++ FLORIDA '97 TRAVELOGUE ++

This is the 11 Sept 2003 edition of this page

	        

 FLORIDA TRAVELOGUE - 1997
--- Part One ---
The Flight There  

Tuesday 8:April:97

Having packed most of my luggage over the past week, there was only a minimal amount remaining to be done today. My taxi's pick-up time is 2.30pm ready to get me to Malvern Link Station for the 2.47pm LONDON train. Before then I played a few 'games'on the computer in advance of some more serious computer setups (hoping that nothing goes wrong before my departure - as it'll be SOME time before I return!!)

After the 'leg' of the journey to LONDON, there will follow an intermediate flight to ATLANTA (Georgia) in the USA. That caused me, in the few hours before the taxi, to look-up more maps and Atlases. It also turned musical with thoughts of "Georgia on my mind"!! To get to Atlanta, it looks as if I'll have to fly, also, over the "Blue Ridge Mountain" from the north-east to the South-west (Atlanta being at the SW end!) Once there, could I go "Marching through Georgia" to catch my connection to ORLANDO in FLORIDA?

A had a nice talkative taxi-driver to the Link at Malvern - plus an interested traveller on the Link Station! He'd been to such places as Moscow, Johannesburg, etc, etc! - and was certainly interested in my trips - and wanted to continue our talks after we'd got on the train!! He had previously overshot FOREGATE Street Station - so was intent on getting back there! The rest of my journey to Paddington was relatively uneventful. Once there, it seemed to be in the middle of a 100% rebuilding project (everything going on together). I walked to my BORDER Hotel and watched some 'travel shows' on TV before going to my usual 'haunt' (Mickys Fish Bar) for a supply of 'Cod & Chips' to take back to my room (No 107) to consume there.

Noisy Underground Trains are DEEP outside my first-floor window (but seem closer). This is my first UK hotel-room, for ages, NOT to have tea/coffee making facilities in my room! I established, quite early on, that, for the 8am train to Gatwick, I need to leave here at 7am tomorrow - and I can get the breakfast at 6.20am.. After an 8pm reconnaisance session to find the restaurant for tomorrow's breakfast I prepared for my trip to Florida and then set my own 'Organiser-bleeper' for 6.10am to allow sufficient time for shaving, dressing and repacking. (I work fast!)

Wednesday 9:April:97

In the darkness of the early morning, I turned on the light to see the time from the watch, as there are no illuminated timepieces or large LED displays! It was 5.45am!! Thus I left the light on as it was"near enough"! Thus I dressed, toileted, shaved, dealt with my dentures - at a quite leisurely pace.

This "timing" worked 'smashing' - as I went down to breakfast at 6.30am., later boarding the UNDERGROUND at Paddington at 7.19am. and, subsequently, the GATWICK EXPRESS at VICTORIA at 7.46am.. (There was no need to queue for the ticket beforehand!) I arrived at Gatwick's Gate 50 at 9.30am., boarded my MD-11 aircraft at 9.45am, taking up my seat (47A) ready for the Trans-Atlantic voyage of discovery!

Chatting for virtually the WHOLE of the way to ATLANTA with a bloke from the MANCHESTER area, in seat 47B, the plane seemed to 'hit' the South Coast around HAYLING ISLAND, along the coast from DORSET then along the WELSH COAST after having good views of the ISLE OF WIGHT. That island filled the whole window from that altitude!! My concentration on the scenery was interrupted because of the interesting chats with this VERY interesting guy!!

We entered IRISH Airspace at ROSSLARE (S.E. Corner!) and then flew along (or rather 'above') the South coast of Ireland before departing from 'the EMERALD ISLE' over the RING OF KERRY and the DINGLE PENINSULAR. Out over the Ocean, the conversations continued. Then a 'gigantic' display of our aircraft's position appeared, - including speed, altitude, winds, temperatures etc.. This display was on ONE video channel - and various films (that I, and MOST people, didn't want) occupied other channels.

I watched this DISPLAY from the UK takeoff until the ATLANTA touchdown!! At Atlanta, the aircraft interchange delays were very large and the process not VERY effective - due almost entirely to the LACK of directions and information.

Eventually, I got on an aircraft (a TRISTAR!) next to the SAME guy as on the previous 'leg'! We were further down the 'plane' this time. This plane was parked with its LEFT wing very close to a building and some HEAVY metalwork. Shadows revealed that it was really as bad and close as it looked!!

We had a long "run" for takeoff and a gentle climb to ALTITUDE. The flight over Northern FLORIDA revealed many RECTANGLES of cultivated land enclosing 'intrusions' of natural land. As the flight went on, the increase in the number of LAKES, ponds and general water was very noticeable - as we went further SOUTH.

