It's been an amazing summer.
First the family trip to Florida. We had a blast. Here's the run down
Mapquest said 16 hour drive, WRONG. I guess if you're in a hover craft and never need to stop for gas or to pee. It took us 18 hours to get down there. There was the Atlanta traffic (that we could have used the loop to avoid) and the torrential downpour once we crossed the FL border. So that could be some of the reason we lost time??
The drive down was fairly uneventful. I thought we'd never get out of Georgia. In Florida we were welcomed by a LARGE confederate flag. Not just a flag, I mean the size of a billboard. As if to say, "you can't miss this if you tried." Welcome we were.
Once the rain started we were behind a truck pulling a trailer. Not an 18 wheeler, just a trailer, like to carry a car or something. I'm not sure what he had on the trailer, but it broke loose and started flying at us. Hit the car (no damage) and freaked me out BAD!!! Karl's yelling just drive and the kids are yelling "my just hit somebody." I didn't but doesn't that show you how highly my kids think of me?
So we get to the hotel on Friday night unscathed. Saturday is a beach day. We decide to sleep in a bit so we don't have to rush back into the car. About 1:30 we hit Clearwater Beach (or the roads surrounding the beach) NO PARKING ANYWHERE. Not even if we walked 5 miles, none. We drive around a little more until we find a local "park" with a beach. They have meters and a change machine. Great, only none of us have cash. So I make Karl ask the park ranger where the nearest ATM is. Go to the ATM, Karl buys me a rose (probably more to pacify me and hope I don't flip out any further) but also to get change for the change machine. I mean who wants to walk around with $20 in quarters? Back to the park. As we are pulling up to the change machine, they close it. They're out of change! ARRGGGGG! So I'm telling Karl it's time to head back to St. Louis. He assures me he can find change. We drive back to the Pier on Clearwater. Surely there has to be a place to get change, right? I drop Karl off (because they have METERS and I can't park because I have not change) and drive around in circles. Until the most fabulous thing happened. I saw my smiling husband come out of the US Post Office with change!!!!!! We were going to make it to the beach after all. YEAH!!!
After a few hours at the beach we went to the hotel, shower and change. To John's Pass for dinner. Marsha want Seafood. We called the restaurant and they seat people until nine, perfect. Ok we start out going the wrong direction on the highway. Went a good 10 miles out of the way. UGH! What a day huh? It gets better. By the time we got to John's Pass most things are shut down. Cianah, Tati and I do not like Seafood, so we're going to find a place on the pier to eat and hang out while the others are eating smelly fish. Only nothings open. There was a pizza place and a few shops. So we're starving. :( I'm getting upset all over again. When will this end?? Well the restaurant that Marsha has been dying to eat at for 2 months, has a two hour wait. So I'm crabby, she's crabby. Poor Karl and Barry. We find another restaurant that serve seafood and other stuff and only a 30 minute wait. Hurray!
While we are waiting for our tables, Barry and Karl are discussing the next vacation. The one that they take without the crazy women. :)
We ate wonderful food. And were happy. Karl bought Barry a drink, he needed it.
I know so far it sounds like we didn't have fun. We did, just not the first day.
So the 2nd day we're off to Busch Gardens. Fun, fun. So much to do. Karl bought his Buschman hat and wore it everyday. He loves that hat. Rides, shows, animals. It was great fun.
Day 3 Sea World. We made a special trip to Sea World since Marianne screwed up out of the house with dolphins swimming in the "back yard."
Karl loves dolphins. Turns out the kids do too. I took so many picture I can put them up here.
My favorite part was the "shark tank." Not that the sharks we so great, they just swim above your head and you can't really see anything but their bellies. Walking through that underwater aquarium was so amazing. I also like the underwater dolphin viewing. Way cool. And I love Kraken, the rollercoaster there. Best ever.
Karl and the kids fed the dolphins! That was way cool too.
The worst part. It was SOOOOOO hot that day. I thought we were seriously going to die. Afternoon rain couldn't come soon enough. We walked in it. We didn't hide, we WANTED to be wet. Oh and even though these french braids *look* cute. It turns out your scalp can sunburn. It itched and flaked like crazy when we got home.
Day 4. Back to Busch Gardens. Rode more rides. Karl's favorite rollercoaster Shiekra. 90 feet straight down. Almost a free fall. It was cool, but too short so I like Kraken better.
Dinner at a Mexican place in our hotel. Hole in the wall but FABULOUS!!!
Day 5 - Back to the beach. This time Clearwater. Parked close. Spent the entire day. Got sunburned. Loved it anyway. I think Karl and the girls would have stayed several more hours if my sunburn wasn't starting to *kill*
Day 6 the trek back home. 17.5 hours on the way back. Rain in the mountains of Tennessee was scary.
The kids started cheering when we crossed the JB bridge, they knew they were almost home then.
We really did have a great time. Well worth all the stress and saving it took to get us there. If we go to Florida again, it'll be in March. Too hot in July.
If you want to see all the pictures of our vacation:
I'll blog some more tomorrow. I'm sleepy, and not as funny when I'm tired. :)
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