Set off down to Savannah. Just over two hours drive, in an Americans mindset hardly worth getting in the car for. We’ve been there before but it’s a lovely city and a convenient stopping-off place on our way back to Orlando.
Stop off at a moonshine factory and I am tempted into buying a jar of traditional moonshine.
Wow, it’s hot, in the 80’s and the suns out.
Yeah, tea tonight consists of a Tacobell Spicy Supreme Burrito, at last. Pretty awesome, I’ve saved the recipe. Wendy has a Panera bread sandwich and soup. How bizarre can the Panera Bread menu get with a Grilled Mac and cheese sandwich – perverts.
Quercus virginiana, also known as the southern live oak, is an evergreen oak tree endemic to the Southeastern United States.
Although live oaks retain their leaves nearly year-round, they are not true evergreens. Live oaks drop their leaves immediately before new leaves emerge in the spring. Occasionally, senescing leaves may turn yellow or contain brown spots in the winter, leading to the mistaken belief that the tree has oak wilt, whose symptoms typically occur in the summer.[7] A live oak’s defoliation may occur sooner in marginal climates or in dry or cold winters.[8]
Pretty good breakfast. I finally succumb to biscuits and gravy. Looks pretty gruesome but is quite tasty. I think the gravy has mushrooms in it.
Cloudy day mid sixties
We’ve been here back in 2015 (what an awesome road trip that was) and our memory is of a lovely relaxing city that can be enjoyed on foot. Catch the hop on off trolley tour to get a good overview and some history. Have a coffee at the slowest coffee shop in the World. Then hop off at Forrest Gumps form – they’ve moved it a museum not even a plaque or an imitation to replace it. Have a walk around the market district and then back to the car. Take photos but as it’s mostly cloudy we’ve rescued our photos from 2015 and imported a few. After lunch the sun brightens the place up.
Finally head off to explore Tybee Island. I wonder if the Einstein who run tourism there ever question why the place is deserted in December. I’m sure weather is one factor and out of season another but $7 to park for 2 hours anywhere is ridiculous. We would have had a stroll around and at least a coffee but at that extortionate price they can go hug a parking meter.
Tea tonight is a lemon ricotta mixed berry crepes from IHOP, tempted to have the French toast, and some Jalepeno Humous. It’s an alcohol free night.
Warm and sunny. Back into shorts and tee shirt as we drive down to Orlando. 4 hours past so many familiar places.
Sign on the road side “Jesus saves, liberals withdraw”. Also great to see in one state, can’t remember which, “litter fine maximum $25,000”. Now that’s just about right.
Spanish Moss, Street, Savannah, Georgia, America
Florida’s motto is “In god we trust” should be replaced by “Dangerous Dickhead Drivers”. This has to be the worst state I’ve ever driven in, especially Orlando. As for Orlando it has to be the traffic light capital of the World. People can die of old age waiting at the traffic lights.
Road with Live Oak trees lining it.
Wendy’s orgasmic as there’s an Aldi next door and I’m so excited as there’s a cheesecake factory in walking distance and there’s even pavements to walk on.
Walk to Cheesecake Factory. 17:00 and there’s already a 15 minute wait, just hate this ludicrous aspect of American life. Why do people wait so readily.
Wot still no Toblerone Cheesecake.
Well it looks like another dessert tea for me as my entre consist of a Key Lime Cheesecake and take home a Cinnabon Cheesecake for tomorrows dessert. Wendy has strict instructions not to touch it, unlike the Toblerone Cheesecake she stole from me.
Sunrise on Spanish Moss in Savannah, Georgia
Most known in the United States, it commonly is found on the southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) in the lowlands, swamps, and marshes of the mid-Atlantic and southeastern states, from the coast of southeastern Virginia to Florida and west to southern Arkansas and Texas.
Breakfast not bad.
We’ve decided to have a relaxing day before the ordeal of two airports, Orlando and Manchester. So a lazy day, starts with a very lazy morning and then after lunch we take the car to be cleaned and Wendy saunters around Walmart, dithering with her choice of sweets etc for the kids Advent calendar – more weight to traipse home. What an exciting life we lead.
