AKL 20th Anniversary Trip, Very GAY, NOW COMPLETE!!!

[Viki]

AKL 20TH ANNIVERSARY TRIP
AUGUST 25, 2006

CAST OF CHARACTERS: (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)

ME: 40-something WDW addict (I like other substances too).
DP: Love of my life, 20 years and counting.
“CHARLIE BROWN”: AKL concierge staff member, none better
GINNY AND BOB: Our new friends from NJ!
RICK AND JOE: The first is my co-mod on the Gays and Lesbians at Disney Board, the second is his very funny DP – both having turned 40 on their recent trip to WDW they are now very old.
MIKE, CARMI, KAIDA, BOSTON5602, DAVE, AND TWO GUYS: Otherwise known as OrlandoMike, MajorTom, Kaida and her dear uncle, Dave (Manager of the Rose and Crown), and two great guys whom Carmi brought.
TROPICAL STORM “ERNIE”: Otherwise known as Hurricane-wannabe Ernesto.
MOM, DAD, AND NEICE: The original three stooges!
SISTER, BIL AND THEIR MAGNIFICANT HOME, outfitted as it is with gators galore!


DAY ONE

Tell me this, what would happen if the pilot NEVER turned off the seatbelt light, not for the entire 3 hours you were on the plane? Not for the first hour that you were left waiting on the tarmac of Philadelphia International Airport on a bright, beautiful morning, without a cloud in the sky … NOT for the second hour, after leaving so early that there wasn’t even the slightest opportunity for those 20 planes ahead of you to get stalled …NOT for the third hour, after you waited one hour for PIA to lift its inexplicable ban on all outgoing flights (what the heck was up with that???)? Not for six whole hours after you first took your HCTZ? And you know who you are!

Well, fortunately, we did not have to find out, because two hours into this enchanted flight, after being turned away at the very door of the rest room because I had not secured the Captain’s “OK” to mount that particular expedition, said captain finally relented, turned off the seatbelt sign, and no doubt enjoyed quite a chuckle at the mere idea of the stampede he had just unleashed. Let one word of warning to that Pilot suffice: Passive-aggressive behavior is so unattractive! God will get you. And she is a woman.

In any event, that was it. Within the span of two full teeth-clenching hours of near agony (oh, the hyperbole!), the negative vibe mojo was banished, the gods found our sacrifice sufficient, and we were otherwise blessed with pure bliss for the next 10 days. Not even a pesky tropical storm could banish the eternal sunshine of our 20th anniversary trip. From the moment we stepped off the plane, it was ALL GOOD and some of it was even great! Which is not to say there wasn’t drama. Friends, there was drama, but it’s all in the framing, eh?

How better to positively frame the entire trip than to completely bypass “Magical Express” (two, two, two oxymorons in one), than to commandeer our own luggage, hail our own taxi, pay our own bill, and be delivered, by a “family” member (you go girl) – with our luggage – to AKL’s 6th floor concierge lounge, where we could proudly answer that, “Yes, indeed, we were repeat guests” (hey, one December night in concierge is one night in concierge; it ALL counts!).

“Family” delivered us to the lounge, “Family” checked us in (hey Steve!), and “Family” took superb care of us our entire stay. From the first day until the last, we were showered with attention, gifts, service, more gifts, outstanding concern that we have the most memorable of trips (can you say arranging a PRIVATE safari?), and even more gifts. The entire staff conveyed this level of excellence, but our specific incarnation was “Charlie Brown,” a CL staff member, accomplished performer and student of musical theatre. For us, he was a Jewel in the Concierge’s Crown and we can only hope to once again, at some point in the future, drop this amount of concierge cash - if only to spy our new friend.

 

[Viki]

Talking of service. I can’t believe this room happened only by coincidence.

Now, erase that room number from your mind, but remember this: It was the perfect room with the perfect view (OK, the king-sized bed was hell, but who slept?). Zebra Trail, Arusha savannah, midway up the inside crescent of the lodge, a few hundred feet north of Arusha Rock, this room provides the perfect view of wild animal life. With three feeding stations at our feet, animals were always, without fail, on view, and more often than not, there was a wild surplus. At one point in the week there were so much wildlife that my three-year old niece, in a bit of a viewing frenzy, began to shout, “More animals! More animals!”

