The final stretch

Thursday 20th August - Our last full day

More packing but not surprising really.

I also started working on slide shows of our photos so we have something to use to show people what we got up to when we get home. Even after being very selective the full run of slide shows extends to over an hour, and this is using a very small percentage of our thousands of photos.

We did get out, we headed up the 192 and played a game of Crazy Golf, and we even managed a swim, but most of the day was spent preparing for the fact that we leave tomorrow.

Dinner consisted of a Chinese take-out from the Chinese over by Sweet Bay, it is pretty useful having a Chinese within a couple of minutes of the house, we then watched the Hannah Montana movie, which I picked up for Baggage yesterday. I enjoyed it more than I expected I guess, though maybe I should not admit to that!

More packing in the evening and then fairly late to bed.

Friday 21st August - Time to go home

We have until 1pm to finish sorting the house out before we have to head for the airport, and for the first time since we bought this house six years ago we are leaving not knowing when we will next be coming back.

Mum phoned this morning and told us that Candy, our cat had died. She had stayed at our house whilst we have been away, she was 17 so not a young cat, but my Mum had been around to feed her every day, this morning she found her dead on our driveway, all evidence suggests it was just old age. Quite sad really that she had waited for us since we went away and dies within 24 hours of us getting home.

We did get some good news this morning, the package of wooden souvenirs we had purchased in Fiji had arrived back in the UK, almost exactly three months to the day since we had purchased then, the delivery expectation set by the Fijian shop keeper.

We left for the airport with six very full cases to check in, we had left the UK with three, all with space in them, we had already shipped one very full case back with Danny and there was our very full box of items shipped from Fiji, not to mention the various other packages we had shipped back along the way. All our six bags were either as physically full as they could sensibly be, or were on the limit for check-in weight.

Our flight back was fairly uneventful, direct from Orlando to Gatwick and leaving pretty well on time.

Saturday 22nd August - Home

The trip is now really over, we were picked up this morning by Danny from Gatwick airport and he drove us back to Devon via his house in Guildford where we stopped for him to pick up some stuff and for us to have a bacon sandwich. We got home around lunchtime, in places the roads were pretty busy, but it was not too bad, then it was straight into sorting through the cases and finding the various parcels we have bought back for people.

Katie is due back from Fort Lauderdale in less than a week, so we need to get ourselves sorted before all descends into chaos once again.

Would I do it again - ABSOLUTELY!

A couple more entries - nearly there!

Tuesday 18th August - Jonas in Tampa

Tonight we are off to Tampa to see The Jonas Brothers live in concert. Not quite my cup of tea, but Baggage is really excited.

As it was likely to be a late night tonight we did spend the day in, though I managed to sneak out to Walmart and whilst out got my hair cut, saves having to head straight to the barbers when we get back to the UK.

We headed over to Tampa late afternoon and drove straight to the concert venue, the drive across was OK though getting into the venue and finding parking was a bit slow going.

The band were actually not too bad, the stage show was good and they are good entertainers, however the little girls screaming really did my head in. There was one girl sat closely behind us who spent the entire time the band were on stage screaming how much she loved them, not only would she have had a sore throat the next day, she would have had no idea what the music actually sounded like. Supporting the band were The Honor Societ and Jordin Sparks both were OK!

It was about 12:30 by the time we have made our way out of the car park and all the way back across to Clermont, but it was worth it, Baggage had a really great time.

Wednesday 19th August - Packing and a meal out.

Today is all about packing, we have been living here for the last two months and not only do we have to put into cases what we want to take back to the UK with us, but we also have to pack up the rest of the house and put it away in our lockup. Our new improved lockup with extra locks following the break in earlier in the year.

I found out the Rip Ride Rocket opened on Saturday, just after our last visit to Universal. I desperately wanted to go back for a ride, but neither Baggage nor Lisa could be persuaded to join me so in the end I gave up on the idea, it will just have to wait until we come back to Florida, though at this time have no idea when that will be!

I did manage to write a bit this afternoon, wonder if I will be able to keep it up when I get back to the UK, I hope so!

This evening we went out for dinner with Roy and Janette to The Stonewood Grill which is out their way, we had a great meal and after went back to their place for a bit before heading back here. Baggage even managed to get a couple of last minute additions to her list of transport used, a golf cart and a beach buggy, both of which are CJ’s, Roy and Janette’s son. It was almost midnight again by the time we finally got home.

I will get this finished...

It has been nearly a year since we finished our trip and I just have not got around to finish posting my blog. The problem was that I recorded the end of the trip in note form and did not even make comprehensive diary entries so I had nothing to cut and paste in. But now I am on vacation again and back in Florida, the thunder is booming outside and the rain pouring down, so why not finish the job off, after all I nearly got there.

Saturday 15th August - A day of rest

Today we started serious packing ready to go home, we have a week still to go and after the packing have our four cases already full, one new one I have bought half full and still a load of stuff waiting to go in, looks like another trip to Walmart for a sixth suitcase will be required.

This afternoon we all had a swim and afterwards I did some preparation out on the pool deck for the last bit of painting I will do before we head for home.

For dinner this evening we went to Animal Kingdom Lodge and ate at their African buffet, Boma. The food there is great, all dishes are African themed and there are plenty of them to chose from, I had small portions of all of the following: Chicken and Coconut curry; Humus and Pitta; Melon Rind Salad; Curried Pasta Salad; Prime Rib; Chicken; Barbecue Rib; Coconut Rice; Glazed salmon with nuts; Sweet Potato Mash; Various small pudding samples. OK so maybe not so African, but a really great buffet!

When we got back to the house we watched Paul Blart, Mall Cop, on demand before it was time for Baggage to go to bed.

Sunday 16th August - feel sorry for me

Today I am feeling a little under the weather, bit of a cold I think. I did manage a swim this morning, Lisa joined me but Baggage was far too busy on her computer. She does spend a lot of time on that, as responsible parents should we limit it and encourage other activities instead?

My other main activities for today were centred around motorsport, first I watched the ALMS race from Road America and then I watched the Czech Republic MOTOGP. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon when you are feeling a little under the weather. An early night for me tonight.

Monday 17th August - On my own

Lisa and Baggage are out today, they headed off up Highway 27 to have lunch with Marlene and Cassidy, their last chance before we head back to the UK. Me I am still feeling a little under the weather. I did manage to write a bit more of the book and then all I felt like doing was curling up on the sofa and watching a movie so I watched Angels and Demons, followed quickly after by Steven King’s The Dead Zone. Lisa and Baggage got back late afternoon and we had supper together, but again I was not slow in getting myself in to bed. Need to ensure I am feeling better tomorrow as we are off to Tampa to watch The Jonas Brothers.