Our trip on Irish Mist to Florida 2014: On to Naples well not exactly more like Bonita Springs

We regretfully left the Keys and headed north west. On the way we went right through the everglades were we saw a number of air boat rides but no where you could just stop and see alligators. With Sally our GPS we had no problem finding the home. As we arrived Ella the neighbour was waiting for us with the garage door open.

We had a brief chat but said we would have her and her husband John over but for now stand back. When we open the trunk it might explode. It was very full.

The first morning we went to the gym and did our exercise routines. Our next job was to pay the rent. Our kind landlord said just send a check. We realized that we did not have a check, we use checks very seldom. We went to a Wells Fargo, but they had no understanding of a bank draft or money order. They had no idea at all how we could send money to Chicago.

Our next step was to visit a Bank America branch. They were much better. The teller and the manager knew exactly what we were talking about, but there is always a but. They could not sell us a bank draft because we were not customers. What are we going to do we asked. They scratched their heads and said this is a tough one. Wait a minute we could give you $5000 in cash.

So Trish said OK lets get the cash. We showed them our drivers licence, but here we go again. Their policy was two pieces of identification. We needed picture ID. Our American Express Card has our picture, no that doesn't count. Do you have your passport. Yes but not with us they are back in the house.

So we go back to the house get our passports and back to the bank get the money. We cross the road to the Post Office and ask to buy a money order. Sure they say how much? More then $3000. Oh you have to give us personal information. Do you have a Passport. Yes. Excellent do you have an American drivers licence? NO! Don't worry just give us your social insurance number. We are Canadian, you know your faithful ally from the north. We could give you our SIN number. OK but first I have to phone to check if the computer will accept that. Thirty minutes later the nice lady returned to say she had checked and the computer would not accept a SIN number.

What to do. OK just give us $3000. Done. Now my husband wants a couple of thousand. OK could you have him fill out this form. I assume he has an American drivers licence or a Social Security Number. NO! Well then NO! We were stymied. I now cannot tell you how we got the rest of the rent money for fear of being deported. By the way the money order cannot be for more the $1000. This means we, Trish, had to fill out a number of forms, three at the first Post Office. It took us over 4 hours to get a money order to send to the landlord to pay the rent, who would have known.

The house is not in a golf community which I would have preferred, but is excellent. Plenty of room for the three of us. I will include some pictures which will help you understand the home and community we find ourselves in.

I will do a post on the wild life tomorrow.