We had a smooth landing, very nice, at ORLANDO, and the aircraft were more 'open' and userfriendly (un-airport-like) than most places. I guess, now, that this is a mark of an open confident society, - but I could be wrong! We met SHAREL DOVER, our Tour Director, at the Airport and for the trip to the hotel , talks and instructions, plans etc - lots of friendly 'info'! I got a plastic card as a KEY to the room that I was to share with DOUG GIBSON. More about Doug, later, as he turned out to be a very friendly also very cooperative Welsh guy - and we ''got on" very well together on this American exploration and for several encounters back in the UK.

Thursday 10:April:97

--- Part Two ---
The 'DISNEY' experiences
Being incorrectly advised about our EARLY 6.30am breakfast, I was surprised to find that it wasn't, in reality, until 7.00am.. Nevertheless,when it was ready, I had a beautiful selection of self-service fried items. Basically, I had an English-style breakfast (but a healthier USA version!) that was also user-friendly to my teeth. It was GREAT, - the best that I've had for ages!

Departure, at 8.15am, was for the DISNEY complexes. Doug and I had chosen to visit the MGM sub-complex today - leaving the EPCOT centre for tomorrow. The hotel's complementary coach dropped us near EPCOT and we struggled, a bit, to find the DISNEY complimentary coach to get to the MGM area

This is a complete complex in itself, being a quarter hour by coach from the EPCOT center. Having been told that a "return complimentary" will be at 15.00 hrs, we took photos, entered the complex, got paperwork, heard extra instructions and plans from SHAREL DOVER (our tour director) and got into exploring the place. My AVON BRONZE (Sun Cream) had, quite literally, been spread over my arms (to prevent sunburn, as on Bank Holiday Monday's Stock-Car racing at GRIMLEY (Worcester, UK)) and I wore the Scandinavian Seaways Cap to protect my head from 'burning'!

Our first visit, after these initial directions and orientations, was to the building "R" which was for the "Great Movie Ride". After queuing in a 'holding area' and watching old MGM 'clips' we transferred to the next hall where we 'boarded' a vehicle for a ride. This turned out to be SOME EXPERIENCE and was to last 22 minutes!! We travelled through tunnels looking at various scenes and presentations from past FILMS. Some actors were artificial - but with real voices.Some peole were REAL and had dialogues with our 'DRIVER'. At one point, our 'driver' dismounted to help the Bank that was being robbed (by an armed bloke and his 'doll'). She (our 'driver') went into the Bank, and, meanwhile firing went on in the Bank and 'armed women' captured and took-over our vehicle with 'threats' to passengers at gun-point!! One of these women was then our 'hard' guide. Later on, another scene required her aggressive features and character - so she went up to help them. Eventually, she vanished in a puff of smoke - and from behind the smoke emerged our 'courier' (previous 'driver') who returned to our vehicle. We then continued through various other tableaux, with HER descriptions, The final tableau was a 'cinerama-type' multiscreen with different 'clips' in different segments. Then, later, we emerged in open-air near our starting-point, - and RIDE No1 was over, It had been an UNFORGETTABLE experience.

I saved the TOWER OF TERROR until 'last', just in case it adversely affected my constitution. It was nearer the EXIT and involved a rapid FREE-FALL in a lift.

I tried to see the layout and terror-inducing features - wanting to establish how I could avoid the stomach-churning ride on the 'lift's journey'! I, and a few others, got diverted to a spot, when, later, a guy came out of a lift and said "We are ready for you now!".

"It's OK", he said, ".. this is a REGULAR lift!" Fortunately, it was.

Before that, we had visited numerous shows and rides, the most memorable being the MUPPET TECHNOLOGY film - with 3D glasses and full colour stereo vision with a GREAT sense of humour!

We also went on several rides through 'film sets' arranged for 'disasters' ('fires' and 'floods') going via CATASTROPHY CANYON!

To get to MGM, we had to catch the EPCOT (complimentary) bus and then change to the main MGM-DISNEY bus ,- and that delivered us to a 'lake area' outside the entrance. I took a few photos there.

In the evening, we also had a trip to DISNEY'S SEA WORLD for an 'included' lunch ... by the 'DOLPHIN & SHARK pool. The meal included both beef and chicken (alledgedly) - with 'starter salad' [including concrete croutons!] and iced tea. This was more of a 'social meal' than an enjoyable 'eating experience'!

I had a job finding our guide (Sharel Dover) who had given us 'dodgy' instructions in location and time. All the others were confused as well - so we were 'lost together' waiting for Sharel to appear. After that meal, we ALL went around to the SHAMU Stadium for the display involving Dolphins, Killer Whales and a woman performer. The Dolphin took this 'girl' under-water and SHOT her VERY high into the air. Very IMPRESSIVE!! Also seen were a collection of videos and films - showing when things didn't "go right on the night!".Unfortunately, we couldn't stay very long because of our coach's imminent departure.

