The last day of wedding celebrations and we all got a chance to wear white, although no one looked quite as good as Julie-Anne the day before. After cleaning up and packing, we bid our home for the last 8 days a fond farewell and negotiated our way back to William and Julie's for a final hooray and hoorah - a white themed barbeque around their pool. (See, it's easy really, I don't think we got lost once!)
Yet another delicious feast, featuring Will's famous pork ribs (except that this time they were made by Kate) and salads and buns and lashings of bubbly plied by our charming hosts.
It was at this time we had to bid a sad farewell to the P Gang and Julie's family, as we were heading up to Orlando with the kids, Steve and Mary, and a few of Julie's friends.
Before we could get too emotional and start weeping, the heavens did it for us - rather spectacularly too.
It wasn't the first Floridian thunderstorm we had experienced. On Sunday afternoon just as the boys were coming home from the game, there was a huge 'CRACK', the sky opened and the rain came down in sheets (pillowcases and duvets too!) We could hardly see 10 feet away. Turns out the 'crack' we heard was lightening striking the ground not far from where Rich was standing. What an exciting day he had.
It went on for a little while, then, as thunderstorms usually do, stopped as quickly as it started. Actually, it must have just moved on, because poor Mary and Steve flew into it that evening, as they were about to land. That would have been interesting.
Anyway, we learnt our lesson, and bid a hasty adieu as the first fat drips lay sizzling on the concrete.
We swopped Emma for Tom in the car, and Tom for me in the navigators seat. WHEW! I think Rich trusted his instructions more than mine, because the tension levels dropped below the red line, and we cruised on up Floridas Turnpike to Orlando with no excitements.
The trip was some 350 km (over 200 miles) and took about 4 hours with one stop near St Lucie for yet another dire coffee and some chips. Tom opted out of the coffee option and bought something that can only be described as sweet and purple - as in violently purple. It lasted a long time. I don't think he even finished it.
Nothing much to describe about the trip really. We got a little excited when we passed a sign stating that we were at the headwaters of the Everglades, but we couldn't really see anything; lots of orange groves and cattle could be seen if we peeked past the hedges; some funny, truly American place names which I unsuccessfully tried to photograph; and a drop in the temperature.
We arrived at Emerald Island Resort in Kissimmee just on dusk. Julie had booked this place online some months before so we didn't really know what we were coming to.
It was lovely.
It seems that most of the houses are privately owned and individually rented out, but everything else is run by the resort.There is a rather magnificent entrance complete with manned security booths and barrier arms, (we were a little worried they wouldn't like the look of us and turn us away), dolphin statues dancing in the ponds, lush, manicured grounds, club house, communal pool, gym, tennis courts... the list goes on. I was quite sorry we weren't staying for longer so I could make the most of all the facilities and 'fun' activities provided by the resort. The staff at the club house were extremely charming and helpful and it turned out we could purchase our tickets to the theme parks directly from them.
I suspect the reason for Orlando's existence is to service the theme parks. It must be the theme park capital of the world. Several Disneys and Universal Studio parks, Sea World and other watery based themes, Epcot- that's Disney too and I think it stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, but I have seen some other rather more cynical definitions e.g. Every Pocket Comes Out Thinner. Legoland, Discovery Cove... and that's just the big ones. I really was sorry we weren't staying longer!
The house we stayed in was deceptively large and beautifully appointed. There was the main master bedroom and three other big bedrooms with queen beds and ensuites, a bunk room, and smaller bedroom and downstairs a sun room with several sofa beds and a single, plus lovely big couches that could be used as beds. Julie had done her best to fill the place so the cost per head was extremely reasonable and much better than staying in a motel.
By the time we had cased the joint and found the nearest supermarket (10 minutes away) the others started arriving - quite a convoy of them in fact. Steve and Mary, living the American Dream pulled up in a shiny, black Mustang sports car, Mark and Emma in their AD -a Chevrolet Camaro, with Kate and Harry squashed in the back and the others arrived in slightly less muscly vehicles.
Quite a mixed lot really, of young and not as young, Kiwi and French, but we soon shook ourselves down and settled in for the night, quivering in anticipation for the adventures of the next day.
Yet another delicious feast, featuring Will's famous pork ribs (except that this time they were made by Kate) and salads and buns and lashings of bubbly plied by our charming hosts.
