Space Center - St. Augustine - Savannah

28th of September I left Orlando behind me and on that note BIG thanks for Jenna, Brad, Kristen, Kelly, Matt, Frankie & Tyler for making my visit in Orlando such a great experience!

I started driving first towards east from Orlando for I wanted to go and visit the Kennedy Space Center since I've never had a chance to go there. It was a bit over an hour easy drive.

The Space Center itself - I didn't really know what to expect but for the $50 admission fee I think it was well worth while! At first when you arrive to the Visitor Complex you can see the "Rocket Garden" which is a collection of some of the rockets that we're sent to space from there. The rest of the complex included plenty of information about all the missions along with lots of sights to see and of course the IMAX theatre which showed the Hubble 3D and Space Center 3D films. I went to see the Hubble one and it was awesome. Just the size of the screen and the 3D effect really put things nicely in proportion. You come out of that theatre feeling really small after all of those Billions and Billions of Billion things and lightyears.. And in addition of the head rush of information it was a really beautiful thing to see.

From the Visitor Complex you can take a ride to the launch pads and the actual NASA space center.. though of course you see them only from the but but still. On the tour we were able to see some of the original equipment and the launch sites and the tour itself ended to see and experience the rocket launch  control room and to see some of them in real size - and also.. I touched the moon! (or at least the peace of rock that they claim that was brought from the moon.. :)

After the tour I experienced the rocket launch simulator and met with an astronaut Robert Springer who flew on missions STS - 29 & STS - 38. And of course I had to make him catch the Angry Bird!

After the Space Center I started to drive up north the I -95. I wanted to reach Savannah, Georgia which was about 300 miles (apx. 500km away). On the way I dropped by in St. Augustine - which is the oldest european built city in the continental US.

And finally at 10:15 pm I reached Savannah, Georgia and stayed my first overnight in a roadside Motel right outside the town.

Now it's 11:55am - I'm having my breakfast in "Dunkin Donuts" and I'll try to get somewhere between North Carolina and Virginia today after 7- 10 hours of driving.

Halloween Horror Nights

I was really exited about this one since I've actually never proper experienced the whole halloween feeling in US. Cause it's not the same when celebrated in Finland. What we do is just another reason for  a costume party and drinking. But this time I got to see it in the "source". Of course Halloween itself is still a good month away, but this was as real as it gets!

One of the big reasons why I also wanted to go was that my friend from the Ships Jenna, is working in the Studios at the moment and performed in one of the shows: The 20 Penny Circus. It was a recreation of an old theme of traveling circuses when back of the days in US when a traveling circus came to town it was usually 20 pennies admission to get to go and see it. The show it self was about 30 min long and reminded me a bit of a burlesque - illusion - adult comedy show. And what made it more special was that the show was Jenna's first show. I also managed to meet her parents on the way to the show and I must say that she did really good!

I managed to catch another show too which was the Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure. The show is based on the film of a same title (excluding Halloween :) and is a representation of current pop culture from past year. And it was a good show! I must say that it did crack me up when "honey boo boo" came to do her routine on the stage. And by the way- thanks to Matt on the previous night for showing the show for me in TV. otherwise I would have had no idea what's going on. (It's an American reality TV show of this southern family and their day to day life. The "star" of the show is their daughter who takes part in beauty pageants around. Google  "honey Boo Boo" and you'll get the idea pretty quick). I managed to get a VIP access as well since some of my new friends Brad and Kristen.

Another highlight of the Horror Nights was "the walking Dead" haunted house. First of all it was the longest wait I've ever had to a theme park - but well worth it. So after apx 70 minutes wait I got to walk through the house and see the recreations of the TV show. (if you have a chance read the comic though! it's brilliant!)

All and all the whole atmosphere in the studios was very spooky and I was very impressed with the whole event all together with the running zombies - creatures - convicts with chainsaws etc. and the scary music on the background with lots of smoke and fire.. it was a great place to visit!

Orlando - Universal Studios

Here's a tip for you kids: Hangover and roller coasters don't go well together!

After a great night out in Orlando I said bye to Jenna and friends and it was time for the "next door" attraction the Universal Studios!

There is another good friend living in Orlando, who actually was my Cruise Director back in 2009 on Vision of the Seas during my first Cruise Staff contract, Matt. He was visiting the parks at the same time with friends so we decided to explore them together.

It was truly like meeting old friends from the past! Simpsons, Back to the Future, terminator, MARVEL peeps, Jurassic Park... all the good stuff. I must say that during that Jurassic park ride when the T-Rex almost gets you right before the big drop and splash the 13 year old Topi inside cried of happiness a little bit. Same you might say when I found myself posing next to the DeLorean from back to the future movies.

All of these great attractions are of course after a line up - but luckily enough, as it was a wednesday late afternoon, the longest wait we had was 20 minutes to a ride.. to most of them we managed to almost just walk in! (normal wait time on an average busy day is 30 -45min) So this made it possible to do all the BIG rides and plenty more. In order we went to MIB - Simpsons - The Mummy - Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit - The incredible HULK - Spiderman - Jurassic Park & Harry Potter. And of course plenty more on the way..

