Welcome to Florida.. Retirement Capital of North America

As far as I am now concerned I will be retiring to Florida (If I ever decide to go back to work). The trip here was very interesting. Ryan and I made the plane with plenty of time. With about 20 mins to boarding, we saw no sign of Dad. After a bit of panic and some decision making, Ryan and I decided to get on the plane without the third Marsh and head south solo. After arriving at the airport at about 7:30, and finding my aunt and Uncle (who thought that we were playing a trick on them), we anxiously awaited some sign of our Dad on any of the additional incoming flights. After about 5 hrs, Dad finally got off one of the Air Canada flights arriving from Toronto. In typical Marsh fashion, he had missed 2 planes by about 5 min, causing him to have to wait around for the next ones.

My aunt and uncle live in an area of Florida called "The Villages". Basically it is a cross between a resort, the Betty Ford Clinic, Disneyland, and a retirement home. It is absolutely beautiful. The area is a huge compound, about 50 sq miles, of homes, mini-towns (all themed), golf courses, pools, bars, rec centers, banks, stores and almost anything else you could think of. Everyone uses a golf cart to get around (about 90% of the residents have them). They "putt" along streets and cart paths which go everywhere. At "Town Square" you see tons of golf carts parked every where instead of cars.

Ryan and I are by far the youngest residents (and or visitors) here at The Villages. The average age here is about 60. I have seen more Cadillacs concentrated here then any where else I have ever been. My days have mostly been filled with Golf (played 2 nine hole courses, best score was a 43 on a par 27), hitting a few balls at the driving range, hanging at the pool, riding bikes and Bocci ball.

The nightlife here is different then anything I have ever seen. Beer and liquor here is super cheap. Drinks are cheapest during happy hour, which is in a different spot almost every hour of the day. So far the best deal I have seen is in the town square between 5-7 were you can get 2 for 1 drinks (a round of 5 double drinks is about $15.00 US). Being that it is a retirement village it seems that everything starts and ends earlier. You can walk into any bar at 2:30 in the afternoon and see a party of 60-80 year olds kicking back a ton of drinks and dancing the afternoon away. By 5:00, everyone is partying in the town square and by 8:00 the party shuts down and hundreds of wasted old folks, jump in their golf carts and head for home. By 10:00 the Villages turns into a quiet ghost town, until early the next morning when the whole thing starts over again.

Each day we have been here it has become warmer and warmer. My last full day is projected to be about 80, so we have decided to have a "pool" day. If we can we may fit in some tennis. My tickets to Mexico and Malaysia arrived today... Leg one has turned out well. Fun in the sun catching up with family...