TimNDansMom and Family's 2001 Summer Vacation - Part IX - Relaxing at AKL

TimNDansMom

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July 30

Monday morning, none of us seemed to be in much of a hurry to “get going”. We all laid in our beds and just watched television until I decided we’d better go and get breakfast before they started serving lunch. The kids had beaten us down to the Mara food court and were leaving as DH and I arrived. They asked for some money for the arcade and were off to do their “own thing.” DH wanted to try somewhere other than the Disney courses and headed off to Orange County National Golf Course after breakfast, saying he should be home before 6 o’clock. I was left to do my “own thing”, too.

The first thing that I wanted to do was go back to the Zawadi Marketplace and look around for more souvenirs! Our hotel room had some woven baskets displayed on the wall and I had just the spot for one on a particular wall in our house. I decided that the ones similar to those in our hotel room were more than I wanted to spend, especially with our exchange rate, so I chose a cheaper, simpler design. I discovered when I got home that it looks just as fine! When I went to pay for it, I got into a very interesting discussion with the CM. When I told her I was from Canada, she mentioned that there were many “snowbirds” who came down to work at WDW and something about, that as long as they maintained their “work status” there at least once a year, they still had job. I think she may have been thinking of American snowbirds but she went to look for a “Casting Scout” card, so I could get more information. She couldn’t find any and sent me to the check-in desk, where I was able to obtain one. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could find some way to get a temporary job at WDW? A program for retired Canadian snowbirds, when we get to that age? Something to dream on, for sure!!

One thing that I had been wanting to do, was have a drink at a pool bar. This has become a tradition with me and usually the kids are frolicking in the pool, while I look on, enjoying my “treat”. I’m not much of a drinker but I do enjoy a Strawberry Daiquiri or Margarita, once in a while! So far, the kids had not gone in a pool, except at Typhoon Lagoon, this trip and time was running out. I went back up to drop off the basket in our room and located the kids relaxing in the lobby. They preferred to remain there and read while listening to their CD players—our room usually didn’t get made up until after lunch—so, telling them where I would be, I went off to the Uzima Springs pool bar. I had brought a book to read, but I found myself just sitting there, daydreaming and imagined myself at home remembering this moment. I’m not much for sitting for too long when there is so much to see, so when I had finished my drink I went over to the nearby lookout area and engaged in some interesting conversations with a couple of the Rangers. I told them about the strange antics of the flamingoes the night before, but they couldn’t explain why several of the birds had gone off for a “meeting” and then returned to the rest of the flock, or why the crowned crane was “hanging out” with the flamingoes. But I did find out that a limping flamingo had an arthritic condition which the vet was keeping a careful watch on and also how these Rangers got their jobs at AKL—one had switched over after a year of working at Animal Kingdom and the other, although not in college, had applied through some sort of program back in South Africa. One day, I’m going to follow up on that Casting Scout card and see if there is some (probably remote) possible way that I could get a temporary job at WDW! One of the Rangers lent me her binoculars, so that I could see the giraffes, across the savannah, under the trees, seeking refuge from the hot afternoon sun and the new baby ankole calf laying in the tall grass, near it’s mother.

Finally, I decided I’d had enough of the hot sun and went back into the Lodge. I wandered around some more, snapping photographs and trying to memorize the feeling of being there—I didn’t want to forget this experience! It was getting late, so I went back up to the room, found the kids there watching TV and waited for DH to return from golfing. The kids had gone to the food court for lunch, so for the moment they weren’t hungry, but I was and hoped DH wouldn’t be long!

When DH returned, we decided to head back to the Premium Outlet Mall. Tim’s sandals were holding up, but I knew that the “crazy glue repair” that I had done before we left home, might let go at any time. I had seen some sandals when DH and I were there a couple of days before and I hoped that they would fit and be comfortable. Not only did Tim get new sandals, but both he and Dan got new shoes for school and DH finally found a pair he liked! While at the mall we stopped for dinner at Subway, in the food court. The others had pop to drink but there was a Starbucks in the food court as well, so I went and got my favourite, Chai Tea Latté. We resisted buying dessert as we had one more stop on the way back to AKL—Krispy Kreme Donuts!! I don’t know how we had lasted this long, after we had discovered them during our March Break trip! I bought a dozen—6 cream filled and 6 plain chocolate. They were delicious, but not as delicious as those “still warm” ones we’d had, last time. I made a mental note to ask which ones were “hot off the press” next time!! I have since learned that a Krispy Kreme shop, that makes them on the premises, is opening up in Mississauga (near Toronto) soon. It will be only a little over an hour’s drive from where I live!! Yum……

We made plans to go to IOA and Universal Studios the next day, as we still had days left on our passes, from our March Break trip. While planning this summer vacation, DH had said that he would go with us, although we’d have to buy him a ticket since he’d just golfed in March. Now, he was already hinting that he had had so much fun golfing at Orange National, that he’d like to go back. How can anyone spend so much time, endlessly chasing a little white ball around (and losing several along the way), day after day? I was looking forward to riding the big coasters again as I had finally conquered my fear of them on our last trip there and I also wanted to have lunch at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville. Oh well, I put it down to his loss!
 
roses.......I love to just lay back and watch the others........thanks again
 
Julie, what a dream come true that would be, working at WDW! When it gets closer to that "time", you know, 40 odd years from now, (LOL), let me know, I'll come with you!!!

Thanks Julie :)
 
LOL, it's a deal, Kim!! ;)

pumba, I agree with you about stopping to smell the roses! That's how memories are created. :)
 















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