Miami from above...
A wall of skyscrapers abuts the ocean for as far as I can see.
Human vanity hopes to hold back the rising tide.
Good luck with that.
***
CLEARING CUSTOMS
I knew I'd chosen the wrong line as soon as I saw Rodriguez, but it was too late. Nothing to do but wait and act casual.
Rodriguez (looking at my customs form): You visited all these countries?
Me: Yep.
Rodriguez: How long have you been out of the country?
Me: 15 months.
Rodriguez: 15 months? How do you afford travel like that?
Me: I was on a boat.
Rodriguez: Whose boat?
Me: My boat. A small sailboat.
Rodriguez: How do you afford a sailboat?
Me: I bought it for five grand in Oregon and sailed it to Columbia.
Rodriguez: What do you do for work?
Me: I've had a lot of jobs. I funded my trip by making friends and taking them sailing.
Rodriguez: People paid you to sail them around?
Me: Yep, I think they call it "CHARTERING A BOAT".
Rodriguez: Please follow her into that room...
Me: Thanks.
25 minutes of blah blah blah later I'm welcomed into the homeland.
***
The Miami airport is 90% glass.
A very large aquarium full of exotic fish.
A sea of alien creatures.
Freaks, Geeks, Tweaks, and Chics
but mostly just bored frowners
Direct Observation:
Happy Faces: 22
Sad Faces: 365
...that's enough of that little experiment.
Most of the smilers are Eastern Europeans on vacation.
What do they know that I don't?
Probably lots.
***
Don't give up the ship.
Max