Well, I'm home. *SO* much has happened whilst I was away on holiday that I don't really know where to start. I did actually think whilst I was out there that it may be a good idea to try to update my journal whilst actually out there, but alas, time wasn't on my side.

Let my first begin by saying that I had an amazingly good time. Living with J and Deb proved to be immense fun and I know for sure that if they weren't there, I would not have been able to do as much as I did. I probably wouldn't even venture out beyond Miami Beach - Let alone go to the Keys, to the Everglades, to Little Haiti etc. etc. I'll detail other parts of the hols as I go along. But I should really start from the beginning..

So, I get up at 2.45am to get my final bits and bobs ready to get the coach at 4.15am. I've checked my bags about 15 times to make sure that I have everything. Then I resign myself to just checking that I have money, passport, flight and insurance details, KEYS TO THE CONDO. Everything else is immaterial. From the initial worries earlier in the week that I couldn't fit everything in to the smaller of the two suitcases, I find that I have enough spare room to take a few more items should I wish. Oh, I should also point out that it's so cold that I need my thermal hat and am thankful that I had knee high flight socks on to keep legs warm.

Right, everything goes smoothly.. Get to Heathrow with no real traffic probs, whilst there I decided that I would pass the time at the bar and smoking. There is a HORRENDOUS queue at the bar (mainly cos there were only 2 people serving and they weren't the fastest people in the world), but I stick with it cos I know that the bar is one of the few places indoors where I can smoke. When he serves me, I ask for a large tonic water where the guy tells me that they can't serve alcohol at that time in the morning (8am) I retort: "Since when was tonic water considered to be alcohol?" He looked embarrassed then a bit pissed off cos I made him look stupid in front of a queue of people. Well, it's not my fault that he didn't hear what I said and that I wasn't ordering coffee like everyone else.

Flight is good, no real probs from people sitting next to me or around me. Although, the two women beside me were obviously very middle to upper class and tried to get a bit haughty with me - Until I pointed out that they were also in economy class with me, not in Premium Economy or Upper Class ;) The food really was terrible. I opted for a veggie curry and it was hard, the veg and rice didn't seem to be cooked. Even later when we got a cheese and roasted veg sarnie, the only reason I ate it was cos I was so hungry from not having any dinner!

Whilst on the flight, my thoughts turn to J, Deb and Sonia. I know that I'm going to be meeting them for the first time but I wondered who would be meeting me at the airport? I hadn't arranged with J where to meet, I only told her what time my plane was arriving.. I momentarily think about getting out the credit card and either calling or texting her from the plane (yes, I was nearly that desperate).

We arrive at Miami and passport control is a complete nightmare. About 5 planes touched down in about 10mins so the halls were packed. There was no air con - Only a few fans blowing hot air back at us. Then, only 4 booths were open. So I had to stand in the wiltering heat for about 70mins - I really did think that I was gonna pass out on several occasions.

So, CRUNCH TIME - passing through US Customs. I didn't have anything illegal with me, but I was unsure about chocolate being allowed into the country. I was 90% sure that I could, but enough people had expressed doubt about it to trouble me. As it happens, it all went smoothly. I kept thinking that there was still an opportunity for things to go wrong (as I had predicted all along) - but it hadn't yet happened..

I head on out to the arrivals gate and I spot a group of Hispanics waving and blowing kisses at some woman walking alongside me, I feel so embarrassed and nervous that I start giggling and keep my head down (whilst trying to act cool and maintaining my composure). I spot a few people with notices for passengers then think to myself that I bet that if J and the others make a banner - It will say "Corday" or "Great Coral Swallow" Then, I look up and see a HUGE orange banner saying "CORDAY" being held up, as soon as they realise that I've spotted it, they cheer "WOOO! CORDAY!!!" and I burst out laughing. It's J and Deb :) We do the usual greetings and we're all immediately at ease after the formality of actually meeting each other is over - J and I know each other so well online anyway that meeting was almost like a trivial thing.

We get to the condo and it's already raining. I have a bit of trouble with the key in terms of opening the main door downstairs to get to the condo. Then we get to the condo front door and try to open the door - It won't open. There's a dead lock and a normal lock and NEITHER key will open either of the locks. OK, is *this* why I had a bad feeling? About 10mins pass of us trying to open the door. We do the usual thing of checking pot plants and underneath the welcome mat for spare keys - nothing. Then, the neighbour opens her door and asks us what's going on. We explain that we're trying to get in but the key doesn't work. Then, it turns out during our conversation that the condo was being let out illegally without the building owner's knowledge or consent. So, not only could we not get into the condo - We weren't actually supposed to be there. OK, this MUST be what the bad feeling was. The neighbour suggests that we call a locksmith but we point out that if he asks us for proof that we live there - We don't have any. So, she suggests that she calls one for us and say that it's for her neighbour cos we've locked ourselves out. Oh, I should also point out that we've tried calling the landlady and her ex-husband on the phone numbers they provided for us but we can only page them or leave a message. Right, so locksmith gets called and I'm like "I'm cold, hungry, in DIRE need of a shower because I'm all sweaty" and I was thankful that I took my Berghaus cos it was pissing it down with rain. The neighbour calls a locksmith on our behalf and she suggests that we charge it to the landlady since she's the one that's put us in the shit. J offers to wait for the locksmith whilst Deb and I go to look for somewhere to get some food. It takes us about an hour cos we keep getting lost and parking is a complete nightmare given it's a Friday night. Eventually, we stop at a Subway. We get a call from J saying that she's in the condo - all that's left to do is for Deb and I to try to remember the way back home!

Turns out that the ex-husband showed up at the condo just as the locksmith got here and whilst he had keys that worked, we didn't. So, he ended up paying the locksmith for the call out charge. That's it then, we were finally in. We gather round the table to eat our subs and I muse how on my first holiday in about 7 years - I'm hot, sweaty, smelly, tired and eating a subway on a Friday night (!!) Still, things can only get better, right?