Friday 28 December - Orlando

Up early (7am) to get out and about in theme park heaven! This inspire of Philip having developed a new head cold. Jessica wants to know how he knows that it is a new one and not just the original. Philip's response - "It's different that's why!" Sunny sky and temperature of about 7 degrees when we set out but a balmy 21 forecast.. You have to pay for parking at SewWorld so we paid $20 and got preferred parking right near the entry gate so that was worth the money. The temperature did reach the forecast and resulted in the removal of coats while we wandered around a busy SeaWorld. Mind you we weren't like others from cold climates who were getting around in short shorts and t-shirts. Really enjoyed all the shows that we watched. The dolphin show was more about the human artists than the dolphins but was enjoyable just the same.

We loved the Caribbean flamingoes which are just near the entry and after marvelling at the Killer Whales and their size we were finally really blown away when a walrus came on stage in another show. He was truly a huge amount of blubber!

Jessica was the only one brave enough to tackle an actual ride - Lost City of Atlantis - which involves a flume ride towards the end. Fortunately, she had her spray jacket on.

Did some additional driving on our return to find a Best Buys outlet for another go at getting the filter removed from Philip's camera. While Jessica and Philip were enquiring about it, a customer overheard them and told them of just the photographic store that was needed and so after dropping Alison at the Homewood Suites, the two intrepid explorers headed off to "downtown Orlando". Suffice to say that once again Chuck, the GPS, failed his job and with Jessica's attempts to orienteer, the driver and passenger ended up in the dark in a very African American neighbourhood with a narrow street to drive down, chairs and bbqs being set up on the footpaths and loud music. Jessica preserved with Chuck and finally they arrived at the photographic store and even though the service section had closed some 30 minutes before one of the workers was able to locate the required tool and remove the cracked filter. Cost - a new filter which Philip insisted that the salesperson should not fit to his camera!

Dinner for all from Applebee's and planning for the next stage of theme park visits under way.