June 30th
Ok, really, we are going to leave the USA, I promise!
The heat and humidity made us give up our plan to get to Cuba
- even though there is a travel ban for US citizens, but exceptions always underline the rules and I was pretty confident we could have found a way...if there is a will...but, there wasn’t anymore and I also think we can get ourselves there some other time. We also wanted to go island hoping in the Caribbean and gave it up for the same reasons mentioned above. Most of my life I’ve been afraid of the cold (except when I can go skiing/play in some nice powdery snow with appropriate clothing) and felt pretty confident, that, when it get’s too hot, I can always find a way to cool off - like eating ice cream, for example....and finding some cool water for swimming, to acclimate. On this stretch I’ve learned, by getting overheated and not able to sleep, swimming in over 90 degrees water (even though it is wet and beautiful) AND losing my appitete for chocolate, boarders on a life threatening situation and I am ready to change plans:
Leaving tomorrow on a jet plane to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Bikes are in Boxes, rental car arranged for the drive to Miami tomorrow, spreading “our” wings at 6:40pm.
In the mean time, we are experiencing another amazing stay with John and Beti here in the Keys. Such a beautiful place, such beautiful people and almost daily outings on one of the boats with the dogs - or at least one of them. “Boots” got to go last night for a “before dinner” cruise.
https://vimeo.com/346417223
But before that, we cycled down from Miami, spent another grueling night amongst almost unbearable heat, humidity and plenty of bugs to just want to run away for ever. When John said in a text they “only” have an open space under the house, enclosed with mosquito netting and a few fans for us, I was delighted and couldn’t get there fast enough. It was a “Durststrecke” a “Spießrutenlauf” of 122 miles. But luxury was waiting! We were welcomed and taken in like old friends. With all the boating and fun we were invited to, the heat was a lot less of a problem - and our sleeping quaters where not only beautiful, but spacious and ever so comfortable. Thank you again and again John and Beti for taking us in and making us feel like home.
Now, a week later, it’s - again - hard to leave, but we are SO EXCITED to finally have a plan: We are flying to Buenos Aires, Argentina and continue where we left off 5 years ago! We’ll head north to Brazil, take our time to visit places like Iguazu Waterfalls before pedaling further east to catch a plane to jump the puddle to S. Africa. So the plan!
