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Hi I am gillian, a little bit new to the forums, and first to say hello on this new one. Absolutely love reading the forums and have made a new email penpal from u.s. since joining. Going to Florida in 6 weeks (wish it was tomorrow). Have 3 lovely ( when they are asleep) children and a lovlier hubby (sometimes!). Will talk to anyone so if you fancy a blether get in touch.
Loveeeee Gillian
Hi Gilly
Welcome to the forum. We are a friendly lot on here and all love chatting about Florida so dont be shy to chat away. Tell us a bit about your forthcoming holiday. Where are you staying? Are you a homeowner or are you renting? Is it your first time in Florida?
Hi Gilly,
I hope you enjoy your trip and that all the info and tips you have help you and your family get the most out of it.Looking forward to a report when you return.
bellaepovera
24-05-2003, 21:04
Welcome to the forum!! Please tell us all about your upcoming trip.
Hi Gillian We are also off to Florida but have to wait until october we are staying at Oak Island Harbour this will be our 4th trip but I suspect not the last
Hi everyone, yes you do all seem a very friendly and helpful lot. I'm not a home owner (unfortunatly) and we're staying in Rogers 5 bed home on Crescent Lakes. We have been to Florida only once before and I fell in love with the whole place. Last time we were there we stayed in an appartment so I am looking forward to having the freedom and privacy of a villa. I think the forums are brilliant, I have had lots of tips and information that I think will be invaluable for our holiday. Keep up the good work. :D Gillian x
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
25-05-2003, 01:27
Hello Gilly - welcome to the forums.
You should have a great time - Roger's 5 bed is beautiful and a great location too :D.
Hello Gilly
"Fancy a Blether", ye wouldnie be fea north o' the border would ye? I was born in England but have tartan blood in the veins, both parents were from Glasgow. Whilst in Florida you may wish to visit 'Old Town' on 192, IF you find you cannot do without some of those British goodies you would normally take for granted - but be prepared to dig deep.
Hope your trip goes well.
Hi every one,
I am also new to this area, though I have been reading interesting topics for a few weeks, and got some good advice about swimming with dolphins when I posed my first question - on line.
We are looking at travelling to Orlando late July 04 (yes in the summer holiday)- I know its very early to sort out - but I do like to be prepared!!. We will be a party of 8 - my family - also beautiful when asleep and my brother in law's family. I will be very interested to hear how other's have found the area at this time - I seem to be receiving a lot of negative info. about traveling at this time of year (but we don't have much choice) - very very hot, expect rain for a couple of hours every afternoon, take plenty of insectocide!!, there is not much to see in the everglades.
Can anyone who is going or has been at this time cheer me up?
Also flights - its a long time since we have done a long haul - do all airlines now offer screens in rear of seats or only some?, our children (bless the little darlings will be 6,8,8 and 11) we hope to do a direct flight but none have done long haul before, and speaking for my own 2, I know it will keep them pretty happy to be able to choose their own viewing for a few hours.
As if that wasn't enough the two "men" in the party are +6ft 4" tall will they be able to travel without there knees rubbing their noses! in economy seats - or when they get off the plane will they spring out like cartoon characters!?
wow - just read this and its a book - sorry but any advice (if you manage to get this far) gratefully received.
Jane
Hi Jane
I've been to Florida in July and had a fantastic time. Yes, it is very hot, and yes you do get rain late in the afternoon but it adds to the excitement of being in Florida.
The parks are pretty busy at this time of year so you can expect long queques unless you use the express tickets. These make life a bit easier in the heat.
I feel sorry for the men.... I know what I feel like sitting in those seats for hours and I'm only 5' 3"
Sometimes kids surprise you. I've been on a 3 hour flight and they have been restless and a bit moany but, for some reason, on the long haul flight they have been brilliant.
I'm sure you will all have a magical time in July.
Hi Jane
We regularly go out in July/August as our children are senior school age, so have to go in UK school holidays.
