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Along Florida’s Expressways. 2nd Edition Dave Hunter. Published by Mile Oak Publishing 2007

Available from www.amazon.co.uk , .com & .de

Thoughts of a fly-drive to Florida may fill some with trepidation whilst others regard such forays as a ‘piece of cake’ but even well laid plans have a habit of going awry. Don’t be fooled, there are plenty of pitfalls along the way and although you may negotiate routes successfully you could be bypassing some interesting diversions en route. Help is at hand though to smooth the way in the pages of a very, very useful guide which is filled with every imaginable piece of information.

I must admit to not having spent any time at all in the State of Florida, except for overlong, dull sojourns in Miami Airport on the way to what I perceive as more exciting places like Peru and Guatemala. Leafing through Dave Hunter’s book, I am revising my thinking. Although born a Brit. Dave lives over the pond in Canada and has spent the past 40 years exploring Florida with his wife and this experience is evident in the pages of the book.

Full page colour striped maps, at 25 miles per page, cover the State’s 2,000 miles of motorways. A very brief explanation of its geological formation and how Florida’s Mysterious Sinkholes and Disappearing Lakes form is followed by a condensed but concise history. These few pages provide just the right foundation on which most travellers can comfortably build and enjoy a better understanding of their surroundings. Titbits regarding the history of a locality or life from the past, like the Barefoot Mailmen, are also sprinkled throughout the text as the reader heads along the interstates, which enrich rather than bore. Local knowledge, gleaned over years, and special ‘Insider’ tips on how to save money cram the descriptive pages. Cross references between the text and relevant maps make for easy access to information. Scattered with really useful tips throughout, Dave recommends his favourite places to stay from hotel chains, friendly bed and breakfast establishments to home rentals which can be cheaper than hotel rooms. The book also directs readers to some of the best places to eat, all marked on the maps, which are normally only stumbled upon by chance. If that isn’t enough, the book is littered with interesting places to see en route, including where to see the best collection of alligators and crocodiles, rest areas, petrol availability, supermarkets and even which lane to take when approaching junctions. Regarding junctions, there are even larger scale maps of some of the larger intersections. Even tips such as a reminder to set off armed with a handful of US quarters (25 cent coins), as many toll roads have unattended exits, is included in this veritable mine of useful information.

In fact, this is the only guidebook you’re likely to need. The travelogue section as a whole is comprehensive, without being too verbose, and is very easy to access. An absorbing book to dip into, once you’re familiar with the layout, and one which tempts even me to visit Florida. There’s definitely more to Florida than initially meets the eye and this is definitely the guide you can’t go without!

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