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| Brit on holiday |
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| Stoneybrook Golf Course |
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| Challenging holes on the back 9 |
We got back to Marco Island at 8:00 pm and cooked a pizza for supper!
Monday, 29 February 2016
Monday 29th February - it's a leap year!!
Today was a really nice day with blue skies, a light breeze and temperatures around 81 degrees in the afternoon. We first to went to Little Hickory Beach in Bonito Springs. There were miles of white sandy beach but the only people in the sea were those walking along the shoreline. We walked along the beach and watched some fishermen, who were being observed carefully by 2 pelicans and a snowy egret who pounced as soon as there was any sign of fish being caught .
We had a salad at lunchtime in a sports bar which was full of american football helmets and tvs with different sports everywhere you looked. Afterwards we played golf at a course called Stoneybrook. We were buddied up with a couple on holiday from Detroit, Michigan, who were good company. The Course was very pretty, well designed with a reasonable amount of water in play and with good fast greens. The down side was that it got very busy on the back 9 and we ended up finishing the 18th as it neared darkness - our american partners were quite amused and remarked that we 'brits' obviously wanted to get our money's worth! We saw lots of wildlife during the round including a small alligator, Anhingas, white ibis, osprey, little blue heron, double breasted cormorant, and pine warbler. We also saw a deer in the woods by the 17th tee.
We got back to Marco Island at 8:00 pm and cooked a pizza for supper!
We got back to Marco Island at 8:00 pm and cooked a pizza for supper!
Sunday, 28 February 2016
Sunday 28th February
Today, Sunday, we played at a course called San Carlos, which was near to Fort Myers. The course was very flat and open with palm trees separating the holes. The weather was excellent. We joined with a couple on holiday from New York who were good company and were of a similar standard to us. The round took nearly 5 hours but this was mainly because Ben chatted non-stop. Once we had played the first 2 holes we didn't see anyone else on the course. Ben played really well. By the time we arrived back at Marco Island it was time to eat so we had a chinese meal.
Today, Sunday, we played at a course called San Carlos, which was near to Fort Myers. The course was very flat and open with palm trees separating the holes. The weather was excellent. We joined with a couple on holiday from New York who were good company and were of a similar standard to us. The round took nearly 5 hours but this was mainly because Ben chatted non-stop. Once we had played the first 2 holes we didn't see anyone else on the course. Ben played really well. By the time we arrived back at Marco Island it was time to eat so we had a chinese meal.
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| Yet another Osprey |
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| San Marcos |
Saturday, 27 February 2016
Saturday 27th February
Another sunny day with a cool breeze. Today was our first proper sight seeing day when we visited Everglades City. This is in the heart of an area called 10,000 islands (towards the Gulf Sea) and a maze of mango swamps (everglades) crisscrossed with waterways (inland). Our highlight was a boat ride among the mango swamps. It was amazing that the pilot knew which way to go as we raced around the different islands and waterways and down a narrow 'tunnel' surrounded by overhanging mango trees. We saw loads of different birds, mainly water birds, and several alligators. The guide was very knowledgeable with his stories about snakes, other reptiles and birds. There is more for us to see in this area and we will take another day there later in the holiday.
We decided to call at Walmart on the way home and buy food to cook our own evening meal.
Another sunny day with a cool breeze. Today was our first proper sight seeing day when we visited Everglades City. This is in the heart of an area called 10,000 islands (towards the Gulf Sea) and a maze of mango swamps (everglades) crisscrossed with waterways (inland). Our highlight was a boat ride among the mango swamps. It was amazing that the pilot knew which way to go as we raced around the different islands and waterways and down a narrow 'tunnel' surrounded by overhanging mango trees. We saw loads of different birds, mainly water birds, and several alligators. The guide was very knowledgeable with his stories about snakes, other reptiles and birds. There is more for us to see in this area and we will take another day there later in the holiday.
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| Blue Heron looking for lunch |
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| (another) Osprey |
Friday, 26 February 2016
Friday 26th February
Another lovely sunny day with quite a cool strong wind latterly as evening approached. We had a look around the complex here this morning and found the pool with only one couple by it. There is also a small beach on the edge of the lake where we sat on sun loungers. This afternoon we played golf at Eagles Lakes golf course which proved to be a challenge with water on every hole of the course (Ben nevertheless got 2 birdies!)
. We were buddied up with Don and Freddie who were very pleasant to play with. Don is on a month's holiday from Detroit and Freddie, who is Swiss, and now works on Marco Island in real estate. The pace of play was very slow and unfortunately we had to finish after playing only 16 holes as the daylight faded. We attempted to play the 18th but had difficulty finding the drives even though they were all on the fairway, so it was decided it would be prudent to pick up and finish. We ate on the way back at a very good restaurant where Ben had 2 fillet mignons and I had red snapper- the portion size was realistic compared to some places where we have eaten.
