Miami - a Segway and a Tiger

RLazy morning with no concrete plans for the day, this morning. At 10:00 I decided to try and get on an Art Deco tour. I had seen the Segway tours in Washington and Charleston and thought they looked cool. Washington, they were too expensive and Charleston, I really wanted to do the walking tour. But here in Miami, a Segway tour seemed just the thing to do. And why not, it's something I would never do at home.

For those who don't know (Mum, probably), a Segway is on two wheels, you stand upright and direct it with your weight - lean forward, it goes forward. Lean back, it stops. Stand upright and you stand still. 

So I tried to call them on the Skype phone but it was a bad connection. I walk down there, cos they're pretty much around the corner. The guy says I this particular tour is leaving from their other site and I'll never get there in eight minutes. There was a Miami River tour in the afternoon. I couldn't do that one cos I was hopefully going out to the wildlife place this afternoon.

He rang the other office to see if I could race over and join in and it turns out there is no one else booked for this particular tour. If I didn't mind doing it by myself, the guide could come over to this site and we could go from here - could not be more perfect! I can do the tour, she'll come to me and it's just me on the tour! Perfect.

I nip over the street to grab a banana (during my lazy morning, I didn't organise breakfast or even a coffee for myself) and Andrea is there when I get back. We have a tutorial and practice session for 10 minutes or so and then we're off - bit jittery and too scared to go fast at first. 

We start along the beach then through to the botanic gardens, which are lovely - great statues. Then past the Holocaust Memorial.

Along the Collins canals, past the New Symphony building, where they hold concerts and project movies in the summer time. Back and along the beach to Ocean Drive - THE place to be. Plenty of tined and terrifics here - guys all working out, getting more toned and more terrific.

Through to the Art Deco district where the style is small, pastel colours, ship-like buildings and curved lines. It's called Tropical Art Deco (if I'm remembering correctly). Shelves above windows act as visors against the sun, pale colours, to reflect the sun. It's all very pretty.

We see the Carlyle, where The Birdcage was filmed...

Versace's home where he lived and was killed. Apparently he was vital to the resurgence of Miami as a place to be. He moved down here when he was doing the costumes for Miami Vice and loved it so moved down here. All his famous friends followed, models would parade uo and down the street in hopes of being discovered and the town was transformed.

Through the beach path again, right up to the tip.

And then back - now I'm zooming along. It's crazy, we're going along bike paths, onto the road, all over the place. So much fun!

It takes a bit of work just standing there so when we finished and got off, it was a bit jelly legs for a while. Stopped at a Cuban restaurant for something called a Chilled Cuban Salad, which was basically spinach, feta, chickpeas, tomato, dressing etc. not sure what was Cuban about it but it was really nice.

Then it was back to the hotel to try and work out a rental car to get to the wildlife foundation. As cars are rented for 24 hours, it means I can also drive myself to the airport tomorrow morning, so that works out well. Car organised, go to pick it up. All good. Start driving, all good. Reach the freeway - not so good. Traffic. So a drive that should have been 35-40 minutes took around 90 minutes. Which was fine, I had left with about that much time to spare, thinking I'd get a coffee at the other end.

So Mr GPS takes me down a road with 'trespasses prosecutors", "do not go further, you are trespassing" types signs. I was thinking either they're looking after the animals or I'm in the wrong place. End up at an information centre, go inside and I'm in the wrong place. They need to photograph my license because I'm on government land - in case I'm a terrorist, I guess.

So they're very nice, happens all the time apparently, and they direct me where I should be going - it's the street before. GPS got confused when it took 10 minutes to take the exit off the freeway. So I end up at the zoo and it's closing. I go in to ask where is the wildlife foundation. They don't know but call and get directions to where I should be. And yes, they'll wait for me. It's now 5:12. I'm due there at 5:00.

So I head off in the right direction and eventually get there. And it was so worth it. Started off with a bit of a drive through the private zoo. Saw camels, toucans and a real liger...

Then fed a lemur...

Then to the baby section with the playpen...

Got some monkey loving...

Baby gibbon...

Baby tigers...

And playtime...

Tooooo cute!!

So, that was excellent and so worth the trip.

Drove back, along to Ocean Drive, which is jumping at night time - music thumping, heaps of people, relaxed, strolling through, cars stopped while people chat with others till the police move them on. Crazy town. It's all happening.

Back to the hotel and I sat out by the pool and had some pizza. Looked around and it was pretty fabulous sitting out there with that magnificent pool all lit up and gorgeous. Back upstairs to pack up for tomorrow.