It’s not just the unequaled view. It’s what the view provides – your very own glimpse into the wild and wooly happenings on the “bad boy” savannah (so named by the Keepers themselves).

It took me 20 minutes. That’s it. Twenty full minutes and there I was, jumping up and down on our generous balcony (thank God!), shouting back into the room (what WAS she doing back there?), “Whoa, babe, wook! I mean, LOOK! Look at that Zebra. You will never believe what she just did! She stalked those birds. She snuck right up on their butts, whinnied, pranced, scared and scattered the heck out of them, sending their furry behinds to the four fowl winds!” Here was a girl after my own heart. My God, I thought, she’s almost a border collie (we left two behind – think five year olds with fur.)

Now I know what DP is thinking. She’s a scientist. Need I say more? She doesn’t bother SAYING it, but I know, deep down in my true-blue theatrical heart, that she is thinking, “Yes, there does appear to be a zebra on one side of the electrified fence and some guinea fowl on the other, but that one caused the other is less than certain and there goes my girl again – filling in the blanks.”

Yes, indeed, it’s slightly patronizing, but in all honesty I have been known to stretch the truth (only and always in the service of a good story), here and there, once or twice, over the last 23 years (“friends” for 23 years, committed for 20!). Yes, I know, shocking.

In any event, let me say this. I knew very well what I had observed. I trusted that this was not what would widely be described as the “usual” variety of zebra behavior (this, no doubt, being DP’s other unspoken hypothesis, that went something along the lines of, “Yes, perhaps DP did see something odd, but it probably wasn’t.”) I knew that further such similar antics would reassert themselves and I knew that there was one zebra out of four who was specifically interesting! I rested sure in that knowledge and was obnoxiously self-righteous when my “knowing” was confirmed by the Keepers, not once, but twice, on both the sunrise and sunset safaris, about which much more is to come, but here is a peak of my girl and note, if you will, the BROWN mane!

PHOTO OF MARDI

AS IN MARDI GRAS!

My keen observations of the wild life inhabiting the Arusha savannah were only interrupted by the pressure of having to make my way to Victoria Falls, a destination which I had been promising myself for well over eight months, having spied its promises on our one night in December. We had seen it, but never sat. Tonight we were sitting, because I had some hard work – namely to find my DRINK FOR THE WEEK - to do before we could fulfill our 7:00 PM ADR at Boma.

 

[Viki]

This might seem like less than heavy labor, but the truth is I find it incredibly burdensome, because here’s the drill: I LIKE alcohol. No, I don’t mean that I like the effects of alcohol (though, hey, it’s a nice perk). I mean that I LIKE alcohol. I mean that I don’t like my alcohol mixed with fruit, fruit juices, or sweet-as-fruit liquors and I don’t like it diluted by ice, sodas or seltzers. I like the TASTE of alcohol and aside from drinking everything straight up (which, btw, is the only way to drink 20 year old Scotch Whiskey) that predilection leaves me with few choices when I want to get all wild and wooly, go out on a limb, and try something new.

That being said I, like Goldilocks, tried out all the varieties of chairs at Victoria Falls, determined the one I found most comfortable, rearranged the furniture, made myself at home, tracked down the “menu,” and began the hard work of exegeting it, scrupulously purging everything fruity from my possibilities and, as usual, homing in on the martinis and manhattans.

After an age of searching through all the colors of the rainbow, a hard frown on my brow, and a puzzled server at my elbow, there it was! BINGO! Spying its deep brown earth tones, neatly tinged with a dusk hint of red, I knew in my whiskey-aged bones, I had found my drink for the week, the heretofore undiscovered “Mid-Town Manhattan.” Ooh-la-la. It’s not even listed in my bartenders little black book and more than one restaurant in WDW throughout the week had to call over to Victoria Falls to cop the recipe. De-lish. I had three.

And ordered – but did not finish – my fourth, when a wonderfully smooth eternity later we were called to dinner at Boma, our favorite buffet.

