The annual Star Wars Weekends begin next month, and Walt Disney World obviously expects huge crowds at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Many Star Wars fans will be there for the opening of the rebuilt Star Tours simulator ride.

Officials also plan to to nearly double – from 8 to 15 – the number of daily performances of the Jedi Training Academy -  the interactive children’s show staged next to Star Tours.

Hollywood Studios hours have also been extended on the planned opening – May 29th - the day that the new simulator tide is scheduled to debut.    The park will open at 8.00 a.m. instead of 9.00 a.m. and the park’s closing hours will go back from 9.00 p.m. to midnight.

One of the  reasons the park’s management were reluctant to change the Star Tours ride was that Hollywood Studios has fewer rides than most,  ( it has more shows) .  The main reason they finally decided to go ahead with the re-design of the Star Tours was due to the success of the highly popular ride Toy Story Mania! which proved to be so popular that they needed another big ride elsewhere in the park to even out the flow of the crowds.

Polk County’s Marketing group are getting excited about the soon- to- be- opening of the brand new Legoland Florida park at Cypress Gardens. Specifically designed to provide   interactive experiences for children between the ages of 2 and 12 years old, the park will be appealing to families, from toddlers to grandparents .

A new member of the Central Florida Visitors and Convention Bureau is Julie Casey of My Kid’s Plate fame, who will assisting businesses near the Legoland park how to prepare for the onslaught of the pint sized visitors.

Busch Gardens has had two new additions to its collection of animals this spring – a baby cheetah was born and having been abandoned by its mother, had to be hand reared, so to keep the baby company, a labrador puppy was brought in to be its playmate.  The public was asked to choose names for the pair, and photos of the little ones can be found on the Busch Gardens website.  The brand new Cheetah ride will open on May 29th and this will make the seventh Coaster ride at Busch.

Disney is moving right along with its building of the new FantasyLand at the Magic Kingdom.  Scheduled to open in 2012, the Beast’s  Castle ( from Beauty and the Beast) will tower over the rest of Fantasy land.

An artist rendition of the entrance to FantasyLand.

Polk Outpost27 recently hosted a group of local artists giving demonstrations of their painting prowess.  Visitors to Outpost 27 were invited to try it for themselves, and children were particularly involved with some of the works of art on display.

The local Kiwanis Club of Davenport Four Corners will be holding their Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday 14th May;  come along and support the event.  It’s being held at Hunters Creek Golf Club in Orlando, and starts at 1.30  that afternoon.  At 6.00 p.m. there will be a Helicopter Ball drop and the ball closest to the pin will win first prize.   All proceeds from the event will go to help the children of the area.

Mothers’ Day will soon be here, so take the opportunity, if you can, to celebrate Mothers all over the world.

We shall be watching with the rest of the world the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the 29th of this month. Let’s wish them a wonderful day and a happy life together.

LEGOLAND Florida opened its gates yesterday to certain media people and showed off what has been happening so far.  Certainly everything is progressing exactly as planned and the opening will take place in October, as predicted.

Although the  150 acre park is still a construction area, it is easier to see where some of the various displays will  be, and we are told that the infrastructure has almost been finished and that the rides were being put in, buildings were being redesigned and they were beginning to really get a feel for the resort.

The 150-acre resort will feature attractions designed primarily for children aged 2 to 12, with mild roller coasters, car and boat attractions, Lego-building areas, a ski stunt show and small-scale versions of cities made of Lego blocks. Even though much of what we saw was mostly dirt and concrete, much of the Miniland USA will be in place ,as will many of the rides, by July of this year.

Miniland USA will be complete with the state of Florida in miniature as well as mini cities of Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Miniland USA will also feature Florida landmarks, including the Daytona International Speedway and Kennedy Space Center.

The park is located in Winter Haven and is approximately a 30 minute drive from most of Premier Home Management’s vacation homes.    Legoland will be a very child friendly park, aiming at children between the ages of 2 and 12, and will have gentler rides for the little ones to enjoy. Currently they are offering a discounted annual pass for $99 and that ticket will be good from when the park opens and through the end of 2012 but purchases have to be made by April 30 at Legoland.com.

Adrian Jones, General Manager, with the map of Legoland

Sales have been going so well that the the annual-pass price will go up to $159 for adults and $129 for children ages 3-12 after that date so you need to act quickly.

