my trip up to Orlando tomorrow. It's only $1.25 which isn't bad compared to the price of a taxi for the same distance. I'm sure there will be more excitement in Orlando.
Oh and I hope other internet establishments are as cheap as this one: 99 cents an hour and new machines