Lazy start to the day as we hang around for airport drop off of the car. Our flights been moved back 2 hours, bloody typical. Drop car off, it’s been so comfortable and easy to drive, Trip was about 4,500 miles. Then we have 4:45 minutes to hang around in the MCO lounge. Well at least TSA manages to pass 46 minutes away for us, how kind.
One of the more sociable receptionists has a great personality and even very kindly pays for Wendy’s washing powder because it cannot be put on our room bill. Then, when Wendy finds some money, she refuses to accept. How generous that a guy in the line for lounge access allows Wendy in as his free guest and saves her having to pay. Just two examples of the friendliness and generosity that makes America so great.
Highlight of the trip has to be a proper traditional Thanksgiving with Kim, Phil and their family. It was awesome. They all made us feel so welcome and at home we never wanted to leave.
We didn’t have to say what we were thankful for but I think we have to be greedy and say there are at least two things we’re thankful for, so here goes:
1 Thankful for great friends Kim and Phil they made us so at home. We never understand how we’ve been so lucky to have them as friends.
2 Thankful for being able to spend so much time in the USA and for all our friends there. Americans are just so friendly.
Visited Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia on this trip. That’s 16 states in all, Oklahoma and Nebraska being two states we’d never been to before and to be fair we’d hardly seen anything of Kansas and Little Rock on our 2015 trip – http://blogs.4uand.me.uk/2015/09/20150902-georgia-and-the-deep-south/. That leaves us with 4 states left to visit (Wisconsin, Michigan, North and South Dakota – hard to justify the last two). Visited 4 more National Parks, all amazing, which leaves me with 26 left to visit.
My most memorable aspect of this trip is the nothingness of Oklahoma and the facts around “The Trail Of Tears”, the sheer brutality and cruelty to the Indian nations stands alongside slavery in the annals of America’s bad past. Dumping what was left of the Indian nations (The First Americans) onto desolate, nothingness, with the sop to their survival being a casino, fits in with my image of today’s Indian tribal lands.
On the downside, America seems to be infested with non-English speakers and generally crap service. Suspect this is mainly a by-product of the chronic labour shortage. For instance, the Cheesecake Factory had nearly 50% of their tables empty yet there was a 15-minute wait because they didn’t have the staff. Have to say our server was one of the best waiters we’ve encountered on this trip.
The American hotel industry is plagued with appalling management and apathy. Do hotel managers ever bother to read the reviews and do anything about the problems raised, I think not. I don’t think we’ve stayed in any hotel that didn’t have problems that competent management couldn’t have fixed. Problems range from the reception staff who shouldn’t be allowed within 5,000 feet of a customer; heating that doesn’t work; dilapidated fixtures and fittings; crap Wi-Fi; Breakfast not even fit to be served to a hungry rabid raccoon; Staff who fail to turn up; noisy rooms. And of course, they’ve all hopped on the Covid wagon, no daily room service “because of Covid”. They’d be better off being more honest and saying because “we can save money”.
Meanwhile looking at the depressing news back home do we really want to be going home. The countries up shit creek without a pound to pay the debt incurred with Covid etc., and these cretins want to inflict more misery on the rest of us. When will our government grow some gonads, pay the nurses their 17%, they deserve it after Covid and who’d do that job, then tell the rest of the greedy cretins to go forth and multiply, the countries in a mess and needs help. I think the whole country will be on strike, including Borderforce which on the surface sounds good as hopefully, it’ll stop the illegals, but of course, it will mean airport chaos over Christmas. No doubt they’ll make special arrangements for border force to help get the illegals into their 5-star accommodation as quickly and safely as possible and screw citizens using the airports. It’s simple if you don’t like your pay resign.
A couple of years from now the train drivers will be whining that their jobs are being replaced by computers that don’t go on strike and postal workers complaining that no one uses their snail mail services as private delivery companies do a better job. Well serves them right, remember the miners!
Well, that’s our American travels over with for the year. Now have 19 days at home before our next escape – Crete for New Year with Brett and Karine. 19 days how will I cope. Then we have a diabolical wait until the 1st of April until we can escape back to paradise – Park City, Utah. Hopefully, if our visa application is successful, it’ll be for 6 months in paradise and save us four flights, three TSA queues and six airports.
Help Kim and Phil set up their outside Christmas decorations.