Friday 11:April:97



I was away at 8.15am for a FULL DAY visit to the EPCOT CENTRE for its rides, technology, history, internet, walks and more INTERNET. Doug Gibson and I got the 'complimentary bus' to the Epcot Coach Park and walked from there.

Having queued with CASH, we reached the head of the queue ('line' in American) and were told to buy tickets FIRST! Nice!!!?! Having successfully entered and studied the 'guide-map', we then planned what to see and DO.

The first significant building was the EPCOT building (Planet Earth??) which was a GREAT BIG DOME.

Working approximately clockwise around this great site from the start, we first encountered a Hall of AppleMac computers and a net-type batch of queries. I found it relatively 'unfriendly' as, at that time, I was more familiar with WINDOWS 3.1 (which this was not using!).

Then we saw other 'stands' like the 'blood pressure & pulse rate' measurers, a Network System with TRUE INTERNET and also Windows 3.1.. I was able to show my Welsh friend, Doug, my own site and the THRUST SSC one also. Moving onto other exhibits, I left my own web (maybe permanently) available for other visitors (and the STAFF who showed great interest!!)

Then Doug and I moved onto other trips like:
(a) around the BODY when miniaturised (High-G manoeuvres!)
(b) the EXXON building with Ellen de Generes (as 'host' on history of 'energy')
(c) the 3-D 'Imaginations' scheme with viewing glasses: a truly wonderful 3-D experience!!



We followed that with a boat across the lake to their pavilions representing CHINA, AMERICA, CANADA, BRITAIN & INDIA ( to name but a few!)

The AMERICAN one included a performance of the 'American Trilogy' and a historical animated show - and the CANADIAN one featured some remarkable travelogue films on a 360 degree screen with multichannel stereo etc..

I had trouble finding ice-creams and drinks - but the whole day culminated in the BIG RIDE through the DOME and a LONG 'internet session' (with a tutorial for my friend DOUG), being mostly with my LANDSPEED RECORD pages. (For added interests, I also included the Liberal Democrats, Paddie Ashdown, Malvern Liberals and the NASA space programme.)

After a good day, we returned to our coach (with a wait in the POURING RAIN, following the earlier drizzle - SO what's all this nonsense about FLORIDA being the SUNSHINE State??) - where we chatted to a Californian lady.

Back at our 'digs', we decided on an 'early night' - because, for both of us, tomorrow was to be the BIGGIE - our long-awaited trip (several decades) to the KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (KSC).

Saturday 12:April:97
The KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
I was OFF at 8.30am for KSC after a VERY good buffet breakfast (fried + doughnuts + fruit!) arriving "at the Cape" following chats with SHAREL. After the coach arrived at the 'Park', we 'debussed' and made for the toilets and the IMAX Theatre where we had a VERY LARGE SCREEN film and EXPERIENCE (virtual 3D!) of the SPACE RACE, SHUTTLE Operations etc..

It was a GREAT (in more ways that one) VIEW inside the SHUTTLE PAYLOAD BAY!! It was an excellent film and presentation.

The bus-ride via the VAB, the launch-sites, the TRANSPORTER vehicles - and the 3mile long "transporter tracks", left me with an awe-inspiring set of thoughts and memories as I'd only witnessed them before on TV!! There was a 'photo-stop' enroute and, after this trip to the launch-site for a photo or two, we returned to the APOLLO, Shuttle and SATURN V demonstration hardware.

I took many photos inside the "SATURN V Hall" (and had food & drink - which their web-site had pre-advised me about), some of which will be inserted in my next 'edit'.

Off to one side, I saw another film AND video about the lunar landscape - with a 'reduced-size vehicle' landing - and problems of APOLLO9's landing (the 'first' one on the moon). This showed different technical problems to those that I'd heard through the 'media' - and dramatised them with a different perspective!!

After that, Doug and I caught the bus back to the VISITOR CENTER and the ROCKET exhibits (in a 'garden' format!) -





took some photos and then joined the others on our MAIN coach for the return to the RAMADA at ORLANDO.

CAPE CANAVERAL is a great WILDLIFE RESERVE with 'preservation' to the fore! I saw many unusual birds and several ALLIGATORS in, or by, its canals.

Back at the hotel room, I had several chats with Doug before his excursion to Church Street Station. I 'opted out' of that while I did my 'write-ups', tidy-ups, supermarket shopping, home-catering and eating - and even more 'write-ups'!! I also got the SAGA questionnaire's answers started.

Sunday 13:April:97
The Journey to, and at, CLEARWATER.


.. to be continued in Florida's Part2 ... Return to 1997's Index page
or return to Roy's home page for full list of books and other writings either finished or under preparation.

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