Many many times, my blogs are about holidays/vacations in this exciting and diverse area of Central Florida.

There are several very good reasons for that;  one , I live here, so I know how many things there are to do and see.  Two , our weather ,which  is really not that bad.  Sure, we have cold weather during the winter months, but is is definitely not as bad as many of the other states or countries.  Yes, it can get hot and humid throughout the summer season, but we have air conditioned homes and air conditioned vehicles.  We also have golf courses, fishing, bird watching, bike trails, horseback riding, zip lines, eco tours, air musems, all sorts of sports – the list goes on and on.   We have wonderful vacation homes, and knowledgeable staff to help our guests enjoy their vacations.

This blog has come about because of my recent experience on our own vacation.  We paid for a suite ( 360 sq.ft instead of 290 sq.ft)  on a well known cruise ship so that we would have a good size cabin, and some extra special treats like fresh fruit in the cabin.

The service that we received could not be faulted, our waiters, bar staff and cabin staff were excellent – friendly, efficient and professional.  However, it was obvious that the cruise line were doing what so many businesses are doing nowadays – that is, cutting some of the costs by reducing the size or value of the goods that are provided.  In this case, the food was not so good, and the entertainment was somewhat lower standard than we had been accustomed to.  Prices were high, and excursions were more expensive for a shorter tour, or for a less labour / product intensive trip.

And that brings me to the point of this particular story;  which I was reminded of when I tried to buy a bottle of household washing up liquid.  Without many of us being aware of it, the sizes of many of our regular purchases have been reduced, and it would seem that manufacturers, like our cruise line, are reducing the sizes of product because they don’t want to put the prices up.  Check this for yourself; when you next go to your local grocery store;  look at the size of the product , then look at the price.  The product size will have shrunk, but the price will remain the same or slightly higher.  Now, I know that everyone is in business to make a profit, and if that is the way that manufacturers see as being their way forward, so be it.

My bank seems to have embraced this lower standard – they change staff so frequently that they are mostly only half-trained.  And those staff do not seem too happy in their jobs;  are they there only because they have to be, and are they also affected by this sense of loss of pride in work well done.

But I personally would rather pay a little more for good value than pay a lesser amount for a lower standard of product -  care -  call it what you will.  And Why?  because I want to have a good experience, not a mediocre one, and it seems to me that we are expected to put up with mediocrity, poor service, lower standards.  Why has mediocrity became the new way of life?   Yes, many people are struggling to juggle their lives and their money to ensure that they have food on the table, and there are stores and places for them, but what of the others.  The people like myself who have worked hard all year, who have saved hard for a once a year experience, who want to go away and relax – are we expected to put up with lower standards.

Irrespective of your earning power, surely we all work for a sense of pride and satisfaction in doing our jobs well; in making sure that the people we deal with in our day- to- day lives are treated with respect, and that we show our job satisfaction by providing excellent service to those with whom we work.

Can we go forward to better days when service does not come with a frown or  a scowl, and is instead proffered with a  smiling face and happy attitude

After the indulgences of the Festive Season it’s sometimes a good thing to go out and enjoy the fresh air with a brisk walk.  That’s exactly what we did on the Sunday after Christmas Day.  Having eaten and drunk far more than we should, it was time to retrain our bodies into a stricter regime of exercise and healthy diet.

Our normal festive tradition is to visit Pinewood House at Bo9k Tower Gardens before Christmas, but this year, we had missed that, so we made a plan to go there afterwards, and on Sunday 26th we did exactly that.  It was a chilly day, with a strong breeze coming from the Artic, so we bundled up into warm clothes and set off for the 20 minute drive through the orange groves to Lake Wales.

The groves are full of fruit at this time of year, and set against the dull brown of the dying grass, they look green and colourful and full of bright orange globes of tangerines, oranges and clementines.  Later on in the year the groves will show the grapefruit and the lemons and limes that  grow so readily here in Central Florida.

From the road that we took, the Bok Tower stands against the skyline for almost the whole of the journey, and is well signposted from the highway.

Once we turned into the main entrance and paid our entrance fee for both the Gardens  and the tour of Pinewood House, we drove through more citrus groves along the ridge.  Bok Tower stands on one of the highest  points in this area, and you can look out over the groves to the towns and cities in the distance.

Arriving at the car park – not many people about today! – we walked towards the main entrance.