Well, for me, it doesn’t get much better. It was simply a magical day and there were nine more to come.

 

[teriGSF]

Yay, Viki! I was so excited to see this header up on the TR board and cannot wait to read more - welcome back!

Now get back to back to writing . . .

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Great start! I love your description of AKL, the photos of the animals (and the sweet little girl with dark hair!) heck, all of it!

More please.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Sounds like a great start short of the crappy Philly airport. We are just below you in Delaware and PIA is a pain in the butt every time we fly out of there. Your view was fantastic. I cant wait to see and hear more.

 

[John's Mom]

Viki,

So who carried you down the steps to Boma?

Love your report so far. More please.

 

[mommykds]

Love your pictures!!!

Congrats on your anniversary.

 

[katymae]

You must tell us what's in a Midtown Manhattan!

 

[Viki]

You must tell us what's in a Midtown Manhattan!

Oooh, I knew someone would ask and here, dear ones, is the answer:

Jack Daniels
Southern Comfort
Sweet Vermouth

Shaken, not stirred, straight up.

And, lol, after three of these babies, consumed in less than 60 minutes, here's how I got from Victoria Falls to Boma:

 

[M4travels]

Okay, Viki.... tell me how I'm going to somehow arrange for Marc and me to get to AKL concierge??? After reading just your first day's events, I wanna be there!!! (And anytime you'd like to share a 20-year single malt, just let me know!!!!!)

Looking forward to the next 9 days!

Michael

 

[wallyb]

Holy Equus Equidae!
Great photos!
I want that room in November!

 

[pumba]

Viki.......this is to funny........Yes I have been on the run way in Philly for two hours.......yes I have had to go potty and they refused to get rid of that sign.....yes I was on Hydro..hctz..heck the hurry up and get me to the ladies room pill
After the first year on that....learned not to take it on flight days......
Thanks for you sharing your anniversary with us

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

of "horse-onality" including a sense of humour (generally along the lines of pulling pranks on others) so it's not too surprising that a zebra might too.
My goodness! LATIN!!!! -- WallyB!!!! HOLY COW! HOLY SMOKES!! HOLY ONTOGENY RECAPITULATE PHILOGENY!!!
Great DAY ONE -- Looking forward to more!

 

[Viki]

Viki.......this is to funny........Yes I have been on the run way in Philly for two hours.......yes I have had to go potty and they refused to get rid of that sign.....yes I was on Hydro..hctz..heck the hurry up and get me to the ladies room pill
After the first year on that....learned not to take it on flight days......
Thanks for you sharing your anniversary with us

LOL!! I knew SOMEONE would identify!!!

BTW - I'm working on day two, should be up later this afternoon.

 

[OrlandoMike]

Come on Viki!

I've edged, cut and blown both the front and back yard.

Chlorinated the pool.

Painted a hallway with three doors (all with trim).

Am on my second load of laundry!

I need entertainment!

If you don't hurry up, I'll chime in about the service I received at Waffle House yesterday!

 

[natcat]

great report, interesting pics........more please!

 

[Viki]

Come on Viki!

I've edged, cut and blown both the front and back yard.

Chlorinated the pool.

Painted a hallway with three doors (all with trim).

Am on my second load of laundry!

I need entertainment!

If you don't hurry up, I'll chime in about the service I received at Waffle House yesterday!

You guys are insatiable!

And let's see: today, I had a phone conference with a colleague who is bailing on me (can NOT take the heat!), did 30 minutes of weight training, 45 minutes of spinning (got to work HARD to keep this figure!) , shopped, worked the border collies (frisbee), mailed boxes at the post office, talked another colleague off the ledge, and wrote up our dinner at V & As.

Now, finally, I may be able to shower!!!

Then, I promise, I will write!

(Psst - Mike - DP ADORES waffle houses!!!)

 

[OrlandoMike]

Well you can tell DP that the minute we sat down we were informed by our waitress that she was "Not here for the tips, just to make our life miserable".

So you can do the math on how breakfast went! Covered and Chunked please!

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Great start Viki!
I always love your reports. That Midtown Manhattan sounds wicked!