Florida Vacation Diary Day 1&2

I have decided to keep a running diary of our Florida trip with the Heltons. Since this is my diary, it won’t be an all encompassing list of everything we do and see…I will only write about the happenings that I find funny or interesting.

Day 1

• We arrived in Tampa in the late afternoon and had to wait 2 hours at the baggage carousel because they couldn’t unload the plane because there was a lightening storm. It seems to me they should have a couple of lightening rods put up so that the whole airport doesn’t have to shut down when they get a little bit of lightening.


• After running back to the airport to pick up Hannah’s phone, we had dinner at the Olive Garden near Busch Gardens. I have to admit it was a little bit scary. I am sure that there a couple of drug deals that happened in the parking lot. I think we found a primary Cuban Mafia hangout on our first day.


• There seems to be a lot of McDonalds in Florida.

Day 2

• We stayed at Susie’s moms house in Inverness FL last night. Inverness is an interesting town. The town mascot is a cooter. The annual Cooter Festival is the major event of the year. They have a Miss Cooter contest; they have a Cooter Idol competition. Really. If you want to learn more about the Cooter Festival, and find out what a Cooter is, check this website our: http://www.cooterfestival.com/


• The humidity in Florida is as bad as they say, but it doesn’t bother me too much.
  Have not seen an alligator yet.


• At Susie’s sisters house I saw a bee-like bug about the size of a small hummingbird. It was taking it’s prey, very large beetles, and storing them under the deck. Freaked me out a little bit.


• Had a very nice birthday party/family barbeque for Bobby. After dinner, some of the menfolk sat out on the porch and watched the lightening. The day felt a lot like how you might picture the typical south. The men barbequed and talked hunting and fishing. The women stayed in the house preparing food and swatting flies. After dinner the men sat out on the porch, talking and watching the lightening. Amazingly friendly and social time. I could get accustomed to this type of community.


• The Dunkin Donuts here in town had never heard of an Apple Fritter or an Old Fashioned donut.