Yes it is very warm then and you should allow for what we call the 3 o'clock showers. If we are going to the parks we try and pace ourselves, as otherwise it is just too much. We try and get to the parks as early as possible (have teenagers, this is almost an oxymoron!!) and then come back for a late lunch and laze by the pool, and go back for the early evening entertainment. We can then cope with the heat, feel relaxed and enjoy it all instead of just getting hot and bothered and give up!
We have stayed on the Gulf Coast at this time 3 times, twice at Sanibel and once at Marco Island and Naples. We've done some boat trips which have been great fun and lovely to have the dolphins racing the boats! I think this was almost the highlight of my daughters' trips.
And if it rains, well we just force ourselves to shop!! I almost forgot, the golf-mad person in our household usually manages to play some golf as well, but you have to get up very early or it is just too hot to move. He used to drag me off with him, but if some of his golfing mates are out they go off together. If he has the car the girls and I while away the hours painting our nails by the pool. It's a hard life isn't it!!!
chrizzy100
26-05-2003, 22:02
hi...I think my post got lost....a good start.....hehehehehe
I'm moving full time to Tuscan Ridge....'The village'..Christmas we think....the snow in Mass was fun.....but now it'll be nice to have sunny weather......we now live on Cape Cod in Mass.....we maybe buying a smaller house on the Cape for my husbands job.....if he wants to stay at it....so it could just be me and my son down there for a while...we are Brits..we're lived in the USA 3 years....but we came here to move around the country.....so Orlandos going to be our second stop....until my son finishes high school....
Andy & Arlene
27-05-2003, 03:15
Hi welcome to the forum Chrizzy.
How did you manage to get visas to stay in the US?
chrizzy100
27-05-2003, 04:46
My husband got a job offer ....they paid for us to come over...paid for the greencards...so here we are....:)
We wanted to live in Orlando after a trip there in 91....so we're now on our way.....
Andy & Arlene
27-05-2003, 16:04
Thanks for answering, but what happens if your husband changes jobs when you move to Florida. Are your green cards not reliant on him being sponsored by his present employer?
chrizzy100
27-05-2003, 20:25
No you can work for anyone with a greencard......he's staying on the Cape for the first year....we'll be looking for a Condo....we want to keep a foothold on the Cape while we still can.....the house prices are mad round here....we made a hundred and eighty thousand dollars in 3 years here on our house.....
And to be honest....we would make more money renting out a small 2 bedroom condo on the Cape...then we ever could with a villa in Orlando.....the house we own now...if we wanted to rent it out for the 6 months of the season...we would get around two thousand dollars a week for it......and around sixteen hundred a month in the winter.....but that would be a lot of hard work....the houses here need a lot of care.....
Investment wise I'd keep a foothold in the Cape if I were you, there's virtually none or very little appreciation on houses in Florida. I though the schooling is better up there as well?
chrizzy100
27-05-2003, 21:49
[Right now....we're looking to just own our home out right......I'm no longer worried about making money on the house in Florida....
The schools here are OK...my son's in a very good tech high school...he's not sure if he'll stay here...or come down with me.....the cost of living on the Cape is very high....you need to have a very good wage to live here.....lets say...in Orlando my husband could bring home half of what he does here and we would still keep our standered of living the same....
You'll not be able to buy any home here soon under three hundred thousand....even a garden shed....:)
No worse than in the Thames Valley area Chrissie, can't get anything for under £150K here - and that's a starter home with 1 room!!!
Hi all,
Thanks for info and advice re: July (summer holiday)in orlando. I now feel a lot happier, sounds like express tickets are a must for parks! - and can you believe I hadn't even thought about shopping!! (I must get out more)
Jane
chrizzy100
28-05-2003, 00:52
My mum just told me the house prices are high....my parents moved to Wales last year....their house is now worth 30 thousand more than they paid for it new......
I've gotten to know Gilly and she's awesome. You will love it here because we all do. Just don't stop writing after you come back from your trip. Welcome to the forum!!!!!
Your web friend,
Amirah