I must say that I was really impressed of the quality of all of these rides and attractions. The Simpsons 4D experience was awesome and the detail of the Hogwarts from Harry Potter made you really think that you were in the movie!

After 6 hours of strenuous walk we came back to Matt's place west of Orlando where I stayed over the night. Thank you Matt!!

Next up: Today I'll drive to the Kennedy Space Center and in the evening check the "Halloween Horror Nights" show in the studios and tomorrow start heading up to Washington DC.

Angry Birds around US

I've started a little filming project while here in the states. I had few ideas prior as to what kind of filming I'd be doing while here and after talking to my friends in Miami I got a great idea from them that I'd take my Angry Bird (which was actually a gift - but I'll bring it back! :) and take pictures of it as I go. With a bit of modification I decided to have the angry bird fly from people to people all around where I go. So I'll try to get all my friends I meet along the way and random people to catch the Angry Bird and pass it on.

I thought that as Angry Birds is one of the latest Finnish success stories it would be "the man for the job" and this way I can capture each and everybody from the travel to one video!

Here's a few preview videos. After the travel I'll edit these into one video.. left to be seen how it comes out.. :)

Matt & Frankie at the Universal Studios

Dr. DOOM!

Orlando

25th tuesday morning was a nervous one. I had managed to book my car on the previous day and adamantly asked the lady in the phone "is that all the expenses that I will have from the car" and after the 3rd time she said "yes" i believed her. And what happened when I got the car from the Hertz counter? Extra charges!! One thing I've learned though traveling in the states before that it seems to be the promised land of hidden charges. No price tag you see is the actual cost of it.. of course mainly because of the tax system. But being from the europe where the price you see is the one you pay - it does get you confused time to time. Though this is something I knew from before so the extra cost of the car didn't come as a surprise. But what a car it is!! I think they felt bad for me at the counter and because they couldn't give me lower price they upgraded my car.. :) It is a Chevrolet Captiva 2011..

Now this is undoubtedly the best car I've ever driven (granted I've never owned a car and d hardly drive back home anyway). But just the control of the car is so comfy and easy. And the best part of it is that it is big enough for me to sleep in if needed! I'll try to find myself a sleeping bag and pillow from a store somewhere today. Anyways. After I got the car I started driving towards Orlando, FL.

Which was of course my first drive and I must say that it felt good. The drive itself was not the most exiting one (of you exclude the occasional missing the intersections and driving in circles to find back to the road). But after I realized that the new iPhone update came with an upgraded map service with a proper driving navigation!! It was all smooth driving. I was headed to the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando, which is right next to the universal studios for my good friend from the ships (Jenna!) was staying there with her friends. And as a first thing (as you do) we had to take the water slide in the pool and order the first Drink. And they both felt good!

The rest of the night was as legendary as the start. We headed up to Downtown Orlando and partied the night away. A proper start to the Journey!

Miami

Getting to Miami was my first goal and after 15 hours of flying I arrived on the 22nd of September. I must say that coming back to Miami felt super good (I spend 4 months here last winter) and not just the city itself but I got some awesome friends here, who were also kind enough to accommodate me for these 5 days I had here to spend.

These 5 days I've spent with getting things organized and setting the final travel plan. Maybe a bit of partying here and there... as one should. Also last Sunday (yesterday) there we had a birthday brunch with one of my best friends here.. And it was not just any brunch, it was a Biltmore Hotel brunch www.biltmorehotel.com It was probably the most expensive Brunch I've ever had - but so worth it! and after we had a photo shoot session (as one should when in one of the most fanciest hotels in the world)

It's been a memorable time again in Miami and during this time I managed to get an US cell number, bank account, last bit's and bob's of the plan and now finally just few hours ago: I got the CAR! For some reason getting the car made me very nervous, as I've never rented one for such a long time and to be true.. I've never driven in US either. So I believe I'm allowed to be a bit nervous. Now tomorrow I'm going to get the car in the morning and start driving towards Orlando where I'll meet another friend who happens to be also working in Universal Studios of Orlando - so it would be a sin to not check them out while there. Next Orlando - 230 miles - 4 hours

Start up

So here's the start up: I got myself to Miami with an idea to drive around US with a friend for some time and then see what happens. Unfortunately he got called to do a contract fill to another ship so I found myself in a new situation, I have 40 days in my hands before I join the Vision of the Seas for another contract doing the caribbean. After some thought I decided to do the full travel by myself and drive around US for 5 weeks with an idea that whatever comes my way. I'll try to blog as much as possible on where I go and what I see. So far the initial plan is to drive up north first to New York - then go check the Niagara Falls and get to Chicago - from where I'll drive the full Route 66 down to California (with a little Las Vegas pit stop on the way)

All and all my plan is to give myself this time and a car and see where I'll find exactly that.