Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Orlando Sea World

Monday

We finally got going this morning and made it to Sea World at 11 two hours after they opened.  The lines to get in were still long and people everywhere.

And this was preferred parking

Confusion at the entrance
Once we got in we headed to see the Orca's perform

Completely out of the water

3 different sizes

Forward flip

Back flip

Past an eagle

Close encounter
Then to see the Sea Lions

A pirate theme

Is he stuck

Unsuspecting guest about to get wet
Then the Dolphins

Hello

A good look, high and dry

Lots of jumping

Perfect dive

High flying

All together now

Asking how to become a trainer

Just as the woman yelled get off the wall
Where did the day go its dark out already.  We finally headed back to the condo around 8pm.  Elizabeth made a salad and then the girls headed to the hot tub and pool.  My legs are to sore to even head down there.  It will not be a problem getting a good nights sleep tonight.

Tuesday

I knew I was tired last night but I did not even wake up until 8:55 this morning.  By 10am Bonnie and I were in the car headed for the Cracker Barrel near Lazy Days to have lunch with our blog and podcast friends Kathy and John Huggins.

Kathy and Bonnie catching up

John and Kathy on the porch at Cracker Barrel
We would have been there in just under an hour if not for the two accidents on I-4.  As it was we were only delayed about 15 minutes.  We had a good meal and  even better time visiting for several hours.  They were there to have some work done on their coach and so we went over to check on that.  They headed to service and we talked to the salesman that had shown us around last year.  We chatted with Ron Alexander for a while and then went to see how there coach was doing.  It was done and they were headed out to return to their campground.  We headed back to the condo and it took less than an hour.

The girls had not done anything special all day just took it easy.  Elizabeth is fixing a nice dinner and we will take it easy tonight.  The big storm that is causing the snow back home has brought us warm temps it was 82 here and we have a tornado watch going on just north of here.



Wednesday

Been seeing many pictures on Facebook of the snow back home.  We had a brief shower this morning and its still 65 here, they say it is cold, feels good to us.  We have an airboat tour booked for later if it does not get too windy.  I will soon have to get the rest of the crew up so we can get going.

Well the skys cleared and the sun came out nice and bright.  We headed for Christmas, FL about 11am.  We were headed to Airboat Rides @ Midway.  We got out there early so we drove through the campground there and then over to Fort Christmas for a quick tour.

Fort Christmas Entrance

Lots of Spanish Moss
Then over to the Airboats.  We were happy to see that Pork Chop the Pig was still there.  This is the same place that Bonnie and I were at last year.

Pork Chop
There were lots of smiles on the trip




Some also looked serious
We stopped a number of times to look at gators and even saw two Bald Eagles

One of the larger gators

The second eagle we saw

The water in the Cyprus grove was way down from last year.
Then when we got back the girls got to hold a baby gator



 It was the middle of the afternoon by now and we were all hungry so we found a Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A
From there we went to WalMart and picked up some hair clippers.  I really need a hair cut and Bonnie is going to try her hand at that tomorrow, stay tuned.

Thats about it for today, we plan to hang around the resort tomorrow and partake in their activities, find a turkey meal somewhere, and pick up some oranges for Bonnie.

Thanks For Checking In!

"If Your Dreams Don't Scare You, They Are Just Not Big Enough"

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Leaving Myrtle Beach, Orlando Now

Thursday

Very overcast again first thing this morning.  Everyone is finally up and the sun has come out and is nice and warm.  Today is our last day here so we are doing a few things to get ready for travel tomorrow.  Sharon will be flying home and we will be dropping her off pretty early in the morning as we leave town and head South for Orland.  Elizabeth will fly down there tonight.  Bonnie is doing two loads of wash so we will leave here with clean clothes.

We are heading down to Murrells Inlet for lunch, hoping to visit the fishing piers and see some boats come in.  So we found the Marsh Walk which is about a 1/2 mile board walk.

Sharon found a big fish
And a Pirate

A real Fishing Boat 
We also sound a few Pelicans preening themselves

A nice fishing pier to walk out on

Another type of Osprey flew over
Interesting little walk and all the signs for the eating establishment caught my eye.


