Drive down to the Carnton House to have a tour and discover some more about the battle of Franklin. Very interesting house tour. Kim and Phil stay home to fix the damage to their outside Christmas decorations that were wrought by the overnight winds.
The scale of the Confederate charge at Franklin rivaled that of Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. The action resulted in a disastrous defeat for the South and failed to prevent the Union army from advancing to Nashville.
After a missed opportunity at the Battle of Spring Hill on November 29, Hood pursued Schofield to the town of Franklin, where the Confederate general led an assault on November 30 that cost him 20 percent of his men and allowed Schofield to progress toward Nashville.
Say farewell to Kim and Phil. Great company. Great excursions. Great hosts. Awesome Thanksgiving and even get to experience putting up Christmas decorations first hand and America getting ready for the next main event, Christmas. Never stayed with anyone where we felt so at home. In fact it’s wonder we ever left.
It’s a short 90 minute drive then up to the Mammoth Caves National Park. After watching the almost obligatory video I’m booked on the two hour history tour which takes you underground into the longest cave system in the World – all 426 miles of it and still being explored to add more. It’s a great two mile underground exploration. Most of it’s fairly easy going but a lot of steps, over 500, and some low roofs. Then there’s Fat Man’s Misery a 50 yard stretch where you have to walk sideways, bent double through a very narrow passage – see photo – hence the title. Buy yet another NP hat for the collection.
Wendy stays on the surface and catches up on some Netflix she fell asleep through, she can’t do enclosed spaces.
Mammoth Cave National Park is an American national park in west-central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system known in the world.
Up early for a pretty good breakfast, rare in most of the hotels we’ve stayed in.
Do the Fayetteville audio driving tour down to the bottom of the gorge . Then take a leisurely drive back to the hotel over country back roads.
The New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a unit of the United States National Park Service (NPS) designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia in the Appalachian Mountains. Established in 1978 as a national river and redesignated in 2020, the park and preserve stretches for 53 miles (85 km) from just downstream of Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted.
The park is rich in cultural and natural history, and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities. New River Gorge is home to some of the country’s best whitewater rafting, mainly from the Cunard put-in to the Fayette Station take-out, and is also one of the most popular climbing areas on the East Coast. The New River itself originates in North Carolina, flowing north through Virginia into the West Virginia mountains to the Kanawha River which continues to the Ohio River.
A five hour drive down to Columbia for our next National Park encounter.
Some lady of the royal household asks a black woman at a reception ‘Where are you from? Where are your people from?’, at least that’s the limited version of the questions in the press release I saw. Although the Times has a detailed list of the complete conversation – this I find bizarre. And now there’s an uproar of righteous indignation and a resignation. Bear in mind the women is in traditional African dress, has a record of accusing Charles and Camila of Domestic violence, has a anti-establishment Marxist agenda and amazingly has either recalled perfectly (yet she claims the rest of the evening was a blur) or she must have recorded the conversation (was this a setup).
Breakfast has to be one of the best so far this trip.
Yes, the visitors centre is open, even if they don’t have any hats for sale. Take a 2 mile walk around the board walk with interpretative notes. The swamps are fascinating, with Bald Cypress knees sprouting out of the swamp surrounding the trees. Not exactly the most exhilarating NP but an important protection of the largest remnant of old-growth flood plain forests in the US. Over 35 million acres, 99%, of old-growth flood plain forests have been lost in the US. Most of this parks 27,000 acres is actually designated as wilderness.
Tea tonight consists of a Stromboli and baked beans, all home cooked in our kitchenette, followed of course by some Carmenera.
National Park is a 26,692.6-acre (41.7 sq mi; 108.0 km2) American national park in central South Carolina, 18 miles southeast of the state capital, Columbia. The park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. The lush trees growing in its floodplain forest are some of the tallest in the eastern United States, forming one of the highest temperate deciduous forest canopies remaining in the world. The Congaree River flows through the park. About 15,000 acres (23.4 sq mi; 60.7 km2) are designated as a wilderness area.
Arrive after a relatively short 3 hour drive.
A recent rip to WholePayPacket supermarket resulted in a discussion at checkout on the abuse of the word organic and the rip off of Organic Foods as aggressively promoted by this store.
Up and out for breakfast with Phil and Mark. Try a Southern special grilled chicken, eggs, potatoes and finally get to try biscuits and gravy. Actually very enjoyable I’ll be trying those again when we’re on the road.
