It had been a long 4 days. We had dealt with a dodgy engine, a GPS failure, a stranded night in Greenland, a night detained in the USA, but at long last we landed on the Sunshine State.

Even though I can’t take any credit for the hard work of the trip, Sean and I had been through an amazing adventure together and it was impossible to wipe the smiles from our faces as we recounted stories from the journey. It was also one of the moments that made me fall in love with aviation, even if I hadn’t realised it yet.

Along with our new travelling buddies who had hopped on in NYC, we were ready to celebrate. We had spent a lot of time in an unheated plane at sub-freezing temperatures and were more than ready to defrost under that welcoming Florida sun.

I was excited to have my first proper rendezvous with America’s East Coast. My only knowledge of this part of the world had come from pop culture and reality TV, (and of course Dexter), but I decided to keep an open mind.

Our first night in the city consisted of sun, cocktails and realising we were completely exhausted. My 19-year-old self was struggling to stay out with 21-year-old-looking confidence and eventually bed was calling. I don’t think I had ever slept so well in my life.

Our long adventure of crossing the pond had come to an end, but it left me inspired. Hitchhiking a plane from Iceland to Florida was never something I expected to do at 19, but it ignited an adventurous flame in my heart that I have no intention of putting out.