All checked in9:55 PM Mon Jan 2, 2023

 



Whew…

We made it, too the Elements Ft. Lauderdale. After a rather pleasant and relaxing bus/train ride we are finally settling in for the night. We had a lovely cabin attendant from Guatemala on the train. She rely did a wonderful job seeing to our every comfort. We got off the train to beautiful weather, palm trees and cycads. No lost luggage or issues with Amtrak. If you haven’t traveled by train it is worth the extra time; it forces you to relax and just let the train roll on. The food is nothing to brag about but the staff are wonderful.

Once we got off it should have been a simple Uber to the hotel but not the case. We chose the Uber X or big car as we have all this luggage, the driver however had no idea where he was going. He went the opposite direction and from 5 minutes away suddenly was 20 minutes away. I could see he was going the wrong way and called him 3 times and he didn’t answer other than a text saying he was, “on his way.” He answered on the 4th call and said he didn’t answer as he didn’t know who was calling. really? So soon David and I were basically alone at the train depot except for a couple of panhandlers asking for $. The driver once he answers asked if I had the address to the train depot? By then I was getting anxious and assured him that I had no idea but it should be posted on the call under ‘pick up location.’ Ugh. Well he finally arrived and got us here safely. 

Our room at the Elements Ft Lauderdale is VERY nice to say the least. I very well should be for the price which I dare not even speak out loud. You basically need a tutorial form the bellhop on how to use the computerized digital elevator. The room itself, on the 12th floor has essentially 4 rooms not including the shower which is bigger than the average kitchen, the TV is like a movie screen. The King size bed is far superior to the top bunk on the train which was difficult to climb into let alone move in. You needed straps to hold you in lest you roll over and fall out. 

We went out for dinner to an place close by and had fried chicken and waffles. David had been craving fried chicken as his go too chicken shack at the Washington, DC Union Station had gone out of businesses. We are now back at the hotel, took a hit well deserved shower and watching CNN ‘about a football player who passed out after a body slam. I hope nothing like that happens to me.

I am feeling a bit unhealthy today, I wish I felt better. I have gained back almost 10 pounds since my surgery. I slipped on the soft drinks, with Coke and Root Beers, Holiday cookies and fried comfort foods. Ugh. I hope I can keep from eating all that delicious food on the voyage to the bottom of the world.



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