Florida
- Day 22
Friday 14th November 2025
Participants: Tam, Kev, India, Georgia and Charlie
We're going home today and we're up around 8.00 am and take our time over breakfast. We've managed to get the level of provisions about right this time. Usually we're left with loads of cereal or beer or bread. This time all we leave is a few peanuts and half a bottle of rum.
We pack and leave the room at 10.00 am and take our luggage for storage at Bell Services. In the past we've spent travelling home days in different ways such as relaxing around the pool. This time we're going into Epcot. Our first stop is at the Ratatouille ride as it's just reopened today after a brief refurbishment to change from 3D to 2D. I actually prefer this version as I often spend loads of time in the ride trying to work out the 3D.
We stroll around World Showcase popping into various shops before ending up at Test Track where we utilise the single rider line, which takes about 20 minutes. I quite like the new version although there are a few bare areas with not much happening.
I'm not sure what Tam's just shown the little boy next to her, but he seems to have found it rather disturbing.
The chap next to Inds is trying to get a selfie with me. You can't blame him.
We get the Friendship boat from Canada to Germany just because we haven't done this in years and then walk to the American Pavillion for the Regal Eagle Smokehouse. Tam and I share the BBQ chicken and burnt ends beans. I also try a Moonshine Sour, which is too sweet for me, so I get a beer instead.
Back
to The Boardwalk where we retrieve our luggage and change into
going home clothes. An Uber to the airport where we spend 1 1/2
hours getting through bag drop and security. To be fair most of
this is due to the queue at bag drop. I thought checking in
online was supposed to speed things up? It doesn't seem any
quicker than when you just turned up and did everything at the
airport. At least the flight home is on time and uneventful.
The last leg of our journey is not so straighforward as the
trains are a nightmare. We get to Reading ok, but then have an
hour wait for our connecting train. Unfortunately there was a lot
of rain in the UK yesterday and some of the trains have been
cancelled including the previous train to the one that we are
catching. This means that the train from London is rammed by the
time it reaches us. We are very lucky to squeeze onboard with our
2 large suitcases and are stood by the toilets for the whole
journey. More people try to cram on at Didcot and Swindon, so
it's certainly not an enjoyable trip. Anyway, we arrive home
safely and that's the most important thing.
Overall
we had a fantastic time. St Augustine was delightful and Anna
Maria Island as good as we remembered. It was great to have the
family together as well as being able to meet up with old friends
Sharon and Evan. The weather could have been better at times (I
thought Florida is the Sunshine State?), but very little rain is
always a good thing. On to the next holiday!