We're off tomorrow!

[disneyholic family]

thanks for the update - i love live trip reports!!

sorry about the delays, but it looks like your luck has turned with the mustang!!

i would have been very hesitant to accept a toyota...so it's great that you didn't have to!

i hope everything is perfect for you now!!!

 

[Pegasus928]

Well done for not accepting the first cars you were offered. I know people that probably would have done, especially after such a long trip, just to get on the road.
Looking forward to hearing your updates - when you can fit us in of course.

 

[Cyrano]

Well done to DH maintaining his ground about the car....result

Hope the rest of your trip is fantastic

 

[wicket2005]

Glad you got there all right in the end and got a fantastic car. Enjoy.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Sorry to hear about your delay but hoping everything goes smoothly from now on!

 

[juliebro]

Just back for showers and a quick change before heading off to Old Town for the Saturday Car Cruise.

Had a very enjoyable, relaxing day in Mount Dora - which we climbed to the very summit!

Started with breakfast at Ponderosa before we set off - not my favourite I have to say, but DH likes the breakfast custard (and probably the prices!).

Quite a hot day - temperatures were due to hit 90 degrees for the first time this year according to the TV news. (At 6:15 pm I noticed the car was indicating that the external temperature was 94 degrees.)

Did the lake cruise on the Doctor Doolittle from the Lakeside Inn at Mt Dora - it was $20 each and lasted 2 hours. It was fun - we went across Lake Dora (setting off to the music from Gilligan's Island for those of you old enough to remember it) and through the Dora Canal - which is supposedly the most beautiful stretch of water in the world (not sure who voted on that one but it was pleasant enough). Saw turtles, egrets, eagles, vultures, snakes and a gator or two - one of which had just caught its catfish lunch between its jaws.

Wandered around the town for a while, sat in the park by the lake and then set off back. We called into DD to book the Gospel Brunch at House of Blues for tomorrow morning and then went to eat at Joe's Crab Shack. We shared an appetiser of spicy crab balls (can't remember the exact name), then DH had crab cakes and I had a huge bowl filled with crab, prawn, sausage, corn and potatoes. It must have taken me about an hour to eat it! We also solved the restaurant anagram puzzle which resulted in a visit from the manager who described us as geniuses, gave us her business card and also a coupon for a free appetiser at our next visit to any of their restaurants.

DH wanted to try a Cold Stone Creamery shake -so we called in. He had a large vanilla shake and I tried the non-fat, no sugar ice cream, which wasn't bad. Wonder what it's made of though? Maybe it'sbest not to know.

Just off to the Car Cruise now. Will try to post an update tomorrow.

Wish I'd brought my cable so I could post some piccies too!

 

[wayneg]

Wish I'd brought my cable so I could post some piccies too!

Me Too

Enjoy the car cruise.

 

[Natasha&Matt]

Have a great trip

 

[juliebro]

i would have been very hesitant to accept a toyota...so it's great that you didn't have to!

i hope everything is perfect for you now!!!

Never thought about the Toyota angle to be honest, till you mentioned it. DH very pleased with the Mustang - and has had a few comments from other people about how nice it is.

We were both a bit tired at the Car Cruise last night - so didn't really spend much time looking at the cars. It was very busy at Old Town. Lots of people milling around. We just watched the Parade and came back to the house.

Slept for about 9 hours again last night - and then got ready for the Gospel Brunch at HoB. Our first time - so we weren't entirely sure what to expect. We only had the option of the 10:30 am brunch - there was a concert at 5:00 pm which may have been the reason.

We arrived at Westside DTD around 10:15 and there was quite a queue already. The food was very good and the gospel singers and band were excellent. My only slight criticism is that it didn't last long enough. We were all finished and out of the door not long after midday - absolutely stuffed full though!

We then strolled across Pleasure Island and went in and out of the shops for a while, had a drink (Margarita for me!) at the side of lake and then (after a few more shops) hired one of the 2-seater boats for half an hour - managing to get drenched in the process! We were in the wake of one of the ferries on the return and that coupled with a stiff breeze helped us to get the equivalent of a couple of buckets full of water all over us.

We wandered slowly back to car - managing to dry off a bit on the way - and then called into the Premium Outlet mall for a look around. We will go back later in the trip to buy things - but we were just browsing today.

We're back at the house now - and have not eaten since our brunch. Neither of us can face anything else till the morning.

Sea World tomorrow. We have 14-day passes for SW, BG and Aquatica, so need to get some use from them.

By the way, the weather is glorious. Nineties all day - hardly a cloud in the sky.

 

[katiec]

Love reading your live updates - thanks very much

 

[jackieleanne]

Thanks for the updates sounds like lovely weather. Glad you managed to get the Mustang and that US treated you well after the trouble with the flights.

 

[wicket2005]

Sounds like a good day, glad you are enjoying yourself.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

A good start to your holiday, with great weather - are you in a villa at Emerald Isle?

 

[juliebro]

A good start to your holiday, with great weather - are you in a villa at Emerald Isle?

We're in a townhouse. There's only the two of us these days - DS is now 21 and doesn't come with us anymore. We stayed at this place last year too - and have already booked it for next year!

Another glorious day. 98 degrees at 6:45 pm according to the car earlier.

Breakfast at First Watch today. Good food, service and value - especially with a BOGOF coupon. We both went for eggs, ham steak, potatoes and english muffin with coffee. It was the first thing we'd eaten since the gospel brunch yesterday.

Got to SW as it was opening - parked close to the entrance. Crowds were fairly light -but we are used to Easter crowds. Rode Manta for the first time. That's quite a ride! Very strange position to ride in too. We loved the experience and rode it a couple of times again during the day.

The Shamu show is very different now - as you would expect, given what happened. The dolphin show has grown on me - I didn't used to be too keen on it -but I really enjoyed it today.

