DAY 9 - FRIDAY - MOVING DAY
I've given up on the weather forecast now - the bloke's a Muppet - he keeps on about another hurricane coming our way! What does he know?
DW packs, cleans and washes while I busy myself with a coffee on my "Master" balcony. What do you mean "Typical"?!!!
Listen - I know that this might seem a little selfish to those of you who are uneducated in the ways of "Marriage" but - believe me - there is absolutely no point whatsoever in even trying to "help". It would be like DW trying to caddie for me on the golf course - "Which number golf bat would you like now dear?" and "Did you mean to hit the ball into those trees love?" and "Isn't it quicker if you hit the ball straight?.
Get the picture?
I rest my case!
Anyway - all done by 10.30 - well done dear!
I'm quite sad to leave here actually - it's a lovely place - I'm definitely going to miss my "Master" bits - and I could quite happily spend another week here. Oh well - move on we must - so - we load "Happy" up to the hilt and drop off the keys.
The final bill comes to $1.83 for a phone call home - extortionate!! (HA! HA!)
I also forgot to ask about that honking noise - oh well - it will have to wait until next year - I need a good reason to come back - so............!
The drive to AKL is about 15 minutes so we arrive at 11.00 am. The guy at the desk tells us that the room we have booked is a "standard room" which faces the car park. I think he saw the delight on our faces (not) and says "hang on a second - let me just speak to my manager". He returns with a smile and tells us he is going to give us a free up-grade to a pool view room and - yes - it also has bunk-beds! RESULT! Two out of two in the upgrade department!
Just for one fleeting moment I think about asking if he can stretch to a suite overlooking the savannah - but my British reserve gets the better of me!
The room will not be ready for a couple of hours so we "check" our bags and head off in search of breakfast.
We drive down the Osceola Parkway to Wal-Mart and DS - sensing another shot at the laptop - jabbers incessantly. It's funny isn't it - how he usually only grunts and gives monosylabolic answers to anything you ask and yet - when he wants something - he can wax lyrical like some demented Hi-tech Shakespearian Thespian! Mega pixel this and giga watsit that - Yada yada yada........
We stop at the Sonic restaurant inside the front of the building. Sausage & Egg sandwich with Tatter Tots and coffee for DS and me, DD has a happy meal with chicken tenders and DW has a BLT sandwich and coffee. Breakfast for four with drinks comes to a total of $13.50. I thought the young lady taking the money had made a mistake - "No - there were four of us" I said incredulously. She gives me one of those looks - you know - like I'm from another planet! "I can count sir!" Oh dear - well - if she wants to charge me less - who am I to argue? After she handed me the receipt I retire to the table and meticulously check it for something that is missing. Nope - all there - blimey - thats cheap!
We move on into the store to stock up with essentials - more cookies, more sweets, more....... Oh come on - and you don't?
DS makes for the computer section and rather reluctantly I follow. As I round the corner DS is standing over a small but perfectly formed laptop - priced at $1068.00. I try to look away but it's too late. It reminds me of the film we watched on the plane on the way over - Shrek 2 - you know - the Cat - when its eyes go all big and you just can't resist. Well - it was just as deadly! I am sucked into his demonic power - before I could help myself I had whipped out my credit card and it was all over.
"Done up like a kipper" as my old man would say.
DD gets a Game Boy Advance game and DW buys a couple of rugs.
I find myself limping on the way back to "Happy" - it's an imbalance in my wallet! DS is ecstatic. Thankfully he's also speechless! Peace at last!
Back at AKL the room is still not ready so we go to the Mara restaurant to purchase 4 x refillable mugs. These are great because you buy the mug for $11.99 and you can fill it for free as many times as you like (we'll get our money's worth here let me tell you!). Two coffee's later and the room is ready. It's room 4006 on the Giraffe trail. Great position - right by the lobby - right next to the lift - right next to the pool - close to the Mara where you fill up your mugs(for free) - brilliant. The room is quite compact (mind you - after our 3000 square foot "Master suite" - anything will feel compact!) but very atmospheric and full of Disney character. The bags arrive 10 minutes later and DW unpacks while I............ don't.
I have booked a PS at Boma tonight so we stay in the hotel for the evening and explore a little. DD gets stuck in to the Disney channel and DS plays with his new "toy" - so DW and I strike out for a stroll around the savannah. We get back and decide to test the swimming facilities out. Quick change and into the pool. It is a great pool - quite big too so it doesnt feel crowded at all. The Jacuzzis are the hottest water I've ever come across - quite a shock at first but as we find out later - they are great in the evening after a long hard day in the parks.
Dinner is lovely - lots of new and exiting dishes to try. Coconut salmon, prime rib, roasted vegetables and lots of authentic African breads and salad dishes. The desserts are out of this world - Zebra domes, Simba paw prints, Coconut tiramisu and some little pineapple cheesecakes on a white chocolate base....Yummy.
$100.00 including tips does seem a little expensive (comparatively) but worth every cent. It's still only £56.00 for a meal for four!
Back at the room DD is quickly glued to the Disney channel and DS is lapping on his laptop - so DW and I are once again free to roam. I tell you what - if you have a room at the end of one of the savannah trails then it's a heck of a walk to the pool!
We are in bed by 10.30 after a (free) coffee and/or hot chocolate in our refillable. Tomorrow is another busy day - MGM during the day and Epcot for "Reflections" in the evening.
It has been another really hot day today - mustn't grumble though - that bloke on the weather channel still seems worried about a possible hurricane. He must be wrong mustn't he?
Night all.....
I dream of cats with big eyes trying to take advantage of my good nature!
