Thursday 30th October 2003, Day 47/273, Key West, Florida to South Beach, Miami, Florida
Well I had a strange night last night, I don't mind telling you. The dorm I'm in and the hostel in general is full of older Americans as opposed to young travellers. I had a chat with a couple of the other blokes. The first guy was a big American, probably about the same age as me. His wife wants a divorce (I'm not the right bloke to give marriage guidance I told him divorce was a good thing) so he came down to Key West (where he's from) from West Beach, Miami (where he lives) to party for a week. He's been kipping in the park (you could smell that), but had been kicked out by the police last night so had to get a bed. He'd met his wife on a radio station dating game and 4 months later she forgot to take the pill and fell pregnant. His take on it was:-
"Sh1t man, I love the kid, but it was her ******* fault that she fell pregnant. He'd be better off with another family."
When I asked him if she'd take him back he said.
"Yeah she'd take me back like a shot if I changed my ways, but sh1t man, I tell her I can't change coz I'm creative, I'm a writer."
More like:-
"I'm a slacker and responsibilty scares me"
The other guy in the room was in his 40's and came down from Michigan (we all know why) to do some work during the winter. He confirmed that when he was in jail, his cell was nicer. To be honest these guys were quite nice, I just wouldn't trust them.
'Knuckles', the guy who threatened to put me through the wall, didn't get in until 5 am. I didn't disturb him. The other guys in the room went out partying and weren't back before I left in the morning.
I got up early as, for various reasons, I didn't sleep well. The slacker had developed a brutal hacking cough from sleeping out over the last few nights. Every time he coughed I ducked in case he brought up a lung. The old jailbird snored like every third breathe was his last. I kept thinking I might be called into action to give him the kiss of live. 'Knuckles' had to rock himself to sleep. He was like an 18 stone baby, with muscles on his muscles, having a fit. I didn't tell him that.
Like I say I exited early and that meant a 2 hour wait at the Greyhound stop. The terminal is out of town at the airport, but the bus stops twice a day in downtown, you just need to already have a ticket. I am glad to be leaving, but also a little sad in the true contrasting feelings this place has given me. It is very beautiful, especially when the sun shines and you could have a great time here.
I caught the 10.45 bus to Miami. It was nice to travel by day again and I arrive in Miami @ 15.30. There are a number of Miami Greyhound terminals. There's Miami airport, Miami downtown, Miami, Miami West, Miami North Beach...... I got off at Miami which needless to say was the wrong one. So I had to get a public bus. Miami sprawls across the landscapes and is screaming sleazy at me. To top it all, it's peeing it down and blowing a gale.
After a change of bus and an hour long journey I eventually make it to the Clay Hotel and Hostel, 1438 Washington Avenue, South Beach. $14 a night is very reasonable for a bed in a 6 bed dorm. This is supposed to be one of the nicest hostels in the country and although it's good, I've been to better. It's all about opinions and peoples perceptions.
After a brief search I hit up with Mx again and we went and had a meal (my first decent meal in ages) and chat about all we've done over the past couple of weeks. It was really nice.
To keep you up to date, I got an E mail today from my letting agent to say that they might have found me a tenant subject to references. Fingers crossed they'll move in when my current tenants move out on the 17th November.
