Nathan's Insights

Wednesday 04 December 2024
Highlights: The Everglades National Park experience – birds, alligators and an airboat ride, the fanatic atmosphere of an NBA game (Miami Heat versus the LA Lakers). 

We had planned for today an event I have been looking forward to for over a year, a visit to the Everglades about a 40-minute drive from Miami.

We got up early for breakfast and organised an Uber to Fairfield Inn near the airport for our tour activity. After a few moments of concern, our tour operator picked us up.

On our drive to Everglades National Park, our guide for today Lindsay, explained the history of water in Florida as how 100 years ago in solving flooding the State diverted fresh water from flowing to the Southern parts of the State. While this solved one problem and allowed for far more land to be opened up it has caused other problems that the State is attempting to rectify now.

In 2040 fresh water should be flowing back down to this area but in a controlled fashion to Everglade gets it but it doesn’t flood the region.

On arrival, we commenced with a 1.5-hour walk into a small section of the Everglades National Park. Lindsay explained different flora, what was dangerous, what was safe, and what Native American Indians used for medicine.

We learnt a little of Native American Indian history of the area as well and were informed that our later airboat would be with the Miccosukee tribe. 

On our walk, we encountered many species of birds and 6 different female alligators enjoying the sun.

After a short break, we moved onto the airboat part of today’s tour. Richard, from the Miccosukee tribe, took us out on the water. Here we got to understand what the Everglades is with sallow water and a lot of wildlife. We got close to swimming alligators and watched birds fly and hunt.

We stop at a small island that the Miccosukee tribe lived on until they had to move in the 1970s for health reasons but they still maintain it for cultural purposes. On this island, we spotted a soft shell turtle swimming around. 

This was an amazing experience.

In the afternoon I purchased (expensive) tickets to an NBA game, the Miami Heat versus the LA Lakers. It seemed like fate to watch teams from the two cities we had visited.

NBA games are very fanatic entertainment events. Outside of the game itself, there is always something happening, some promotion or dancing or singing going on with lights flashing. 

While the game itself wasn’t close, with Miami Heat 134 beating LA Laker 93, we got to watch Lebron James (LA), and some great plays, in particular Tyler Herro hitting multiple 3-pointers from a long way out and scoring 21 points in the third quarter alone. An unforgettable energetic experience.