In Key West there are the Conch Train and the Trolley Bus tours. We’ve done both more than once as we’ve gone with different people.

The trolley bus is a hop on hop off tour. You buy a ticket for the whole day then spend as much time as you like at different spots before jumping back on. You can buy tickets and join the tour at various locations. The drivers give a running commentary which is informative and usually amusing and it’s a good way to see the island.

The tour stops at all the well known tourist spots, Mallory Square, the Flagler Station, Ernest Hemingway’s House, the Southernmost Point where you just have to get off and join the queue of tourists waiting to have their photo taken at the buoy which marks the  most southerly point of the USA.

 It takes you past the beaches and the parks, along Duval Street past the bars where Hemingway used to drink including the famous Sloppy Joes. The guides tell you about the history of the island, the pirates and about the architecture and the hurricanes and also about the people who live there.

You can stop at La Concha Hotel. The tallest building in Key West which has a rooftop terrace where you can enjoy a Margerita and watch the sun set with views of the whole island. It’s much more relaxing than driving round and trying to find parking and you wouldn’t learn half as much.

If you really don’t want to wander about but just want to see the sights, then the Conch Train is the better option. This is a 90 minute guided tour which takes in all the same sights but there are only 2 or 3 stops. Ideal if you’re not feeling energetic or its just too hot, although be warned its very hot on the train!

There was free parking and free entry, a good start so we duly signed the visitors book and set off, not really knowing what to expect.  We arrived at the same time as a party of schoolchildren and could hear one of the teachers remonstrating with Tyler to be sure not to bring anything out of the woods! I wonder what he did last time! They went off the visitor centre and we set off along the boardwalk.

The preserve is part of a forest which has been restored and reading the information along the trail we learned that many species of animals, birds and insects have been returned to their natural habitat since the project began.  We saw lots of butterflies and birds but really it was more about what we could hear as much as what we could see. There were tall trees and thick vegetation on either side of the boardwalk and a cacophony of sound, none of it made by humans.  

There were plenty of information boards telling us what to look out for as we strolled along in the heat.

After about half an hour or so we came to an observation deck overlooking Lake Apopka and to our great delight we could actually see a couple of gators out on the lake. Not a place for a dip then. We could hear a loud noise which we assumed to be bullfrogs but try as we might we couldn’t spot them. 

There was lots of interesting information about the history of the Lake and the agriculture around it over the last few decades. The lake has also been brought out of decline and we stayed a while just listening and watching before meandering back.

It’s quite a way from our villa but the whole experience was worth the drive. It’s quite a big place with valet parking and at first we thought we were going to be underdressed, but, as with most restaurants in Florida it didn’t matter and we weren’t out of place in our casual clothes. You pay an all inclusive price for the meal which was about $50, this doesn’t include drinks.

After being taken to your table  you are served with water and drinks if you want them, then you help yourself to the salad bar. We have had a few salad bars over there but this was up there with the best of them. There is soup, different breads, cheeses, meats olives and all kinds of salad and the only problem is not filling up before the main course.

At your table you are attended by gauchos, dressed in traditional Brazilian costume, this is where it becomes more of an experience than a meal out.  

After finishing your salad the main course is served. The gauchos bring skewers of meat to your table and carve it straight from the skewer onto your plate. It was absolutely beautiful, perfectly cooked and seasoned. There was a choice of steak, pork, chicken, sausage, filet mignon and lamb all served with seasonal vegetables, we had mashed potato and fried plantain. You have a disk on your table, one side green and one side red. When you want them to bring you more meat, turn it to the green side, when you need a moments rest turn it to the red side.

We wanted to try a little bit of everything it was so nice but got to the point where we couldn’t possibly eat anymore so if you’re going to try it – go REALLY hungry.

Dessert was included but we just couldnm’t manage it, what we didn’t realise was that we could have had dessert ‘to go’ and taken it home for later – we’ll remember that next time.

Since we bought our villa at Davenport 10 years ago there has been all sorts of development on the US 27, even so, there are still vast open spaces to visit.

Driving along the 27 towards Clermont one day we spotted a sign for Lake Louisa State Park. We stopped to pick up a leaflet and decided to come back another day. There are log cabins in the park so you can actually stay there, there is also an RV park - we were amazed at the size of some of those vehicles but what a fabulous place to stop.

We were just out for the day though to go walking. Obviously being on holiday we didn’t have our walking boots, we were just in trainers but the trails were well defined, flat and easy to walk in trainers. You just need a back pack of some description to carry drinks.

We were there for about 8.30am which was a good move because some parts of the trail were out in the  open and it was very hot as the morning went on. There are a number of routes to choose from depending on how far you want to to go.

We parked at the head of Lake Louisa and walked for a couple of hours from there. The trail takes you through woodland, close to streams and smaller lakes and the scenery is lovely. It was also very quiet and peaceful, we didn’t see another soul all the time we were out.

The trails are clearly signed and easy to follow. When we got back to the car park we went out to the edge of the lake and found that there was a beach and picnic area which would have been really nice, we’ll know for next time. There are also toilets and water fountains there. There are primitive campsites in the park, you can also go horseriding, cycling, fishing and canoeing or just hiking as we did.

