Departing the U.S.A.

Countdown to departure

Having arrived a couple of days in advance of shipping out, we took time to unwind from the packing and air travel. Not that much unwinding was necessary but provided a firm change of atmosphere that told us the adventure was finally beginning.

A couple of days at the Hilton Beach Resort overlooking the ocean while having no schedule to follow gave us the opportunity to rest and to walk as we wished. We took dinner at the Casablanca Cafe, a ten minute walk from the hotel, and enjoyed a sidewalk side table facing the beach. Fresh fish and stone crab claws were perfect.

Facing a day with no itinerary planned we elected to “carpe diem” and hailing a pedi-cab went straight to the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show. This was day 1 of the show which is a “preview” of sorts. We managed a walk around without calling a mortgage broker, though we did find something that could be called “Julie's Villa III” or “Hermitage III.”

The view was so tempting, the weather so good and our awareness of the dining ahead of us gave us reason to dine in our suite overlooking the beach and the ocean.