Today was an incredible adventure as I soared over the waters of Everglades National Park. It was a wild and unforgettable experience! I woke up around 10 a.m. thanks to a kid who barged into the dorm early in the morning, blasting his gangster R&B music while taking a shower. Naturally, the whole room woke up. Annoyed, I decided to give him a taste of karma. When he needed to access his locker, I took my sweet time at mine, pretending to rummage around just to make him wait. Karma really is a bitch.
Arranging Travel Plans
In the morning, I called a tour company for Everglades National Park, the massive swamp near Miami. The one connected to the hostel was fully booked, so I found another option—cheaper, too—called something like Gator Park. The reviews were solid, so I gave them a call. They had a spot available and could pick me up around 1:40 p.m. at the corner of Washington and 13th Street. Naturally, I jumped on it.
In the morning, I did some research and made a decision—I booked two nights in the Bahamas. It was all the time I had since my flight out of Miami was on July 1st. To catch the ferry, I needed to get to Fort Lauderdale, a city just north of Miami. It didn’t look far on the map, just a straight drive up the coast to the port. But then I realized public transport in Miami was a nightmare. It would take me three hours and involve walking 40 minutes and catching three different buses. The real question was—did I actually want to deal with that hassle?
That was my last option. In the morning, I started calling various shuttle companies to arrange transportation. A taxi would cost a ridiculous $120 one way—way too much. A shuttle was still expensive at $40, but it seemed like my best bet. After several calls, the first three companies couldn’t pick me up because they weren’t licensed to operate in Miami Beach, where I was staying. Finally, I found a company called Super Shuttles that could help. They’d get me to the port by 6:30 am, which meant I could wake up at 4:30 am instead of the dreaded 3 am.
Towards the Crocodiles!
With everything set for the next day, I finally felt at ease. Around noon, I headed out to Washington and 13th Street. At 12:45 pm, the shuttle arrived to pick me up. The driver, a friendly lady, mentioned that the trip to the park would take about 40 minutes. It ended up being an hour and 15 minutes, but I didn’t mind one bit.
The bus made its way through Miami Beach, then crossed a bridge heading toward what I assumed was the downtown area. I didn’t mind how long the ride took since it gave me a chance to soak in the city. I was blown away by Miami’s scale—cruise ships, luxury villas, yachts, and towering hotels were everywhere. I couldn’t help but think, there must be some seriously wealthy people living here.
As we crossed the main bridge, another stunning skyline came into view. I loved the city of Miami, but its public transport system? Not so much. It’s definitely a city where cars reign supreme.
We made one last stop at a port to pick up a few more passengers, and then we finally hit the highway to the Everglades National Park. As we passed the airport, I knew we were getting close. Just another 15 minutes, and we’d be at Gator Park.
Gator Park Airboat Tour
When I arrived at the Everglades National Park, I headed to the counter to settle the payment. I had already purchased a ticket online but chose the wrong one since I needed the one that included transportation. After paying the remaining balance, the total came to $50 for the ticket and transport.
“Okay, you’re all set, darling. The boat is right over there,” the woman at the counter said.
“Yeah, yeah, sure—just need to use your toilet first. Where is it?” I asked. There was no way I was going on a boat tour for an hour with my bladder about to burst.
“It’s over there, but hurry to the boat; they’re waiting for you!” she urged.
“Nope, toilet first!” I replied, annoyed, as I made my way to the restroom. They sure kept a quick pace in this park.
Just as the woman said, everyone was waiting for me on the boat. I got lucky this time, as I found a seat on the right side instead of some awkward spot in the middle. From here, I could take some great pictures!
As the boat glided through the first ditch, we found ourselves in open waters. Our guide revved up the engine, and to my surprise, we took off at incredible speed—probably around 80 kilometers per hour. In mere seconds, we were skimming over the grasslands. I was astonished that nothing went wrong when we sailed right into the vegetation. Suddenly, the boat veered to the left while still moving straight ahead, making small bounces over the water. Then it leveled out again. It was an exhilarating and thrilling experience!