It was at this time we had to bid a sad farewell to the P Gang and Julie's family, as we were heading up to Orlando with the kids, Steve and Mary, and a few of Julie's friends.
Before we could get too emotional and start weeping, the heavens did it for us - rather spectacularly too.
It wasn't the first Floridian thunderstorm we had experienced. On Sunday afternoon just as the boys were coming home from the game, there was a huge 'CRACK', the sky opened and the rain came down in sheets (pillowcases and duvets too!) We could hardly see 10 feet away. Turns out the 'crack' we heard was lightening striking the ground not far from where Rich was standing. What an exciting day he had.
It went on for a little while, then, as thunderstorms usually do, stopped as quickly as it started. Actually, it must have just moved on, because poor Mary and Steve flew into it that evening, as they were about to land. That would have been interesting.
Anyway, we learnt our lesson, and bid a hasty adieu as the first fat drips lay sizzling on the concrete.
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| Come on Rose, it's not that bad. |
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| Can't remember what this face was for, but it wasn't the food. She was describing something and re-posed the face for me to take a photo, so she can't complain if it appears on my blog. |
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| Here comes the rain |
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| And down it came. |
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| Chief cook and bottle washer. |
We swopped Emma for Tom in the car, and Tom for me in the navigators seat. WHEW! I think Rich trusted his instructions more than mine, because the tension levels dropped below the red line, and we cruised on up Floridas Turnpike to Orlando with no excitements.
The trip was some 350 km (over 200 miles) and took about 4 hours with one stop near St Lucie for yet another dire coffee and some chips. Tom opted out of the coffee option and bought something that can only be described as sweet and purple - as in violently purple. It lasted a long time. I don't think he even finished it.
Nothing much to describe about the trip really. We got a little excited when we passed a sign stating that we were at the headwaters of the Everglades, but we couldn't really see anything; lots of orange groves and cattle could be seen if we peeked past the hedges; some funny, truly American place names which I unsuccessfully tried to photograph; and a drop in the temperature.
We arrived at Emerald Island Resort in Kissimmee just on dusk. Julie had booked this place online some months before so we didn't really know what we were coming to.
It was lovely.
It seems that most of the houses are privately owned and individually rented out, but everything else is run by the resort.There is a rather magnificent entrance complete with manned security booths and barrier arms, (we were a little worried they wouldn't like the look of us and turn us away), dolphin statues dancing in the ponds, lush, manicured grounds, club house, communal pool, gym, tennis courts... the list goes on. I was quite sorry we weren't staying for longer so I could make the most of all the facilities and 'fun' activities provided by the resort. The staff at the club house were extremely charming and helpful and it turned out we could purchase our tickets to the theme parks directly from them.
I suspect the reason for Orlando's existence is to service the theme parks. It must be the theme park capital of the world. Several Disneys and Universal Studio parks, Sea World and other watery based themes, Epcot- that's Disney too and I think it stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, but I have seen some other rather more cynical definitions e.g. Every Pocket Comes Out Thinner. Legoland, Discovery Cove... and that's just the big ones. I really was sorry we weren't staying longer!
The house we stayed in was deceptively large and beautifully appointed. There was the main master bedroom and three other big bedrooms with queen beds and ensuites, a bunk room, and smaller bedroom and downstairs a sun room with several sofa beds and a single, plus lovely big couches that could be used as beds. Julie had done her best to fill the place so the cost per head was extremely reasonable and much better than staying in a motel.
By the time we had cased the joint and found the nearest supermarket (10 minutes away) the others started arriving - quite a convoy of them in fact. Steve and Mary, living the American Dream pulled up in a shiny, black Mustang sports car, Mark and Emma in their AD -a Chevrolet Camaro, with Kate and Harry squashed in the back and the others arrived in slightly less muscly vehicles.
Quite a mixed lot really, of young and not as young, Kiwi and French, but we soon shook ourselves down and settled in for the night, quivering in anticipation for the adventures of the next day.
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| Every day on the cruise ship, the P Gang had a new 'towel animal' on their beds. I wanted to impress them with our 'tea towel pup'! |
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| Master bedroom bathroom |
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| Open plan kitchen |
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| Lounge looking out onto fully net enclosed pool - too cold to swim tho'. |
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