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Saturday, March 06, 2010

Adventure To Madeira Beach

The next leg of our central Florida tour took us to Madeira Beach via Tampa – in a torrential downpour – at peak time traffic. Six to twelve lanes of traffic on each side depending on whether you count the on and off ramp acceleration/deceleration lanes or not. The traffic there was even heavier than Pittsburgh last year.

Madeira Beach, Florida is a long stretch of land in the Gulf of Mexico containing mostly residential and tourist attractions. But getting there in the middle of a non-stop downpour after dark it didn’t seem so. Since we left the Kennedy Space Center and headed directly there, there was no time to call ahead and book accommodation for the night.

So again the trusty GPS was called into action, and the list of motels was plentiful. Finding them from the list on the GPS isn’t as easy as it sounds when it says “You have reached your destination,” and there are a dozen or so within range.

The first one we encountered, didn’t have internet. After doing without for the previous three days, internet was a must by now. And checking out the room just to be sure, it looked like two closets put together back to back with the door on the wrong side.

So on to the next one a short distance down the street. My friend got out to check and the person inside almost knocked her over with the door on his way out in the pouring rain to tell us what a wonderful place it was – I guess. The translator wasn’t working well so the message may have been distorted.

On to the next, which turned out to be three in a row, side by side on the same street. Pulling into one that looked presentable, we notice the sign on the one next to it: Newly Renovated, Free Internet, Cable TV, Vacancy! That’s for us as she runs to that one, and I have to jig Big Blue around to the lot next door that has ten vehicles in a parking lot designed for about eight.

As I manoeuvre into position, she comes out, key in hand, saying, “It was a bit more expensive that we usually pay, but good, and it has internet.” We were told this was the last room available and it was at the top of the stairs – turn right. And so it was. Nicely furnished with a bed, a miniature fridge, similar sized TV, a bath room and a bug. Huh?

Bug

Now this room in the Alvira hotel (name changed to protect the innocent), appeared clean, but it was extremely small, and it cost well over a hundred dollars. You would have to back outside to turn around, or go in the bathroom with the bug! To say this would give one the hebbie jeebies is a bit of an understatement, since I had been making remarks about bugs since the start of our trip.

Well I gather up this friendly little creature on a piece of paper towel, take its picture, and proceed to the front desk. I promptly place it on the counter and ask “What kind of bug is this?” After getting an apology and all kinds of ‘we never had any…before, it is always sprayed, etc. etc.’ we were offered another room. Their last room? That’s two last rooms, this place is different.

This one was inspected by staff for bugs and we ended up with a suite, two beds, stove, table & chairs, snowy TV and a bathroom – with no bugs. I can’t say it was a comfortable night, but it was late and tomorrow would come soon.

The next morning we are up and at it early, eager to get the heck out of there and on to see a better side of Madeira Beach called John’s Pass.

As we wiggle out of that too small parking lot, we notice one thing. That sign for “Newly Renovated, Free Internet, Cable TV, Vacancy!” is right on the property line and is for the motel next door.