The next two days were chill out days as the rest of the week is going to be busy.
SUNDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2002
I over slept to 7.30am this morning as Dave had a bit of a funny tummy during the nights and made several trips to the bathroom. As usual made myself a cup of tea and settled down to read the paper. Dave awoke at 8.30 and said he felt fine, dont know what caused it because we had both eaten much the same the day before. We took our time getting ready this moring and went for a late breakfast/lunch at 11.00 at the ponderosa.
After enjoying a leisurely brekkie we drove on up to the Premium Outlets for a look around. This is the first time we have been here and we werent too impressed with it. We parked up just in time as there were not a lot of spaces left available and when we left there were queues waiting to park. They have a very good discount jewllery shop about half way in whos name escapes me and i purchased a beautiful large blue topaz stone necklance for my mums christmas present, similar items i had looked at in the uk were at least twice the amount for the size stone i got. The service in here was second to none, and there was no pressure to buy, we actually never got approached by an assistant until we made it known we want some service. This is how i like it, many times i have been frightened out of a shop by pushy assistants. We also had a good look around a gift/ornament shop and purchsed several christmas gifts in here as well. Onto the Disney discount shop which we found a bit disappointing, it was okay if you were a small child or a size small or extra small. I did end up buying a zipup jersey jacket with tigger on and David got.......wait for it.........another tshirt. After wandering around the rest of the mall we deceided to head up to beltz.
We only visited mall one this time and David got another 4 pairs of jeans from the Levi shop as they had an offer on. In the Disney discount i got a tshirt for my neighbours grandson and a scoobydoo key ring for my dad, who is probably the biggest fan of scooby in the world. We then deceided to head back to the hotel, we seemed to be on the road for ages on a bit i didnt recognise, then i said to Dave why did that sign say X miles to Tampa just then, so another few miles up the road we did a u turn and travelled back down the other side until we found the turn off we were looking for. More on this in another report as we found later we had spotted a rather misleading sign. Back at the hotel did a spot of washing and put feet up for an hour. We had a light tea at Mcdonalds and then went for a wander around the gift shop right next door. This turned out to be a better than average tourist gift shop and guess who had left their purse at home, so a return visit is in order. Back to the hotel for a restful evening and watch the usual TV.
Thoughts.
Weather today was very hot at 85 and no breeze and even though i have industrial strength sun cream on i could still feel the burning sun. A very warm and humid evening.
On our next trip in 2005 as we are going for 3 weeks again we have booked a villa, main reason being, i am early to bed early to rise and Dave is the opposite, so not being in a one room hotel room i will be able to get up and not disturb him whilst he can stay up and watch tv etc at night whilst i am ready to go to sleep.
DAY SEVEN MONDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2002.
I awoke early again and after making a cuppa called my mum back in England as it was her birthday. Found i had won a tenner on the lottery. Breakfast today was at the Golden corall then of to Beltz via one of Davids shortcuts, we were going up i think the I4 when Dave says i know a shortcut to miss out I Drive anyway 30 mins later and out on some country road we finally find someone to ask where we are, the answer you need to turn around and go back about 20 miles and take the turning onto I Drive and follow the signs says a very helpful man. Some shortcut, about an hour late we arrive at BeltZ. After some wandering around Dave steered me into Las Vegas gems now knowing his adversion for my love of jewellery i am very surprised, even more astonished when he says i can have the diamond solitaire i have been hankering after for our 10th anniversary just gone. Told you i thought i had got the wrong husband on holiday with me. With many a ring tried on finally settled for a third carat solitaire in a plain setting, needing sizing so they said to come back tomorrow and it would all be done, said we would call in after 4.00 as it was DC day. Picked up some reeboks trainers which always seem to be on offer and deceided to go onto the Florida Mall.
Got to the Mall without any detours this time, but finding a parking space was a nightmare, why dont they have a bigger carpark for this sized mall. Wandered around the shops until we came to the Disney shop which was having a 15% off everthing day so treated ourselves to the large Snowflake pooh and tiggers plushes, these are so special. Also brought 4 large disney mugs and Dave, you guessed a tshirt. This was the only time during the holiday that we got asked for id when paying with travellers cheques. Finnished wandering around and returned to the hotel via publix and the 7/11 garage for petrol and a decent map. $12.00 to fill car completely. We had evening meal in the ponderosa of steak and buffett each and then dropped on in the gift shop mentioned earlier to spend over $100 on some beautiful ornaments i had seen on the previous visit. Back to hotel for hot bath and early night ready for big day tomorrow.
Thoughts.
Wish the shopping malls would lay on more parking spaces, Florida mall in particular seems to have very little available for the size of it. Very hot sunny day of 86 but cooler in the evening.
