Florida

It was startling to get off the airplane in the tiny international airport of Melbourne, and find that cars had to be air-conditioned instead of scraped and heated. Lots of palm trees, 75 degree clear sky (which I don't actually get to see much of), road construction and a sign warning of alligators in the pond--that's this corner of Melbourne.

And now I know what Dave Barry means by "a Florida driver's license." A noticeable fraction of the cars are piloted by drivers with an insouciant disregard for traffic laws reminiscent of West Africa. Left turns from the right lane against the light are just one of the creative maneuvers employed here.

I tried a Bob Evans restaurant, and I think I'll pass in the future--too much salt for my poor diet.

But I did get to see the Atlantic from this side, albeit in the dark.