Another morning on holiday when we had to set the alarm to make sure we were up and out early — and another morning when I was already awake and beavering away with admin before it went off.
We were down at breakfast by 7:30 a.m., and I was eager to discover the “egg of the day.” It turned out to be scrambled eggs, which scored about 5/10 — a bit dry and clearly left out too long. As usual, I made up for it with a couple of pancakes.
By 8:30 we were in the car and heading toward Clearwater Beach, which Waze confidently predicted was exactly one hour and eleven minutes away. We were having another go at using our long-expired vouchers for a Segway Tour — our third attempt in fact. Since no one ever actually collects them, we’ve cheekily reused them several times. Originally dated 2017, we suspect this will be their final outing.
Traffic was kind, and we arrived right on schedule. The next challenge was parking, but I found a few spaces along a side road and paid via an app. Annoyingly, our Segway guide later told me I could have parked for free at the venue, despite the large $20 parking sign.
It was a small group today — just us and one other couple — led by Mike, a laid-back 67-year-old who used to be a professional horse photographer in Colorado.
Karen was understandably nervous about how her hip would handle the Segway, but her fears evaporated within seconds of climbing aboard and zipping happily around the car park.
The wind had a definite chill, and with the sun hiding behind clouds, I pulled on a thin top over my T-shirt — a good call, as it turned out.
And then we were off. Our first stop was on Clearwater Beach itself, where Mike kindly took some photos for us. From there, we rode around the marina and along a mile-long stretch of the newly named Hulk Hogan Trail. Here, Mike encouraged us to open up the throttles — well, as much as you can on a Segway limited to 12 mph. These machines are just brilliant fun, and I’ll never understand why they didn’t catch on. Mike said spare parts are now impossible to get, so eventually, the tours will grind to a halt — literally.
Next came the massive bridge crossing, steep and high, followed by a twisting helix ramp down into downtown Clearwater. Mike was candid about the area’s decline: apparently, around 60% of it is now owned by the Church of Scientology, which buys up properties for tax reasons — then leaves them empty. The result is a ghost town where a thriving community once stood.
He even pointed out Tom Cruise’s penthouse — a $10 million duplex where, when he’s in town, he drives his car straight into a lift that whisks him and his vehicle up to his top-floor garage. Because he can.
After about 10 miles of riding, we returned to the starting point, grinning from ear to ear. It had been great fun, and I was proud that Karen had managed the whole thing comfortably.
In need of a drink, we popped into the Italian café next door, where Karen had a coffee and I had a smoothie. Both were on the pricey side, but acceptable.
Karen then suggested walking back to the beach, which we did — further than expected, but worth it. We found a low wall to sit on and ate a few of the snacks we’d brought with us. The sun had gathered some strength by now, and we moved before we started to roast.
On the drive back, I filled up the car for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by how little it cost. I assume it’s the hybrid system working its magic — although I’m still not entirely sure how it works or if there’s a secret “super-hybrid” button I should be pressing.
We made a quick Starbucks stop on the way, but some of the clientele hanging around outside were a little less than refined, so we didn’t linger.
Back at the hotel, Karen had her daily pool “march,” this time under glorious sunshine.
Dinner was at the Olive Garden, somewhere we hadn’t been for quite a few trips. The pasta was plentiful and delicious, as were the breadsticks — of which I probably had two or three too many.
On the way back, we popped into Marshalls for a browse but bought very little. Back in the room, Karen watched another episode of The Traitors while I flicked through a few magazines.
Once again, we were in bed early — another busy, happy day behind us, with more adventures ahead.
