Ferry to Fort Lauderdale from Bimini

 We head back to the front of the hotel to wait for the tram that

will take us to the ferry office to check in.  And wait and wait and wait.  But, it seems like there is no point in worrying when the ferry and the hotel own the tram and will most likely make sure that you get to the boat on time.  We get to the office and check in, wait and wait and wait for another tram with tons of other people and wonder how we’ll all fit on.  There is a lot of squeezing and pushing with

my son sitting by some other people near me and everyone the office and check in, wait and wait and wait for another tram with tons of other people and wonder how we’ll all fit on.  There is a lot of squeezing and pushing with my son sitting by some other people near me and everyone

just on in whatever space they can find.  We head through security and board the ferry.  A Virgin cruise line ship is in dock next to us and it looks absolutely amazing.  A cruise without kids also sounds amazing, but that’s

going to be a while.  We board and find a huge space upstairs where we can all sit together and get some leaving paradise pina coladas to console us.  Even the kids get their new favorite slushies of tropical drinks without alcohol.  I have to get last looks of Bimini and see some sting rays off the boat when

outside.  I can’t really get the kids off their phones and outside to look with me, which is fine, but sad.  It really doesn’t take long to start seeing the skyline of Miami and Fort Lauderdale.  Last second, I booked a minivan through Turo and once we make it through customs, Dave and I are going to jump off into the unknown and go pick up a car for our use while we’re in

Miami.  With the exception of a clearly mentally ill person wanting to get off the ship immediately upon docking, it was a very smooth ride.  His obscenity laced rants and pacing, yelling, and his companion who was making everything worse were the only hiccup in a smooth trip home.  No COVID tests, no worries about having to quarantine, customs was a breeze and we were on our way.   

Dave and I left the families at the port and took an Uber in to Hollywood and picked up the minivan from a an extremely nice guy and his little son.  Jorge took a pic of the fuel gauge, the odometer and sent us on our way.  We were back to the dock to pick up the families and the

suitcases in less than 50 minutes and now we had a car for the 4 days that we’re in Miami.  We drove down to our Hyatt and checked in.  There are lots of restaurants around us, we walk down to the Shell station to get some drinks while Julie orders food through Uber eats so we don’t have to move again for the night.  It’s New Year’s Eve tonight and I don’t think that any of us make it until midnight.  Oscar was good with seeing the fireworks go off in London and fell asleep, John was trying to watch a college football game, but I wasn’t even trying.  I hit the pillow hard.