I write this after living in Tampa, Florida for 1 month today! The time has passed so fast and it seems like our home and life in Cape Town is part of another lifetime.
We moved into our lovely apartment on West Gandy Blvd the day after we arrived. Our rental of around R16 000p/m includes electricity, Cable TV, high speed Internet and gym membership. We have 2 bedrooms, aircon, a washer and dryer, dishwasher, a massive swivel TV with surround sound and modern furnishings and finishes. We're a 5 minute walk from the beautiful Bayshore Boulevard, 5 mins from our gym and a shopping complex and only 2 minutes away from our favourite place, Yogurtology, which is not such a good idea!! It is incredibly hot and humid and we're spending a lot of time outdoors, exercising along Bayshore and swimming at the gym pool. The gym is similar to that at home with spinning and yoga and we cycle and run there from our apartment.
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| Stephen on his fold-up bicycle |
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| Beach day at Pass A Grille, St Pete's |
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| Our Apartment |
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| BAYSHORE BOULEVARD |
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| OUR GYM, YMCA |
We have rented a Chevy Malibu for 3 months and have 2 fold-up bicycles with every accessory available attached to them, so we're getting around! I have still not plucked up the the courage to drive any further than round the block in Shona's little Smart Car.....I'm still not sure where the traffic is coming from when I walk across the road, so heaven knows what will happen when I'm on the right hand side of the road on the wrong side of the car!!!
Everything is easy and convenient here, within 3 days of our arrival we had an apartment, a car, cellphone contracts and a bank account!
We're trying to get into a routine with Tayne's homeschooling and do a few hours every day. We've 'Americanised' the syllabus to learn about the different States, American history, the different measurements, etc...........why does everything have to be different to the rest of the world, we wonder? They don't even have A4 sized books and printer paper, it's all a size smaller. Even shoe and clothes sizes differ, so we're constantly working things out with a calculator.
We are pleasantly surprised at how friendly and helpful the American people are. When shopping, you're a bit nervous to stand in one place for too long, before you know it there will be someone coming along to ask if you need any help. If you can't find something they will go out of their way to find it for you....and even have it delivered to your home....for nothing!! I'm loving the beautiful shopping malls and the wide variety, and quality, of the different clothes and homeware you find here. The outlet malls are amazing with top international brands at really good prices. Marshalls and TJ Max are fantastic and we're shopping at Walmart, Target and Publix for groceries. I'm spending far too long in the supermarkets trying to find the equivilent to what we have in SA, there is a huge variety to choose from and everything is packaged for convenience.
Between Stephen and I, we have compiled a list of things which we have found a bit different to SA:
- Drivers are extra cautious and polite. No cars weaving in and out of lanes on the highway, all travel at a constant speed in the correct lanes and no one stops where they aren't supposed to.
- Pedestrians have the right of way. If you are just walking towards a pedestrian crossing a car will stop a good distance away to let you cross. At first we hesitated, thinking the car must be stopping for another reason, but realised they were waiting for us to cross the road.
- You very seldom buy anything without checking the price online, most times it is cheaper and delivery is included. They sms you when the parcel leaves the store, where it is along the way and the time of day it will be delivered. Parcels are delivered to your doorstep, not requiring a signature of receipt. If you're not home that parcel remains on your doorstep until you get home....and it doesn't go missing!
- People are dog crazy, there are dog parks everywhere where they provide a fenced in play area and packets to pick up the poo! Everybody cleans up after their dogs on the pavements and all dogs are on leads in public areas. There are designer dog shops everywhere and restaurants with an outdoor area allow dogs, even providing dog bowls and a doggie menu.
- We've found, on a few occasions, that if you're standing in a queue in a shop with only a few items, people will tell you to go ahead of them if they have a trolley.
- Beware of the yellow school busses! When they stop to drop kids off, you are not allowed to overtake, no matter what lane you are in. If you're approaching in the opposite direction you also have to stop until the bus starts driving again.
- If you want your laundry taken to the cleaners, you call and leave the laundry on your doorstep for collection. Once its done, they drop it off at your door and if you're not home it's left there....and will still be there when you get home!
- The houses look like dolls houses, there are no fences, people take pride in their gardens and the manicured lawns roll onto the pavement. Most homes have the American flag flying. It IS like Desparate Housewives, and you do stop chat to your neighbours when they walk past.
- Rates and taxes are very similar to SA, but includes school fees, school lunches and the yellow school bus, no matter how many kids you have. No school fees!
- Your cable TV subscription of approx $90 per month includes around 2000 TV channels, unlimited home telephone line and unlimited internet with a 30 mbps line.
- Eating out a restaurants is very expensive, double what we pay in SA. Grocery costs are pretty similar to what we are used to. We've scratched around and found some reasonable wines, beggars can't be choosers!
- Shops exchange goods and refunds are given without questions asked. Tayne had a problem with a button on his 8 month old iPhone, took it to the iStore and they replaced it with a new phone immediately. Stephen exchanged his Garmin watch he received in SA for an upgraded marine model at no extra charge. A woman even returned her pot plants that died!!
- Everything Works!
There are things that constantly surprise us and we can't believe that there are so many systems in place and that people stick to them. We're so happy that Tayne has been able to experience a first world country at such a young age. He is able to see how things should work and how people should respect each other.
We are shopping for yachts and Stephen has been to the BVI to look at a Norseman 40 Catamaran. We really like it but the surveyor found a few problems that need to be sorted out before we commit ourselves.
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| Landing in Beef Island, BVI
We are really happy here and none of this would have come about without the help of our lovely friends, the Carcary's. It has been wonderful having them around the corner and their house is a warm and familiar place to pop in anytime for a glass of wine and a laugh!
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| Good times with great friends, Shaun, Shona and Tammy
We are missing our friends, family and our dogs and miss the familiarity of Hout Bay and knowing people wherever we go. We're missing Damon terribly and so looking forward to seeing Michaela in less than 2 weeks. We have 3 children on 3 continents and can't wait for us all to be together again.
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