Port Everglades

Friday - We headed east then south towards Port Everglades which is located north of Miami. Quite a long drive at 387 miles. Further than I thought. We could’ve shaved 20 minutes by taking toll roads through Orlando but we decided on the non-toll route through the outskirts of Daytona Beach. We stopped at Buckees for lunch which is always a win. 

The first couple of hours were all secondary roads, which was fairly relaxing. From Daytona Beach south, it was all I-95 much faster but more stressful. It was much warmer while heading down the Florida east coast with most of the drive in the mid-80s (°F).

As we approached Fort Lauderdale, the traffic became horrible. Lots of accidents on the highway probably from people driving too fast and not paying attention. When you look at other drivers, a significant number of them are on their phones.

We had dinner at a casino a short walk from the hotel. I had carnitas tacos and they were pretty tasty. The back parking lot at the casino is being run as discounted cruise parking. Less than half the daily rate at the port. We’ll see how well the shuttle service works tomorrow. 

Saturday - Parking was easy and the shuttle ride to the terminal was quick as they didn’t use the normal vehicle entrance. The priority boarding was quick and straightforward and we were in a “special” waiting area until the ship was ready. 

We were on the ship by 11. And we finished our required tasks pretty quickly. There is a special lunch at noon that is supposed to feature some really good food. 

Later - The wild mushroom soup was wonderful as was the fillet mignon. The mac and cheese was lukewarm but creamy. It was a nice lunch. Way less hectic than the buffet.

Now it’s time for a nap. We don’t leave for a couple more hours. We have a port side, ocean view, balcony room on deck 6. Time to relax…

Below is the Princess cruise at the next terminal. 

Old Town, FL

Thursday - Not much happened yesterday, at least that I can remember. Today, it’s all about packing for the cruise. The tow bar part isn’t scheduled to be delivered until Friday so I need to let the office know. 

I scheduled a test session for early afternoon and those have gone surprisingly well in spite of the obstructed view through the trees. I guess there are enough satellites zipping around up there. There are about 50 outages per day but most are just a couple of seconds. I’ve been able to lead Zoom testing sessions which surprised me given the obstructed view.

After picking up a few last items in town, I started putting things away such as the Blackstone, folding tables and chairs, and the step stool. Tomorrow, I’ll disconnect from water after partially filling the freshwater tank. I’ll put away the hoses and water softener to avoid potential problems with a water leak. The forecast is calling for lows around freezing so we’ll be leaving both furnaces on but set for maybe 55°F. 

Today was warm enough for me to try out the pool. It was nice and refreshing. Not as cold as I was expecting it to be. 

Gainesville, FL

Tuesday - We went back to Gainesville, located about an hour to the east of the rv park. Bridget is just looking for somewhere things for the upcoming cruise. I’m just the driver. It’s a very pleasant 72°F around noon with a light breeze. Hard to complain about that. 

This afternoon, they had a Mardi Gras get together at the rv park with a low country boil, jambalaya, and some barbecue. 

The low country boil has shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn, and chicken. It was pretty tasty. It was a good opportunity to talk with some other campers. 

Back to Tampa

Thursday - I took the non-toll route which followed I-75 south into Tampa. Definitely further, slower, and a lot more traffic. I think we’ll take the toll road back tomorrow. Bridget’s flight arrived in the late afternoon so we opted to stay in Tampa instead of driving back in the dark. Given how exhausted I am, it was the right decision. 

Friday - After the morning fog cleared, we headed back towards the RV. We stopped for breakfast in Tampa and, it was good but kind of pricy. Tourist prices. About an hour north, we stopped in Crystal River for coffee at the familiar spot, Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters. 

Sunday - Today’s forecast called for wind and rain and we got both. Not a lot but maybe ¼” to ½” or so. And winds gusts up to 35mph. So far, no water leaks.