The main entrance to Bok Tower Gardens

Entering the building our eyes were drawn to the sight of the magnificent decorated tree in the center of the room.  Being greeted by members of staff, shown  the historical story of the gardens,  and having received our maps and directions, we left and walked out towards the gardens themselves.  The sun was shining fitfully, and the brisk walk did much to lift our spirits and energise the body.  There are still many things to see, even during the winter months;  the gardens themselves are through the woods and have secretive grottoes, hidden corners, statues, both modern and old, and even  flowering shrubs, in particular the camellias which were blooming.  There is also a light perfume in the air, and we assume it is the scent from the citrus fruits and the camellias.   Squirrels scamper among the leaves or drop down to the feeders that are strategically placed for guests to see them.

Suirrel feeding center

Pinewood House itself is a 1930 Mediterranean style home commissioned by Edward Buck for his winter retreat.  Built before the days of air conditioning here in Florida, this house is a prime example of how the air flow was managed dur9ing the summer to keep the house as cool as possible.  With large double doors and window on opposite sides of the long ground floor, that can be opened for a cross flow of cooling breezes, surrounded by old oaks trees for shade, and with deeply set back windows on the second floor,  one can imagine just how naturally air conditioned this home would have been.

Once inside we were amazed at the decorations this year.  Each year, this home is decorated for Christmas by various volunteer groups who each take a room and decorate to a theme.  The theme this year was Victorian Christmas, and according to the docent, the Victorians used whatever was in their homes as decor.  They also tended to go over the top, so as one walked into the entrance hall, the view from the drapes lace and ribbons, along with assorted nosegays and fans intertwined through light fittings, and around mirrors can be somewhat overwhelming.    From there we were invited to take a look at the pantry, which was beautifully showcased with decorations, but where there was a good deal of old fashioned cooking equipment and products that would have been in use when the house was built.  Moving on , we entered the dining room, again, elaborately decorated for a Victorian Christmas meal.  In almost every room there were decorations that really spoke to the season, and one of those was in the loggia which was themed with Father Christmas .

the Father Christmas room

My other favourite was the Music Room, which was set up with white trees and various instruments. with music from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra playing in the background; this room was part of the main living room with its fireplace and sofas facing the other tree in the corner.

After the music room, one is directed up a small winding staircase to the bedroom area, and again, many beautiful decorations transform the landing and the children’s bedrooms into a wonderland.  Other bedrooms are decorated to various themes, and in one bedroom called  Lucy’s bedroom,themed A Child’s  Dream, it is absolutely chock-a-block with toys from the Disney films and parks.

the main staircase

the urn and poinsettias

Having made our way back down the main staircase, we exited through the front door into the gardens again, past the poinsettia displays along the path and back out into the chilly wind.

Offered a shuttle ride back to the main entrance, we declined and walked up to the top of the ridge to view Bok Tower itself.  Silhouetted against the pastel sun, and surrounded by the towering oaks and palms, and framed by the pool where the swans were chasing food thrown by the other visitors, it was extremely difficult to photograph.     There was one photo , however, that did show some of the detail around the top of the tower.   The carillon concerns take place on a regular basis, and according to each daily programme, there will be carillons during your visit.

From the top of the ridge and the stunning views we made pour way back to the car park and the welcome warmth of the car.    A mug of hot chocolate completed our trip today.

Bok Tower

You can find more details on www.boktowergardens.org;  tel 863 676 1408

Do make the opportunity to visit these gardens whenever you are in Central Florida;  they are an oasis of peace and tranquillity.

Some of Polk County’s best kept secrets can be found if you leave the concrete jungle behind and follow the perfume of the orange blossom.        Here’s  a wonderful secret I would like to share with you, though.

Drive out of Haines City towards Lake Alfred – why would anyone take the road for Lake Alfred, I hear you ask.    Well it’s the easy way to Auburndale, where there’s a huge weekend Flea Market for one thing;  it’s also the back road to Lakeland if you don’t fancy the road trip along the Interstate.   What I like about this route are  the views across the lakes  on the way , and the fact that I can drive  on peaceful and quiet roads  enjoying the views, and relaxing in knowing  that there’s no-one behind me pushing me to faster and faster speeds.   The Interstates are great for getting somewhere fast, but you’re on vacation; who needs it??