Next report DISCOVERY COVE DAY.
SUNDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2002
I over slept to 7.30am this morning as Dave had a bit of a funny tummy during the nights and made several trips to the bathroom. As usual made myself a cup of tea and settled down to read the paper. Dave awoke at 8.30 and said he felt fine, dont know what caused it because we had both eaten much the same the day before. We took our time getting ready this moring and went for a late breakfast/lunch at 11.00 at the ponderosa.
After enjoying a leisurely brekkie we drove on up to the Premium Outlets for a look around. This is the first time we have been here and we werent too impressed with it. We parked up just in time as there were not a lot of spaces left available and when we left there were queues waiting to park. They have a very good discount jewllery shop about half way in whos name escapes me and i purchased a beautiful large blue topaz stone necklance for my mums christmas present, similar items i had looked at in the uk were at least twice the amount for the size stone i got. The service in here was second to none, and there was no pressure to buy, we actually never got approached by an assistant until we made it known we want some service. This is how i like it, many times i have been frightened out of a shop by pushy assistants. We also had a good look around a gift/ornament shop and purchsed several christmas gifts in here as well. Onto the Disney discount shop which we found a bit disappointing, it was okay if you were a small child or a size small or extra small. I did end up buying a zipup jersey jacket with tigger on and David got.......wait for it.........another tshirt. After wandering around the rest of the mall we deceided to head up to beltz.
We only visited mall one this time and David got another 4 pairs of jeans from the Levi shop as they had an offer on. In the Disney discount i got a tshirt for my neighbours grandson and a scoobydoo key ring for my dad, who is probably the biggest fan of scooby in the world. We then deceided to head back to the hotel, we seemed to be on the road for ages on a bit i didnt recognise, then i said to Dave why did that sign say X miles to Tampa just then, so another few miles up the road we did a u turn and travelled back down the other side until we found the turn off we were looking for. More on this in another report as we found later we had spotted a rather misleading sign. Back at the hotel did a spot of washing and put feet up for an hour. We had a light tea at Mcdonalds and then went for a wander around the gift shop right next door. This turned out to be a better than average tourist gift shop and guess who had left their purse at home, so a return visit is in order. Back to the hotel for a restful evening and watch the usual TV.
Thoughts.
Weather today was very hot at 85 and no breeze and even though i have industrial strength sun cream on i could still feel the burning sun. A very warm and humid evening.
On our next trip in 2005 as we are going for 3 weeks again we have booked a villa, main reason being, i am early to bed early to rise and Dave is the opposite, so not being in a one room hotel room i will be able to get up and not disturb him whilst he can stay up and watch tv etc at night whilst i am ready to go to sleep.
DAY SEVEN MONDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2002.
I awoke early again and after making a cuppa called my mum back in England as it was her birthday. Found i had won a tenner on the lottery. Breakfast today was at the Golden corall then of to Beltz via one of Davids shortcuts, we were going up i think the I4 when Dave says i know a shortcut to miss out I Drive anyway 30 mins later and out on some country road we finally find someone to ask where we are, the answer you need to turn around and go back about 20 miles and take the turning onto I Drive and follow the signs says a very helpful man. Some shortcut, about an hour late we arrive at BeltZ. After some wandering around Dave steered me into Las Vegas gems now knowing his adversion for my love of jewellery i am very surprised, even more astonished when he says i can have the diamond solitaire i have been hankering after for our 10th anniversary just gone. Told you i thought i had got the wrong husband on holiday with me. With many a ring tried on finally settled for a third carat solitaire in a plain setting, needing sizing so they said to come back tomorrow and it would all be done, said we would call in after 4.00 as it was DC day. Picked up some reeboks trainers which always seem to be on offer and deceided to go onto the Florida Mall.
Got to the Mall without any detours this time, but finding a parking space was a nightmare, why dont they have a bigger carpark for this sized mall. Wandered around the shops until we came to the Disney shop which was having a 15% off everthing day so treated ourselves to the large Snowflake pooh and tiggers plushes, these are so special. Also brought 4 large disney mugs and Dave, you guessed a tshirt. This was the only time during the holiday that we got asked for id when paying with travellers cheques. Finnished wandering around and returned to the hotel via publix and the 7/11 garage for petrol and a decent map. $12.00 to fill car completely. We had evening meal in the ponderosa of steak and buffett each and then dropped on in the gift shop mentioned earlier to spend over $100 on some beautiful ornaments i had seen on the previous visit. Back to hotel for hot bath and early night ready for big day tomorrow.
Thoughts.
Wish the shopping malls would lay on more parking spaces, Florida mall in particular seems to have very little available for the size of it. Very hot sunny day of 86 but cooler in the evening.
Next report DISCOVERY COVE DAY.