I found Bob’s Balloons on the internet and got us booked in, we were to meet him at 6am at Championsgate. Once there we met Bob and the other couple who were taking the ride, we had absolutely no idea what to expect and we’re both a bit afraid of heights!

We were all taken in Bobs van to a ranch on the other side of US27 where several other companies were already getting set up. We were lucky as the conditions were favourable, it had been too windy for the ballons to go up over the past few days. It was fascinating to watch the whole process of getting these balloons inflated and off the ground. We actually stood inside the balloon as it inflated. The basket was smaller than I expected and we nervously climbed in, we were given instructions for landing and then we gently floated up and joined all the other balloons above the swampland.

We had to go with the direction of the wind which took us parallel to US27 but not over our villa where our neighbours were waiting to wave. The height was no problem at all, it was marvellous to be able to see for miles and miles and it was a beautiful sunrise. I had no idea there was so much swampland at the back of our house.

After about an hour we landed in a field at the side of the highway, we helped to pack the balloon away then we were taken to a fruit stand where we had a champagne brunch on a dock overlooking the lake. It cost $350 for the 2 of us but it was an experience not to be missed.

If you are on the way home from a park with the kids and you’ve been drenched wet through on the water rides, you probably want somewhere quick and easy. The Golden Corral was always our choice for those times, a vast array of food, buffet style with something for everyone, from meat, potatoes and veg to pizzas and burgers for the kids, with a fantastic assortment of desserts and cakes this is real value for money for about $12 per adult. They also do a great buffet breakfast if you want to fill up before your day out and the whole family can eat without breaking the bank.

Shoneys is another good option for the buffet breakfast or dinner. The choice of steakhouses is also vast and probably depends how far you want to drive. Mannys Chop House at Haines City do a great meal but beware the wait time can be 2 hours. You can call ahead but you will still have to wait and the place is always packed. For me, you can get a good steak elsewhere without all that waiting.

We like Longhorns on the 192, the Texas T’oniion is our favourite starter followed by Flo’s filet. We ate at a Longhorns out at Cocoa Beach once and it wasn’t as good so they do vary. The Outback is always good too.

We like the Bahama Breeze at Buena Vista, the menu is varied and the restaurant is really nice. We also like the Olive Garden there will be one of those close to wherever you stay. Don’t bother with a starter - you will get endless soup or salad and breadsticks, followed by a good selection of pasta, chicken, seafood and steak dishes. wherever you eat you will always get far too much

There are literally HUNDREDS of gators of all shapes and sizes in different enclosures around the park. There were all sorts of other animals, snakes, birds and a petting zoo which our grown up kids loved!

Unfortunately it was such a cold day that some of the exhibits had to be kept indoors so we didn’t get to see them all. It was beautifully sunny and clear though so it was nice to walk through the trails.

I don’t know what it is about gators, they don’t really do much but they are amazing to look at are some of them were huge, including one old boy who had to be kept seperate from the others. There were some white alligators too which we have never seen before.

The shows were very entertaining, we watched gator wrestling, every time I see someone with a gator which doesn’t have it’s snout taped up I think they must be mad, these guys obviously know what they are doing though.

One part of the park is a trail through a completely undeveloped area which is the beginning of the everglades. We were thrilled to actually spot a snake off to the side. In the centre of the park is a viewing tower on different levels, if you go right to the top you can see for miles.

The last thing we did was to watch the gator show, feeding the gators and trying to get them to jump out of the water, they seem to take some motivating maybe they were too well fed or just a bit cold!  The trip took a good half day and was really interesting.

Our flight arrived early at JFK airport and it then took 2 hours in a crowded and stuffy immigration hall to get through. We had a booked a shuttle bus to get to our hotel in Manhattan that was easy enough but by the time he had set off, come back to the airport to pick up more customers and picked up more on the way it was rush hour and it took another 2 hours to get to the city, 15 miles away! So an inauspicious start but once we got there it was fantastic.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on W 45th Street which couldn’t have been better placed for Times Square and 5th Avenue. The rooms were a little smaller than usual so with four of us in there it was a bit of a crush but we only slept there so it was fine.

We had 2 great days sightseeing both on the open top bus and on foot. We went to the Top of the Rock which was amazing, you could see the whole city for miles around, we also went on a boat trip around the island so we could see it from the East River and the Hudson River. It was very, very cold! You really do need thermal underclothes. The Christmas decorations and shop window displays were awesome, very impressive.

We also visited Central Park and watched the ice skating. Then on the Saturday before Christmas it was time for the Orlando part of our holiday and we were all ready for some sunshine. Unfortunately when we got to JFK all flights had been cancelled due to the incoming bad weather, there wasn’t a flake of snow at that point. Again we stood in line for 2 hours to be told we had been allocated a flight on Monday morning. Bad news but at least we weren’t on standby.

We then had to find a hotel and it really was a case of there being no room at the Inn. The only room we could get was at La Guardia airport 6 miles away which we took. Another 2 nights of sharing a room, eating takeaway food as there was nowhere to go and just kicking our heels in Queens! Actually there was a shuttle bus to a shopping mall so at least we got out for a while, by that time the snow had arrived and it was bad everywhere.

We finally got to our villa in Florida on Monday afternoon, greatly relieved to have actually got there and to feel the warm sunshine. Although the weather in Florida this winter has been colder than usual, for us at was positively balmy!