Dear 31,

We're hitting the road. Kevin calls it our sunnymoon. I remind him that sounds like something I would call it which must mean I'm rubbing off on him. This is terrific. (Soon he'll be dancing in the kitchen and smiling a lot at strangers and asking a bunch of curious questions.) Sunnymoon is my new favorite kind of vacation.

Our first trip together where we have to refer to each other as fiancé when asking about kayak rental prices.

"My fiancé and I would like to rent two very safe and stable sea kayaks. What's your hourly rate for rentals, person who runs the kayak of sea booth?"

To be fair, I've still never been in a kayak so it'll be my first time asking that question, ever. 

Before we got engaged, Kevin was set on planning a getaway. We booked flights, a car and a seven day road trip tour of the Sunshine State long before I knew I'd be wearing a ring on that fancy finger. Kev's been casting a 9 weight all week, prepping for the raging tarpons. I've been binge buying bathing suits at Old Navy and searching through rubbermaid tubs labeled "Last Summer's clothes" hoping all the shorts inside the bin still fit me and also hoping that the suitcase with two wheels works as a carry on for Allegiant.

So far we've planned a day of fishing in Islamorada (the most lovely of all the island names) with a man called "Captain Bob" that was described by Kevin as "a day in a boat with no shade where we try to catch giant ocean pike called tarpons." I then was asked "What are we going to do about your skin?" and told that "in Florida they call it hunting poon when you fish for big tarpon." (And then I laughed. A lot.) Kevin also asked Captain Bob if he's ever had children on the boat because "my girlfriend asks a lot of questions."

Since learning of our planned expedition I've googled "tarpon fishing attire" and "appropriate clothing for fishing in the flats." Neither provided much guidance. I'll be packing a hat, so much sunscreen and gold sperry's. I plan to return with a freckle mustache. (This we can discuss upon my return from the sunnymoon.) We'll also visit the Sarasota newlyweds and dearest family friends, the Kluskas and the Eagle, which sounds like a band name or a Gary Paulsen book. Other than those planned activities, we've committed ourselves to adventuring.

Basically we'll be spending a week eating local oranges and drinking local brews with our toes in the sand.

(Carefully. I don't want a repeat of the seagull incident from February.)

As the proud owners of a Go Pro Camera that neither of us yet know how to use, we should have some interesting trip footage to share when we return. I'll be packing up my laptop and some beach reads (recommendations-- let me know), putting together the perfect FL road trip mix tape (recommendations-- let me know) and, while we're oceanside, working out some big ideas and drawings in some fresh, blank paged notebooks.

Here's to sunnymooning. 

xo-LP

Can't wait of our return to see what's happening on this sunnymoon?
Follow our adventures on Instagram: #xolp31 or @xolp