As there was no free breakfast we took our time in getting ready and had our own cereal in the room. It was 1100am before we left the Motel Budget Inn with the thought that we had been diddled by the Indians (from India that is) claiming that they need to increase the rates due to high demand for the weekend.

We drove southwards and confirmed that we did not have to return to St Augustine to go to Dytona. We then turned back towards the town through the inner beach road and saw the numerous hotels when I was convinced that we were indeed diddled into taking the room last night. We the paid a cursory visit to St Augustine lighthouse. We had to cross the Bridge of Lions into St Augustine where I thought we were going to visit the old fort, but I was wrong as Alison convinced me to go to the old Spanish Quarters instead. I could still see the old fort from the car park and just took a couple of photos of Tuah with it in the background, instead.

I must admit that the Spanish quarter was quite interesting with the oldest wooden school in the US still standing in its midst. Of course there was a charge to go in and we skipped it. I saw this one man band who claimed to have the last license issued and got to take Adrian to pose with him but Adrian was more interested in his ice cream.

As we walked towards the car I stopped to buy a leather bracelet and there was hell on when Adrian wanted to buy a collection of perfume, just because it was in a pirate treasure box. Alison was mad with the store keeper who showed the USD20 box of perfume to Adrian.

That was enough sight seeing for us in St Augustine, the oldest European settlement in the USA founded in 1565. with its fearsome fort and prison, Castillo de San Marcos. Read more about it here

We headed back to the beach road that would lead us to Daytona and all along the coast there were beautiful houses and I thought the Yanks really know how to live! As I was a little tired I handed the wheel to Alison and I got up just as she was turning the car into Daytona Beach campsite. There were a few spaces for tents left and we chose one which was closest to the facilities. We felt welcomed immediately by the neighbour who shifted the table as I was backing Tuah up to the site.

The campsite was almost full as today was Daytona race day and most of the campers would be going to see the race and at USD145 I didn't think I would be going. Just as I was settling down to read the kids next to our tent came back and Adrian of course made friends with them and the next thing I knew I had to take Adrian to the pool as the kids were going. Although Adrian enjoyed himself, I pitied him as he couldn't swim like the others and a couple of times he swallowed some water trying to be smart and venturing too deep in the water.

After dinner Adrian couldn't wait to join the kids to play fireworks, of course all the kids were just watching while the father did all the work and I took the photos. The kids wanted to take a look in the tent but I promised them they could do that in the morning as there were too many mosquitoes about to let them run loose with the flaps open. Alison was tired and took Adrian up to sleep by 9.30pm. I felt it was too hot for me to sleep n the tent and stayed up till about 1am when I was too tired to care about the heat.