Just two miles or so outside Haines City on the Lake Alfred Road you’ll come across a small white building with a sign outside saying Lang Sun Country Groves. Just pull in there – plenty of car parking spaces, and if the road spaces are full, pull up into the grassy area at the side of the building.  You might see a few folks sitting on the shady veranda sipping coffee or iced tea.

This could  give you a clue that Lang’s is not just a Citrus grower.  

Take a walk inside the gift shop and you’ll be amazed; everything from soft toys to citrus wines!   There’s citrus honey from the bee hives used in the groves; there’s fresh orange juice; there are cuddly toys, souvenir teaspoons, candies, and all sorts of goodies to take your fancy.  What’s more, there’s a cafe; and this is well worth the visit.

On my way to the order counter I passed two ladies who were eating  an orange and vanilla soft scoop icecream each;  the look of pure pleasure on their faces made me stop and ask if they were enjoying it  “Oh, Yes” , came the answer, “you should try it.”    Not for me this time;  I was after the Ruby Grapefruit Pie that Lang’s Taste of Florida is famous for.   However, I could have had all sorts of delicious dishes; from freshly made salads to  Croissants filled with a variety of fish or meats, to Soups and Wraps , and of course, Desserts!

So the Red Grapefruit Pie for me this time……………. and since I was on my way elsewhere, I took it away with me.  The tables are covered in blue gingham cloths, with handpainted chairs ready for the seated diners, or guests can have their lunch or snack out on the veranda, either to take a shady seat or to enjoy the autumn sun.

The Grapefruit Pie has been mentioned on TV and in several Food Critic’s writings, and is well worth a visit just for that.  However, there’s a fascinating history to this pie and to the Taste  of Florida anyway.

I spoke to the current owner, Debbie Lang Brozio , who told me that her Grandmother had developed the recipe for the Grapefruit Pie, and it was Mary Lang, her grandmother ( 1913 – 2008) who had originally shipped the first box of fresh citrus 57 years ago to a customer who had received a hand written postcard from Mary.

Mary Lang’s speciality was cooking with citrus, and I have been fortunate enough to have copies of some of her recipes.  Before I get into the recipes though, I want to remind you that not only is the Taste of Florida somewhere to have a delicious lunch, it is also a great place to choose boxes of citrus fruit to send to your friends.

Incidentally, no, I didn’t share my Pie   it was absolutely yummy and definitely all mine!!

One important point, though,  about this well kept secret;  you’ll only find it open during the fruit season; so from 1st October to May will be the only months when you can sample some of Mary Lang’s own recipes, and find a special gift that shows you have visited the Real Florida.

Here’s one of the recipes from Mary Lang’s own recipe book, along with the story from Debbie.

“Growing up in the Lang house, we spent many happy hours in the kitchen.  The family would meet every Sunday and this was an event you didn’t dare miss, nor did you want to.  Grandma Mary was an amazing cook and working from her recipes written on scraps of paper usually scattered about she would spend half the day cooking.  Spending time together with her in that kitchen are my fondest memories of her.  Today at my house we all gather in the kitchen , everybody gets involved and we have fun.”

Fuzzy Navel Pie

1   6oz graham cracker pie crust

1.5 tablespoons melted butter

1.5 cups Lang’s Navel orange sections ( approx 4 or 5 medium oranges

4 oz Cream cheese, softened

half cup sugar, plus 1.5 tablespoons sugar, spearate

2.5 tablespoons corn starch

half cup plus 2 tablespoons water

half cup plus 2 tablespoons orange juice

1 (3 oz) package peach flavoured gelatin

whipped cream

If using a purchased pie crust , pre heat oven to 300 degrees.  Brush purchased crust with melted butter and bake for 10 minutes.  leave to cool.

Beat cream cheese  and 1.5 tablespoons sugar together until creamy.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine remaining half cup of sugar and cornstarch.  Add water and cook over medium heat till thick and clear. Remove from heat and add orange juice and gelatin.  Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Set aside.

Add half cup gelatin mixture to cream cheese mixture, beating until completely incorporated. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or unitl mixture starts to thicken.  Spoon cream cheese mixutre into prepared pie crust.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until it sets.

Arrange orange segments in patter on top of the cream cheese layer. Gently pour remaining gelatin mix over the oranges, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or until  set.  Top with whipped cream

Enjoy; and make yours a  favourite for family Sunday .