We also go to the Clyde and Seymour show just to watch the mime artist. He's our favourite!

I noticed that the Clydesdale Hamlet had a sign saying it was closed today, but didn't see any sign at all of the horses - so I guess they've gone for good. Anyone know? DH and I used to enjoy the beer-related elements of the park and quite miss them now - the beer school, the Budweiser adverts playing and (of course) the free beer!

Sweet Tomatoes was the choice to eat at tonight. We tried the newer location -which I actually preferred, but DH (like Wayne!) likes the old one better. Great fresh food - and still good value. We do notice that the prices have risen each visit though.

We're going to Aquatica tomorrow.

 

[wayneg]

Matt and I loved Manta, Karen didn't, only problem was after riding it about 7 times in 3 days the bruising on my upper arms, after 2 weeks just about gone.

Shame about the Shamu show, it just isn't the same, hope they get back to how it was one day.

The mime artist should have his own show, one of best things in SW.

I think thoughts on the new ST location is split down the middle, half think its nice clean and fresh other half prefer the older homely feel. We called this year without a coupon, yes its gone up in price, much better with BOGOF or at least 15% off(in Idrive leaflet)

Hope you enjoy Aquatica, somewhere we have not been.

 

[juliebro]

Not sure if I should have created a new thread for this live trip report - but I'll carry on on this one for now.

Started the day with breakfast at Denny's on 192. It's DH's birthday today, and he got a coupon for a free breakfast. We both had eggs, sausage links, hashbrowns and pancakes with coffee. Not bad - and great value with the coupon.

Got to Aquatica wellbefore 9:00 am and were among the first to get in. It was pretty quiet - especially for the first 2-3 hours. Very different experience to our first time there 2 years ago when it opened and the park had to close due to reaching capacity almost every day.

DH is a bigger water park fan than me. I don't like the slides - or certain raft rides - but I enjoyed the river rapids and the lazy river. The rapids are great fun - even better when wearing a life jacket due to the increased bouyancy.

Another hot day - car thermometer was tipping 100 degrees when we left the park at around 3:00 pm.

After showers, doing some washing, phoning DS etc at the house, I rang ahead to Manny's and a table was ready for us when we arrived a little over half an hour later. It was busy in there, as always. Still as good as ever. We had the never-ending salad bowl, bread rolls, 14oz Angus sirloin steaks with baked potato (for me) and fries (for DH). The steaks were so tasty and tender. As it was still Happy Hour (4-7) there were 2 for 1 Margharitas (lovely!). DH stuck to lemonade - as he was driving. Total bill was less than $40.

Weather forecast says rain tomorrow - so not sure what we are going to do yet. Had been planning to go to BG, but may change plans if the rain is on its way.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Sounds like you are having a great holiday

We love SW and spent quite a lot of time there last time we went, we also enjoy the horses and Budweiser hospitality. We shaw the Shamu show on Christmas Eve and it was really good - so not really looking forward to the changed version.

Hope the weather stays dry for BG - looking forward to your next update

 

[jjk]

sounds like your having a fab time, looking forward to the next update

 

[juliebro]

Weather forecast at 6:30 am today talked of rain and storms this afternoon, so BG plans were put on hold and we went for Plan B - St Augustine.

Breakfast at Mimi's at Millenium en route. DH and I both had stuffed french toast (his with blueberries and cream, mine with cream cheese and marmalade) with eggs, sausages, coffee and orange juice. Had another coupon (free breakfast up to $9) - so total came to a very reasonable $12 before tip. Service was slow sadly, so we were later leaving there than we'd hoped. Food was really good though.

We'd never been to St Augustine before but we really enjoyed our time there and will certainly visit again to explore it further. We parked at one of the Welcome centres for the Trolleybus Tours and signed up to the base tour ticket - which gave us unlimited on/off tours on the bus, free parking and admission to the Old Jail and one of the museums.

The whole round trip tour (which does tend to go round in a number of different circles) takes about 75 minutes. The drivers give a live commentary on the way round. We stayed on the bus and did a full tour to get a feel of the place before then getting off at the Old Jail on the 2nd time round. That was one of the highlights, I thought. Our guide was totally in character as one of the inmates, never letting her act drop for a second! She was very entertaining and brought the brutal reality of being an inmate there to life, including details of the hangings.

The skies were darkening as we left the prison (there are blank 'pardon' certificates which you can take with you as you go - a nice touch) and we went into the history museum which was at the same trolleybus stop. Not a very sophisticated museum but it had plenty of information and artefacts relating to the very chequered history of St Augustine. Worth a look but not a place to linger too long.

When we came out, the heavens had opened and the rain was getting heavier. We made a dash for the trolleybus and headed back into town. The bus company were clearly prepared for such things, handing out free ponchos to everyone and a towel for wiping the wet seats.

The city itself has some fascinating buildings - many of them relating to Henry Flagler's creation of the 'resort' of St Augustine for rich Americans. The old swimming pool of the Alcazar Hotel (now drained and converted in antique shops and a restaurant) was the biggest in the world and must have been an incredible sight.

We left the city at about 5:00 pm and drove back to the Loop - and the other Mimi's. We both ordered the turkey breast dinner. DH had another coupon - this time for my birthday (a bit late as it was a month ago) - which gave us $10 off. Little did I know that I would get a birthday song and a free dessert with a candle on it! A little embarassing. It was DH's birthday yesterday (really and truly!) so he should have had the song not me!!!

Weather forecast tomorrow is for a little more rain - so we think we'll go and have a look at Clermont and do some shopping - Florida Mall and Prime.

Further update tomorrow!

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Anothet great day! Can I ask how long it took you to drive to St Augustine, as that's something we would like to do? Thanks