Florida Road Trip

Actually on the road, leaving Orlando and heading up the coast for some fun in the sun. It's actually really easy to become accustom to the 'wrong' side of the road when you never knew your right and left. 

The home of the Daytona 500:

 The Famous Daytona Beach - it's actually brown and rank, covered in cars and is a bit washed up. Since Spring Break is no longer held here. We did not even swim, seriously people of Perth get down to Cottesloe and enjoy it, so much better than American Beaches (so far!).

 We then reached the highlight of Florida, the beautiful St. Augustine. It's the oldest settlement in America and is filled with cobblestone streets, tram tours, old houses/buildings and horse drawn carriages. Firstly the Houses, starting with the First House in America (true story - plaque to prove it):

I personally think interior decoration has taken a dive since the 1700s, but each to their own.

And now for some of the beautiful gems which line the streets around Historical St Augustine. 

And of course during our self guided walking tour of St. Augustine we were hit by a freak tropical storm and had to sit under the eaves of a school for 45minutes. In the end we walked backed to our hostel in the rain arriving literally drenched and then passed out for the next 15hours =|

Doesn't look very impressive in a photograph but this puddle was about mid shin depth. Oh yeah and whilst the rain storms are going on people still have their sprinklers on (actually running during a storm)!

Oh yeah, here's some photos of the first drug store in America, I think there was some dirt on my lens:

 

Here is the Spanish Fort LC and I broke into (yeah saved $15) lucky we didn't pay because it was not very impressive....

End St. Augustine - seriously beautiful would actually recommend it!

  

Back on the road to Tampa - enter the largest Harley Davidson Store of all time: 

Ok so also doesn't photograph impressively but add another 1/3 onto the right and that is one store - entirely filled with Harley's and bad merchandise. 

Downtown Tampa - pretty much the only photo worth taking in Tampa. Its extremely poor. We drove through some projects - didn't want to get the camera out there... 

Day trippers to St. Petersburg:

The Salvidor Dali Museum. 

Some couple donated 95 works of Dali to this museum (not this building - this is a new one) in St. Pete a few years back and it is now the largest collection of Dali works. Pretty amazing place.

Yep, that's how I roll - photos of post cards.

Couldn't actually take any photographs in the exhibit. 

We actually paid a $1.00 toll to go across this bridge, it was pretty amazing, it curved up to about 4 stories high at the main peak. 

Draw bridge - everywhere in Florida.

Long Boat Key - apparently has the most beautiful beach in Florida. Unfortunately that bitch hurricane Emily blew in a ruined our plans. Looks nice though, even in torrential rain. 

State Troopers - we drove next to them at like 10miles over the limit - nobody in Florida cares about the speed limit, its amazing, should move here..

The thing the do care about in Florida though is Jesus. Every 10 or 20miles there is some sort of tribute to the man and a plea for you to let him save you. Also I don't think I've ever seen so many churches. Kind of contradictory considering Florida is one of the only states in America where if someone walks onto your front lawn without your permission you can shoot them and not go to jail. Let's just say we walk on the road. 

600miles driven, though sunshine, rain and hurricanes. 

Goodbye Florida, Hello Sin City!

xxx