Day 1 - London Gatwick to Orlando, Fl

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Day 1 - And so it all begins again, decided we wouldn't blog this year as it took up so much time last year...but then a few bottles of corona and a campfire later here we are again! For those that found the California adventure 'boring' why are you reading this one? For those that found a minimal amount of entertainment from our chaotic, fumbling excursions around the good old USA last year then we thank you for coming back

Day 1 was not much to write about (but I will) , Virgin Atlantic flight from Gatwick that apart from a wasted 20 mins trying to upgrade to upper to then find out there was only one seat, was pretty uneventful (Shas didn't think that being unemployed justified her sitting in the back on her own)

Touch down in Orlando brought 30 degrees of that warm, damp airport smell wafting through the doors of the plane as it opened and that true feeling that 'we're on holiday!' Despite 8 hours without a fag, her ladyship was on her best behaviour through customs and immigration and a long ago previous outburst at Miami border control seems long forgotten and her 'watch list' status appears to have been set back to 'slightly tetchy after a flight' from the previous 'total nutter without nicotine, do not approach'

Although we said we were going to avoid Disney ( done it do many times before) US law says you must have had 24 hours rest after a flight before picking up an RV...so I gave in and we booked two nights in the Disney Port Orleans Resort (French Quarter). Against my better judgement we ducked the luxury comfort of an air conditioned $60 dollar cab ride and boarded the 'free for hotel guests' Disney Magical Express. Refusing to wear my Mickey Mouse smile and ears after 9 hours without a ciggy, the 30 min journey passed without me heaving once at the onscreen happy clappy, Disney Magic on board entertainment.

Port Orleans is your fairly basic, clean, well connected Disney hotel. Apart from a lack of bell staff to transport a lifetime of cosmetics and shower products as well as a shoe collection Imelda Marcos would be proud of and a collection of clothes that wouldn't even fit into the Narnia wardrobe! to your room, we had no complaints. It has one big self serve restaurant, an indoor and outdoor bar, large pool with slides for the kids and the obligatory Disney souvenir store. It could however really do with a (decent) coffee shop!!

As well as being connected by the 'free to ride' bus transport system to all parks and entertainment, Port Orleans is connected via the Disney waterway system to 'Downtown Disney' so within an hour of checking in and dumping the bags we were off to the centre of all Disney evening entertainment on a 20 min water taxi from right outside our room on the waterfront.

Downtown Disney is a mix of all things...souvenir shops galore, restaurants, bars, entertainment, live music, bowling, big shows, and generally just a place to peoplewatch. We picked Fulton's Crab House set on a huge moored paddle steamer on the lake. Fantastic food and not just the crab although Shas did polish off an entire catch from an episode of The Deadliest Catch whilst I attacked the gorgeous Filet Mignon with the best hash brown side dish ever (nothing like your semi frozen, triangular, little chef variety!) A few Peronis and a bottle of wine later we were in the holiday mood.

Saturday night in Downtown Disney is a busy one and as we took a post meal stroll around the edge of the lake from end to end there was a lot of families out enjoying the entertainment. All the entertainment is set up on a single walkway around the lake and as you progress, you come across rock bands, Irish bands, river dancers, classical quartets, kids entertainers all playing off of different outdoor stages interspersed with bars, shops and restaurants...all very family orientated. Sad to see the Pleasure Island area and it's clubs, Mardi Gras and New Year celebrations and general party atmosphere has disappeared behind huge hoardings...I assume it's getting a major revamp but makes the middle of DD quite dead.

After the walk and with jet lag setting in, it was time to queue up for the water taxi back to the hotel and hit the beds, ready for tomorrows assault on Disneys Animal Kingdom.

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[Dave]

I've missed you
Welcome back into my life. I've missed you blog.