Just like a book I read, I’m heading west

My travels have taken me far and wide. I have enjoyed poolside cocktails in Western Australia and Winter walks through NYC’s East Village. The nights spent drinking in Mexico City gay bars are balanced by the morning train journeys endured between Leeds and Halifax. I have witnessed sunsets in Paris, Narita and Phoenix. City lights and country stars have hypnotised me on several continents. I never want discovery to end.

This insatiable appetite for moving recently spirited me to an unusual place located only 90 miles from Cuba, yet many more miles removed from my reality. Bound by water, Key West turned out to be a bizarre yet lovable town with one of the best vegan cafes found anywhere and a rather vibrant gay scene.

The spot of land, buildings and boat harbours known as Key West left me enraptured. Dropped on the end of the Overseas Highway that sprouts from the tip of Florida, the island is a strange and irrestible mix of gay bars, warm weather and humans who have said goodbye to responsibility. A walk through the bar-laden town centre will expose you to many a middle-aged guitar slinger singing songs by the Eagles and Janis Joplin as punters in Crocs sip rapidly-warming daquiris. It is like the end of the world where people opt out of caring about taste or what taste means.

I adored the gorgeous architecture surrounded by lush gardens and it was futile to try and resist the lure of the tawdry gay bars lining the main street. The warm weather and the relaxed atmosphere had me hooked well before I discovered the stunning vegan cafe known as Sugar Apple.

Sugar Apple is the cafe you have been looking for all of your vegan life. Tucked away down the side of an impressive vegetarian supermarket, the cafe serves up a stunning array of deli-worthy sandwiches, salads and smoothies.

Our order was as surreal as the town itself. Josh and I went wild as we requested the marinated sundried tomato salad, a smokey tempeh sandwich, Italian veggie sausage with rice and a fabulous Tofurky sub with side salad.

All of this food was of the highest quality. I’m not sure I have ever had a sandwich as captivating as the Tofurky sub. The salads made a fan out of the least salad-orientated person you will likely ever encounter.

Key West… you had me at the alcohol-soaked sunset and trashy gay bars. The fine vegan food simply sealed the deal.

Visit Sugar Apple online