Flori-DUH!: Part 2

I am skipping class today for two reasons.
#1: The particular class I'm choosing to skip is the one where the TA doesn't even know my name. Combine that with the fact that it's cold out and the class is across campus and you've got a solid excuse.
#2: The fact that I'm taking this class pass/fail leaves no motivation for me to attend. We've had two of our three tests and I've got a solid A. I'm pretty sure docking my participation grade for not attending discussion really won't hurt my chances of passing the class.

So here I sit, and what better way to pass the time than to continue the sage known as my spring break?

Tuesday, March 30
Adventures in Jurassic Park

We woke up bright and early Tuesday morning--if one can consider 8:00am "bright and early"--and got ready for our day at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. After a quick shower and breakfast, we rushed out the door in true Wilson/Wuenstel fashion, set the GPS, and crawled into the car for our "15 minute trip" to the park.

The trip took us close to an hour. Partial blame goes to traffic, which was absolutely ridiculous. Nobody in Florida knows how to drive, and the stop lights are timed just perfectly so that it's nearly impossible to drive through one without getting stopped at the next. I also lay partial blame on the GPS for telling Drew to turn off at an exit that thoroughly complicated our route. I give the final portion of blame to my navigationally-challenged boyfriend and Slick Willy, who decided it was a good idea to turn the GPS off before we got to the park. The result was further delay when we were taken about four miles off course in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

Regardless of our troubles, we did eventually make it to the park. This would certainly be a pathetic story if we hadn't. And, because it took us another half hour or so just to get into the parking garage due to very slow service at gate, Drew and Nick were ready to hit the ground running, literally. The second we got out of the car Briana and I knew that the backs of their heads would be a familiar sight.

Around 1pm, after a good morning waiting in line (and noticing we all wore the same brand of shoes), riding roller coasters and water rides, we decided to head back to the car for lunch. Being the frugal college students we all are, we decided to pack sandwiches for lunch instead of eating in the park. We had one little hiccup, however. Sometime throughout the morning's festivities, my ticket went MIA. In hindsight I realize that this wasn't the complete disaster that I was making it out to be at the time, though we did waste another twenty minutes or so waiting in line at the customer service station so that I could get it reprinted and thus reenter the park.

The rest of the day went swimmingly. We enjoyed the Hulk, Spider-Man, Dueling Dragons (about six times), and a particular water ride called Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges, also known as Popeye's water torture. I got soaked! From head to toe. So soaked, in fact, that I had to go to the bathroom and wring out my clothes. To add insult to injury, I had to walk--well, waddle--around for the rest of the day. I'm sure I was the only one who didn't find it very funny.

We didn't get to go to Hogwarts. Harry Potter land doesn't open until June. Of course, though, they had to tempt us. The line for dueling dragons wound right through Hogsmeade. They had us go through a makeshift tunnel. Temporary black walls blocked our view of most of the area. I was itching for a look, though. I peeked through every crack and opening I could. It looks fantastic. Maybe I'll have to go back this summer to check it out. Too bad we didn't get any free tickets when the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit broke down three days later.

Some of the most fun we had at the park was the time we spent inside the play area in Jurassic Park. There were climbing nets, water guns, slides, hidden caverns, and waterfalls. Of course the place was littered with little kids. It's supposed to be a kids' area. Maybe that's why we all had so much fun. Later we also explored the play area in Seuss Land. It wasn't as cool as Jurassic Park, but we still had a good time.

The day ended a whole lot better than it started. After getting lost and losing my ticket, I wasn't sure there was much hope, but I was surprised by how much fun the four of us could make out of the simplest situations, like a slide too small to fit any of us down it, let alone all of us, or taking pictures with a fake T-Rex. We were all exhausted at the end of the day. Some of us were still a bit wet. Ok... I was still a bit wet. Nevertheless, we eventually got back to the condo, got into some more comfortable clothing, and relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Alright, it's taken me two hours to write this. I'll update some more again soon.