Fort Lauderdale: taking to the water – Canoeing

Fort Lauderdale offers you the chance to enjoy long mornings rolling around in bed after a heavy night at the local gaborhood, soak up the sun in long afternoons and make the most of the sun-drenched beaches. One afternoon we made our way to John U Lloyd Beach State Park with slim areas of jutting coastline offering calm beaches, open skies and great activities.

We headed for Blue Moon Outdoor Center for a two hour canoe trip – before considering jumping in a canoe beware that this requires you to paddle – if you are not physically fit, if you complain over moving your own body then just don’t bother! However, for us that enjoy activity breaks it adds that fun to Fort Lauderdale.

Blue Moon has a café and restaurant where you can enjoy a fun lunch with a few local beers before heading off around the park. It was an enjoyable afternoon and we whiled our time messing about on the small canals – certainly showed us how chilled out Fort Lauderdale life is.

John U Lloyd Beach State Park, www.floridastateparks.org

Blue Moon Outdoor Centre, www.bluemoonoutdoor.com

London's Gatwick Airport staff get trained

Arriving at London's Gatwick Airport today I nearly collapsed at sheer shock for the developments it has made with security. Here I was stood in a large hall with electronic gates and lines of security check points - the UK had hit the 21st Century!

Following years of pure hatred for this airport's baggage check it finally seemed to have recognised flyers' dissatisfaction and brought in someone with an ounce of intelligence to reform it. Plus this was my special day - new staff were being trained at each touch point.

New security employees bumbled around the luggage conveyor belt double-triple checking they were doing their job right under the beady-eyes of their experienced seniors. Body check officers joked off their apprehension while the x-ray observers nodded in agreement as bags were checked at snails pace.

While the check point took three times as long as London City Airport - these bright lights, fresh layout and new staff gave me a sense of ease with the impending Olympics 2012. Just maybe Britain can give citizens and residents a good send off.

My only concern is that the airport has adopted the same respect for queues as our European
counterparts (no clear line structure in place) - expect a pure rush for the first available boarding card swipe desk and rampage to the quietest luggage check line. We will see.

I just hope when I land back here I will experience a welcome that is as fresh and professional. Though airport staff can still do with developing friendly personalities.

Fort Lauderdale: Pay Lips Service

WARNING – It’s a drag bar people. It has men with penis miming to really camp songs while wearing incredibly tight fitting or revealing women’s clothing while trying to emanate a famous signing diva. Glamorous.

Exactly what this place is; rock up to the joint and your suddenly surrounded by grand chandeliers, ruby red back drop curtains and a deep burlesque shine. Glamorous ladies waltz the room taking orders; ribbing the diners and poking fun at their comments. Cocktails whirled around the room relaxing the crowd in preparation for the evenings programme.

Music gently filled the room, the sounds of Motown filled my ears and head started to sing, the straw remained in my mouth as I sucked up my influencing cocktail. My lips began to move, my feet started to twitch and before I knew it – I was up and I was Ms Diana Ross. She filled the room all eyes darting in her direction her arms began to flail and cheers rose from the crowd 3 minutes later Diana was gone – but footage survived!

The performance would be as you would expect from a restaurant cabaret theatre with drag queens lip-synching to divas – incredible. The outfits, the looks, the songs, the show; a laugh out loud sing-a-long gay fest! Get down there!