http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/mecllap/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from mecllap en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:38:51 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:38:51 +0000 November 17 2009 TuesdayTried to sleep in at BCV but bed not very comfortable altho I liked the room overall. Housekeeping knocked on the door at about 830 altho checkout isnrsquot until 11. I was just barely up had been trying to doze. Fixed coffee and microwave burrito chili cheese gooey thing that is actually better than it sounds for breakfast. Bought a Disney Vacation Club Me http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/South-Carolina/Hilton-Head/blog-454931.html Saturday November 7 2009 Cool pool another move crowded EpcotStarted my Disney visit with a cool dip in the cool pool at Coronado Springs Resort. The water wasnrsquot too cold to get used to it fairly easily. I took a lot of photos of it before they turned on the water features. They gather all the kids to the bottom of the Mayan style pyramid and sit them on the bottom stairs then go http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Orlando/blog-454929.html Saturday Oct. 31 2009Woke up without alarm at 800 a.m. Breakfast in unit then headed out to go to Everglades NP. Started at Shark Valley arrived a few minutes before 11 close to when the tram was loading up had to have bathroom break and get my backpack so the tram was just pulling out when I got back to the window I think it was 11.00. They tried to stop it but it kept going so th http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Everglades-National-Park/blog-454927.html Thursday Nov. 5 2009Looks kinda cloudy and windy again fixed broccoli omelet for breakfast and then headed out. Woke up early again darn it had hoped to sleep in nothing in particular on schedule for today. Started the day at Flamingo Gardens 13.60 for a senior itrsquos very pretty and worth a visit after yoursquove hit your main highlights. The animals and birds appear to be f http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-454016.html Friday November 6 2009 another busy day is this really vacationChecked out just after 8 a.m. and got on the road north. Took longer to get to Lion Country Safari than I expected got there about 10. I missed the 869 turnpike and went up Hwy 441 which is okay I prefer nonfreeway driving anymore. Itrsquos one of the many nice things about being retired donrsquot have to be in http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-454015.html Nov. 16 2009 Monday Yet another moving day.Shifting today from Animal Kingdom Lodge to Beach Club Villas at Yacht and Beach Club Resort near Epcot. Had to be out of room by 10 a.m. not really any animals visible this morning. Took the ice cube chest out empty and moved the car closer and packed the remainder of the cold stuff in a large plastic bag so I was able to get that and everyth http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-454008.html Tuesday Nov. 17 2009 actually a travel day for me am currently at Hilton HeadWow it's sure hit and miss for me getting any blogs posted from this trip but it's not a very exciting read anyway. And some of the days won't mean anything to you unless you understand Disney jargon I do try to translate but sometimes that gets lost from day to day I will eventually post photos it's be http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-453993.html Tuesday November 10 2009 Backstage Magic tour and castle lighting ceremonyAlways bring a flashlight when you travelGot ldquohomerdquo to no power. It had started sprinkling as I was leaving MK and raining as I looked for my car in Epcot parking lot. It was pouring when I stopped at the Outlet Center and at the turnoff to the timeshare the street was dark at least the signal lights http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-452338.html Sunday Nov 8 Drinkinrsquo mah way lsquoround the ldquoWorldrdquoWell not exactly. I went to Epcot this afternoon after a visit to the Outlet Mall Disney Store fun to be doing WDW in a leisurely manner not trying to get there first thing in the morning and close the place down at night. I got a Fastpass for Soarinrsquo for 5 hours after I got the FP. Itrsquos the last http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-451874.html Well I don't want to make false promises since I sure blew it with the totally unfinishedbarely started June Florida trip. I'm in Florida again and at least have written up some entries. Here's a quick synopsis so farAt least temporarily have internet access for some reason it really bothers me to pay extra for internet when I'm travelling. Maybe it's the frugal part of my nature that http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-451452.html The twoday drive for me between Asheville NC and the Orlando area actually KissimmeeLake Buena Vista for Walt Disney World went fairl uneventfully no highway blockages or major construction. Not thrilled about DGS singing along to his ipod afraid he's inherited my nonmusical gene poor kid fortunately he has lots of other stuff going for him. Stopped about halfway in Richmond Hill http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Orlando/blog-419578.html Well hopefully I've learned not to make promises about maintaining my Blog no luck with Trips feature and obviously I didn't do any entries while actually on the trip. In hindsight it was a pretty good trip but often seemed less than magical while we were there the heat and crowds were worse than I had expected and I'm looking foward to my next trip to Florida this Fall. Several highl http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Orlando/blog-417892.html Anxious to be on the road for Florida. Tried to do the new Trips feature to separate this out but wasn't successful so if there are any new readers you can just wander on into my past year as well. I pick up DGS tomorrow to begin the drive to Lake Buena Vista aka Orlando. It's a twoday trip for me altho most people just take one day from here. Disney Parks are nostalgic for me http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Orlando/blog-405367.html 123108 Another Beautiful day in Grand Cayman Happy New Yearrsquos Eve. Pretty much the typical ldquoeat go to the pool eat go to the beach eat go to the hammockrdquo day today one of those that doesnrsquot involve spending much money at all. While the youngrsquouns were at the pool I wandered around and took some more resort photos and video found a couple of starfish ou http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cayman-Islands/Grand-Cayman/blog-358895.html 1109 My New Yearrsquos Resolution is to never ride a jet ski againWell maybe not ldquonever againrdquo but certainly only if I am in control of it and am not on any kind of a schedule to get somewhere and back. We had thought about doing the waverunner trip to the Stingray Sandbar because it sounded fun and something we havenrsquot done before but had second thoughts and put our http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cayman-Islands/Grand-Cayman/blog-359389.html 1209 Friday our last day sigh. And getting home.Have kind of fizzled out today. Kind of stiff and sore from jet ski ride yesterday so just relaxing around the resort and thinking about packing. DD and DGS have been out and about running errands and doing some last minute shopping. I got in some hammock time and sun time by the pool. DGS had a little football and pool time. Itrsquo http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cayman-Islands/Grand-Cayman/blog-361123.html Looks like I'm behind in finishing up the report about this trip. We got home fine on schedule Saturday evening. Will fill in some final details and add some more photos in the next few days. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cayman-Islands/Grand-Cayman/blog-360396.html 123008 A slow day checking out more sites and beaches in Grand Cayman.Some hard rain in the early morning and a cloudy start to the day so we got off to a slow start this morning. Balcony too wet for sitting out for breakfast. Eventually gathered up and headed out on another exploration day in late morning with packed lunch more turkey sandwiches and PBJ for DGS.We headed east again on http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cayman-Islands/Grand-Cayman/blog-358671.html Monday 122908 Shopping on noncruise ship day on Grand Cayman. Typical day on Grand Cayman Eat go to pool eat go to beach eat go to hammockThat was yesterday a little variety today we went shopping which is another very popular activity here. We donrsquot do the high end dutyfree shopping however.Last night I forgot to include hammock time which is one of my favorite times http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cayman-Islands/Grand-Cayman/blog-358383.html 122808 Sunday At leisure in Grand Cayman. The resort has an intro program on Sunday morning at 930 with refreshments and activity vendors visiting. No cereal or muffins this year just juice and coffee. There is more staff here than at the first place we stayed. Therersquos a lobby with a desk that is staffed until 11 p.m. some groundskeepers working throughout the day an activities http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Cayman-Islands/Grand-Cayman/blog-358200.html