Back in early December I had a little extra unexpected money in the budget. I somehow got the idea in my head that my father and aunts, who absolutely love sitting outside and watching the animals, would enjoy a quick trip to the Animal Kingdom. At first my father was dead set against the idea - it will be a disaster, he said - but slowly he came around. So tickets were booked, villas rented, and the trip was planned.
My father, 2 of his sisters and his brother in law, all over 70, were coming. originally so were two cousins - one in his 30s, one in her 40s, were also supposed to be joining us. First my cousin had to bow out - she is in the guards and was called to training that weekend. Then in March my father went into the hospital because of breathing problems, and never came out. Realizing that this will likely be their last big trip (as well as two of theirs first), I decided to push ahead with the trip. Well Dad, you were right.
First, while I travel quite frequently, I had never traveled before with 3 deaf old people. Let me tell you, that is not a fun experience. And do they ever bicker. The whole trip has been nothing but yelling back and forth. Not fun on a plane.
We made it down, picked up a rental car. Infinity GX60, nice car. but turns out the back seat is too difficult for any of them to get into. So they have to squish into the back seat. And so they continue bickering. How you parents deal with that for years on end I do not know. We got to the hotel, took so long to check in that we didn't have time to go to the rooms before heading to our dinner reservations at Boma. Boma completely failed to impress them. Everything seemed to them (well, to me too) to be just cafeteria food with a little bit of spice added. And 70 year olds don't eat enough to make buffets particularly worth it.
We did manage to spend a few minutes outside watching the giraffes. That of course was accompanied by lots of talk about how much nicer the other zoos they have been to were. I had to stop and pick up an annual pass anyways, so we headed off to Disney Springs.
Keep in mind it has been a few years since i was down here, and the place has completely changed. So part of it was me not parking where I needed to. I spent a good 40 minutes waiting at Guest Services, which I might add is the biggest mess I have ever seen, while the rest of them, instead of wandering around, decided to sit on a bench near the fountain for the entire time. The one comment I got about Springs was that it was just like our local mall, but without a roof.
We have two full days don here in FL, so instead of spending two days at the parks, tomorrow we are driving all the way up to Leesburg to go look t some tractor barn my cousin found on the internet and insists on going to. I am trying to make the best of it and diverting a half hour to go over to Mt Dora and do the Dora Canal. Hopefully that will prove more successful, assuming no one pushes anyone else off the boat.
Wish me luck in trying to push anyone.
My father, 2 of his sisters and his brother in law, all over 70, were coming. originally so were two cousins - one in his 30s, one in her 40s, were also supposed to be joining us. First my cousin had to bow out - she is in the guards and was called to training that weekend. Then in March my father went into the hospital because of breathing problems, and never came out. Realizing that this will likely be their last big trip (as well as two of theirs first), I decided to push ahead with the trip. Well Dad, you were right.
First, while I travel quite frequently, I had never traveled before with 3 deaf old people. Let me tell you, that is not a fun experience. And do they ever bicker. The whole trip has been nothing but yelling back and forth. Not fun on a plane.
We made it down, picked up a rental car. Infinity GX60, nice car. but turns out the back seat is too difficult for any of them to get into. So they have to squish into the back seat. And so they continue bickering. How you parents deal with that for years on end I do not know. We got to the hotel, took so long to check in that we didn't have time to go to the rooms before heading to our dinner reservations at Boma. Boma completely failed to impress them. Everything seemed to them (well, to me too) to be just cafeteria food with a little bit of spice added. And 70 year olds don't eat enough to make buffets particularly worth it.
We did manage to spend a few minutes outside watching the giraffes. That of course was accompanied by lots of talk about how much nicer the other zoos they have been to were. I had to stop and pick up an annual pass anyways, so we headed off to Disney Springs.
Keep in mind it has been a few years since i was down here, and the place has completely changed. So part of it was me not parking where I needed to. I spent a good 40 minutes waiting at Guest Services, which I might add is the biggest mess I have ever seen, while the rest of them, instead of wandering around, decided to sit on a bench near the fountain for the entire time. The one comment I got about Springs was that it was just like our local mall, but without a roof.
We have two full days don here in FL, so instead of spending two days at the parks, tomorrow we are driving all the way up to Leesburg to go look t some tractor barn my cousin found on the internet and insists on going to. I am trying to make the best of it and diverting a half hour to go over to Mt Dora and do the Dora Canal. Hopefully that will prove more successful, assuming no one pushes anyone else off the boat.
Wish me luck in trying to push anyone.