2nd day in miami

..today I realised that there's not a single person in the whole of south beach fatter than me!

Quite hard to take but sure enough, all of them whether 18 years old or 68 had a better, tighter body than I. Of course the outdoors lifestyle and the I-must-be-beautiful vibe are contributors but in essence these guys all work harder than me. They're all running round in their athletic gear on boxing day working up a sweat in 80+ degree weather and largely loving it.

Feeling inspired I came back from our walk round the Art Deco district and promptly did 100 laps of the hotel pool.

It's been a great couple of days, South beach has been interesting and really quite pretty - a perfect, chilled out start to the journey. Quito tomorrow after a 5am start! ouch.

So, we go these round the world tickets but couldn't get to Ecuador straight away due to availability so we've ended up leaving earlier than planned on christmas eve (sorry beloved family!) and having a 3 day stop over in Miami. Got to admit there are worse ways of spending christmas than in 80degree weather lounging by a pool but it wasn't quite the same family celebration over a series of 5 min mobile calls.

Miami is an EXPENSIVE place! hotels, taxis, restaurants - everything is over priced and includes a 15% tip built into the bill! It is very pretty though - an archipelago of different islands and a real outdoors / beach culture. Art deco is not really my thing but it is fascinating walking round all these artistic structures and buildings that mix a million different styles and colours into one creation.

Christmas day we chilled at the pool till mid afternoon and then wandered down ocean drive. As a brit you see all these T-shirts with 'ocean drive' written on with a guy leaning out a convertible taking it all in. It's also very bigged-up in the guidebooks saying models and celebs hang here, here and here... Whilst it does have it's fabulous moments in general it was kind of one big parking lot on a narrow street and a few neon-lighted shops and bars etc. We had fun though and it was a really family day as everyone came out relaxed and up for a good time on christmas day.

I write this on boxing day morning and today we head for the Art Deco district and the shops where I'll hopefully make up for my shameful lack of christmas present for Lou. Tomorrow we leave early for Quito, Ecuador.