One funny thing at Typhoon Lagoon yesterday I forgot to note - everyone there was English. Well, most people, apart from the Scottish ones. For about the first hour all the voices we overheard were British. It was like a lovely little enclave of Blighty.
Today we had such a lazy day e didn't even make it to the pools. We went to a mall in the afternoon. No idea what it was called, but half the shop units were empty. Only instead of just having empty shops, the frontages were painted to look like normal shops. Very pretty and prevented us from feeling quite so hard downe by by the lack of shops.
Gwen and I did the mall while Roderic took the little ones to see "How to train your dragon" in 3D. We got some great bargains. A dress for Gwen reduced from $24.99 to $7.49, a book for 50 cents, and a Twilight book reduced from $16.95 to $4.25. We watched the skateboarders and roller bladers at Vans but passed up on the opportunity to go for a pint in the Cricketers Arms.
In the evening Roderic and Ihad planned to go on a date to the Westgate Smokehouse Grill. As part of the perks for upgrading our timeshare we had been given a voucher for $50 off there, but turning up for lunch a couple of days ago we discovered that it didn't open until 5 p.m. So at 7.30 p.m. tonight we turned up in our best clothes asking for a table for two, only to be told that the wait for a table was about an hour. We didn't want to wait an hour. We asked if we could book a table for Friday, and were told that they didn't allow parties under 8 people to book tables. (I'm tempted still to book a table for 8 and then turn up explaining that our six friends have been unable to come after all.) It seems a little unreasonable not to allow people to book when the place is so busy, and for a moment our $50 voucher seemed not to be worth the paper it was printed on. But we will go back at 5 on Friday in order to be first in the queue for a table, and it had better be a darn good meal.
In the event we went to Quizno's for a sandwich, and then to Walgreens to buy some milk. Not really the date night we had been planning, but when you're married the odd disastrous date doesn't matter.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Tuesday 6th April 2010
I stand by what I said, that the best of the Disney theme parks are the waterparks. Typhoon Lagoon was even better than Blizzard Beach. We were there the whole day, and we all loved it.
There was a wave pool with giant tsunami-style waves which completely knocked you off your feet and carried you along. There was a family raft ride which we all went on together and loved. And there were several other raft rides, one of which spins you around the whole time. The children's area was great, with a ride which Ceri did about 100 times.
Gwen and I got sunburnt again, and Gwen's sunburn is now in interesting patterns since she was wearing a different swimsuit from the first time. She is also peeling on her shoulders, and my face is peeling, which serves me right for laughing at Gwen when her nose was peeling.
Just as the park was closing we decided to take the Lazy River to the exit, just to milk every last minute of fun out of it. At the appropriate place I leapt off my rubber tube and decided to helpfully take it to the edge to be stacked with the rest. I didn't realise that the water was shallower at the edges, and stubbed my toe; it was painful, but at the time I was too busy worrying about Ceri who had forgotten she wasn't wearing her armbands and gone under the water when she jumped out of her ring. (The water was only 3 feet deep, so she wasn't actually in any danger, but she was a bit upset.)
When we got home I discovered that my toe was black and about twice its normal size, and that it still hurt. Quite a lot. I concluded that I had broken it. So I sent Roderic off for Walgreens for something to strap it up with, and will be hobbling around for a few days.
Totally worth it, though.
There was a wave pool with giant tsunami-style waves which completely knocked you off your feet and carried you along. There was a family raft ride which we all went on together and loved. And there were several other raft rides, one of which spins you around the whole time. The children's area was great, with a ride which Ceri did about 100 times.
Gwen and I got sunburnt again, and Gwen's sunburn is now in interesting patterns since she was wearing a different swimsuit from the first time. She is also peeling on her shoulders, and my face is peeling, which serves me right for laughing at Gwen when her nose was peeling.
Just as the park was closing we decided to take the Lazy River to the exit, just to milk every last minute of fun out of it. At the appropriate place I leapt off my rubber tube and decided to helpfully take it to the edge to be stacked with the rest. I didn't realise that the water was shallower at the edges, and stubbed my toe; it was painful, but at the time I was too busy worrying about Ceri who had forgotten she wasn't wearing her armbands and gone under the water when she jumped out of her ring. (The water was only 3 feet deep, so she wasn't actually in any danger, but she was a bit upset.)
