after a fascinating few days.
The Lion Safari is a drive-through African animal park--we went twice. The animals are outside your vehicle in their home--they have lots of space to run around. They give you a CD to play as you drive through the park which describes the animals. Some thoughts of note:
*Ostriches are big. We're sitting in the truck and looking up at the head of the ostrich.
*rhinos are big. From the truck, we're about level with their backs. And their horns are big too!
*We got to feed giraffes. They are big, graceful, gentle animals with long (30-40 cm) purple tongues and huge eyes. We fed them "crackers" and plum leaves. Their tongues wrap around the food and they have lots of saliva, so we washed our hands afterwards!
*The KOA is just outside the park, so we could hear the lions roar, especially in the night and early morning. Its quite a sound to wake you up at 4AM! You're glad of the fact that there is at least a few fences and the trailer shell between you and them--and you think about sleeping in the open on the Serengeti!
Tomorrow we head down to the Keys. We've been buying Christmas decorations and looking around for zero-gravity beach chairs so we can make the best of a Christmas away from loved ones. Not sure when we'll be able to update the blog because there is no Internet at Curry Hammock State Park, where we are booked for 2 weeks. But there will be hot spots somewhere...
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy US Thanksgiving
from the Lion Safari KOA near West Palm Beach. It has been a week since the last posting, so here's a catch-up!
The stay near Titusville was a nice combination of R&R and sightseeing. The park itself was a bit too close to I-95 noise-wise, but otherwise very nice. At around 5:30 every evening--dusk--about 50 egrets came and landed in a few trees on the other side of the pond and slept there overnight. It was really neat to see all their white figures in the dark as we were walking Abby. We went for a swim in the pool--but only once because we were otherwise too occupied! And, of course, a couple of shopping days...
On one day we went to the Canaveral Seashore National Park and had a tailgate picnic watching the waves rolling in. We had Abby with us and dogs aren't allowed on the beach. It was superb. Another day we went to Merritt Island Wildlife Preserve--just north of and very close to the shuttle launch site. Lots of seacoast and waves there too--we left Abby at home that day so we took a walk along the beach with the shorebirds and the waves rolling in. Laurel got her pants wet by a wave--and reports that the water was *cold*.
We wanted to get a bit further south to cut the length of the trip to the Keys so we travelled yesterday to the above KOA--it was a drizzly day but just after we got set up, it really chucked it down. We have signed on for a Thanksgiving Dinner tonight at the KOA--turkey, etc.! And, because we are right beside/part of the Lion Safari, we can hear all sorts of strange animal noises--baboons, birds, noisy grunts of some description, etc. Wierd, noisy, and somewhat upsetting to Abby!--but better than the road noise at the last place.
We are here for 4 nights, then off on Sunday to Curry Hammock State Park, about half way down the Keys, near Marathon. We won't have internet in the park, so will have the BlackBerry data on. We're there for 13 nights, and will use that time to plan out our next move. It is right on the ocean with a beach, so guess where we will be!
By to all!
The stay near Titusville was a nice combination of R&R and sightseeing. The park itself was a bit too close to I-95 noise-wise, but otherwise very nice. At around 5:30 every evening--dusk--about 50 egrets came and landed in a few trees on the other side of the pond and slept there overnight. It was really neat to see all their white figures in the dark as we were walking Abby. We went for a swim in the pool--but only once because we were otherwise too occupied! And, of course, a couple of shopping days...
On one day we went to the Canaveral Seashore National Park and had a tailgate picnic watching the waves rolling in. We had Abby with us and dogs aren't allowed on the beach. It was superb. Another day we went to Merritt Island Wildlife Preserve--just north of and very close to the shuttle launch site. Lots of seacoast and waves there too--we left Abby at home that day so we took a walk along the beach with the shorebirds and the waves rolling in. Laurel got her pants wet by a wave--and reports that the water was *cold*.
We wanted to get a bit further south to cut the length of the trip to the Keys so we travelled yesterday to the above KOA--it was a drizzly day but just after we got set up, it really chucked it down. We have signed on for a Thanksgiving Dinner tonight at the KOA--turkey, etc.! And, because we are right beside/part of the Lion Safari, we can hear all sorts of strange animal noises--baboons, birds, noisy grunts of some description, etc. Wierd, noisy, and somewhat upsetting to Abby!--but better than the road noise at the last place.
