arieljasmine
<font color=magenta>Who says these things pass you
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2004
Laurs & Andy do the Universe and the World Day Five
Me Laurs 27
DH Andy 28
Day five 25 September 2006 wasnt that just a movie set?
We were up at 7.55 am today for our trip to Kennedy Space Center. Andy was excited that we were finally going, we had planned to go a couple of years ago and never got there thanks to Hurricane Jeanne. We had our apple juice and coffee, and Andy brought froot loops for me from the concierge lounge, and rice krispies for himself.
We left the HRH about 9.15 am and arrived at KSC at 10.20 am, with only one wrong turn just before we got there. I was very impressed that we didnt have to pay for parking! We bought our standard admissions and they handed us a flyer to say that there would be a lauch that day no way! We couldnt believe our luck, especially as we knew it wasnt long since the last launch.
We went into the entrance building and went through a metal detector and they also checked everyones bags and mobile phones security was better here than at the airport!
We decided to watch one of the IMAX films first as there was one getting ready to start. We watched Magnificent Desolation which is a 40 minute film and it was very interesting. We then listened to a talk in the launch status center which we just stumbled across by accident also most interesting. The guy was talking about the international space station and did a demonstration whereby he set fire to one of the tiles that are used on the outside of rockets to show that it could withstand high temperatures and cool down very quickly.
We were hungry by now so we had lunch in the Orbit Food Court. We shared a ham and cheese sandwich which came with tomato, green beans, yellow beans (not sure what these were but they tasted nice, looked like dyed green beans) red pepper and onion, and had an orange fanta in a souvenir cup very cool, it is fun to drink out of at home and remember the day.
After lunch it had got to 1 pm so we thought it was time we got started on the bus tour. On the way to the bus we had our picture taken against a rocket backdrop.
The first stop was the Launch Complex (LC) 39 Observation Gantry. On our way there the bus driver pointed out the biggest single storey building in the world where they assemble the shuttles upright. There is an American flag on the side of the building, and each of the stars is 6 ft tall!
When we arrived we watched a short film about getting shuttles from landing to taking off again, and then we looked round the exhibit outside the theatre. We started walking up the gantry but I bailed after two floors. There were holes in the middle of the landings!! For someone scared of heights this is beyond inconsiderate!! I was going woozy so back down I went. Luckily, Andy has a head for heights so went up to the top and took some great pictures of the launch platforms.
We got back on the bus at 2.15 pm to go to our second stop, and arrive at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at 2.30 pm. We watched a film about the beginnings of space travel and then it was time to go outside to watch the launch. The rocket being launched was a Delta II rocket (payload: Navstar GPS global positioning satellite). We werent waiting long before someone shouted There it goes! There was much scrambling around and where, where, where? but we both saw the orange light in the sky as the rocket disappeared and definitely heard it.
We went back inside where we were shown the actual control center for the Apollo 8 launch and saw a film of the moments before the launch, and the launch itself. In the next room they had the rocket which was just amazingly huge, and several other exhibits, including a moon buggy. The final part of the tour in this area was a film about Apollo 11 and the first man on the moon.
We got back on the bus at 4 pm and headed back to the centre. We didnt have time to see the international space center part of the tour because we wanted to get back for the last showing of the second IMAX film. We arrived back at 4.10 pm, purchased our photo and a sprite and got to the theatre just in time. This film was called Space Station 3D and was 45 minutes long. I liked all the human interest stuff shown in this film, like a man shaving and his razor was floating alongside him!
We headed to the shop next, and I bought some moon soup for my dad, and some freeze dried ice cream for us (untested as yet!) and some m & ms for us to eat on the way home.
Finally, we had a look round the rocket garden and took some pictures. We both had to have a picture in this one as we were so amazed to find out that two men had lived in this tiny space for 14 days!
We set off back at 6 pm. We both enjoyed this trip so very much. I am very much a girl and thought this would be very much a boys day out. I was wrong. I cant wait to go back, there was so much we didnt have time to do and I found it so fascinating. Strange, I thought it would be Busch we would want to go back to, but its definitely KSC. If youve been dubious about this like I was, I encourage you to give it a try. So, do I still believe the moon landing was faked? Hmm, the jurys still out on this one, ask me after my next trip!
We got back to I-Drive about 7 pm and went to McDs for tea. I had a chicken nuggets meal with diet coke, and Andy had a Big Tasty meal with strawberry fanta (strangely revolting).
We went back to the HRH, got showered and then went to the shop. Andy had seen a leather jacket he was interested in so went to try it on. We talked him into buying it as he looks super fly in it. I bought a Harajuku Lovers jacket in green and yellow (my Dad says I see youre wearing your Pakistan football shirt) as I just couldnt leave it getting lonely there in the shop.
We took our purchases back to the room and then headed over to Citywalk. We bought a lollipop from the Margaritaville shop for my friend Kari who is a Parrothead, and then went to the Endangered Species shop to get a giraffe (not a real one) for my sister. We are adopting her a giraffe for Christmas, so the cuddly toy is an extra just for her to open on the day. We also got Andys parents a puffin fridge magnet in there.
We got back to the hotel about 10.50 pm and went to the Velvet Rooms for a malibu for me and a gin and tonic for Andy. Slightly more people outside tonight, some bloke mouthing off, obviously thought he was something big because he played back up (or more likely was a roadie) for Evanescence. Got fed up of the posturing after a while and headed up to bed at 12.15 am.
