Back From The Keys

As noted earlier in this blog, I went to Key West for New Years. I have a friend who got married on the beach on New Year's Eve and another friend who turned 40 the day after New Years Day. So, how could I turn down two excuses to go to Key West, Florida?
The trip was really fun. The wedding was beautiful, and the company was good.
I did my SCUBA Open Water Certification dives. They went well. I had a great instructor, Eric, who was very calm and reassuring. Over the four dives, I gradually got more confident with being underwater, so that by the last one, I was really enjoying the experience. The only part that I didn't enjoy was the seasickness I experienced while in the boat. I've never experienced it before, and only did after the first dive. I think it was the combination of the seawater in my mouth and the constriction of the wetsuit and the movement of the boat. The third and fourth dives, my friend, Ginger, came with me. She's a certified diver and was able to join me. She had a little trouble with her ear and had to come up early on the fouth dive.
Aside from diving, we also went parasailing the morning of the day we left. The photo is of Ginger and I... you guessed it, parasailing. Essentially we are in a harness under a special parachute towed behind a powerboat. We got up to 300 feet and were able to see completely over the island. The boat operators dunked us in the water a bit (on purpose) at the end. It was fun.
We spent lots of time drinking and eating. The shrimp was delicious (and I'm not a big shrimp fan!) and some of the fish was so tasty! I always try to have local food when I travel, so when I had the opportunity to have some fresh coconut, I did. The milk was tasty and refreshing and the meat was queerly gelatious. My mum explained later that the coconut must have been a very young one, since the meat hadn't had an opportunity to thicken and mature yet.
A good time was had by all.