Chi-town

Sorry it's taken me a while to put up another post. I am continuing from my last blog.......As my job in Fort Myers was wrapping up, I started mapping out my next location. I had always wanted to visit Chicago, so I thought why not live there while the living's free! After applying for and receiving my Illinois license, I was good to go. I made a quick stop home in Missouri to see family and friends, and then I was on my way towards Lake Michigan. Since parking in Chicago is extremely expensive and hard to obtain, Eli and I downsized all of our belongings and packed everything up in my Passat. I cannot believed everything fit!! (I did have to get a rooftop carrier!) Upon arrival, I couldn't have been more excited. We got to our apartment, that was picked out by our company, and to our dismay found about 450 sqaure feet of partially furnished housing. As you may not know, being a traveler means I leave a lot behind. So I have to rely on furnished housing to get me through the months.

Anyway, after a short housing crisis, everything was worked out, and I began my enjoyment of Chicago. I think I explored every inch of Chicago. I went to the Art Institute, the Lincoln Park Zoo, Millennium Park, the Field Museum, the Shed Aqaurium, the Museum of Science and Industry, Navy Pier, Wrigley Field...................the list goes on and on. Below are three pictures from a day of exploring: the famous "bean," the skyline from the carousel at Navy Pier, and Eli and I with the skyline behind us.

One of the coolest parts of living in Chicago, was using the L train. Chicago has a great public transportation system. It was wonderful being able to use the trains or walk everywhere. This picture was taken about two blocks from my apartment. This was a place I liked to walk to and unwind. It goes to show that even in huge, busy cities, there is always a serene place to relax. Cheers!

Florida Weekend Adventures

As mentioned in my previous post, I went on many weekend adventures when down in Fort Myers. One of my favorite places was an island just thirty minutes away - Captiva Island (just north of Sanibel Island). The water was crystal clear and much cooler than the bathwater-like ocean by my place. One day, Eli and I found twelve conch shells washed up on shore! If you can get past the not so attractive woman in the picture above, you can see how blue the water is.

Another fun adventure, was deep sea fishing. The only time I have ever been fishing that I can really remember, was with my dad in Texas....and that was fly fishing. So for me, this was new territory. After I got over my sea sickness with the help of some Dramamine, I got pretty good at fishing. I even, for the first time, put on my own bait!! I caught about seven or eight and was quite proud of myself. When it was all over, I got to keep the fish. I had a week's worth of wonderful fresh fish fillets!

One fun-filled weekend, Eli and I drove ALL THE WAY across Florida to Miami (two and a half hours to be exact). We stayed in the Fontainebleau hotel with my Aunt Sandy, Uncle Mike, and cousin Sarah. We went on jet skis, explored the area, ate at a couple of great restaurants, and enjoyed the scenery. The hotel was right on the beach and had fantastic views. I had such a great time with the Starr's!

After Miami, Eli and I went on several other trips up and down the coast to explore the beaches. There are too many to mention, so I'll talk about my favorite, Key West. The area is almost like New Orleans' Bourbon Street, including a fully nude bar (don't worry mom, I did not participate). The water was beautiful and the island vibe was relaxing. It was so much fun to walk around to all the shops and relax in the sun. I wish I could have stayed for a week to explore more of the ocean!

Sorry this is such a long post! I am trying to catch everyone up to where we are now, which is going to take a while! I hope you all feel like you know more about my Fort Myers Beach rotation. Looking back at all these pictures, I remember how much fun I had and forget that I even had to work during the week! Enjoy.

From the Beginning

Hopefully you all know what I have been up to this last year and a half. It all started in May of 2007. I was tired of my job at St. John's Hospital and was looking for new opportunities. After several months of research, I quit my job at the hospital and took a traveling job in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. For those of you who are geographically challenged, it is located in the southwest portion of the state. I had to clear out my rental house in Springfield, Missouri, and downsize to what could fit in my car. Call me spoiled, but it was very hard coming from a girl with about a billion pairs of shoes and purses to match! I managed to utilize every inch of my car and headed down to Florida. Now, I wasn't as brave as you think. My boyfriend, Eli, is a physical therapist. He has been my traveling companion, so I have not done it alone.



The cool part of this job is that the travel companies pay for my living expenses. My place in Fort Myers Beach was amazing...and free. I was on the beach (technically across the street but I didn't care). Above is a photo of the place - we lived on the top floor.



Eli and I spent many hours on the beach, just enjoying the scenery. Here are some beautiful pictures from "our" beach:












We went on many weekend excursions and explored most of southern Florida. I will write more on a later day. Hope you enjoy the first of my blogs! Also, I am new to blogging, so be a little forgiving!!