Plan ahead or see everything at the last minute? What is your team?
Planning a trip has numerous benefits. : allows you to spend less, guarantee tickets or access to all types of attractions, analyze different hotels, create an itinerary that leaves nothing relevant and reduce the possibility of cucumbers on the way, either before, during or even after the trip.
Already the opposite , which is to leave chance in charge, also, it is true, has its charms. Often by chance, a script is created with a lot of experience.
Numerous are the cases of mistaken encounters that have become finds for a lifetime. In the field of science, examples range from penicillin or radiation, or even the discovery of the American continent during the great voyages of the Middle Ages.
Much of the human journey in the world has been based on the randomness of facts and connections and, especially, on how each protagonist of these adventures responded to the chaos in front of them.
start of adventure
Today’s story is about that. In March of this year, after SXSW, the biggest festival of creativity, business, film and music in the world that takes place in Texas, I visited a friend who lives in FloridaBianca, and we decided to travel to Key West in the set of islands in the extreme south of America that form the Florida Keys .
Without much planning, we met in the late afternoon of the previous day in Miami for a coffee, with drinks and sunsets at terrace of the Sugar lounge, in the Brickell neighborhood, with dinner at Fifth La Huellaa cool Uruguayan with a nice atmosphere.
There we agreed the departure time and that, along the way, we would see if we were staying in the city that is just 90 miles from Cuba or if we would return the same day to Miami. A friend of mine, Cássio, was also excited to go, as well as a friend of Bianca’s who was visiting the city.
The other day in the morning, I rented a car on a platform that allows “peer to peer” rentals, that is, just like Airbnb, directly from individuals. Being in Miami, with incredible weather and in two people, I opted for a comfortable, sporty and obviously convertible car.
I picked up the car early in the morning and, so far, everything was on schedule. I told Bianca that I had the car and was going to meet her and her friend so we could have breakfast and wait for Cássio who was in Aventura (north of Miami) to meet us and leave.
chance
Here, the accidents that would lead us to an incredible outcome begin. Cássio was excited by the idea of the convertible and, in short, wanted to rent it too. It turns out that his registration took a while to come out, so I suggested another rental company.
We got the car, but it was about 1:30. With clocks already showing almost 10 am and with Cássio still in Aventura and with a trip ahead of at least 3:30, returning on the same day already seemed unlikely. In the end, breakfast turned into brunch, and we left after 1pm.
I emphasize that reacting to adversity in a “good vibes” way is the best way out.
We hit the road and Bianca and I went ahead, with clicks on a beautiful sunny day and with the aim of finding a nice place, foot in the sand if possible, to enjoy the afternoon.
Already convinced that we would not go until Key West the objective became to make the most of the journey and the other islands on the way, with no destination or set schedule.
We found a number of options in Islamorada , an island that is approximately 130 km from Key West or Miami, basically halfway. I chose a random street to get to the sea, curiously, called Beach Road.
In addition to the absurd view, there was a path that led inside a property that appeared to be a hotel. We went in and snooped around: the place was beautiful, with a super nice infrastructure. Without even having to say anything, it was clear that we had already chosen that accommodation to spend the day.
As we liked the view, the infrastructure and the atmosphere, I looked for the name of the hotel on my cell phone map. We called, asked about availability and rates and, according to the attendant, the place was full and there was no availability until April.
Even so, as we were already there, we talked to some guests and staff and discovered that the hotel has different types of accommodation, from villas, chalets, common rooms, accommodation on a golf course to owner’s houses.
It’s rare to have everything 100% full: often, if you persist, you will get one of the vacancies that were “impossible”, “sold out” or “unavailable”. Armed with this conviction, I decided to insist: better than the reservation center, it would be the counter directly.
I am convinced that, almost always, there is at least one ticket, one room, one seat, one space available.
The hotel
After walking around the streets for a while, I went to a concierge. When we arrived, I informed the guardhouse that we were looking for accommodation and a place to have lunch. Our entrance was released, we entered and the path, with buildings of the rooms and other facilities, only confirmed our certainty. Everything was very beautiful and organized.
The main building faces the Atlantic and, in addition to an indoor bar, the complex has five restaurants with different cuisines and proposals. You may have noticed that I haven’t said the name of the place yet, but hold on a little longer.
I went to the reception to explain the unpredictability of the visit and look for accommodations. Usually the counter rates are higher than on websites and booking centers. However, sometimes there is the possibility of negotiating and the closer to the turn of the day, the better, since, for the hotel, it is better to occupy a room for a minimum price than to leave it empty.
