hi guys,
just a quick email to let you know we have arrived in the U S of A - no probs with flights out, had a little sleep on the plane over (with help of pills). Slept kneeling on the floor with head on seat with 2 pillows! (we were in exit row). Was very comfy and app. not allowed but no one wanted to wake me! America has gone all electronic with immigration ( big e machines that read passports, take photos, finger prints 4 fingers etc) so you think sweet ... that was easy....... but you still had to wait 45min in line to get your passport stamped and more photos taken! Talk about big brother.
We found American airlines terminal easily and some lovely assistant looked after us when their checking in machine didn't work. More x ray machines for luggage etc. It was a 6 hour flight - NO SCREENS and NO free food or drink! Luckily I asked before we got on so could take on some food.
Arrived in Orlando at midnight with a spectacular electric storm taking place that you could see from the plane (lots and lots of lightning).
Our hotel is wonderful. It was so hot here even at midnight - and we were tired and dirty and wanted no drama - but they were great! It is like a huge resort with a huge pool that has sand around it (on the 2nd floor too). Y0u catch a water taxi free to the entrance of universal studios (only takes 5 mins) and makes getting around easy.
We got to sleep about 1.30am and then up at 8,30 and straight to the theme park. First up was the Rocket rollercoaster which I asked Dave to go with me and by god! After wards he was covered in sweat and sick and just wanted to vomit there and then! He had already taken an anit-nausea pill which obviously didn't work.
So he was a misery for a while. I went to Shrek by myself and we walked around to ET, did that by myself, and saw the Blues Brothers band and the Stomp drummers (all outside free shows). Quite cool. We went to a Minions 4 D show which was funny, watched the parade and back to the room by 3.30 for a sleep!
Tonight was water taxi to the start of the Universal Studios and they have this huge food area/ street by the lake with bands and bars etc. Very cool just to walk around and still only 3C less heat that during the day. Its like being in the Pacific except there is a lot more walking involved!
Ok – second day at Orlando. Up early to get into the Universal park before 8am. We had it sorted this time. Straight to Harry Potter World ….. god it was amazing. Just like stepping into the movie with the shops and buildings all looking like they did. I went on a ride called the Grindots (you go through the bank like they did in the movie). Dave refused to go after the day before’s little sick problem. Then some butterbeer at the ‘Leaky Cauldron’. Really cool.
After that onto the Hogwart’s Express at Kings Cross Station (so real) which was a real steam train and you sat in proper carriages with a movie type playing through the windows so it was like going on the journey Harry etc took.
At the end you walk out and into Hogsmeade Town with snow on the buildings (you really need to know the movies – if not all of this is wasted space!).
There was another ride I went on which went through the real life-like Hogwart’s Castle and it was like being on a broom stick and in a quiddich game (cool!) I felt sad Dave couldn’t do this as it was his thing (harry potter ) more than mine.
You just wander out of this make-believe and go into Adventure World which was all dinosaurs (ride in water which Dave came on) and a close-up with a raptor!
Unfortunately I discovered 2 more water rides and the last one we were absolutely soaked! So bad but luckily it was 30C but still took all day to dry out.
We found Transformers and super-heroes (Spiderman ride – no dave) and then the big roller coaster called the Hulk!! I went on (discovered the way to avoid queues is to go on the ‘Single lane’ which is for only 1 riders cause you walk pass all the others and walk straight through as they use you to fill up seats – clever eh!)
Anyway – it was a good day at the park and finished off with this chocolate factory dessert place that would have you drooling!
We left the hotel at 5pm and caught a ‘limmosene’ to the Orlando airport ($49). I had to educate the check-in girl (and another one who joined in the conversation) who thought Kiwis was as in kiwifruit. I showed her the kiwi bird I have on my bag ( oohhh I didn’t know a kiwi was a bird!) and told her all about it! This was with a big queue behind us, but they loved it! Unfortunately just getting on a 1hr flight to Miami involved lots of queueing to get through security and I got tagged to be checked and body felt all over (do you mind me touching you all over in front of people mam, or do you want to go to a closed room? Argghhh!!) any way so here is me getting felt up all over by this huge Afro-Am lady while Dave is laughing his head off at my looks of horror! Then she swabs my fingers and puts the paper through a machine just like on Border Patrol! What! A drug carrier – me??? Thank god all was good, but Dave asked her what she was testing for (drugs?) ah no sir ……. EXPLOSIVES!! So do I look like a terrorist?! Drama not over yet cause as we were taxiing to the runway Dave swore he saw his bag being put onto a luggage trolley by itself – so that led to the whole flight, and then onto a train at Miami airport to even get to luggage claim – worrying and worrying about what do we do if his bag was left behind? We went through all these senarios – but guess …… there it was all happily sailing round on the conveyor belt tucked up next to mine! On yay! Thank bloody Christ!
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