Not really…………what we do have is some of the best weather of the year at the moment.   Clear blue skies, cool mornings, low humidity, high temperatures  – this is the weather to make you want to get outside and enjoy all that Central Florida and the beaches can offer.   It’s Oktoberfest at Daytona, so if you’re a biker fan, head across to the Atlantic coastline.

Outdoor sports are pleasurable, whether you’re a golfer, fisherman, hiker, horse rider, cyclist or motorbike enthusiast.   And, it’s still warm enough for sunbathing and swimming.   Local farmers’ markets are full of fresh autumnal produce;  craft shows abound in local towns and city parks.

It’s also Orlando’s Magical Dining Month, and Polk County’s Culinary Celebration;   this is the opportunity to find out which of the better restaurants you enjoy eating at.  All the featured restaurants offer special pricing for this month and you can enjoy unique dining experiences at affordable prices.

As the cool weather increases and the daylight fades, here are a few ways to warm up your home.

Use the change in the seasons to move photos and artwork around in your rooms.

Brighten up a room with colourful throws and cushions;  change a lampshade or two into warmer colours.  Match or contrast your existing colour range with items that make the room “pop’ visually.

Make use of white;  fresh white paint on woodwork;  a vase of white flowers; a white bowl filled with red or green fruit; white bedding – white makes everything look crisp and clean.

Chnge your lightbulbs; regular lightbulbs have a yellowish tinge to them which can make your  rooms look dull and dreary; change them for halogen bulbs that are designed to emit a pure, white light.

Hang mirrors on walls opposite windows;  they will reflect light back into a room, making it look larger and brighter.  The larger the mirror the more light will bounce back.

Battery operated “candles” that give a cozy glow to a room, without the risk of fire from being knocked over by energetic kids or pets

Halloween is almost here with all its thrills and scares for adults and children alike, depending on their likes and dislikes.  For those who really enjoy being scared half to death, Universal’s Halloween Horror nights is the place to go, while for the little ones, Mickey’s Not So Scary Party is more suitable.

Enjoy this season, when  our Florida woodlands show some changes in leaf colour; when the wild turkeys flock onto the golf courses, and when many of our gardens develop swathes of colour from plants that enjoy the slightly cooler and less humid air.

Inside news from LEGOLAND Florida. Yes, it’s coming !   Fall of 2011 is definitely the target date.  We all know that it could run over  depending on weather conditions, ground breaking and construction issues, but the LEGOLAND staff are pushing hard for that to be the completion date; somewhere between October 1st and December 21st is officially what is called “Fall” or Autumn if you are from the UK.

The LEGOLAND Florida park is going to be the 5th LEGOLAND park , and the largest to date, being 150 acres of exciting shows and rides.  One of the most interesting things that has come out of the discussions is that for those of us who enjoyed visiting the Botanical Gardens at Cypress Gardens, the gardens will remain as part of the new park.   So will the Mansion and the Water Ski Show that  many visitors to Central Florida are familiar with.   This is wonderful news for some of our more mature visitors who like to come to Central Florida during the winter and spring months.

LEGOLAND emphasize the interactivity of their parks, and certainly the plans for the Central Florida park are going to provide that for the small “Heroes” who are their target audience.  There will be nine different themed areas, called Blocks.   A Block is what they call the themed zones, and a Brick is the LEGO piece that children use for their creative constructions !

From the first area to the right of the Entrance, called The Beginning, children can go to Castle Hill, where there will be a Dragon Rollercoaster which apparently runs through the castle, onward to Fun Town, then to the  Land of Adventure,with its dinosaur theme,  onward to the City, where there is the Firehouse , Police Stations, Fire Engines and water pumping hoses.  The Imagination Zone is next on the list, and is where creativity takes first place.  A wild Coaster ride is next at the Xtreme block, and finally the children reach Miniland, which is especially designed for the younger end of the spectrum, with Gamesville, and Duplo,  slides and smaller rides.

There will be restaurants, and one of LEGOLAND‘s favourite menu items can be found – “granny fries”  – this is a snack comprising slices of apple,( the healthy option), dipped in sugar and cinnamon (uh, oh) and deep fried ( oh dear, there goes the healthy bit).  Apparently those who have tried them absolutely adore them.

LEGOLAND takes pride in offering good healthy food, so it is unlikely that you or your children will be served burgers, hot dogs or fries.

