The final days in the swamp...

I have evolved...into a creature of the swamps...denied access to the net and other techno outlets I have reverted mostly to simple pleasures..the pool, the beach, the Seafood burrito... 9 days spent staying in a sweet condo at Atlantic Beach...fantastic location with 15km of sand and waves...thanks also go to the Florida Yacht Club, Mr Ripley and my Friends Si & Tannahill for a brilliant stay in Jacksonville...

The family then moved to join the Armstrong clan (two bigs three littles), old friends from England who now hail from from Houston, a mega villa awaited us in the converted swamp area of central Florida that is called Orlando..this place in not really habitable but the Americans have worked hard to make it pleasant..chief among these clever people was one Walt Disney..we did three worlds, Hollywood, Animal and Magic and had a good if tiring time (reminded me a bit of my first trip to India when I came out of the airport in New Delhi to be overwhelmed by the seething mass of people, the noise, the smells the total 'hard core live Jazz when you are drunk on whiskey' in your faceness of it..). The favourites? Magic Kingdom I think on balance, we (as parents) were helped by our visit in north Florida to a place called Chukkies Cheese..after this experience Disney seemed quite quiet and relaxing...4 adults and six kids, 5 under six were worked hard but came out smiling...there is a reason it is known as a once in a lifetime experience....

now, with a day to go we wait by the pool in the sun..like gators and worry that we may not like the cold on our return....
The Hogbens kill time before flying home...