dlpmikki
11-30-2008, 01:23 PM
Wednesday 26th November
Mikki has another tennis foursome at 11.00am so it is another relaxing morning. Well, it should have been until Mikki discovers a slight problem in the bathroom: the w.c. has blocked and very nearly overflows. Maintenance and housekeeping come while Mikki is at tennis.
While waiting for her tennis, Mikki also goes on the internet and checks a timeshare reselling site to see how much Marriott timeshares cost. The site offered weeks at places we talked about on our visit to the sales centre for about half the price Marriott would charge. And who knows whether they are actually being bought even at those prices? No wonder we heard Marriott is cutting back its sales force. Can I mention the joke in England that real estate agents going out of business is the only good thing to come out of the “credit crunch” – oh, I just have.
After lunch, we visit Premium Outlets, where the Character Outlet has some new stock and is already discounting an extra 20% on all clothing. You have to watch them a little, however, because they sometimes mix current, full price, ranges with the cheaper products. They then go back to the Marketplace to pick up more salads from Puck Express for tomorrow.
The humans eat early again at “Outback”. They complete their sampling of the special menu with a shared chicken quesadilla as a starter and trout and teriyaki sirloin as main courses. They then re-stock milk and coffee at Publix before returning to our room.
Thursday 27th November: Happy Thanksgiving
We have been in Florida before on Thanksgiving Day – and had a traditional dinner at Olivia’s at OKW. We decided not to this year.
Mikki has another tennis lesson (actually her first true coaching session: the previous ones were a rather cheaper “play with the pro”). Then, we set off to Kennedy Space Center. Mikki has decided to take the chance that it will not be as popular as the Disney parks today.
There are not many gas stations on the road to KSC so we put petrol (gas) in the car yesterday at $1.84 a gallon. This morning, we see prices of $1.77 and $1.75. Don’t fill up until you have to. Last trip was the opposite – the price kept going up.
Mikki was right about the Space Center. It is quiet. We go to the Saturn V Building: We have not been for some time. I get a couple of pictures and the humans eat lunch. The big disappointment of the visit is that “Milo’s”, the table service restaurant has closed. The guide map says something about a new place but for the moment there is only NASA’s burgers and such. Is that why the astronauts leave so fast.
We take more pictures in the Rocket Garden, where Andrew quickly identifies all the ones that had men on top in the 1960s. These days, the Space Center commentaries have occasional references to the future – to “Mars and beyond”. It is nice to hear these and I hope they increase. Most of the place still has a feeling of being stuck in the glories of the past.
We drive home and eat in the room.
Mikki has another tennis foursome at 11.00am so it is another relaxing morning. Well, it should have been until Mikki discovers a slight problem in the bathroom: the w.c. has blocked and very nearly overflows. Maintenance and housekeeping come while Mikki is at tennis.
While waiting for her tennis, Mikki also goes on the internet and checks a timeshare reselling site to see how much Marriott timeshares cost. The site offered weeks at places we talked about on our visit to the sales centre for about half the price Marriott would charge. And who knows whether they are actually being bought even at those prices? No wonder we heard Marriott is cutting back its sales force. Can I mention the joke in England that real estate agents going out of business is the only good thing to come out of the “credit crunch” – oh, I just have.
After lunch, we visit Premium Outlets, where the Character Outlet has some new stock and is already discounting an extra 20% on all clothing. You have to watch them a little, however, because they sometimes mix current, full price, ranges with the cheaper products. They then go back to the Marketplace to pick up more salads from Puck Express for tomorrow.
The humans eat early again at “Outback”. They complete their sampling of the special menu with a shared chicken quesadilla as a starter and trout and teriyaki sirloin as main courses. They then re-stock milk and coffee at Publix before returning to our room.
Thursday 27th November: Happy Thanksgiving
We have been in Florida before on Thanksgiving Day – and had a traditional dinner at Olivia’s at OKW. We decided not to this year.
Mikki has another tennis lesson (actually her first true coaching session: the previous ones were a rather cheaper “play with the pro”). Then, we set off to Kennedy Space Center. Mikki has decided to take the chance that it will not be as popular as the Disney parks today.
There are not many gas stations on the road to KSC so we put petrol (gas) in the car yesterday at $1.84 a gallon. This morning, we see prices of $1.77 and $1.75. Don’t fill up until you have to. Last trip was the opposite – the price kept going up.
Mikki was right about the Space Center. It is quiet. We go to the Saturn V Building: We have not been for some time. I get a couple of pictures and the humans eat lunch. The big disappointment of the visit is that “Milo’s”, the table service restaurant has closed. The guide map says something about a new place but for the moment there is only NASA’s burgers and such. Is that why the astronauts leave so fast.
We take more pictures in the Rocket Garden, where Andrew quickly identifies all the ones that had men on top in the 1960s. These days, the Space Center commentaries have occasional references to the future – to “Mars and beyond”. It is nice to hear these and I hope they increase. Most of the place still has a feeling of being stuck in the glories of the past.
We drive home and eat in the room.