When we got home I discovered that my toe was black and about twice its normal size, and that it still hurt. Quite a lot. I concluded that I had broken it. So I sent Roderic off for Walgreens for something to strap it up with, and will be hobbling around for a few days.
Totally worth it, though.
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
Monday 5th April 2010
Animal Kingdom again. This time we made the effort to see Finding Nemo - the musical. It was very good, with amazing effects and staging, but I felt a bit sorry for the performers. They were singing and acting their hearts out, but the audience were really only looking at the big animatronic fish they were carrying. Hari persuaded me to go on Primeval Whirl with her, which turned out to be a roller coaster. I screamed all the way round and almost lost my glasses. Hari found this hilarious, of course.We finished by going on the Kali River Rapids one last time, and getting soaked again.
Monday, 5 April 2010
Easter Sunday, 4th April 2010
Easter doesn't seem to be much of an occasion in America. Back home Good Friday and Easter Monday are Public Holidays, and everything is closed on Easter Day; there will be a special edition of Radio Times, and special films and programmes on TV to mark the day. And that's all if you're not religious.
Over here it was like any other day. All the shops and restaurants were open as usual. But we made it special all the same. We went to Kissimmee ward to listen to the Sunday morning session of General Conference, and almost got to hear it actually on Sunday morning. It started at noon Florida time, but that's better than the 5p.m. UK time we usually get to see it.
We then returned to the timeshare and I managed to recreate a family Easter tradition by making soft-boiled eggs, on which we drew faces (I put Mickey Mouse ears on mine in recognition of our stay in Orlando), before eating them with Bovril soldiers (I had brougfht a pot of Bovril with me, because I couldn't see how we could manage three weeks without it.) American eggs are white so it was easier to draw on them, but we didn't have any egg-cups so I had to improvise by cutting up the egg box they came in.
We then went to play mini-golf, which was free at our resort and lots of fun. Hubby Dearest won, but I came a close second. HD then took Hari and Ceri to the pool while I hid the creme eggs I had brought with us from home around the apartment. By the time the children found them they were pretty squished and melted, despite the air conditioning. But still delicious.
Gwen didn't actually leave the apartment all day. She sat on the balcony reading Breaking Dawn. She and HD had planned to drive out to the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaverel tomorrow to watch the shuttle launch, but it transpired that it was at 6.21 a.m., and all the tickets for viewing it had long gone. She's a bit miffed at not being able to see it after all, but I promised her that one day she will. And I have put it on my bucket list.
Over here it was like any other day. All the shops and restaurants were open as usual. But we made it special all the same. We went to Kissimmee ward to listen to the Sunday morning session of General Conference, and almost got to hear it actually on Sunday morning. It started at noon Florida time, but that's better than the 5p.m. UK time we usually get to see it.
We then returned to the timeshare and I managed to recreate a family Easter tradition by making soft-boiled eggs, on which we drew faces (I put Mickey Mouse ears on mine in recognition of our stay in Orlando), before eating them with Bovril soldiers (I had brougfht a pot of Bovril with me, because I couldn't see how we could manage three weeks without it.) American eggs are white so it was easier to draw on them, but we didn't have any egg-cups so I had to improvise by cutting up the egg box they came in.
We then went to play mini-golf, which was free at our resort and lots of fun. Hubby Dearest won, but I came a close second. HD then took Hari and Ceri to the pool while I hid the creme eggs I had brought with us from home around the apartment. By the time the children found them they were pretty squished and melted, despite the air conditioning. But still delicious.
Gwen didn't actually leave the apartment all day. She sat on the balcony reading Breaking Dawn. She and HD had planned to drive out to the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaverel tomorrow to watch the shuttle launch, but it transpired that it was at 6.21 a.m., and all the tickets for viewing it had long gone. She's a bit miffed at not being able to see it after all, but I promised her that one day she will. And I have put it on my bucket list.
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Saturday 3rd April 2010
Shoes and shopping characterised our day today. Roderic took Gwen to Horse World in Kissimmee for an hour-long trail ride (she rode a horse called Mystery and saw two snakes) and in the meantime I decided it was high time I had my eagerly awaited Taco Bell lunch, so Hari, Ceri and I walked up to the Crossroads Plaza Mall. At least, we tried to.
I had already ascertained that it was about a mile to this mall, and since that's the same distance as we walk to school every day, it wouldn't be a problem. I think now I understand why Americans drive everywhere. A helpful neon sign outside one of the hotels told us it was 98 degrees. No idea what that is in real money, but pretty piggin' hot, I can tell you.