The planning also includes the BIG Shop where LEGO merchandise can be found, including some pieces unique to the Florida park.     There will  be a Factory Tour for those who are interested where you can see how the bricks are made and designs created.

If your children or grandchildren are between the ages of two and twelve, let them know that “Heroes are Wanted” at LEGOLAND Florida.

As a footnote, some of our Florida visitors may recall the 40 foot tall open air dome that sheltered part of the entrance area of the old Cypress Gardens.  That has now been dismantled, since it didn’t fit into the plans of the LEGOLAND Florida park,.  The contractor who was hired to dismantle and haul it away is a member of a local church  and when he asked if the church would like it, they replied that they would.  The 125 foot diameter dome was re-engineered and installed behind the church in Lakeland.  It now protects the arriving and departing congregation from the sun and the rain.

Traveling with dogs

If you own a dog, like me, you’re always looking for places to visit, to stay and to enjoy along with your pet.  Because  I too try to find suitable accommodation for our family and our pet, we find ourselves in the same predicament as many loving pet owners.  Where can we go, where can we stay, where can we eat outside and where can we take our dog for walks.??

That’s why we have great pleasure in being able to offer pet friendly vacation homes! The biggest advantage of staying in a home rather than an hotel is the sheer ease of settling in with your pet.  Dogs are far happier in a home than a hotel room – there is less unfamiliar noise, for one thing.  My dog has a habit of barking at unfamiliar noises, like other guests passing along the corridor outside our room.  She hates the sound of vacuum cleaners, so that’s another problem;  they’re always cleaning the hallways of hotels.  And in a vacation home, we can bring her own bed, blankets, and food bowls.  The outside is easier to access, so taking our pet for a walk is less stressful; most homes are in quiet developments with sidewalks, and open areas that we can walk to and from.

Florida has just been confirmed as having one of the top five dog friendly areas in the United States.  We are fortunate enough to have Fort De Soto beach on our doorstep.  It takes about 2 hours easy drive from Central Florida to reach the famous Fort de Soto doggy beach, where dogs and humans mingle happily on the sands and in the calm Gulf waters.

Jilly on Fort de Soto beach

There are two fenced dog runs for off leash play;  one for smaller dogs and one for the larger breeds, complete with water bowls and showers to wash the sand and salt off.  Shaded seating areas for owners are also provided.

With miles of sandy beach to run along, and soft and gentle waves, dogs of all ages and sizes have great fun .  Obviously all dogs must be kept under control, and sometimes if the larger dogs appear to be too boisterous we tend to walk further along the beach to provide ourselves and our little one some peace and quiet.

The end result of a trip to Fort De Soto is a happy and tired pet, with a grand vacation home to return to, with all the comforts of home.  Their own blanket, doggie bed and food bowls.  What more could a pet on vacation want?

This is our Jilly

We are the proud and loving owners of  a  Jack Russell terrier called Jilly.  She is affectionate and stubborn and totally frustrating when she is chasing squirrels or searching our garage for mice that may have some in out of the winter cold.  However, she is an important member of our family and spends her days with me in the office and her evenings  curled up on the sofa with us.

So for this very reason, we cannot possibly conceive of putting her in a kennel if we want to go away.  Therefore, for us to take a vacation means finding accommodation that will take our pet.

There are a  few pointers to safely and comfortably taking your pet on vacation with you.  Firstly make sure that the place where you want to stay is happy about your dog or cat.  Some accommodations have restrictions on weight or size, or even breed restrictions.

Most of us who intend to have our pet with us already know that our beloved dog or cat is house-trained and fully vaccinated, but the owner of the accommodation might need to be reassured on that count.  It’s also useful to check for local pet stores in the area where you are going so that you can get Fido’s special treats, or Kitty’s toy mice, should you happen to need them.   Here are a few pointers that may help to keep you and your pet safe and comfortable on your vacation.

Hey, we're coming too!