About the Everglades
After three minutes of sailing in the Everglades National Park, we came to a stop. Our tour guide shared some fascinating information about Everglades National Park, noting that it features the world’s slowest river—if you could even call it a river, as I thought of it more as a swamp. He talked about the various species of alligators and snakes that inhabit the area, mentioning that one particular snake is a significant pest. The guide assured us we could stand safely here, as the water would only reach our knees. He also mentioned that eventually, the entire swamp would dry up in a few decades.
After his talk, we resumed our journey. Once again, we took off at incredible speed, then entered another ditch where we slowed down. He began to share information about the water lilies and their blossoms.
The tree with the fruit was a favorite among the turtles that inhabited the area. They would feast on the apple-like fruits that fell to the ground. There was also a unique bird that caught my attention. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour guide’s stories; he had a great sense of humor. While I listened, I attempted to take close-up shots of the dragonflies perched on the water lilies. However, my photos kept turning out blurry since we were moving slowly (it turns out that movement and photography don’t mix well). Just when I thought I had no luck, a dragonfly unexpectedly landed on my leg, making me feel like I had some kind of telepathic connection! It perched there for about 30 seconds, allowing me to capture some great photos.
The Animal Show at Gator Tours
At the end of the ditch, we reached the docks of the tour company. Finally, we spotted an alligator. There were supposed to be many in the area, but we only saw this one. “They should check out the crocodile farm in Medan,” I thought sarcastically.
The tour wrapped up after 30 minutes instead of the expected 60. However, there was more to come: we attended an animal show. We were fortunate with the weather; it started to rain right after the show, and I was relieved we weren’t on the airboat at that moment.
The animal show was quite entertaining, thanks to the humorous presenter. He began with a scorpion and noticed one girl in the audience seemed a bit terrified, so he playfully teased her by getting closer. “This scorpion isn’t that dangerous! The bigger they are, the less potent their venom,” he explained, extending his arm with the scorpion in hand. The girl instinctively moved toward her mother, which is something we’re not supposed to do. Undeterred, the presenter approached her and held the scorpion right in front of her. It was hilarious!
He showcased several animals, including a large frog that was kissed by a Dutch woman sitting next to me. I didn’t even realize they were Dutch until she complained to her husband, saying, “Oh my gosh, I’m not going to do that.” But moments later, she went through with it!
The alligators were impressive as well. The guide demonstrated that you could hold your finger between an alligator’s jaws as long as you didn’t touch them. He showed us with his finger, then grabbed a piece of paper and did the same, but this time he touched the jaws. In a split second, the small alligator snapped its jaws shut.
The Journey back to Miami
The show lasted about 30 minutes. Afterward, everyone from the bus gathered around the shop. I followed along like a sheep, thinking, “What am I doing here? I don’t want to buy any of this stuff.” Instead, I headed over to the bus, which was already waiting. I took a seat and waited for the others. After about 10 minutes, we finally left.
This time, the lady drove directly to Miami Beach, and it only took 30 minutes. It was strange how the weather was so pleasant here, as if Gator Park was right on the edge of the bad weather.
Last Evening at the Bikini Hostel
Once I returned to Washington Avenue, I walked back and chose to get off at 10th Street so I could stop by the small mini-market before heading back to the Bikini Hostel on 13th Street. Once I was back at the hostel, I settled onto my bed and chatted with Jane from Chicago. She shared an incredible story about her life, revealing that she had lost her husband and was dealing with back issues. To make ends meet, she had enrolled in a drug trial for her diabetes, which was her only way to earn some money.
In the evening, I worked on some articles, but I spent most of my time chatting with Daniel and Jane. Daniel taught me some Portuguese, and I picked up a few cool phrases. It was entertaining to teach him some Dutch, especially since he struggled with the Dutch “g.” I tried to teach him the word “schatje,” which means “little treasure.”
I finally went to sleep around midnight, with my alarm set for 4:30 a.m. for an amazing ferry to the Bahama’s.