Then Ceri took to saying "ouch" with each step, and it transpired that wearing her favourite shoes without socks for the first time had given her blisters on both feet. So she took them off and walked barefoot for a while until that proved to be too hot underfoot, at which point I carried her. She's quite a lump.
We got to McDonald's. Taco Bell was at the far side of the mall, and the girls wanted a McDonald's. I had planned to buy theirs "to go" (I am learning the language!) and take then to Taco Bell to eat their happy meals as I tucked into ... whatever it is Taco Bell offer. But since I couldn't carry two happy meals and a five-year-old (and the hat full of Little People animals and play money she had inexplicably brought with her) I settled for a McRib. And after food, drink and air conditioning we were ready to brave the outside again. I bought Ceri a cheap pair of flip-flops, and we started for home again via IHOP (International House of Pancakes) for dessert.
I had already ascertained that it was about a mile to this mall, and since that's the same distance as we walk to school every day, it wouldn't be a problem. I think now I understand why Americans drive everywhere. A helpful neon sign outside one of the hotels told us it was 98 degrees. No idea what that is in real money, but pretty piggin' hot, I can tell you.
Then Ceri took to saying "ouch" with each step, and it transpired that wearing her favourite shoes without socks for the first time had given her blisters on both feet. So she took them off and walked barefoot for a while until that proved to be too hot underfoot, at which point I carried her. She's quite a lump.
We got to McDonald's. Taco Bell was at the far side of the mall, and the girls wanted a McDonald's. I had planned to buy theirs "to go" (I am learning the language!) and take then to Taco Bell to eat their happy meals as I tucked into ... whatever it is Taco Bell offer. But since I couldn't carry two happy meals and a five-year-old (and the hat full of Little People animals and play money she had inexplicably brought with her) I settled for a McRib. And after food, drink and air conditioning we were ready to brave the outside again. I bought Ceri a cheap pair of flip-flops, and we started for home again via IHOP (International House of Pancakes) for dessert.
Halfway back Ceri's new flipflops broke. Naturally they did this just as we were crossing the road necessitating my picking her up and running with her tucked under my arm. And then we were back to jumping from shade to grass to shade to stop her little feet getting burned.
Gwen and Hubby Dearest were back when we finally made it home, and so HD opted to take the children to the pool while Gwen and I walked, again, to Walgreens and the souvenir shop. We also discovered Dunkin' Donuts. Fabulous! Another brand which is long overdue for import to Britain.
I made my first "pot roast". I had bought a kit, which was a joint of pork with potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and a seasoning mix. Instructions - fling in pot with a cup of water, cover, leave in oven for three hours. Being British to the core it rather went against the grain to put water in with it and cover it, so I didn't. Does that still count as a pot roast? Anyway, it was delicious, if I say so myself. Although, given that I only emptied into a dish and put it in the oven I don't think that counts as cooking it. At only $10 (about £6.30) it was also much cheaper than anything I could put together at home. And I got to play in the pool with Ceri while it was cooking.
Saturday, 3 April 2010
Friday 2nd April 2010
Disney's Animal Kingdom was great. It's like a zoo with the occasional Disney show and rides, and so doesn't draw quite the same crowds (or queues) as Magic Kingdom, but to my mind you're more guaranteed to be entertained without having to wait around. Even if you didn;t bother queuing at all, there was plenty to do and see. The Kilimanjaro Safari was fantastic - we saw elephants, giraffes, a lion, hippos and ostriches, among other things, and all very close up, not just off in the distance. We also saw a baby rhino on a different ride, and tigers, tapirs and a komodo dragon in another area of the park.
The park was split into different areas - we mostly stayed in Africa and Asia - and the animals we saw were all native to that part of the world. As ever, with Disney, it was the details that were amazing. They had created miniature little towns (Harambe in Africa and Anapadur in Asia) and everything about them looked completely authentic, right down to the unfinished buildings and rusty bicycles.
Our favourite ride was the Kali river rapids on which we all got soaked. So naturally we went on it twice.
I'm hoping to go back to finish off Animal Kingdom with Hari and Ceri on Monday while Roderic and Gwen are at Cape Canaverel watching the space shuttle launch.
The park was split into different areas - we mostly stayed in Africa and Asia - and the animals we saw were all native to that part of the world. As ever, with Disney, it was the details that were amazing. They had created miniature little towns (Harambe in Africa and Anapadur in Asia) and everything about them looked completely authentic, right down to the unfinished buildings and rusty bicycles.
