by Eileen Thai

Created on: February 25, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Over the years, we have made many trips to Florida. One of the most memorable is our honeymoon trip in May of 1987. It was my husband's first time to the state, and his first taste of tropical weather in the United States. After arriving in Orlando, he was so impressed with the palm trees at the airport he couldn't stop taking pictures of them. The last time he saw palm trees was in Cambodia, almost a dozen years earlier.

We spent a couple of days at Epcot Center. Where else can you get a feel of a foreign country without leaving the country? The World Showcase is a cultural exhibit of 11 countries, complete with replicas of famous buildings in those countries, their cuisine and entertainment. I remember the Mexico exhibit vividly. You walk inside, and are immediately transported to an enchanting Mexican night market, where you can stroll around under the stars. Or you can take in the sights from a boat gliding along a canal.

After Orlando, we headed for the west coast of Florida, stopping at St Petersburg to visit family for a few days. My husband met some of my relatives for the first time.

Then we moved south to the Everglades National Park. We had gotten a room at the lodge in Flamingo. Unbeknownst to us, May was the beginning of mosquito season. The fact that there was hardly anyone around should have raised some signals. At the Visitor Center, we saw a park ranger whose face and arms were puffy and swollen, what looked like mosquito bites. She cautioned us to purchase insect repellents. On the way to the lodge, a turtle stopped in our path. We went out to take pictures.
Later that afternoon, we signed up for an eco-tour on a pontoon boat. The office where we waited was selling all kinds of souvenirs, including ominous signs that read "I donated blood." Things were not looking good, but nothing prepared us for the rest of the evening. We bought some food to eat back at the lodge. As soon as we opened the car door, literally swarms of mosquitoes hovered over our heads. It was like something you see only in the movies. We darted straight for our room and closed the door. Still, some got in with us. We heated up our dinner, but could not find a place to eat it without those darn mosquitoes bothering us. No matter what we tried (like setting the air conditioner to a real low temperature), they were relentless. At bedtime, they got into our hair and even managed to get underneath the covers. Needless to say, we had one sleepless night. We survived with just a few bites on our arms.

We got out of Flamingo first thing in the morning. Our next stop was Miami. What a relief to get back to civilization! We had a fabulous time eating Tapas (appetizer-sized entrees) and Cuban food, swaying to Latin music, and watching all the beautiful people in South Beach. We flew home from Miami.

Since this trip, we have been back to the different parts of the Everglades, but never in May.

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