Another lovely sunny day with quite a cool strong wind latterly as evening approached. We had a look around the complex here this morning and found the pool with only one couple by it. There is also a small beach on the edge of the lake where we sat on sun loungers. This afternoon we played golf at Eagles Lakes golf course which proved to be a challenge with water on every hole of the course (Ben nevertheless got 2 birdies!)
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| Ben with his alligator 'buddy' by the 1st tee |
Thursday, 25 February 2016
Thursday 25th February
Today we woke to sunshine with quite a strong wind. This morning we went to Tigerhead beach and walked along the beach. There is an island with white sandy beaches which can be waded to but as we weren't equipped to wade through the water above knee height we didn't actually cross. There was a look out tower from which we could view the island and also into an osprey's nest where an adult bird was sitting on eggs.
We visited a cafe which was sheltered from the wind and sat there in the sun. This afternoon we found Walmart and bought a few necessities and then drove on to Naples where we found a huge golf outlet. Fortunately Ben couldn't hit a brand new Callaway driver further than his current driver so no purchase was made.
The day was completed with a delicious meal at the Red Lobster, where we both ate lobster and shrimps.
Today we woke to sunshine with quite a strong wind. This morning we went to Tigerhead beach and walked along the beach. There is an island with white sandy beaches which can be waded to but as we weren't equipped to wade through the water above knee height we didn't actually cross. There was a look out tower from which we could view the island and also into an osprey's nest where an adult bird was sitting on eggs.
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| Daddy eagle keeping an eye on mum on the nest |
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| so near but so far... |
We visited a cafe which was sheltered from the wind and sat there in the sun. This afternoon we found Walmart and bought a few necessities and then drove on to Naples where we found a huge golf outlet. Fortunately Ben couldn't hit a brand new Callaway driver further than his current driver so no purchase was made.
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| Yummy lobster.... |
The day was completed with a delicious meal at the Red Lobster, where we both ate lobster and shrimps.
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
24th February
Hi all. We had an uneventful flight to Miami. Fortunately the taxi to Heathrow kept going long enough to get us to Heathrow, but we will never know if it made it back to Leicestershire as it was sounding ropey. The A380 was pretty full, including premium economy. We were nevertheless well looked after, although Ben's after dinner whisky never appeared!
The old system of filling landing cards for immigration has been superceded with a room full of electronic registration terminals on arrival. We were lucky to find an unoccupied one and managed the process quite painlessly. We cleared customs and picked up our bags quite quickly. We had to take the transit sytem to get to the car rental office and again were quickly furnished with a pretty new Hyundai Santafe Sport SUV. Thereafter we spend about 40 minutes trying to get on to the correct road out of Miami - and that was with a satnav! The rest of the trip was uneventful and we eventually checked in at our hotel at about 11:30 pm (USA time), feeling pretty tired. Ben had already booked a round of golf near Fort Myers for Wednesday so we didn't get much respite after the journey. The forecast was for high winds and thunderstorms in the area, but in the end we were just playing the 18th hole when the heavens opened and we were soaked mainly getting wet while we put the clubs away in the car.
The course was not in very good condition, quite wet, but we enjoyed the freedom of being able to play golf in the warm as the temperature was 80 degrees when we started- it has since cooled down after the rain, but we are hoping that we will not see any more rain while we are here. We ate out in the evening at a large busy Italian restaurant where we were reminded of the loudness of the American people.
Hi all. We had an uneventful flight to Miami. Fortunately the taxi to Heathrow kept going long enough to get us to Heathrow, but we will never know if it made it back to Leicestershire as it was sounding ropey. The A380 was pretty full, including premium economy. We were nevertheless well looked after, although Ben's after dinner whisky never appeared!
The old system of filling landing cards for immigration has been superceded with a room full of electronic registration terminals on arrival. We were lucky to find an unoccupied one and managed the process quite painlessly. We cleared customs and picked up our bags quite quickly. We had to take the transit sytem to get to the car rental office and again were quickly furnished with a pretty new Hyundai Santafe Sport SUV. Thereafter we spend about 40 minutes trying to get on to the correct road out of Miami - and that was with a satnav! The rest of the trip was uneventful and we eventually checked in at our hotel at about 11:30 pm (USA time), feeling pretty tired. Ben had already booked a round of golf near Fort Myers for Wednesday so we didn't get much respite after the journey. The forecast was for high winds and thunderstorms in the area, but in the end we were just playing the 18th hole when the heavens opened and we were soaked mainly getting wet while we put the clubs away in the car.
The course was not in very good condition, quite wet, but we enjoyed the freedom of being able to play golf in the warm as the temperature was 80 degrees when we started- it has since cooled down after the rain, but we are hoping that we will not see any more rain while we are here. We ate out in the evening at a large busy Italian restaurant where we were reminded of the loudness of the American people.
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