We are here for 4 nights, then off on Sunday to Curry Hammock State Park, about half way down the Keys, near Marathon. We won't have internet in the park, so will have the BlackBerry data on. We're there for 13 nights, and will use that time to plan out our next move. It is right on the ocean with a beach, so guess where we will be!
By to all!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Disney World to Space Coast Florida
We have been cut off Technology for longer than Mike can stand! Now on Internet for the week...He needs to keep up wiyh the Space Station and NASA. Seeing the Shuttle launch was SPECTACULAR!!! It is so different to seeing it on TV. The sound is the most unique part, it seems to move the air around you. All in all a most worthwhile experience. Mike was totally in his element and can check one more thing off his "bucket list".
Our time with Dena and Jason in Disney World was a blast....we were on the fun run for a week! Our accomodations in Camp Wilderness were very beautiful and relaxing. It truly is a wilderness, with a resident Armadillo, deer, rabbits, ducks, squirrels and the odd Gator! Jay slept in the tent near the lake...I think he had one ear open for any wild creatures. My favourite park this time was Epcot, the crowds were few and the attractions updated and some were most wonderful...the aquarium and Manatee habitat and the greenhouses were very cool.
Pirates of the Carribean is still my all time favourite ride...I loved it even befire Johnny Depp came along! The Magic Kingdom could use some more attractions, or less admissions. there are way too many people for the space. The sel, sell, sell was known to us as the "fleecers" and it worked...I bought our Florida Christmas tree there. It is fibre optic with Mickey ear decorations and is very pretty. We will enjoy it wthout snow.
We have booked into a nice little park near the Space Coast and will stay here for a week. Time to rest and explore the area. Abby is happy to sit in one place and there are some other dogs here for sniffing and greeting.
TTYS
Laurel and Michael
Our time with Dena and Jason in Disney World was a blast....we were on the fun run for a week! Our accomodations in Camp Wilderness were very beautiful and relaxing. It truly is a wilderness, with a resident Armadillo, deer, rabbits, ducks, squirrels and the odd Gator! Jay slept in the tent near the lake...I think he had one ear open for any wild creatures. My favourite park this time was Epcot, the crowds were few and the attractions updated and some were most wonderful...the aquarium and Manatee habitat and the greenhouses were very cool.
Pirates of the Carribean is still my all time favourite ride...I loved it even befire Johnny Depp came along! The Magic Kingdom could use some more attractions, or less admissions. there are way too many people for the space. The sel, sell, sell was known to us as the "fleecers" and it worked...I bought our Florida Christmas tree there. It is fibre optic with Mickey ear decorations and is very pretty. We will enjoy it wthout snow.
We have booked into a nice little park near the Space Coast and will stay here for a week. Time to rest and explore the area. Abby is happy to sit in one place and there are some other dogs here for sniffing and greeting.
TTYS
Laurel and Michael
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Walt Disney World!!!
Some delay in this posting because we didn't have easy internet access--and we still don't, so it will be a short post.
We headed south from Savannah to St. Augustine, FL. It started out as a Spanish settlement, and still has a stone fort. It is quite touristy, but there are Spanish influences everywhere. We stayed in a somewhat dated RV park just south of town, right on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Then, a drive south to Orlando and into WDW Wilderness Park--the RV resort. Nice site, full services including cable, but Internet is an extra $10/day, so we didn't. We have been texting.
Dena and Jason get here tonight. We are all well. May not post again for a week...
We headed south from Savannah to St. Augustine, FL. It started out as a Spanish settlement, and still has a stone fort. It is quite touristy, but there are Spanish influences everywhere. We stayed in a somewhat dated RV park just south of town, right on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Then, a drive south to Orlando and into WDW Wilderness Park--the RV resort. Nice site, full services including cable, but Internet is an extra $10/day, so we didn't. We have been texting.
Dena and Jason get here tonight. We are all well. May not post again for a week...
Friday, November 6, 2009
Savannah, Georgia
is about 2 hours down the road from Charleston. We had a lazy morning and didn't actually arrive here until 1:30. After setting up the trailer, we went downtown to the Visitor Center and picked up a hop-on-hop-off trolly tour of the historical center of Savannah. The city was founded with a geometrical pattern of 24 squares--small parks--of which 22 are left. So, the tour wove in and around the squares and the historical buildings surrounding them. In spite of the Civil War and a number of city-wide fires, there are still lots left, and they are quite impressive. And lots of stone work left near the historical port--the areas where they graded the cotton are still there, as are just about all the original stone buildings, but they have been renovated into shops and restaurants and the like. Very well done.
