The day after my birthday (day 3 of the slow cruise to FL) was a quiet...do nothing...relax all day...read...sit by the pool...play Bingo...and teach my sisters a card game - PHASE 10. (I will mention here that when my family first moved to MN we spent every Sunday night enjoying family game night...and we played a LOT of these types of card games. This particular one is littlebird Will's LEAST favorite. I can't play it without thinking of him. Love you, buddy!)
We must have been a little "stir crazy" because as we sat sipping our drink of the day, sunning on the deck (maybe it was heat stroke) we came up with new nicknames for the three of us. I know...it seems silly...but we sat there giggling about it anyway. We decided that from this day forward we would be known as "CMP"...you know...just as sweet as the sundae with the same name...Cocoa (Chocolate) Carol...Marshmallow Marcia...and Peanut Patty. Three middle-aged women...laughing our butts off...another "had to be there...pee your pants moment"!
So..."anywho"...we finally did arrive in Port Canaveral, FL. Now, M3 had never been to Universal Studios, so we had decided before we set sail that when in FL we would do the park...CMP style. The cruise line offered a package deal...tickets and bus ride...but M3 said she could get us tickets through her work for a great price...and Sissy said that the park was only about a 1/2 hour ride from the port. So...we got our great priced-2 park-tickets and got off the ship thinking we would just catch a shuttle or cab for the short ride. We hailed a cab...and once on our way was told the ride was a little over an hour! Long story short...we ended up paying a "little" more than what the cost of the package deal was, but had a great chauffeur, Roger the cab driver!
We headed to Universal's Islands of Adventure park first...as we had to experience the kid in each of us. Our first ride was a "raft ride" called Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barge. I had been on this ride with my kids several years ago, and remembered what a blast we had...and how wet we had gotten. I guess I did not emphasize the WET part. Sissy and M3 were not prepared for the drenching we received!! It took us the rest of the day to dry thoroughly. I actually went in the ladies room, removed my shorts and rung them out! M3 tried to dry hers with the hand dryer. On this very hot Florida day it was refreshing, that's for sure!
Our favorite ride in this park, however, was The Cat in the Hat. We were so inspired that we bought teeshirts to commemorate the day!
After a few more fun experiences in the "kiddy park" we wandered around in circles trying to find our way out. After three times circling the park we finally pulled out our map and found the exit to head towards the other park...Universal Studios. Here we again each chose a ride to experience. All day I had been stressing the fact that I did not do roller coasters. I was more than willing to sit down in the shade somewhere while the sisters enjoyed their thrill ride...but roller coasters are not my thing...and you weren't getting me on one. Yeah...right.
We assisted the "Men in Black" but of course had the lowest points for alien attacks of the people in our car. We helped E.T. get home on the "E.T. Adventure". We took a boat ride in Amity and was attacked by "Jaws". And then there was the last ride..."Revenge of the Mummy". Now anyone that knows me knows that I do not do scary. I don't like monsters and such...but the sisters insisted that this was not scary. Uh..huh. This was also a roller coaster, but Sissy insisted it was a "very mild coaster". When do I stop believing what she tells me???? Hadn't I already learned my lesson with the "1/2 hour ride from the port to the park"?
As we are weaving in and out of this very dark maze while in line the room is filled with creepy-looking creatures. Nope...not liking this at all. Then suddenly M3 says..."uh-oh". I followed her eyes and there posted on the wall was a very large sign warning us about the severity of this ride with quick turns...and reverses, extreme speed...and jerky movement! I immediately turned pale and wanted a drink of water and fresh air. There was no exit at this point...no escape from this dungeon of doom. UGHHHHHHHH!!!!
We get on the ride...Sissy is very apologetic saying she "did not remember it being a fast roller coaster". Her gauge for measuring speed is definitely different from mine. We started out ascending...s..l..o..w..l..y...up towards these double doors that I was certain were going to open revealing a drop straight down to hell. NOPE!!! Instead our car jerked to a stop and flew backwards so quickly that I could do nothing but hold my breath and squeeze my eyes tightly shut...while the tears rolled down my face. These were not happy "pee your pants" tears.
I do know one thing...I will NEVER go to an amusement park with my sisters again. I was not AMUSED!
So...we leave Universal behind...and headed to our cab for the long ride back to the mothership. Now...when we disembarked there were signs all over reminding us to take our cruise ship card and picture ID with us so we could get back on the ship without a hitch. We talked about it as we were walking off the ship assuring each other that we all had the required items with us. Well...that just was not the case.
Sissy was leading the pack and breezed through security without any problem. I was right on her heels and did the same. We were walking ahead...20-30 steps in front of M3 when we hear this "Oh, no" and then "step to the side, M'am". Guess who lied about having her picture ID with her...the oldest...and apparently most senile one!! Whoopsie! Just a small delay now as security had to walk to the ship with her cruise ship card and verify when they swiped her card that the picture matched the face of the woman "near tears" holding up the rest of her cruising buddies. Thank goodness they did see a resemblance even though we were all looking pretty disheveled...you know...like we had spent the day running through the rain then tried to dry our hair by whipping it around while flying through the air at the speed of a bullet.
CMP...Coaster-loving Carol...Mindless Marcia...Petrified Patty.
I'm gonna Call My Parents and tell on them!!! Some things never change.
No comments:
Post a Comment