Miami & the Turks & Caicos

OK, OK – I know it's been a long time between posts when people start ringing and emailing with abuse about the delay! Good to know I have at least 2 friends who kindly log on and off to make me feel like someone actually reads what I've been up to…

So – had a brilliant trip to Miami and the T&Cs though it didn't start too well as 9 hours into our flight to Miami, Janine suddenly clocked that the Moving Map no longer had a little white circle around our destination of Miami… but had shifted to bloody Nassau instead! So we landed there, due to the Florida thunderstorms, and got to the hotel 5 hours later than planned – but at least we got there. And no, that doesn't give me the right to add the Bahamas to my tally of countries – sweating for 2 hours on the runway with no aircon as they were refuelling was 'an experience', but still doesn't count.

But the rest of the trip was its usual, reliably marvellous self. Day 1 spent as ever in Sawgrass Mills, the best outlet mall in the world (well, my world anyway). Day 2 spent in Aventura Mall, topping up on stuff we coulnd't tick off on Day 1. Day 3 spent trawling around various 'not yet been to' stores like Crate & Barrel, and in the (sadly fruitless) hunt for an Eddie Bauer store for Ross's favourite man t-shirts. All interespersed with wondering how the hell we were going to get all the new purchases into weigh-a-bloody-tonne suitcases..

Day 4 – off to the T&Cs. Apparently so-called as Turks and Caicos are two different varieties of cactus, according to the taxi fella – well, there you go. Didn't want to tell him that hardly anyone I've ever met has even heard of his beloved islands, despite how lovely they actually are.

Stayed at the new Gansevoort there – learnings were:

– Don't even consider the Yoga classes. Full of skinny, tiny-vest anorexic women, clearly able to bend in every direction possible. Thank god we'd put our mats towards the exit – cue one hasty retreat for two Yoga-non-bunnies with almost-broken wrists and battered egos about halfway through our first class….

– The massage woman however was a rub-down goddess – only for me as J was too sunburnt (tee hee), but damn good when you have a sore shoulder, could have laid there all day…

– Beach as ever was bloody fabulous – as were the other 5 or so that we visited in our 'you can't miss us' orange Jeep that we hired for the day. I should say 'rented' – ask for a 'hire car' and they have no bloody clue what you're talking about, heathens. But my, those beaches – endless stretches of perfect sand with no-one else on them – awesomely nice.

– The Gans does at least knock out a very mean Pina Colada – SO good at 5pm on your sunbed, as the sun's going down

– Cards, gin & tonic and cheeky snouts on the balcony overlooking the sea and the Thursday night 'fish fry' was its usual delight - although J did beat me at cards in the 4 night marathon, and I am still smarting.

Can I go back again soon?

A few pix – there are no 'sights' as such, so it's just us chickens, the pool, the beach, the sea and the cocktails…