Then Phil and I get despatched to Target and Public to pick up supplies ready for the big event tomorrow – Thanksgiving.
An evening stroll to see the Christmas lights at Cheekwood Gardens, drinking hot chocolate laced with peppermint vodka and eating toasted Smores.
Franklin is a city and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. About 21 miles (34 km) south of Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. As of 2020, its population was 83,454. It is the seventh-largest city in Tennessee.
Thanksgiving day. Spend most of the morning and afternoon preparing for the 18 family and 2 Brits attending. 
Then we get an all American experience, a first for us, as we buy a bag of ice. 
At 16:00 everyone arrives and the eating, drinking and lively conversation commences. Food serving with so many is well organised, help yourself and lineup in Christian name sequence. There’s all the traditional dishes served around a 21lb turkey and then there’s a plethora of desserts. A great time was had by all. 
Really getting into these Old Fashioned’s.When everyone’s left we settle down for a tad more wine and the modern version of A Christmas Story.
Lunch at a pizza parlour.
Oklahoma at last. Only a few tribal Nations were indigenous to what is now the State of Oklahoma. All others were removed from homelands across the contiguous U.S. to Indian Territory, the trail of tears. What seems even more outrageous is that they moved some of the few indigenous tribes to make way for the influx. In 1907 Oklahoma became the 46th state to enter the union. The state’s name comes from two Choctaw words “Okla” and “Homma” meaning Red People.
150 miles of nothingness, other than plastic bags hanging on trees, more Indian tribal
Love the speed signs “75 MPH no tolerance”. Then there’s the sign “Don’t hit our workers, $10,000 fine”. So a worker life or injury is ok for $10,000, bizarre.
The U.S. state of Oklahoma has been popularly nicknamed the “Sooner State” since the 1920s.
The designation “Sooner” initially had a very negative connotation. While “Boomers” were merely expressing “pioneer spirit” in their desire to take and settle formerly Indian territory, Sooners were essentially stealing from other white settlers by cheating on the claim requirements to get better land. However, these negative connotations rapidly cooled as time passed after 1889 and land claims were settled. By the time of statehood, Sooner had become an affectionate term for Oklahomans as a whole with a whiff of rebellion.
Opt for the First Americans Museum which given Oklahoma being the end of the Trail of Tears seems the most appropriate place to visit anyway. It’s not been opened long; amazing architecture, I’m sure King Charles would be amazed; great exhibits and presentation. Makes you appreciate how badly the Indians were treated. Interesting to note that the snowflakes and wokes responsible for the 1619 project overlook the Native Americans in their debates about U.S. history. Virginia Indians tell stories of settlers who would not have survived without their help during the long brutal winter of 1609-10. The natives, including the powerful family confederation of Powhatan and Pocahontas, taught the colonists how to plant food and even traded with them during the initial years of their relationship.
It’s also disturbing to realise that even after the cruelty and horrors of the 19th century Trail Of Tears, the American government were exercising eugenics in our lifetime with forced sterilization performed by the Indian Health Service in the 60s and 70s, the effects of which are still felt within tribes today.
It’s an awesome museum, one of the best I’ve ever been to.
As it’s our first time in Oklahoma, and probably our last, I decided to drive to Wichita via the back roads and hope that we’ll get to see some of Oklahoma. Sadly it’s a lot of nothingness. What did we see along the way, cotton fields, old, rundown towns that make even Belthorn look attractive; nodding donkeys alongside solar panels, and overshadowed by windmills, the old being overtaken by the new. What’s with the snowploughs we keep seeing, Oklahoma will never make it as a ski resort. Then as we leave Oklahoma and head into Kansas it starts to snow, that probably explains why we’ve been seeing so many snowploughs. It chucks it down and being on back roads is not such a good idea in this weather. Thanks to the snow I lose my mobile connection, satnav, lane tracing assist, dynamic radar cruise control and pre-collision emergency breaking. Bloody hell I’m going to have to start driving the car using the steering wheel, accelerator and brakes. All these first world problems. 
Wake to a freezing cold but blue sky day, overnight snow.
Sadly there’s not really that much to see in Wichita. It would have been better if we could have gone to the state capital, Topeka, but alas it was too far.
