Note: I’m already starting to forget the things I’ve done and experienced; so much has happened in the past month. I’ll try to keep my blog more up-to-date in the future, so I can share more of my adventures. I have a lot of catching up to do!
2019-03-19 Pensacola, FL
I spent the whole day on the Greyhound to get from Orlando to Pensacola, which ended up being almost 1 hour late.
My host, Robert, was kind enough to pick me up at the station.
We went Downtown in his car since the sun was still out and walked down Palafox Street (which is kind of the main street) until it got dark. Then, we went to Robert’s house where I got settled in and Robert cooked dinner for us.
I went to bed relatively early because I was tired from traveling all day and was still fighting the cold I had caught in Orlando.
2019-03-20 Pensacola, FL
I got up quite early and Robert showed me the bike I could use for the next few days. After breakfast, I went out to explore the city by bike for a bit. I went to a store and got some snacks around noon and rode the bike to the bay where I sat on a pier and enjoyed the amazing weather.
I finally found some much needed time to slow down and relax in Pensacola. I was really content not doing anything for a change.
2019-03-21 Pensacola Beach, FL
I slept in because I was still battling my cold. (Writing this almost 2 weeks after it actually happened, I can say: I will have that cold for a loooong time.)
After breakfast, Robert and I rode our bikes to Pensacola Beach. The ride across the 3-mile-bridge was somewhat dangerous and scary - you have to ride on the highway and cars pass you in the next lane at really high speeds - and the view was obstructed by the new bridge that is still under construction, but I really enjoyed riding a bike for longer than just a few minutes. It took us about 45 minutes to get to the beach. Once there, we took off our shoes and walked down the shore for a while. I was so unbelievably happy! Feeling the sand under my bare feet and wading through the shallow water that lapped in soft waves onto the beach was incredible.
Robert left after not too long, but I decided to stay for a bit longer to take pictures and enjoy being by the sea.
The ride back to the house was straining because the wind blew head-on. When I got back to Robert’s place, I parked the bike, got my laundry and walked to the laundromat a few blocks down the street. I spent the time waiting for my laundry to get done by doing a whole lot of nothing and continued doing that when I went back to the house. It was great!
2019-03-22 Pensacola, FL
I chose not to use the bike today but rather walk around the city to make it easier to take in my surroundings.
At first, I walked to a supermarket to get something for lunch and then I walked to a park where I sat down on a bench for an hour or two. I had lunch and then walked to the Pensacola Graffiti Bridge. I walked around the bridge, the train tracks and the beach for a long time, taking pictures and enjoying the scenery.
I got back to the house in the late afternoon, deciding to relax for a few hours before heading out to Single Fin Café to watch open-mic night and enjoy some local beer.
Recap
There were so many activities in Pensacola that were recommended to me, but I didn’t have the energy to do much of anything. I wasn’t in the best shape both mentally (from the overstimulation of traveling so much) and physically (because of my persistent cold)and decided to take it really slow for a while. Retrospectively, I wish I had seen more but I had a great time anyways and some really wonderful memories were made.