From Irvine to Fort Lauderdale... Vacation Day 1

I finally went to bed at 2 am Wednesday night... only to wake up 2 hours later to catch my flight to Fort Lauderdale.  I don't even recall falling asleep, but my alarm rang and I jumped out of bed ready to jump on the plane.  I didn't know why I was so excited.  I had absolutly no plans set in stone.  I really just needed a vacation, even if it was only for a few days.
I was really early to the airport.  My neighbor, Damion generously gave me a ride.  The plane ride to Pheonix was short.  Barely 1 hours.  My stop over was for only 35mins.  Which gave me time to get off my plane and get on the next one.  Thankfully it was only a few gates down because they were already boarding.  As tired as I was, I didn't get any sleep on either flight.   The plane ride was not exciting, everyone was either sleeping or were just tired... including me!

I arrive at Fort Lauderdale and was picked up by an old friend from high school.  It was around 4:30pm in Fort Lauderdale, but only 1:30 in Cali... so I was HUNGRY.  I checked in my little hotel.  It was ugly on the outside but great on the inside.  I had 2 full size beds, dressers, I had a full kitchen, a dining table that sat 4, and a vanity room and closet that led to a private bath.  Very cute indeed, you would have never guessed from the outside.
After changing into something more comfortable.  It's soooooooooooo hot and humid there, pretty awful, but not a cloud in the sky.  The prior weeks leading up to my trip, they have been having many thunderstorms.  So far, nothing for that day.

We grab a bite to eat off Las Olas and A1A.  Down the street from my hotel.  After a quick bite, my friend drops me off at the hotel.  I venture out to see all the shops from my hotel to Las Olas, where we went to eat.  My friend said it was a little over 1 mile.  Well, 1 mile is hot and humid weather is torture.  I walked in the first shop I saw.  The people were friendly and once they caught wind I'm a sole traveler, the guys were more than eager to "hang out later".
I went bathing suit shopping for the next few hours, trying what must have been 100 suits and finally found one.  The sun had set and I think it was after 9, so I decided to head back to the hotel... I walked back on the beach, which runs parallel to A1A.  It was a great walk, just me and my ipod relaxing to the voice of Micheal Buble.  I got to my hotel and took a shower.  It was still hot, and I was uncomfortable... too uncomfortable to sleep.  Knowing one of the guys I met got off work at 11pm... I call him.  We meet up at a bar on A1A.  Turns out his family owns 7 of the shops and 5 of the bar/restaurant on the strip.  So we were getting hooked up left and right.  Everyone knew him and almost seemed like they feared him.  That was a turn off... but he was respectful to me, so we drank. 
We were walking through "Blondes" and a girl stopped me to say hello.  I danced a bit with her and her friends but quickly left because Shy, the guy I was hanging out w/ was kinda a stiff.  Always serious.  I went to my hotel shortly (around 3:30am) and got some sleep... First day turned out great.