ArielJasmine
Me Laurs 27
DH Andy 28
Day five 25 September 2006 wasnt that just a movie set?
We were up at 7.55 am today for our trip to Kennedy Space Center. Andy was excited that we were finally going, we had planned to go a couple of years ago and never got there thanks to Hurricane Jeanne. We had our apple juice and coffee, and Andy brought froot loops for me from the concierge lounge, and rice krispies for himself.
We left the HRH about 9.15 am and arrived at KSC at 10.20 am, with only one wrong turn just before we got there. I was very impressed that we didnt have to pay for parking! We bought our standard admissions and they handed us a flyer to say that there would be a lauch that day no way! We couldnt believe our luck, especially as we knew it wasnt long since the last launch.
We went into the entrance building and went through a metal detector and they also checked everyones bags and mobile phones security was better here than at the airport!
We decided to watch one of the IMAX films first as there was one getting ready to start. We watched Magnificent Desolation which is a 40 minute film and it was very interesting. We then listened to a talk in the launch status center which we just stumbled across by accident also most interesting. The guy was talking about the international space station and did a demonstration whereby he set fire to one of the tiles that are used on the outside of rockets to show that it could withstand high temperatures and cool down very quickly.
We were hungry by now so we had lunch in the Orbit Food Court. We shared a ham and cheese sandwich which came with tomato, green beans, yellow beans (not sure what these were but they tasted nice, looked like dyed green beans) red pepper and onion, and had an orange fanta in a souvenir cup very cool, it is fun to drink out of at home and remember the day.
After lunch it had got to 1 pm so we thought it was time we got started on the bus tour. On the way to the bus we had our picture taken against a rocket backdrop.
The first stop was the Launch Complex (LC) 39 Observation Gantry. On our way there the bus driver pointed out the biggest single storey building in the world where they assemble the shuttles upright. There is an American flag on the side of the building, and each of the stars is 6 ft tall!
When we arrived we watched a short film about getting shuttles from landing to taking off again, and then we looked round the exhibit outside the theatre. We started walking up the gantry but I bailed after two floors. There were holes in the middle of the landings!! For someone scared of heights this is beyond inconsiderate!! I was going woozy so back down I went. Luckily, Andy has a head for heights so went up to the top and took some great pictures of the launch platforms.
We got back on the bus at 2.15 pm to go to our second stop, and arrive at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at 2.30 pm. We watched a film about the beginnings of space travel and then it was time to go outside to watch the launch. The rocket being launched was a Delta II rocket (payload: Navstar GPS global positioning satellite). We werent waiting long before someone shouted There it goes! There was much scrambling around and where, where, where? but we both saw the orange light in the sky as the rocket disappeared and definitely heard it.
We went back inside where we were shown the actual control center for the Apollo 8 launch and saw a film of the moments before the launch, and the launch itself. In the next room they had the rocket which was just amazingly huge, and several other exhibits, including a moon buggy. The final part of the tour in this area was a film about Apollo 11 and the first man on the moon.
We got back on the bus at 4 pm and headed back to the centre. We didnt have time to see the international space center part of the tour because we wanted to get back for the last showing of the second IMAX film. We arrived back at 4.10 pm, purchased our photo and a sprite and got to the theatre just in time. This film was called Space Station 3D and was 45 minutes long. I liked all the human interest stuff shown in this film, like a man shaving and his razor was floating alongside him!
We headed to the shop next, and I bought some moon soup for my dad, and some freeze dried ice cream for us (untested as yet!) and some m & ms for us to eat on the way home.
Finally, we had a look round the rocket garden and took some pictures. We both had to have a picture in this one as we were so amazed to find out that two men had lived in this tiny space for 14 days!
We set off back at 6 pm. We both enjoyed this trip so very much. I am very much a girl and thought this would be very much a boys day out. I was wrong. I cant wait to go back, there was so much we didnt have time to do and I found it so fascinating. Strange, I thought it would be Busch we would want to go back to, but its definitely KSC. If youve been dubious about this like I was, I encourage you to give it a try. So, do I still believe the moon landing was faked? Hmm, the jurys still out on this one, ask me after my next trip!
We got back to I-Drive about 7 pm and went to McDs for tea. I had a chicken nuggets meal with diet coke, and Andy had a Big Tasty meal with strawberry fanta (strangely revolting).
We went back to the HRH, got showered and then went to the shop. Andy had seen a leather jacket he was interested in so went to try it on. We talked him into buying it as he looks super fly in it. I bought a Harajuku Lovers jacket in green and yellow (my Dad says I see youre wearing your Pakistan football shirt) as I just couldnt leave it getting lonely there in the shop.
We took our purchases back to the room and then headed over to Citywalk. We bought a lollipop from the Margaritaville shop for my friend Kari who is a Parrothead, and then went to the Endangered Species shop to get a giraffe (not a real one) for my sister. We are adopting her a giraffe for Christmas, so the cuddly toy is an extra just for her to open on the day. We also got Andys parents a puffin fridge magnet in there.
We got back to the hotel about 10.50 pm and went to the Velvet Rooms for a malibu for me and a gin and tonic for Andy. Slightly more people outside tonight, some bloke mouthing off, obviously thought he was something big because he played back up (or more likely was a roadie) for Evanescence. Got fed up of the posturing after a while and headed up to bed at 12.15 am.
ArielJasmine
