KIWIS on TOUR

It all started with a mouse...

Well really it all started with a man that created a certain Mouse, but Walt Disney wanted everyone to remember that this place really did have small beginnings.

Greetings everyone, from sunny, hot and humid Orlando...

Back to Disney info... Walt himself formulated the plan for Disney World but never saw it become a reality. Walt passed away in 1966 and Disney World opened in 1971.

This place really is fabulous, it's spread over 42 square miles and has 4 Theme Parks, 2 Water Parks and numerous hotels within the complex. Once you are in 'The World' you can get around on the supplied transport and that is a combination of buses, boats and monorails. We were even picked up from the Orlando Airport by the Disney Magic Express coach service.

We were here for 7 nights / 6 days. What we didn't realise though was that last weekend was a holiday weekend so there were LOTS of people here. Saturday we went to the Magic Kingdom, being that we had been here before we were able to pick and choose our rides and happily wandered around the park just watching people. For the 'happiest place on earth' there were lots of not so happy families around. Children wanting to go in one direction while parents go in another, lots of tears and pouty bottom lips to be seen! In the meanwhile we enjoyed yet again the Pirates of the Carribean ride, the Jungle Cruise, the Enchanted Tiki Room, the Haunted Mansion. We avoided It's a Small World as Paul did not want the tune in his head for the rest of the day.

We also went to the Hall of Presidents, a ride where Stitch is a naughty little prisoner that causes mayhem and you get sprayed with water etc, then we went on the Carousel of Progress, a vintage Disney ride, created by Walt Disney for the 1954 World's Fair - very cool indeed.

We completed the day with dinner at the Grand Floridian (the best) hotel in the World and then returned to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks. A great day and a LONG day.

Sunday, we went to the Animal Kingdom, a great experience yet again, but phew the heat! It was 89 deg with 100% humidity! And with all the crowds we gave up at 3.30pm and returned to the hotel to cool down. Before doing this we went on several rides, did the 3D experience called 'It's tough to be a Bug' and the safari. Unfortunately the animals were all a little lethargic with the heat too, so we saw many resting and sleeping animals.

Monday was a designated R & R day, that can be interpreted how you like but for me that meant shopping at Downtown Disney. We took the boat down there at about 11am and ended up having dinner at the Rainforest Cafe before returning to the hotel about 8pm. Paul loved it!!!

Tuesday we went to Disney Hollywood Studios, probably the smallest of the theme parks but plenty of rides to do, all based around movies and a really good diorama of Walt Disney and the creation of Disneyland and Disney World.

Final theme park was Epcot yesterday, another full on day, took in lots of rides and wandering around the different international sections of the World Showcase. To top things off there is an International Wine and Food Festival on at Epcot at present and little old NZ even has a stand there offering Villa Maria Wines to accompany Bay Scallops and Kiwifruit Meringues. We did not indulge, instead we headed to Morrocco for dinner for Couscous and Baklava. We topped off the day by staying for the fireworks display that is always awesome at this park because of the huge area they have in the middle (a lake) for launching the rockets required for such magnificent displays.

Well today has been our last here, we're off to the airport at 9.30am tomorrow. So we've taken it realtively easy, we've been back to Downtown Disney for a few last minute things and then we've packed and now I am doing this final update.

So that's it, USA 2008 over and done with! I cannot believe it has been 3 months since I have been in NZ?! Well, when we get back home I will no doubt be launching into planning the next trip - sucker for punishment that I am!!!

Bye for now

Jodi

Last leg to Chicago complete

Phew, we’ve put in some long days in the last week! From my last post in Salt Lake City we’ve crossed the width of Wyoming – wide open spaces! We stayed in Laramie and that town is at about 7000 feet elevation so it was quite nippy that night.

Then we cut down from Cheyenne to Denver, Colorado. As soon as we crossed the border you noticed a difference in the type of land. Denver is at around 4000 feet and the land is much more pastoral, the cattle here looked like they actually had some grass to chew on! I bet these ranchers wouldn't be able to believe their eyes if they saw NZ pasture?!

From Denver we headed east towards Kansas. By night fall we were in the middle of Kansas in a town called Hays. Again the land in Kansas is very flat, but because of the lower altitude it too is a much better area for farming and noticeably more animals and crops.

