Just Back From Kissimmee

[Troy Tempest]

Hi Folks

Well, thats something you dont want to try again,
Got back late Tuesday after the inevitable flight cancellation, after half an hour on the phone to United Airlines rebooking flights and re-hiring a car,(earliest available flight for all 5 of us Monday evening) we went back to our villa in Buenaventura lakes to see the damage in daylight and decided that staying there would be the last option what with no power, water, phone and all, so a trip off to the 192 to seek food water shelter etc.

When we saw the devastation of Kissimmee we realised that this would be a tall order.

This is the KFC sign on the 192


80 miles of circling and the area found us a room at the Days Inn on International Drive as the people from Tampa had just checked out, and by the time we got ourselves unloaded and the kids watching Nickleodean again, the hotel was full up.

Saturday night was spent at TGI Fridays when we found that a curfew was now in place from 11:00 pm to 6:00 am ( which is still in place)

From what we saw there wasn't an area of Orlando/Kissimmee that hadn't been affected but the most distressing was the after effects of such a disaster.The have and the have-nots argueing over the right to have a bag of ice (Pubix on 192) or a punch up over petrol (at the Race Trac garage on the Oceola Parkway)

From what we heard from friends still there is that it's still hasn't improved much.

This is a list from Progress Energy Florida for those that may be effected going out soon or indeed are still there (hmm! but without electricity wouldn't know that!)

Lake Buena Vista by midnight Wednesday, Aug. 18

Majority of Osceola County by midnight Wednesday, Aug. 18

Sebring (Highlands County) by midnight Wednesday, Aug. 18

Apopka and Ocoee area by midnight Thursday, Aug. 19

Significant portions of Seminole County by midnight Thursday, Aug. 19, remainder Friday, Aug. 20

Volusia County by midnight Friday, Aug. 20

Holopaw by midnight Friday, Aug. 20

Remainder of Orange County by midnight Saturday, Aug. 21

Wauchula (Hardee County) by midnight Sunday, Aug. 22

Polk and Highlands counties by midnight Sunday, Aug. 22

Hardee County (hardest-hit area) by midnight, Sunday, Aug. 22 (two days sooner than previous estimate)

On the way to the airport Monday evening we saw that the Florida Mall car park was being used as a staging post for all the out of state power workers coming to help out repairs, which must be encouraging for the locals.

Apart from that we good time!!

Wet and Windy now has a whole new meaning for me!!

Neil

This was taken by a friend of mine in downtown Orlando

[Liam_Sandie]

Hi Neil

Sorry to hear you were caught up with Charley on your trip, it makes is all so real seeing the pictures and hearing just how is affects everyone. You are absolutely right the after effects are tremendous for everyone and it will take time to get things back on track again, heres hoping it doesn't take too long[msnsad]

Sandie

[shenon]

i bet your friend was scared but the photo is amazing and glad you are all ok

[hadrian]

Hi Neil, we drove along 192 on the Saturday after Charley on our way to the airport. Your right, there is so much damage over such a wide area it is difficult to take in. The stationary traffic on the I4 west was staggering as people tried to get back to Tampa. I heard on the radio the traffic was backed up for 80 miles.

Hadrian

[ravtino]

Hi I am glad you are home safely, we just got out on time, we left on the Thursday virgin to Manchester, its Ok been delayed if everthings OK but not for the wrong reasons. Where were you staying in BVL we were in Lakeside which was pretty near, and the villa we have seen to purchase is in this area?

[Troy Tempest]

Hi Ravtino

We were very near you in Remington Pointe, the damage around there was very indiscriminate. The houses in our street were structurly sound but turn the corner onto Lakeside Drive and the trees along the center median had all but gone taking out the power lines and peoples garden walls and some rooves to houses.

Neil

[Daniel Snell]

Hi Neil sounds like quite an experiance you had. That picture you took of the storm coming over Orlando Wow!!

Neil,

Did your friend send that photo to the press as it was in the Orlando Sentinel too!!

We are still out in Florida and the clear up is slow but we have seen some horrendous sights!

[huckleberry house]

It was also online on one of the news channels, reportedly taken by their reporters on the spot !!


Lesley

[Jean]

We (my son , daughter-in-law and 2 grandaughters) were staying in the Howard Johnson on the 192 when the hurricane arrived. We were all terrified, could hear crashing of trees, glass and roofing materials. The next day when we went to look it was devastating, we could not get out because trees were blocking the path. The motel was so badly damaged that it was closed down. We were only there for 2 nights, luckily we were moving on to our villa on the afternoon of the 14th August. When we arrived at the villa we had no water no electric. no phone and practically no petrol in the car and no food. We went on to the 17/92 and found Walgreens, open but in the dark, allowing only one customer in at a time and only cash transactions. I managed to get packets of cereal and a couple of tins chickens pieces and drinking water- we had boiled up the pool water for washing previously - and we survived until the water came on and then the electric but we still did not have petrol for car so decided to stay in the villa until things calmed down a bit. I rang the Sheriff and asked where the nearest gas station was, knowing we only had sufficient petrol to get at the very most 2 miles. He pointed us in the right direction thank goodness.
Then we had the storm which knocked out the electric again, also knocked out all televisions and the phone. But having taken a good look around we considered ourselves very lucky. The kids managed to get MGM, Universal and Busch Gardens, and the rain did'nt seem bother them too much.
When we left for Sandford Airport on the 26th August, we arrived to find the queue for check in outside. We stood in the queue for almost 2 hours and then nearly another hour to go through security.
We were glad to get home but we still managed to enjoy our stay in Kissimmee.


Jean