On a summer afternoon in 1968, songwriter Jimmy Webb was driving on a road in Oklahoma. There were no houses along the road, and no trees—just grass in every direction. Next to the road, there were telephone poles. The poles were in a straight line that went all the way to the horizon.
It’s way below freezing today, so best to stay indoors.
With a windchill of 19F / -7C time to try a root beer float from a traditional soda fountain at long last. Interesting choice as I don’t like root beer, but my great friend and guru Hal, rest his soul, always told me I really should try one. Hal, you were so right they are good.
Way below freezing again so the plan for the day is to stay indoors again.
First stop is the state capitol where we get a personalised tour. Very interesting although Wendy thinks he goes into too much detail. Wendy’s idea would be just a 5 minutes tour, running if necessary. For a state capitol it is a very unusual building with a 14 story tower that can be seen for miles around. The first floor is like a dismal dungeon from hell, expect a vampire to pop out any moment. The 2nd floor is very impressive with an amazing mosaic floor, wall murals and vaulted ceiling with murals. This capitol is unique in that it is the only – unicameral state – just a house and no senate, although the 49 representatives are called senators.
Then we set off to the history museum but give it a miss. Wendy’s had enough history for one trip, so we set off to the Pioneer Park where there’s allegedly a herd of buffalo and nature centre. The place is deserted and the “small herd” consists of 4 buffalo asleep on the prairie.
Call at a Hy-Val supermarket for some excitement., has to be one of the most impressive supermarkets in America we’ve been to. Wow, they sell Hofbrau original and get a Basil Haydn Red Wine Cask Finish Bourbon, that’s a new one to try. 
Overall Lincoln has to be the most disappointing place we’ve been to, not help by the cold weather, I have to prise Wendy out of the car each time.
At long last I get to try IHOP’s Jaelapeno burger for tea. What an over priced disappointment that was. I think I’ll reserve any visit to IHOP for a sugar fix with there pancakes and french toast.
Let’s try the Olive Garden, we can walk to it. There’s a 45 minute wait for a table and the car parks littered with patient Americans. Having just survived 17 days of Disney queues you’d think this would be a doddle, but we vote with our feet.
Set off to Birmingham Alabama. It’s another very pleasant 5 hour drive with no hold up and interesting and relatively quiet roads and inter-state. This Toyota Camry is great to drive. You can tell you’re in the bible belt when you see signs like “Go to church or the devil will get you” and just in case you need god there’s a church every two miles.
We’ve been to Birmingham before but the Civil Rights museum was closed on Sundays and Mondays as tourists never go anywhere on a Monday. Museum is interesting and very well done, even if the staff are over officious, must have a toilet brush up their rectums and need to justify their existence. Do a civil rights walk around the landmarks. What a depressing run down area it’s in. It’s quite shocking to realise that all of the civil rights abuses, despite supreme court rulings, were carried out in our lifetime – unbelievable. And now we have the reaction to that era with the woke snowflakes whining, the cancel culture, DEI and 1619 project.
That’s all soon over so what to do for the afternoon. Well we could go to the American Village, it had a great Oval Office and colonial style village with characters in period dress, but turns out we’ve been there back in 2013. We could go to Vulcan Park, but again we’ve been there and done that. Decide to go to the Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. Wendy has her picnic there, despite being consumed by NoSeeUmms. It’s interesting to explore the museum and view the ironworks etc.
What is it with American air pumps. Firstly you have to pay but there’s no pressure gauge to pump up to the right pressure. Instead there’s an obliging but ridiculous picture of how your tyres should look when at the right press, very scientific – unbelievable. How can you determine pressure with any accuracy. Instead Wendy sits in the car shouting out the pressure readings from the dashboard. What happens if you’re on your own or your car doesn’t have tyre pressure readout. Then to add insult to injury the nozzle lets out more air than it puts in, so actually fix one tyre but make another worse. 
Yes, there’s breakfast.
We have a drive around the mountain in search of the Visitor centre. Most illusive. Turns out to be on the Main Street in one of the bath houses, times are hard, so no sign. Probably due to Covid, seems to be the main excuse for all forms of incompetence and inadequacy these days. Hot Springs National Park not a park like we imagined it’s actually a spa town where people came to take baths in the hot spring waters . Lots of very beautiful old buildings which housed the baths , it was interesting.
