I had booked my flight to Miami and return over 6 months prior to departure based on a Qantas sale. The idea being that I would spend a few days with my friends then head off into Central or South America and do some volunteer work incorporated with a tour.
Not long after purchasing the flights, I was asked by a friend if I would, during this time, assist in renovating and decorating an apartment that was being purchased on a short sale. I agreed thinking I could do a bit of everything and would sort out the volunteer work once I hit America and knew exactly how much work was to be done at the apartment. The idea being that I would live in the apartment during this time.
WELL, the discovery is that a short sale is a misnomer, it is everything except short for the purchaser and this was not explained by the realtor. A short sale by definition means that the bank is short paid on the amount of mortgage that is owed to them. The principal being that an amount would be settled on after valuation, the government assist the bank with the short fall (so I believe) and the vendor goes away empty handed but with some pride intact and will eventually be able to get a loan in the future. This is in preference to just walking away and having a bad record forever.
In this case the Bank of America is the seller. They are the most inept and the most unprofessional institution that could ever be dealt with. After 7 months they have not settled the property because they have no interest it would seem. Phone calls and emails go unanswered, they allow deadlines to expire and then ask for information that has already been provided, there have been 6 negotiators and my friend can't back out because the deposit will be lost.
This is a nightmare for my friend but has had repercussions for me as I didn't have a place to stay! Fortunately for me Yara and Jesus are amazingly good and kind and I have stayed with them earning my keep by cooking! Yara doesn't like cooking but Jesus likes eating!
All the time the settlement has been on the horizon and as I got roped into keeping on the banks tail and assisting with writing to them I couldn't book to go and do the volunteer work but fortunately bit the bullet and booked this current tour (thinking the apartment HAD to be settled by this time)!
In the midst of this I did fly over to Sarasota and visited my school days friend Susan and her husband Gary. They have a lovely home situated in a community built around a golf course. The estate also has a gym, tennis courts, club house and a very active community. Susan and Gary live in the UK in the English summer and escape most of the winter in Florida. Gary is an ardent golfer and Susan is a keen runner and fitness enthusiast so the life has suited them well for the past 9 years.
Sarasota is a massive contrast to Miami. Quieter, artistic, less pockets of poverty, more gentile and much less Latino influence. This is where the more comfortable Americans from the north spend the cold months. It is a lovely clean and very impressive little city with nice restaurants and plenty to do.
So I had a few gentile days where Susan kindly took me around the city, showed me the sights and we had a beautiful walk along Siesta beach. This beach is amazing as the sand is white and the particles are quartz powder which is so soft, sticks like glue to your feet but doesn't get hot!
We went out with Gary to a couple of very nice restaurants and I generally lazed a around EXCEPT for Susan's exercise regime! 3 mornings a week off to the gym at 6.45 for the exercise class then walking in between. I haven't done this much exercise for ages. Actually Yara and Jesus got me to join their gym in Hialeah which was very cheap and they drag me off there every morning for an exercise class also. If nothing I should return home fitter.
So my time in Miami has been an unusual time for me because in the past I would be off teaching somewhere. I have had a couple of emails from Cuba asking when I was returning but not this time.
No new photos of Miami attached as not a lot to show but a few of Sarasota.
Next blog will be from San Jose in Costa Rica where I will start a 17 day journey with a tour group. I know it is going to be challenging and as Andrew reminded me, there will be no frequent flyer upgrades. This trip is 3 star at best but Patrick reassured me I would be fine. This is coming from my kids who turn their noses up at anything less than 5!!!!
Hasta luego amigos, until next time.
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