ShiPoo
OH MY! It seems like I have been away forever.
The trip was great. Different, but great. It was still pretty cool most of the time, and very windy 10-20 mph winds most of the trip. Sunday night until mid-day Monday was monsoonal. Different weather people reported between 2.5-3 inches of rain during that 20 hour time period.
DH got very sunburned at the Yankees/ Braves game at WWoS. He was a crispy critter for the last 2 days of the trip. He is going through the "great peal" right now. But don't feel too sorry for him because I offered him sunscreen and he said, "Oh, I never burn." I quickly reminded him of a water park trip about 5 years ago that resulted in a late night trip to the ER because he was suffering form sun poisoning. Needless to say he paid the price.
The crowds were huge but managable because we went at rope drop or before for breakfast, knocked out the things we wanted most to do and would go back to the room to snack, rest, and relax. Then we would head back to the parks for the evening. We heard that Magic Kingdom locked down 2 of the days, for part of the day, because they were at capacity. I can believe it on Tuesday because we had ADRs for breakfast and then off to the baseball game. On the way out we passed many large groups, even some coming off charter buses.
I was really different for us because we spent more time outside of the parks doing other things than we typically do: taking in some of the resort activities, the game, we drove so we visited the Disney outlet stores to get goodies for those still at home, an extra trip to DTD, and just sitting to watch the animals from the balcony. Ostriches are really
UGLY animals. Spend some time looking at them. I never thought so before but they really are quite ugly and strange. We had primarily ostriches and antelope outside, sometimes a zebra and when I was napping a girraffe would come over (never when I was awake). DH said that it sensed when I was waking up and it would run back to the other side
.
The night of DH's sunburn I went to a presentation from one of the cultural representative/ CM from Botswanna. His name was Bonno and he was so amazing. It was myself and two couples and it was just like sitting down to chat with friends. His talk was originally a 30 min. presentation about the different dances of Africa but turned into an hour and a half chat about traditions and families in his commmunity and some of his experiences working on a wildlife reserve in Africa. One of the ladies said she was sorry we had kept him so much longer than he was scheduled and he told us it was his favorite thing to do and it was past his quiting time so we were not keeping him from anything. (OT- I thought about that afterwards and wondered if they paid him since it was past time to clock out, if they would just mark him as off at 8:30, or if he would get in trouble for running over. No matter the result he was awesome!) I was really disappointed that DH missed it but he came in after the game took a cool shower, asprin, and went straight to sleep. He would have loved it and I highly suggest it to anyone else. I also listened to a quartet perform a sample of traditional African music, watched the lighting of the campfire and the animals at the overlook, wandered to look at all the various art, and peeked in on the crafts and games going on with mostly children in the community hall.
We decided that if my Spring Break falls with Easter again that we will not try to go back during that time. I am not sure if it was because we drove and were tired the first day or two but we were easily frustrated with the crowds and would just say lets skip it or come back later if it was getting to be too much.
We hope to fly down for 2 days after Thanksgiving to catch one of the Christmas Parties, stay at Bay Lake, and use the last of our DVC point for this year. Very much unplanned, one of my work friends who owns at Wilderness Lodge will be there the entire week of Thanksgiving so we may meet up for a dinner. If we can not get a flight for when we want it or if it is too expensive we will probably bank our points into next year and go to DVC at Hilton Head for Spring Break next year.
After saying all that it sounds like it was terrible. It really was great but it was really different that our normal. We are usually there when crowds are moderate to low and we usually spend almost all of the time in the parks. This trip was a clear example of
The worst day at Disney World is better than my best day at work.
We were back Friday after a 12 hour drive (We stopped at the Varsity restraunt in Atlanta because we had seen it on the Travel Channel-- skip it! It was not good food, very over priced, rude servers, and over run with teens who were having a car show in the parking garage. It was almost impossible to get in or out.)
Friday was grocery shopping ($47 in coupon savings)
Part of the airfare for the fall? Maybe? Saturday was a Easter brunch with the in-laws that lasted well into the afternoon then unpacking and laudry. Sunday was Easter with my family that is a full day event and Monday was back to work. I don't feel like I have adjusted to being back in the "real world" yet. Hopefully this weekend I can catch up on some chores, some paper work from work, and recharge. The next few weeks at work are going to be BUSY too. Our principal said, "Hold on tight it is going to be a bumpy ride." We have our state tests, field trips, guest speakers, field day, etc. etc. to close down the end of the year for the next 8 weeks.
That is the mini-TR and life story. Hopefully I'll be checking in more soon.
Lulubelle6188 sent your envie Monday and I don't remember if I posted.
Have a great rest of the week.
we could be the greenest coupon train around!
We missed you here, but it sounds like you had a good but quite different trip in many ways. You didn't mention your Okapi. Did he visit? Staying at AKL is a dream of mine. 
Maybe one day!! Bonno's talk sounded very interesting and I would love to sit on the balcony and just watch the animals. 
Yea! Thanks everyone. I was great. 
Three years ago AKL was a just a passing fantasy for me and now it is our home resort, you never know. 