Next day we continued across Kansas to pass through Kansas City, crossing the border into Missouri. We had planned on visiting the HD Plant there but it was Saturday and these plants only have tours during weekdays – damn! So we just pushed on and headed south-east to Cuba… Missouri that is!

Our plan was to proceed to Saint Louis in the morning and then on to Bloomington, making the next day a very short trip into Chicago… but… also in my plan was to call into Bourbeuse HD to pick up a T-shirt for Stu that he regretted not buying. So, take note what happened next Stueee!!!

So this is Bourbeuse HD on a Sunday!!! CLOSED!!!

Plan B kicks in, go into Saint Louis and visit the Gateway Arch and Chain of Rocks Bridge then drive back to Union, Missouri for the night, hoping that Bourbeuse HDs hours were correct and that they would be open in the morning (being that everyone is on Winter hours now).

Yay, they were open…

And Stu, we hope this is the right T-shirt?

Once we had this, it was onward and upward to Chicago, via Ted Drewes Frozen Custard stand in Saint Louis of course!

We arrived in Chicago at about 4.30pm. Car trip almost done…

Today was car cleaning day! We took it to a local car wash and cleaned and cleaned. It now looks like a completely different vehicle – a vehicle resembling the one we picked up 2 months ago.

Tomorrow the car goes back to its rightful owners June and Larry and we are looking forward to having dinner with them.

Friday we are off to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for a weeks holiday – R & R. Then unbelievably it’s time to go home. 

Next post from Disney World, be prepared! I love the place!!!

Jodi

WARNING: Several Posts about to happen, so try to keep up!

MISSING PHOTOS

First, thanks to Laurel Kane from the Afton Station in Oklahoma! Laurel has pointed out to me that there is a missing group of photos on the blog - Route 66 Part 2. Don't ask me what I did! I could blame the computer, I could blame broadband connections or the WWW, but it was most likely down to ME!

So, to the left is the missing photos, including Laurel's Station along with its gorgeous car collection. Keep on "kicking" Laurel!!! I have positioned them at the top so you don't have to scroll for miles!

THE GROUP HAS GONE

After our Final dinner as a group on Thursday night at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. on Santa Monica Pier and packing up the bikes on Friday, most of the group returned to New Zealand on Sunday (they touched down in Auckland early Tuesday morning - they lost a day due to the International Date Line). Several participants are off to different locations in the US to visit with friends and will make their way back to New Zealand shortly.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN...

As for Paul and I, we commenced the journey back to the cars home of Chesterton, Indiana on Sunday afternoon. By Sunday evening we had arrived in Fresno and on Monday we drove to Yosemite National Park. Yosemite was as beautiful as I remember it from 25 years ago and it was a new experience for Paul. We saw several people ascending El Capitan (you have to be mad!), saw a smidgen of water falling at Bridal Veil Falls and the majesty of the Half Dome. Monday night we made it as far as Carson City, it was a very slow drive over the Tioga Road, most of it is posted 35 mph.

Yesterday we (Paul) decided to take Highway 50 East instead of I-80. By the end of the day at Ely we understood why it was called "The Loneliest Road", that is an understatement! We started off the day visiting Virginia City, a whole town on the National Historic Places Register, built during the Gold rush of the late 1800's. It is a very cool little town with old time boardwalks instead of sidewalks. What I would like to know is, what they are doing about the crumbling buildings? If it's worth being on the Register then surely it's worth restoring some of it?!?

During the afternoon we completed about 200 miles and passed through a grand total of 3 towns!!!

This morning we made a bee-line for the Salt Flats, primary purpose to see the Bonneville Speedway. After 120 miles on Highway 93 (the Lincoln Highway - and the same scenery as yesterday - nothing) we reached the site of the speed records. We stayed there about 15 mins, took a couple of pics and then were on the road again. This time we were on the I-80, the only option across the Salt Flats, but it's a great drive. This afternoon we arrived in Salt Lake City with enough time to get a motel for the night, drop the trailer and go into the central city to see the Mormon Temple and Tabernacle etc. It's a very impressive complex as there is also the huge Administration Building and an incredible Conference Centre too. The temple is stunning, unfortunately you cannot go inside.

So that's us all up to date...

Cheers

Jodi