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Writer's pictureMegan Giles

20. Cocoa Beach, Florida

Dates: April 8-14, 2022


Time to head north! The original plan was to drive all the way down the Keys. However… it’s spring break season. Ain’t nobody got time for that. (That’s still cool to say, right?)


I book it on a Friday morning and get to Cape Canaveral just in time to watch a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center. The highway was lined with onlookers. It felt like the 4th of July. I found a parking lot by the cruise lines to watch from. It was right on time: 11:17 am.



I can’t check in until later so I head to a tiki bar to work from. Checkout this view!


That's where I made a new friend, Roy from Boston. He was in town for work. Hey, Roy! Comment below if you're still following along. 😃


Meet My Texas Friend

Chrystal Wolven Jackson is the first friend to meet up with me on this grand adventure. Her cousin Sarah joined us too which worked out well. They both like laying on the beach. I’d rather stay in the shade and get work done. They both like exteme adventures like kite surfing. I'm more of a I'll-watch-you-fall-but-have-no-desire-to-try kind.


The first evening together was a relaxing walk on the beach.


Fan boats and boat fans.

Our next adventure that I partook in was a fan boat tour of the marshy swamp lands.



Seeing gators next to cattle was odd. #onlyinFlorida



One thing I love about Chrystal is that she gets me to try new things. Sometimes I actually enjoy them!


I'm a Boat Fan

We chartered a fishing boat one afternoon. Captain Cole baited my hook and promised he wouldn't make fun of me for not wanting to touch a fish. Now this is the way to go fishing! All I had to do is cast and reel.


What I enjoyed most was hearing Cpt. Cole talk about his biz plan. He's only 21 and going to school for business. He started chartering a year or so ago and wants to grow his fleet and team. I could talk business and marketing all day. But there's fish to be caught!


Boat facts:

Most boats that sink get left where they are! And lots of boats get abandoned on the dock. I don't understand why you’d just walk away from a boat and leave it tied to the dock. Turns out those boats do make for good fishing so I guess that’s a good thing. 🤷🏻‍♀️

We got back right at sunset.

While Chrystal learned how to clean our dinner...

... I watched the sun set.


Note to self: when TripAdvisor says “Plan 7 hours” follow it. We only blocked off 3-4 and that wasn’t nearly enough.



This was actually IN space!


Even if you aren’t into space stuff, the complex is very interesting and put together well. I don’t think my mind is big enough to comprehend space travel and technology.


Most Days

While we did do a lot of exploring, my laptop still beckons. That was the tough part of being with friends: They were on vacation. I still had a business to run.


I worked from the patio as much as I could. There was a glimpse of water at least.


Sunrise

I can't resist a good sunrise. The dark silhouettes of trees make me smile with the vibrant colors in the background. I took my coffee out to the beach a few mornings and did my morning Bible study in the sand.


My Luggage

I get asked a lot how much stuff I still have. Not a lot. The big suitcase is bedding. I have a pillow addiction and want my own comforter to snuggle up to at night. The two smaller suitcases are all of my clothes. The only thing missing from this is my backpack that carries my laptops.

Our condo was on the 4th floor and I had no desire to make multiple trips. So in the spirit of sheer laziness, I was determined to get everything down in one trip. The backpack on my back is pretty heavy but everything else is on rollers so it's more awkward than anything. I made it all the way to my car and while opening the rear door trip over a bag. The weight from my backpack pulled me all the way back. 🤣 Thankfully the only thing damaged was my hind quarters. The worst part of falling is not having anyone to laugh with when I look like a turtle who can't get up.


Would I visit again?

Maybe. I’d stay somewhere else. We weren’t walking distance to anything.


Would I live here?

No. It's too touristy. It's basically a concrete slab next to water and sand.


Enthusiasm level: 8 to a 4. I had fun seeing an old friend, but felt pulled between spending time with her and my laptop.


Here’s to infinity and beyond!

Megan “Likes Boat Rides” Giles


Placeholder for a fun shirt design to commemorate the trip.

Unedited by another. Typos are on the house.


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1 Comment


Colleen Horan
Colleen Horan
Jul 15, 2022

THIS IS MY HOMETOW.N! It’s an interesting place isn’t it? My parents still live there. You’ve got to tell me if you went to mass at Our Saviour. That church is stuck in the 70s in the worst way.

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