I informed myself and explained that I would wait for my colleagues to define what the next step would be. We asked for a table for lunch at the Atlantic’s Edge and from there we have a breathtaking view.
In fact, the view is the main attraction of the restaurant. Not that the food is bad, even desserts, drinks, juices and starters are delicious. The cost, however, does not balance with the quality. A late lunch or dinner for four with starters, salad, fish and side dishes and assorted drinks, including wine, costs between $80 and $120 per person.
From the restaurant I could understand more about the resort: it is in front of a very shallow and calm portion of the sea. There are almost no waves, the wind enters the back of the island, where there is even an offer of sailing sports. The hotel also has a variety of options such as stand up paddle, kayak, Hawaiian canoe – all included in the daily rate – in addition to jet ski rental, boat trips and fishing.
The views are stunning. The service, despite sometimes being slower than one could wish, is first rate, with 90% of the employees not only helpful and polite, but “extra mile”, that is, doing something extra in their deliveries.
This contributes heavily to the overall experience. We had lunch and the afternoon wore off as we chatted and strolled along the piers.
In between some debate regarding rooms, rates, schedules, I went to reception to understand what was still available. A double room had already been “stolen” by another visitor; without bumping into the others, I booked the apartment.
The accommodation was very comfortable, basically two rooms in one, with a full kitchen, fridge, cooktop, dishwasher, coffee maker and the like. The sunset came and with it a festival of incredible colors, in addition to a full moon that made the night, already pleasant, even more delicious.
Drinks, quick dinner and off the night went, we entered at dawn. As I said above, on clear nights and not so hot days, convertible cars pay for the experience.
I ended up opting to take a walk on the roads that cut through the small islets. The fact that there are very few artificial lights allows you to see a very starry sky. Videos and lots of photos in “night mode” as well as good music with the top down set the tone.
By 2:30 am we were all settled in our rooms. Stealthily so as not to wake anyone up, I got up around 5:30 am and went for a run along the edge of the sea, waiting for the first rays of sunlight. The light transition times are always the most incredible and this region and this resort has fantastic angles and landscapes.
After all that, I went to try breakfast. I ordered a bowl of fruit, plus a kind of muffin made with egg whites, almond flour and blueberries, plus an orange juice and almond milk hot chocolate.
Once again, the restaurant does not disappoint, but it does not delight either. Tables filled up quickly after 7:30am, and it was visible how many were frequent guests (perhaps owners) greeting and being greeted back by waiters by their respective names. This point for me is what gives the league of this whole set:
The sense of community, so traditional in North American culture, is also present there. There is a zeal on the part of everyone for the whole and thus, the cleanliness, organization and good vibes: the place has its origin, in my view, this sense of community that is flourishing and present.
I left the cafe and went to enjoy the pool – in all there are more than nine pools scattered throughout the complex. I took advantage of the peace of the empty room to meditate and rest a little and walked around some areas that I had not yet been to.
For the rest of the day, we enjoyed the hotel’s infrastructure, I took a stand up and went rowing enjoying the placid waters. Lunch consisted of snacks and appetizers and assorted salads, and I had a salmon with a tomato and avocado salad, which was perhaps the best meal in terms of new flavors I’ve tried there.
As usual across the US, lunch is much lower than dinner : with drinks, desserts and lunch for three, the total was no more than US$ 100. Worth the experience!
After lunch, I checked out and sat at the lobby bar, which, by the way, is an experience I recommend in any North American city, as we have the opportunity to interact and have fun with others.
Moral of the story
I realized then that we would not be able to return the car in time without incurring new costs ahead of the previously defined time. Here comes one of the features of the car rental platform: directly through the app, I asked for the extension, which was already pre-authorized, I agreed with the owner of the new schedule and everything was ready.
On board we headed back to Miami with the sun going down and the certainty that, from time to time, it’s really worth letting yourself be carried away without plans, without a direction, without seeing the apparent problems on the way as mere setbacks.
They often present us with new opportunities and serve as keys to discover experiences that would otherwise be missed, as well as incredible places like the Cheeca Lodge the resort I refer to in this text in Islamorada, in the state of Florida.
About Luiz Candreva
Luiz Candreva is one of the main Brazilian futurists. Head of Innovation at Ayoo, columnist for CBN and CNN Brasil, creative director of the Disruptive MBA, he is a professor at Fundação Dom Cabral, HSM, and Startse; board member of Aleach Ventures, speaker with more than 800 presentations in different countries, as well as a KiteSurfing world record holder.
Source: CNN Brasil
