When Dana invited me to Florida she promised me a segway trip and I wasn't sure whether to be excited or make my excuses. But not being one to wimp out today the day for riding a segway has arrived.

Segways aren't legal to ride on the road or pavement in the UK, only on private property, so you don't see much of them. My main knowledge of them are all the video clips of accidents friends sent me when learning I was going on one and the death of the owner of the company - after a segway fall from a cliff. Add in my general clumsiness and I don't have high expectations of surviving the day unscathed when we leave the house...

But soon I'm on a segway...and loving it! After just a few minutes it was easier than riding a bike and a great way to explore the beauty of Naples. We got to ride on the roads and pavements (at up to 12 1/2 miles an hour which felt pretty fast) and explore residential streets and even head up to the beach which has to be one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Dana had described where she lives as paradise the day before I have to echo her words- it is truly beautiful.

The only downside is that 4 days of being in air-conditioning and leaving the house at 8.30am fooled me into thinking it was less hot and sunny than it was. So by 11am my poor skin wasn't too happy when the temperature reached 95 degrees... I looked like a true tourist with my skin a shade of 'English lobster red' and of course I had been wearing my bag across my chest so have a nice pure white diagonally stripe through the red. Kind of a reverse St George's Cross so very patriotic.

After our ride we had lunch and then indulged in a spot of shopping beginning at The Best of Everything where I found a few pieces of jewellery I couldn't live without.

Dana then took me a bead shop and can you believe I actually found some beads to buy after 4 days of bead shopping already. 

Then we headed onto a very exclusive retail location where Dana sells her jewellery. I knew Dana sold her work, and knew the name of the shop, but I have to say it was a shock and delight to actually get to visit in person and see the work in its setting. I have never seen beadwork sold in such an 'upscale' establishment. I was genuinely lost for words to describe how proud I am for Dana and impressed at the way her selling there - at their request - makes a difference in the bead world. It is often hard to get people to take beadwork seriousy as jewellery or art and seeing it sold in shops, with an entirely deserved price-tag, will hopefully begin to alter people's perceptions of it as 'just stringing', simply 'a craft or hobby' or 'for children'. The fact that one of the pieces was her wonderful version of my Interlocking Crystals made me proud to have played a small part in it. Go Dana!

The evening was spent with a lovely get together with some of Dana's beading friends and we chatted and laughed our way through dinner and drinks before it was time for a dip in the hot tub and a swim in the pool.

She's right, it is paradise.