One of my HS Classmates, suggested we look up a place called Flo's so we did.  It is a New Orleans style restaurant and has a large parking lot that only had  a few cars in it.  It was after the lunch rush so we went in.  Well to say the least we were disappointed, disappointed that we had not come here earlier in the week.  The food was the best we have had all week and the prices were good room  The waitress we had was very friendly and helpful.  Just as we ordered the man at the next table over asked to talk to the manager.  Turns out he wanted to tell her how good the service was and that he loved the Key Lime Pie.  We shared a bowl of Gumbo to start and then we had a Seafood Basket, a Shrimp Poboy, and an Oyster Poboy.  They were wonderful.  The hush puppies were real and the sweet butter, wow.  Then Bonnie had Creme Bulea and Sharon and I shared a piece of key lime pie.


Flo's Place in Murrells Inlet, SC

New Orleans style gumbo

Oyster Po'Boy

Creme Brûlée 

Wonderful Key Lime Pie
We waddled out of there and after a brief stop at the Christmas Mouse so the girls could shop we headed back to the Condo.

Bonnie made her last trip to the beach and we are in the pack up and rest up to head out in the morning.  Now a little TV and then early to bed.

Friday

The alarms went off at 6am this morning.  Everyone was up, packing and getting ready for the day.  We ate a quick breakfast and then loaded up the car.  Sharon got a notification that her flight would be a little late, but we took her to the airport and dropped her off on our way out of town.  I got a text around 2pm that she was home safe and sound.

We headed West and about 100 miles later hit I95 and turned south.  The girls did a few things and then checked into the condo.  Later they did some shopping and then turned there rental car in.  The car was more convenient and cost less than a taxi from the airport.

We had a long, over 500 mile trip, but good trip.  We made a stop at Hardee's for Bonnie and later a rest stop.  We crossed into Georgia and kept on going.  We did see some unharvested cotton fields and others that had been picked with large bales of cotton still sitting in the field.

We stopped at the Florida visitors center and tried to buy a Sun Pass for the toll roads.  My credit card could not be verified, we tried a couple times.  Then used cash.   Back in the car we tried to activate the pass, no go my card was rejected.  I figured I better call the credit card company.  Yep they had a block on my card thinking it had been compromised again.  So I got that straightened out and we got the card activated and funded.

Unlike EZ-Pass this is like a sticker you put on the windshield, very thin
 No accidents today on the roads we traveled but we got to Orlando during the rush and traffic was slow for about 10 miles or so.  We made it to the Condo just before dark.  Alexus met us at the gate with the gate pass and helped carry up the luggage.

Elizabeth had nice salad plates ready for supper.

We were greeted with nice salads for supper
The girls had picked up a movie and we watched it after supper and then the Friday night shows.  I think I will sleep well tonight.

Saturday

Nice and sunny this morning and ended up in the 80's.  While back home they had lake effect snow and cold.

We headed over to Gatorland today.  One thing we wanted to do was get Alexus's picture sitting on a Gator again 11 years after she did it the first time.  Lots of traffic here but we made it over there before noon and spent the whole day.

Traditional arrival photo

Some of the little ones

Lots of Wood Storks here

And Parrots

and another

One of the White Gators 
Gator Wrestling

Christian Opens his mouth

Don't try this at home

The money shot

Looks like she is enjoying it

Even Bonnie got in on the action

Gator Jumparoo show

Turns out the Croc got most of the chicken

His second chicken

They were jumping high today

Close encounters

A big diamond back

Python

More birds

This guy was a ham

Catching the last sun rays of the day

Last show of the day

The final jump
We headed from here over to the Super Walmart to pick up groceries and a night light.  Its so dark in the bed room I walked into the closet last night looking for the bathroom, no alcohol involved.  The girls shopped for an hour.  Many grocery bags and $200+ dollars we had lots of food to eat this week but no night light.

Well thats it for tonight.

Sunday

I was up first this morning at 8am the others slept till after 10.  Its overcast and windy today and we have nothing planned so we may just take it easy today and plan for the rest of the week.  We are planning to visit Lazy Days on Tuesday to have lunch with John and Kathy of Living the RV Dream
We keep in touch with them and meet up for a meal when ever we can.

We we really took it easy almost all day.  We did all go over to an outlet mall and the girls did a little shopping.  Then a stop at Sonic and back to the Condo.  Traffic is just crazy here.  The mall parking lot was overflowing and cars were parked everywhere.  Glad to be back at the condo for the night.

Going to watch Alaska The Last Frontier, Thanksgiving episode.  It was on 63 today and the natives are all bundled up.

Thanks For Checking In!

"If Your Dreams Don't Scare You, They Are Just Not Big Enough"