How full can the Honda get?: We’ve had more than one discussion that the time to sell the van might be nigh; I consistently maintain we need it to cart our family and our goods around. Never mind the semi-frequent outings for various sporting events (multiple lawn chairs and sometimes a cooler), I’m not sure how we would have gotten Kevin to Boston without it.
But this trip has stretched the capacity of the Odyssey to the max. On the way down we had two seats up in the back and I still ended up having to put stuff on those seats. Had to switch that all around in Orlando to get ready to add Suzanne and Kevin to the car. Only one seat up in the back and I think I used every cubic inch of storage available. Visibility out the back window was almost non-existent.
As I’ve said, in hindsight, I think we should have done Christmas a little differently. As is, we did do some presents at home, but, I think we could have and should have done more. Oh well.
After Christmas I am bound and determined to collect everything that is not going on the cruise into one suitcase; part of the problem was we had too many loose bags and that hindered packing ‘efficiency’. It also helped losing about 15 pounds of packaging…..
With all of that it still was a cozy fit in the van for all of the trip.
Heading South:
We leave Fort Lauderdale around 8 so that we can stop at Robbie’s in Ismerelda in the Keys for more tarpon-viewing. Get to Key West around 2:30….drive through some pretty good rainstorms on the way in. Better to drive through them on the way to vacation than to have them happen while you are on vacation!
(Stockings hung with care…)
(Christmas Eve sunset at Mallory Square)
(Selfie Part 1)
(Selfie Part 2)
(street performer at Mallory Square)
(Christmas Day morning)
(in the pool Christmas morning. Not bad….)
(Went to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park in the afternoon. The best beach in Key West proper….it’s ok, nothing great. A fair bit of coral that makes walking difficult and snorkeling was a bust…too much silt in the water. Suzanne took this picture…not sure whey she went with the ‘square’ option…)
(This boy had a good time checking out the rocks…)
(Day after Christmas we journeyed out to the Dry Tortugas again. Almost cancelled because the forecast looked kind of gloomy; despite the bright blue in the pictures it was cloudy until almost 1 pm and the first journey out snorkeling wasn’t the best because the sun wasn’t out. The journey out was, well, it was the closest we’ve come to having a motion sickness disaster on any of our vacations. They are warning everyone as we board….it is going to be choppy as we get close to Fort Jefferson and dramamine is available. We get about an hour away from Key West and yup, it gets really choppy. I am more than happy to accompany Christopher down to the main deck to stand in the fresh air and stare at the horizon. Matthew joined us a little later. Suzanne said that she was feeling it towards the end.)
(this kid said it was fun!)
(the new picture on the top of the blog…)
(sigh…)
(pano from the top of the Fort. We got to explore a little more this trip…..)
(really need to figure out how to come out here and camp for a night or two. Just don’t have the time we would like on these shorter trips)