Visit the Visitor Centre and explore the bath house exhibit and top up with free spring water – cool. Then take a stroll along the Grand Promenade to see some of the hot springs.
Amazing people come along with containers to top up with free hot Spring water from the taps outside the visitor centre, a bit like Lourdes. Hot Springs NP is certainly different from most NP, it seems the whole town with its multiple old bath houses is the NP. Interesting, all from a different era. 
Meet Helen and George and their friends. Have a long chin wag, must be 3 years since we’ve seen them so a lot to catch up on and a lot of the World to put right. Then we go to lunch at an Irish Pub. It was great to meet up with them and their friends Rita and John for Lunch in Hot Springs.
Drive up to the watch tower for awesome views over Arkansas and then take a drive back, along the back roads to avoid that demmic interstate. Visit a massive Kroger for some vitals then back to the hotel for a quiet night in watching the Crown – what party animals we are.
Explore Little Rock today. Start off with a tour of the State Capitol building. It’s empty so we’re left towander around with a self guided tour book.
It seems like Little Rock is named after some Little Rock’s on the side of the Mississippi River so off I go to see them, Wendy stays in the car, it’s too cold.
Came across this potential junk food, banana water pudding, in Kroger today so just had to try it. Even I have to admit it was just too creamy, sweet and sickly – gross.
Up and out early, usual drill, this time we’re off the Universal Studios.
Back home by 16:30 for some pool time for the kids and some beer (Pilsner Urquell one of the very few decent beers sold in this brewers wasteland) and wine for the adults.
No parks today so we get a lie in. K&F are having a day at the mall – can you believe it?
Then it’s an evening in with no alcohol and kids running riot.
Up at the crack of sparrows yet again but Animal Kingdom doesn’t open until 09:00. Could have had a lie in.
It’s Universal Islands of Adventure today. Hot and humid, draining. Wendy and I don’t do many rides as were tending the girls while the kids do the white knuckle rides. Take them to most of the kiddy rides and shows. Kids and grandkids enjoy it but for us it has to be the worst park and we’re not looking forward to a second visit. We finally escape by 16:00, totally drained. Then it’s the journey from hell home in rush hour traffic with the satnav taking on a hellish magical mystery tour.
Rug rats run riot after tea. A pity my hearing aids are working.
Usual crack of sparrows ordeal.
Finish at lunch time for a change. Traffic is so much better. Then a leisurely afternoon while Wendy and Fiona go for a shopping trip in hell at Walmart – that’s what you get when you don’t wear your pyjamas to Walmart along with the crazy people.
Kurt, Jasper and I set off to the train station to catch a free train to a a basketball game. Traffic is the usual hell and just to make life even more miserable and difficult all the roads around the train station are closed off due to a Halloween street party. End up parking on a street.
You’re probably wondering what’s this photo for? Well look closely and observe. Yes, both shoelaces are undone and he’s a teenager. Care to guess his occupation? Simple, he’s one of those 10 year old moronic programmers I keep ranting on about who has no common sense and is incapable of tying his own shoelaces. Beware, they shouldn’t be allowed out and certainly not allowed anywhere near a computer.
Typhoon lagoon so chance for a lie in. 
Quiet evening in after Wendy and Fiona Walmart yet again – the super market from hell.
3 kids all to ourselves at islands of adventure today. Untold joy. We’re reporting Kurt to the RSPCG. We’re abused grandparents.
Kurt and Fiona get a free day to them selves to ride the white knuckle rides – Fiona birthday present. 
I tackle the spider man rides with Jasper just about below my pewk point. Seus land is great for the kids. Then we catch the train over to universal studios. First ride is the Simpson ride with Jasper. Never again for me. Jasper loves it. 
Crack of sparrows start, then off to Hollywood studios. First stop Star Wars Rise of the Resistance, one of the best rides. Can you believe a 90 minute queue and then it breaks down so turns out 120 minute. Crap customer service with hardly any information on progress and didn’t even inform us when it had been fixed. Not even marks on the wall as to how many minutes from ride. But it is a great ride, well below my pewk point.
