So yeah, we went to Orlando a month ago now! Crazy how the time has gone by. It was a fun family vacation, thank you parents! We came back to the most glorious summer weather ever in Alaska, so there hasn't been much time for blogging about Florida. Today is the first cloudy/occasionally rainy day we've had this month. (shocking!!!) So I guess that means it's a good day to post some pictures from down south. I didn't steal pictures from my parents or siblings so this is a bit incomplete, but there's still some good ones.
Drew and I ended up going to Seaworld on 3 different days. We got great weather and we were able to see all the shows and ride all the rides, sometimes twice. Drew's not much of an amusement park guy, so Seaworld was a good one for him because there are so many non ride shows/exhibits. I still managed to get him on the Manta Ray once, and my dad went with me once. Definitely my favorite ride. We were surprised that Saturday was by far the least busy day we went. There were almost no lines for anything until Saturday afternoon.
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| Paper hat made by Grandpa |
We happened to be there the week after the new Antarctica ride/exhibit opened. We timed our arrival at the park twice so that we could go straight there when it opened. We got in almost instantly both times, but by the time we finished the ride the line was 2 or 3 hours long.
We stayed at my parents Marriott timeshare. This was my second time being there with them and Drew's first. It's a beautiful resort with a lake and several pools, restaurants, tennis, a gym, jogging paths, activities, etc. We spent a good portion of our week just relaxing at the resort. Drew and I took a salsa lesson together and Drew got chosen out of the audience to dance the hula during the Wednesday night luau.
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| bean bag toss with Joe and Isaac |
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| Dad and Drew at a chocolate tasting |
We also spent a day at Aquatica, the water park that's associated with Seaworld. It was such a great water park and we had a fun time. Once again, we hit up every ride at least once. We had fun racing on the speed racer slides all at once and floating in the raging rapids together. My dad and I actually tied to the HUNDREDTH of a second on the racers TWICE! We waited the longest to do the clear water slides that go through a pool with dolphins in it. It was not anything like it makes it look on the website. It was probably my least favorite of all the rides. Drew pooped out a little early, but my dad was willing to stay a little longer and ride a few slides again.
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| Taking our lunch break during the one 10 minute rain spell we had that day. |
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| These little dolphins like to swim upside down a lot. They think it helps them look for fish. |
My favorite ride was the Walhalla Wave, which was the best with three adults in it to get really high up on the sides of the slides during turns. Drew took our waterproof camera on several slides and set it to take pictures every few seconds. As a result we got tons of unflattering shots of my dad and I. :)
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These rapids were the funnest way to get from one side of the park to the other.
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| Love that he's smiling with his eyes open underwater. Isaac's swimming has really improved since we saw him last. |
We also spent an afternoon at Gatorland, where we saw a lot of alligators and crocodiles and I got pulled out of the audience to hole a big yellow python. I also got to do a little shopping, something that just isn't much fun in Alaska where there are barely any stores. I finally found a bathing suit I liked, just in time for the last day of our trip. Still this new suit better last me for the next 15 years or so, because it will probably be about that long until I can manage to find another flattering one again. On the way back north we stayed with Drew's parents and my dad got to take a spin in the Mustang.
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| My dad's first car was a 1966 mustang so it was fun to take the Harlos' 1967 for a spin. |
All in all we had a great trip to the east, but we are glad to be back in Alaska and back to earning some paychecks. If Drew comes home from kayaking tonight then maybe I can post on our packrafting adventures this weekend. No promises!
Have a lovely last weekend in June...