1. Firstly you should assess your pet’s traveling capabilities. Very old or very young pets can be affected greatly by the experience of a long trip. If your pet has any illness or injury make sure to be informed about his or her condition and whether it will complicate during travel by asking your vetinarian.
2. You should also talk with your vet about where you will be traveling, how and for how long. Be sure to ascertain about any ticks, fleas or heartworms that can harm your pet at any of the places that you plan to go. If your pet has any problems while traveling such as motion sickness ask your vet about treatments or medication he could prescribe.
3. Ask your vet if your pet has all the necessary up to date vaccinations and obtain a health and rabies certificate. This is especially important if you will be traveling by plane since airports require that you have the certificate issued no earlier than 10 days before you take off.
4. Make sure to buy the appropriate crate for your pet’s travels, this includes: sturdiness, plentiful ventilation, a door that securely locks, an interior free of affliction possibilities and above all plenty of space to move around. You should also get one that can be grabbed easily from the outside where the animal can’t harm.
5. Put tags on your pet that have all the current information such as owner’s name, a phone number, an address and proof of vaccination. As an extra security measure you might want to get your pet micro chipped which will make it very easy to find him or her in case you become separated.
6. Before you depart make sure to clip your pet’s nails so that he or will be easier to restrain as well as diminish the prospect of causing unwanted damage. If your pet has fleas or ticks make sure to apply the proper treatments so that he or she doesn’t infest their new environments.
7. For the worst case scenario in which you and your pet become separated you should come with a list of helpful information regarding him or her as well as a recent photograph. Among the information included you should have the breed, call name, age, coat type, color, characteristic markings and microchip number.
8. You should always have plenty of fresh water at your side. Don’t introduce food to your pet that is very different from what you ordinarily feed him to avoid any complications. If you can’t find your dog’s brand of food you should introduce him or her to a new type gradually and be attentive to any changes due to diet.
9. You should bring with you a strong leash, sheets for your dog to lay as to make sure he is not sitting on furniture or bedding, plenty of pet food that may not be available, lots of water, your pets food and water bowl and make sure to wash them regularly, and toys for them to play with for some stimulation.
10. You might also want to bring with you tweezers for removing unwanted creatures or objects, baby wipes to clean them off, waste removal bags, first aid kit (especially if you’re traveling somewhere remote), a flashlight for walks out in the dark, comfortable bedding, disinfectant spray may come in handy and also carpet cleaning items.

This list might at first glance seem like a lot of things to worry about, but traveling with children requires very similar needs to be filled.  OK, perhaps not the rabies certificate or the pet crate but…………….

One of the fun things to do with your dog are the walks together;  this is Jilly on Fort de Soto beach; she actually dislikes getting wet, so rather than running into the sea, she ran alongside the little ripples of breaking waves, barking madly.  Cleverly, I thought, I rolled up my trousers, and went into the sea to my knees, beckoning and calling for her to come in with me.  No chance!  so when I had had enough I turned to look out to sea.

There was  a huge splash, and the back of my trousers were soaked through.  Jilly had launched herself into the sea, well beyond her depth and now was panic stricken and swimming wildly towards me.  After that she reverted to running along the sand.  No way was she going to do that again.!

Fort De Soto is on the Gulf Coast of Florida and is an interesting place, not just because it has a full length dog beach, and a dog park.  The dog park is fully fenced, and has two sections, one for small dogs and the other side is for larger dogs whose boisterous play may scare some of the smaller or elderly dogs.

There is also an actual fort, a beach for humans to swim and sunbathe , a fishing pier, cycle hire, canoe hire and picnic areas, as well as walks through the woods .  The best time to visit Fort De Soto is early in the year;  as the weather warms up it can become rather crowded, and during the height of the summer it may even be too warm for you and your pet.

There are many dog friendly parks in the Central Florida area;  Orlando, Kissimmee, Winter Park, Wekiva Springs and other towns in the area, have Off-leash parks for pets and their owners.  As well as the dog parks, there are many outdoor restaurants and cafes where you can sit and eat or drink with your pet.  That’s the pleasure of having a  sunny and warm climate.   We always carry a bottle of water with us as it can get very warm when out walking.  Celebration in Florida is a great place to walk our dog;  there is a good long walk around the lake, there’s a Farmer’s Market to visit on Sundays, tables and chairs outside most of the restaurants and coffee shops, and lots of other people with the same idea, so socialised dogs  are very welcome.

Many of our smaller towns and cities welcome your pet and have specialised pet shops where you can buy  clothes, bakery goods, jewelled collars  and so on – all for your dog or cat.

Cannonball!!

As you can see, we enjoy our time with  Jilly, and we know how important that pleasure  is to other pet lovers, so if you decide to visit Central Florida call us – we have pet friendly vacation rental homes waiting to give you and your family pet  a vacation that’s not to be sniffed at !