The park is heaving with folks, probably because it’s Halloween. Need to fit razor blades to the front of the push chairs, should at least sever the Achilles heels of anyone in the way. On top of the crowds it’s hot and humid, and the queues are horrendous, even for the kiddy rides and shows. Wendy and I settle down for a relaxing coffee while the rest go Mickeys shooting ride. By which time we’ve all had enough and escape at about 14:00.
Outlander has to dispel any theory of American TV being prudish. More sex, nudity and gruesome violence.
Never thought I’d complain about sex scenes but 25% of an episode with a Claire in a languid sex scene, just too long. Then they add her daughter Bree to to the sex scenes and you’ve got the potential for 50% of an episode being taken up with lackadaisical sex scenes – boring – but at least they emphasise their best breast, the right side.
Well Kurt and Fiona need a rest from the parks, the parks, queues, heat and humidity drained them, no stamina. They’re spending a relaxing day at the house with the kids. Wendy and I, the geriatrics, take Jasper to Typhoon lagoon. Have a great time with him, wave surfing, lazy river and water slides. Surprising how exhausting it is but we survive.
Magic kingdom today. Lazy morning, kids enjoy the pool.
Set off in the afternoon. Hot and heaving. Long wait times but kids get quiet a few rides in including Buzz Light year. Wendy and I resort to chai latte’s. Then after pirates of the Caribbean the heavens open up whilst we wait for the enchantment laser and firework show, pretty impressive show just a pity about the boat 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high made of gopher wood floating past. The things you do for kids. 
End the night with a well deserved whiskey night cap – Basil Hayden Toast it’s awesome, very mellow.
Another lazy morning, kids in the pool and Fiona gets her fix with a walk to Walmart. 
After lunch we’re off to Hollywood studios to catch the first l performance of Fantasmic. Watch the Indiana Jones show followed by Mickey’s run away train ride. Then we join the queue for Fantasmic, can you believe the queue extends all the way back to the entrance to the park. What is even more disturbing if the number of adults with no kids who are in the queue, bizarre, must be mentally retarded. Kids must represent about 3% of the audience really in the minority. At least parents have a valid excuse for tolerating this abuse. We start queuing at 17:45 and get in the theatre about an hour later. Then it’s a further wait until the show starts at 20:00.
Kids chicken out today. No stamina again. So it’s a lazy morning for Wendy and I. 
After lunch we take Jasper to typhoon lagoon again. Wendy has to sit out, no bikini, but Jasper and I have a great time in the wave pool, lazy river and on the slides. He’s never any trouble, full of laughter, joy and never shuts up. Loves telling jokes and riddles. 
Well it’s been an exhausting but awesome 17 days and we’ve survived it. How lucky can we be to get to spend such quality time with our kids and grandkids. To see their faces and joy as they meet the characters, enjoy the rides and the shows. To see Jasper skipping ahead with eager anticipation and happiness to get to the water slides will be a memory I’ll never forget. All very expensive but worth it. Such awesome memories.
Now for the rant. Yes, awesome to spend such great times with the kids but Disney has lost the plot. Rip off $20 per person per day to jump the queues, creating a second class standby customer; the queues were diabolical; parades and shows were all cut back. As for Orlando the traffic and delays at traffic lights were unbelievable. People could die of old age waiting for the traffic lights. Disney never again and Orlando never again, I think we’ve had the best of it in previous years rampant greed has taken over.
It’s iguana dropping out trees weather. I thought Florida was supposed to be warm. We all really screwed up on the clothing today, need to check weather forecasts and dress accordingly. Fortunately by 11:30 the suns out and it’s warm enough.
After a long day we get home about 17:30. All very tired with feet ready to drop off after 6 hours on our feet walking and queueing, but we’ve all had a great time. Just a delight to see the kids faces and share in their excitement.
Up at 06:00, out by 07:30 to pick up a free parking pass from P&K and then drive to Hollywood studios. New tactics are arrive early to get closer parking and early benefit of shorter queues.
Meet P&K and the rest of the kids at the diner. Then we’re off to explore the rest of the park together. P&K and I split off to do Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars. A 50 minute queue but what an awesome ride. Who dreams these up and a low peak limit. The kids and grandkids go off and do their own thing. Meet up again P&K and Kurt and Fiona do the Rocking roller coaster. A pretty full day and awesome day without too many meltdowns.