Our favourite ride was the Kali river rapids on which we all got soaked. So naturally we went on it twice.
I'm hoping to go back to finish off Animal Kingdom with Hari and Ceri on Monday while Roderic and Gwen are at Cape Canaverel watching the space shuttle launch.
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Thursday 1st April, 2010
Just a quick note today: I'm planning to jump into the jacuzzi shortly. Can't believe I've been here five days and haven't tried it yet.
This morning Hubby Dearest, youngest and I went househunting in the company of our "Realtor", Alan Martin, an ex-pat Brit. On our last trip to Orlando three years ago we discovered that Florida properties were not only extremely cheap to buy, but in great demand as holiday rentals. We decided then to sell our rental bungalow in Thundersley and use the proceeds to pay off the mortage and buy a beautiful villa with a pool close to the Disney parks. Unfortunately the UK property market thwarted our plans so we went back to renting the bungalow, planning to try again sometime when the market picks up. But in the meantime it seemed sensible to look around and see how the land lies while were were in Florida, and Alan was very obliging.
We viewed a four-bedroomed villa in Clermont in beautiful condition which I would have bought there and then had I had the cash, then a slightly tatty home near that first one where the front door opened to the pool area. Then our favourite - a two storey five bedroomed home in Davenport which, at $260,000 (£180,000) was rather at the top end of our expected price range. We then returned to Kissimmee, nearer to the theme parks, and saw a home which the long-term tenants had trashed and emptied, but interestingly the next home we saw was furnished and in perfect condition, and had exactly the same floor plan plus a large pool and spa so we were able to see how the first one should have looked. At $225,000 (£150,000) that last one was our favourite, and the one most likely to generate a good income.
I've said this often before, but I love American houses. I love open floor plans, cathedral ceilings, walk-in closets in the bedrooms and walk-in pantries in the kitchen, garages big enough to put the car in, separate laundry rooms, and both a lounge and family room.
We had lunch at the New York China Buffet which is within walking distance of our resort. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet, and cost less than $40. I love American Chinese, and not just because there is so much of it and so much variety. There are things we can't get in the UK - honey chicken and fortune cookies spring to mind.
We then spent the afternoon round pool no. 2, for a change (not heated to quite the same level as pool no. 1) where I topped-up my sunburn, and in the evening HD and I returned to Wal-mart to top up the larder.
This morning Hubby Dearest, youngest and I went househunting in the company of our "Realtor", Alan Martin, an ex-pat Brit. On our last trip to Orlando three years ago we discovered that Florida properties were not only extremely cheap to buy, but in great demand as holiday rentals. We decided then to sell our rental bungalow in Thundersley and use the proceeds to pay off the mortage and buy a beautiful villa with a pool close to the Disney parks. Unfortunately the UK property market thwarted our plans so we went back to renting the bungalow, planning to try again sometime when the market picks up. But in the meantime it seemed sensible to look around and see how the land lies while were were in Florida, and Alan was very obliging.
We viewed a four-bedroomed villa in Clermont in beautiful condition which I would have bought there and then had I had the cash, then a slightly tatty home near that first one where the front door opened to the pool area. Then our favourite - a two storey five bedroomed home in Davenport which, at $260,000 (£180,000) was rather at the top end of our expected price range. We then returned to Kissimmee, nearer to the theme parks, and saw a home which the long-term tenants had trashed and emptied, but interestingly the next home we saw was furnished and in perfect condition, and had exactly the same floor plan plus a large pool and spa so we were able to see how the first one should have looked. At $225,000 (£150,000) that last one was our favourite, and the one most likely to generate a good income.
I've said this often before, but I love American houses. I love open floor plans, cathedral ceilings, walk-in closets in the bedrooms and walk-in pantries in the kitchen, garages big enough to put the car in, separate laundry rooms, and both a lounge and family room.
We had lunch at the New York China Buffet which is within walking distance of our resort. It was an all-you-can-eat buffet, and cost less than $40. I love American Chinese, and not just because there is so much of it and so much variety. There are things we can't get in the UK - honey chicken and fortune cookies spring to mind.
We then spent the afternoon round pool no. 2, for a change (not heated to quite the same level as pool no. 1) where I topped-up my sunburn, and in the evening HD and I returned to Wal-mart to top up the larder.
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