The flight to London Heathrow took two and a half hours instead of one hour due to severe head wind and bad weather conditions in London. Upon arrival we had 20 minutes left until scheduled departure to Miami. Getting that flight was impossible as we had to take the train to another terminal and then walk through a massively crowded security again. Whiny little me started to cry...
Thankfully that flight was delayed as well because of the bad weather and we made it right in time. Two minutes later and the doors would have been closed.
The flight from London to Miami was exhausting. We asked for window seats and the check-in lady booked us on E and F, which are in fact window seats at smaller models. On a Boeing 747 those are the middle seats in the plane's middle row of four. Ugh, 10 hours of playing sandwich between two strangers.
However, this was the best flight ever a) because i LOVE the 747 and its spacious rear, b) great inseat entertainment, c) the cabin crew was amazing!! They were busy little bees and extremely well trained and attentive regarding flight safety and security. I wish every crew member was like that. d) i couldn't care less about the food but the meals were great.
British Airways is a very good choice for long-haul flights.
Arriving in Miami was ultra exciting but also a shock. The city is small but what a hectic airport! And that heat! We wore winter coats and boots as it was merely 10°C back home, and all of a sudden it was 40°C. We knew it would be warm, but we didn't expect it to be hot in the evening! It was wonderful and we couldn't stop smiling!
We stayed at "The Wave Hotel", a nice little hotel on Ocean Drive. Thankfully it is located in the southern part and a few blocks away from all that hubbub and nightlife. It was quiet and clean and we spent most nights relaxing on its cosy patio, sipping a cocktail or two.
Our room's view into the green backyard:
The patio:
Our first impressions next morning were not too sunny, but we had brilliant weather most of the other days.
We spent most of our time at the beach or walking around. We walked a lot! I think we walked every tiny little street in South Beach but it was fun and we really got to know the area.
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We even walked onto the McArthur Causeway. I developed a weird feir of heights a few years ago, all of a sudden and for no reason and i am immensely afraid of bridges since then. It was impossible for me to enjoy the view, my knees were pudding and i even cried a little bit. I wanted to turn around but i wanted to take pictures of the skyline and the cruise ships, and that photo obsession was stronger than my fear. I could not let this opportunity pass but as soon as i was done taking pictures i ran back as fast as i could to reach dry land. Obviously the photos did not turn out as nice as i tought, but the view was worth it.
We took the bus to the Aventura Mall and Bel Harbour Shops. We did not buy anything but the bus ride was a nice sightseeing tour.
I checked their website a few days later and room rates starting from $1000 are not quite within our budget. One Thousand Dollars! Holy cow, what kind of hotel was that??
I did some research and found out that it not only belongs to the "Leading Hotels in the World" but it is also one of the most famous hotels where all the celebrities stay regularly. Awesome!
I know for sure that i took a photo of the restroom because i loved the lighting and floral decoration, yet somehow all the pictures from our walk are missing.
But i swear it's true, i had a pee at "The Setai"!!
I love South Beach's architecture and the colors on Ocean Drive, especially at night:
And a little snack at Bayside:
After that we decided to rent a car because we wanted to visit the outlets. Again, we paid way too much for the car but it was worth it eventually. First stop was Wal-Mart to buy some groceries and random knick-knack, then we proceeded to The Sawgrass Mills Mall. Say hello to my brand new Stuart Weitzman heels: two pairs for a total of $89!!!
Gotta love the outlets!
Amazing sunrise:
We had two wonderful, wonderful weeks in Miami. We enjoyed the sun, the sand, the beach and absolutely everything and every single moment!