Beatrix has been sick in the night so we cancel Typhoon lagoon. How will Kurt cope with a deviation from his precision schedule?
Then we drive down to the boardwalk for a gentle stroll around the lagoon, pleasant and relaxing. Followed by a drive to Disney Springs and a rather stressful stroll around there. It’s heaving and will be avoided in future.
Up at 06:00, out by 08:00 and drive to Epcot. A pretty full day at Epcot until 15:00, manage to do most of the rides, and then we have the joy of a trip to Publix. Yeah, shopping, just what you need after a full day of parks, heat, walking and queuing.
Home for a quick cup of tea, shower and change before setting off to dinner with Kim and Phil at their Winnebago. They also kindly invited the kids and grandkids, but he grandkids get so tired and grumpy that Fiona didn’t want to expose anyone to their meltdowns – Esther had been a nuclear reactor meltdown and nightmare today.
Have pizza, then sit and watch the parade of trick or treaters drive by in their decorated carts and then Phil takes us a drive around the awesome Halloween displays – see photos.
Great evening observing how the Americans do Halloween on a trailer park, as always in a big way. Enjoying yet another aspect of American culture. Incredible.
A real pity the grandkids couldn’t join us as it would have been awesome for them to see and Phil was very kindly planning on hiring a cart to drive then around in, but they would have probably either been asleep or crankier than a bear with a sore head. Instead Wendy and I had the pleasure of a pleasant adult evening, with great company and no rug rats.
Up at 06:00 for the usual drill and get to Epcot for 08:15. Wow, a new record, but worth the effort.
Do World showcase Plant Earth and then Kurt, Fiona and Jasper dash off to do Guardians of the Galaxy. I pass, sound too pewky for my tender constitution.
Then we manage Soaring , followed by a Frozen boat ride and photos with Elsa and Arnia. Wendy and I enjoy the big drumming in Japan and a stroll around Japan. Finally escape for a nice early departure followed by swimming at home.
Somehow K, F and Wendy manage to find an excuse to go to Walmart. Just for a few things, somehow it gets spun out for an hour. Moral of that is never go shopping with Wendy. I get left with the rug rats who gorge themselves out on Oreo’s and crackers. Moral of that is never leave the rug rats with me, I let them have what they want.
Pretty lazy start to the day as my easy bike ride doesn’t start until 10:00 now that the weathers a tad cooler.
Off clay pigeon shooting with Mike. Wow, I finally seem to get it, 17 out of 25, my highest score yet.
Morning spent packing and loading final boxes to go into Mike’s garage lock up.
Joy, up at 04:00 for that awful drive down the mountain to SLC arirport. It’s bad enough in daylight but in the dark it’s even more daunting. Drop the Turo off at the economy parking lot. All seems to go very smoothly. Would definitely use Turo again but would go for a more luxurious model. This one was very basic and Wendy was uncomfortable on longer trips. Not impressed with a Honda Civic.
Up early for a hike with Mark. Finally crack how to do an easy hike up Skid Row and along Prospector in under 8 miles. Come back down Jeep Trail which turns it into a 3.2 mile / 450 foot elevation well shaded hike. Added to my repertoire.
A lazy day with nothing planned. Wendy has the squatters, probably from some dodgy shrimp from the Chinese.
Lunchtime I finally conquered PC Hill and down into Round Valley. Sunny but not too hot.
Start the day off leading an Easy Hike. Fortunately, it’s cool enough now for a 10:00 start so time for coffee and fake news.
I barely remember, the street party we had for the Queen’s coronation. We had jelly, a real treat in those post-war days with rationing still in place, and you took your own spoon with coloured cotton around the handle so that you could identify it.
Lazy start to the day, followed by a stroll with Wendy up to the library to return my books – Hamilton now on my Kindle, only a quarter way through it.and then around lunchtime Mike and I take two bikes and 4 boxes of our stuff over to his lockup. It’s massive.
Early (09:30) hike with Mark around that trail off Morning Star Drive to see if it’s any good for a easy hike. Apart from trespass (miserable gets – needs a mass trespass) sign it’s a rough and over grown hike not up to easy hike standards.
Up early to lead a hike around Snowtop. My favourite hike, the views from the very top give an awesome 360 degree of PC and the mountains.