We hit a WalMart Supercenter on the way back to the trailer. We are parked at a KOA with alligators in the lake right beside us--although we haven't seen them yet. Maybe tomorrow morning!
Tomorrow--Florida, the St. Augustine area.
We hit a WalMart Supercenter on the way back to the trailer. We are parked at a KOA with alligators in the lake right beside us--although we haven't seen them yet. Maybe tomorrow morning!
Tomorrow--Florida, the St. Augustine area.
Charleston, South Carolina
Wow....This is a city of 100,000 people that gets over 5 million tourists every year. The architecture is very unique, with many houses called single houses. They are only one room wide and have outdoor porticos on every floor on the side to catch the prevaling winds. They can be as tall as 3 floors and run from simple to elaborate. We took a tour which took us to the most interesting places...we saw Fort Sumter where the Cival War started. Mike was very interested in the model of a submarine called the Hunley. It was a very ill fated thing...killed all 3 crews to ever sail in it.
Lunch was French...Croque Monsieur for Mike and Quiche for me at a really cool old place in the historical section of town. We went walking to see the sights (shops) and poked through the open air market....us and all the passengers from the Crown Princess which happened to be in port. Did a little shopping!
Off to Savannah today....
Lunch was French...Croque Monsieur for Mike and Quiche for me at a really cool old place in the historical section of town. We went walking to see the sights (shops) and poked through the open air market....us and all the passengers from the Crown Princess which happened to be in port. Did a little shopping!
Off to Savannah today....
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
KY to Charleston, SC
Well, no Internet access means a gap in the blog, which we will fill right now!
From Bowling Green Kentucky we crossed basically straight East to the Cumberland Gap. Remember Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Road of 1775--well, that is where he passed over the Appalachian Mountains. It is where 3 states meet--we took a tunnel out of Kentucky and left the tunnel in Tennessee, then made a left turn and camped in Virginia! A very nice campground.
Tuesday, we had a short day, driving south through Tennessee to the Great Smokey Mountains. Dollywood and Gatlinberg TN were like a tourist nightmare, complete, Dena, with an Upside Down House, just like in the Dells! (We didn't stop!) However, the National Park is a great place--we camped last night beside a rushing stream, at the 2000 foot level--so it was chilly.
Today, Wednesday, we drove out of the Park and started up the Blue Ridge Parkway from its southern end. Beautiful country, lots of up (6400 feet) and down and lots of curvy roads. Most of the leaves have fallen--October would be a better month to see it--but it was still stunning. Then, we basically did a straight run for the coast at Charleston, South Carolina. Which is where we will be staying tomorrow. Abby needs a rest from driving--it is making her crazy. And, we are less than 500 miles from Disney Wilderness Park with 5 days to go before our reservation. It was 23C here when we arrived, and there are Palm Trees! Tomorrow, we are going to wander around the historic part of downtown and generally see the place.
From Bowling Green Kentucky we crossed basically straight East to the Cumberland Gap. Remember Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Road of 1775--well, that is where he passed over the Appalachian Mountains. It is where 3 states meet--we took a tunnel out of Kentucky and left the tunnel in Tennessee, then made a left turn and camped in Virginia! A very nice campground.
Tuesday, we had a short day, driving south through Tennessee to the Great Smokey Mountains. Dollywood and Gatlinberg TN were like a tourist nightmare, complete, Dena, with an Upside Down House, just like in the Dells! (We didn't stop!) However, the National Park is a great place--we camped last night beside a rushing stream, at the 2000 foot level--so it was chilly.
Today, Wednesday, we drove out of the Park and started up the Blue Ridge Parkway from its southern end. Beautiful country, lots of up (6400 feet) and down and lots of curvy roads. Most of the leaves have fallen--October would be a better month to see it--but it was still stunning. Then, we basically did a straight run for the coast at Charleston, South Carolina. Which is where we will be staying tomorrow. Abby needs a rest from driving--it is making her crazy. And, we are less than 500 miles from Disney Wilderness Park with 5 days to go before our reservation. It was 23C here when we arrived, and there are Palm Trees! Tomorrow, we are going to wander around the historic part of downtown and generally see the place.
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