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I've given up on the weather forecast now - the bloke's a Muppet - he keeps on about another hurricane coming our way! What does he know?
DW packs, cleans and washes while I busy myself with a coffee on my "Master" balcony. What do you mean "Typical"?!!!
Listen - I know that this might seem a little selfish to those of you who are uneducated in the ways of "Marriage" but - believe me - there is absolutely no point whatsoever in even trying to "help". It would be like DW trying to caddie for me on the golf course - "Which number golf bat would you like now dear?" and "Did you mean to hit the ball into those trees love?" and "Isn't it quicker if you hit the ball straight?.
Get the picture?
I rest my case!
Anyway - all done by 10.30 - well done dear!
I'm quite sad to leave here actually - it's a lovely place - I'm definitely going to miss my "Master" bits - and I could quite happily spend another week here. Oh well - move on we must - so - we load "Happy" up to the hilt and drop off the keys.
The final bill comes to $1.83 for a phone call home - extortionate!! (HA! HA!)
I also forgot to ask about that honking noise - oh well - it will have to wait until next year - I need a good reason to come back - so............!
The drive to AKL is about 15 minutes so we arrive at 11.00 am. The guy at the desk tells us that the room we have booked is a "standard room" which faces the car park. I think he saw the delight on our faces (not) and says "hang on a second - let me just speak to my manager". He returns with a smile and tells us he is going to give us a free up-grade to a pool view room and - yes - it also has bunk-beds! RESULT! Two out of two in the upgrade department!
Just for one fleeting moment I think about asking if he can stretch to a suite overlooking the savannah - but my British reserve gets the better of me!
The room will not be ready for a couple of hours so we "check" our bags and head off in search of breakfast.
We drive down the Osceola Parkway to Wal-Mart and DS - sensing another shot at the laptop - jabbers incessantly. It's funny isn't it - how he usually only grunts and gives monosylabolic answers to anything you ask and yet - when he wants something - he can wax lyrical like some demented Hi-tech Shakespearian Thespian! Mega pixel this and giga watsit that - Yada yada yada........
We stop at the Sonic restaurant inside the front of the building. Sausage & Egg sandwich with Tatter Tots and coffee for DS and me, DD has a happy meal with chicken tenders and DW has a BLT sandwich and coffee. Breakfast for four with drinks comes to a total of $13.50. I thought the young lady taking the money had made a mistake - "No - there were four of us" I said incredulously. She gives me one of those looks - you know - like I'm from another planet! "I can count sir!" Oh dear - well - if she wants to charge me less - who am I to argue? After she handed me the receipt I retire to the table and meticulously check it for something that is missing. Nope - all there - blimey - thats cheap!
We move on into the store to stock up with essentials - more cookies, more sweets, more....... Oh come on - and you don't?
DS makes for the computer section and rather reluctantly I follow. As I round the corner DS is standing over a small but perfectly formed laptop - priced at $1068.00. I try to look away but it's too late. It reminds me of the film we watched on the plane on the way over - Shrek 2 - you know - the Cat - when its eyes go all big and you just can't resist. Well - it was just as deadly! I am sucked into his demonic power - before I could help myself I had whipped out my credit card and it was all over.
"Done up like a kipper" as my old man would say.
DD gets a Game Boy Advance game and DW buys a couple of rugs.
I find myself limping on the way back to "Happy" - it's an imbalance in my wallet! DS is ecstatic. Thankfully he's also speechless! Peace at last!
Back at AKL the room is still not ready so we go to the Mara restaurant to purchase 4 x refillable mugs. These are great because you buy the mug for $11.99 and you can fill it for free as many times as you like (we'll get our money's worth here let me tell you!). Two coffee's later and the room is ready. It's room 4006 on the Giraffe trail. Great position - right by the lobby - right next to the lift - right next to the pool - close to the Mara where you fill up your mugs(for free) - brilliant. The room is quite compact (mind you - after our 3000 square foot "Master suite" - anything will feel compact!) but very atmospheric and full of Disney character. The bags arrive 10 minutes later and DW unpacks while I............ don't.
I have booked a PS at Boma tonight so we stay in the hotel for the evening and explore a little. DD gets stuck in to the Disney channel and DS plays with his new "toy" - so DW and I strike out for a stroll around the savannah. We get back and decide to test the swimming facilities out. Quick change and into the pool. It is a great pool - quite big too so it doesnt feel crowded at all. The Jacuzzis are the hottest water I've ever come across - quite a shock at first but as we find out later - they are great in the evening after a long hard day in the parks.
Dinner is lovely - lots of new and exiting dishes to try. Coconut salmon, prime rib, roasted vegetables and lots of authentic African breads and salad dishes. The desserts are out of this world - Zebra domes, Simba paw prints, Coconut tiramisu and some little pineapple cheesecakes on a white chocolate base....Yummy.
$100.00 including tips does seem a little expensive (comparatively) but worth every cent. It's still only £56.00 for a meal for four!
Back at the room DD is quickly glued to the Disney channel and DS is lapping on his laptop - so DW and I are once again free to roam. I tell you what - if you have a room at the end of one of the savannah trails then it's a heck of a walk to the pool!
We are in bed by 10.30 after a (free) coffee and/or hot chocolate in our refillable. Tomorrow is another busy day - MGM during the day and Epcot for "Reflections" in the evening.
It has been another really hot day today - mustn't grumble though - that bloke on the weather channel still seems worried about a possible hurricane. He must be wrong mustn't he?
Night all.....
I dream of cats with big eyes trying to take advantage of my good nature!
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
