Siesta Bay, or, "How Jonas Became a Senior Citizen"

So, after 24 hours of air travel and airports, I finally reached Ft Myers. Today's been a very relaxed day, and highlights have included Pop giving me a guided tour of Ft Myers and a dip in the pool.

Ft Myers is a little bit like what would happen if the Gold Coast had to down-size to fit into Torquay; it's not a huge place (ok, it is bigger than Torquay, but still feels very much the same). In the area where we are, there's a lot of resorts for seniors, and as you head north you find trailer/caravan parks and more resorts, particularly holiday apartments. Amazingly, Pop tells me that the holiday rental cycle is the polar opposite of Australia's: in winter, people pay up to $1000/week for a holiday rental house, but in summer the prices can be as low as $100/wk in an effort to rent them out. Apparently it gets too hot... I should mention that it was 31 degrees C here today, and this is winter!


Siesta Bay is the resort where Pop stays, and it's like a giant caravan park, except everyone is over 55 and almost everyone stays in RVs the size of a coach or in demountable little homes. I get much the same reception that I get when I go to church and people are often very excited that I come from Australia. Pop's little house is very cute and I'm already loving it. It's a huge community, with two pools, it's own tennis league and is host to inter-resort volleyball competitions between local resorts. If you'd like to come for a wander, play with Google Street View. 

Pop's unit.

It's great having Barb here - she's great company and has been really helpful with everything, including making us dinner; burgers and salad which we ate outside.

Tomorrow's plan? We're not sure yet! Barb is very keen for us to go to dinner at a restaurant called Sweet Tomatoes. Other than that, it's looking like another relaxed day. I'm thinking of cycling down to the nearby beach (2 mi by bike trail). We also might go shopping in town. Not sure yet...

Well, there's Cinnabon.
Not sure about much else...

Favourite "Only In America" Moment of the Day: Cinnabon at Charlotte Airport: "Because Life is Better Frosted." I totally agree!