The hotel is very basic with 2 double beds (not really any better than the ones at RMH), a desk, a very uncomfortable chair, a TV which has been switched on for about 5 minutes to check the weather, and a minute bathroom. Breakfast this morning was not worth getting up for. It says it is continental but it consisted of self service toast, cereal, fake juice and coffee. I know we haven't done breakfast for a while but that was a real let down. I think we are going to try the Waffle House next to the hotel for breakfast tomorrow! After breakfast we threw stuff into the car and drove the 11 miles to the Kennedy Space Center. Yeah!!
It was quite exciting driving up the road, through the most amazing wildlife we've seen so far, and seeing the Endeavour shuttle (probably a mock up) and rockets on display. The car park was only about a quarter full so we had timed it well. We went on the bus tour around the Center first - it was recommended that we get it over and done with whilst it was quite. It has 2 stops and can take between 2 and 5 hours to complete. The first stop was at the viewing platform for the launch pad that Atlantis will be launched from on 8th July. It was there already. However, the viewing platform is probably about a mile away so you can't see much. Also, the gantry encloses the shuttle so all we coudl really see was some huge scaffolding with an orange rocket head poking over the top. But it was still pretty awesome. You could also see the Vehicle Assembly Building where all the checks take place and then the shuttle is mated to the rockets and it is then moved about 3 miles by a crawler (a huge vehicle that moves inch by inch along a gravel track). They retrieve and reuse as much as possible from every shuttle launch to save money but it means they have to check every single piece thoroughly. This being the last launch will mean that process will end. That must be a sad day for everyone involved, the shuttle program has been going for over 30 years. However, they are going to patch Atlantis up and put it on display at KSC. So if we want to see it up close we need to come back in a year or so!
The second stop was at the Saturn V/ Apollo Center. Hanging in the hall is an absolutely massive, fully restored Saturn V rocket. It is made up of bits (stages) destined for Apollo missions that got cancelled so were never used. It was, of course, the Apollo 11 mission that got Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon. Only 12 men have walked on the moon - so far. The rest of the hall had various exhibits from Apollo missions including space suits, and the van that carried the suited up astronauts to the shuttle. It also had a photo stall where you could get photos done and mocked up to look like you were in freefall in a shuttle, or in a space suit etc. Yes, we did succomb. Photo of Millie attached! Even better, we were only charged for 1 photo because of human error! But don't tell anyone!
By the time we left there, via the gift shop and food, it had gone 2pm and the weather had changed. It was raining and thunder was rumbling in the distance. The rain was warm which was bit weird. We wandered round for a bit longer but we were all getting quite tired, especially Millie who had dozed off on me in the bus coming back but had woken up when I carried her off the bus. We decided to do one more thing before hitting the Space Shop. We went and checked out the Star Trek exhibition that is currently showing at KSC. It was pretty cool as well. It had bits from all the series, including costumes and fake heads showing the make up, and a couple of the sick bays and some of the captain's chairs! The shop was huge and we spent some more money!
Millie fell asleep on the drive back to the hotel and didn't stir when I took her up to the room and laid her on the bed. I poked her every 10 minutes but she slept solid for over an hour. I eventually managed to get her, and my husband, awake at half 6 and walked them to the Durango Steakhouse that is on the hotel premses. Millie was starving and screamed intermittantly until her mac 'n' cheese arrived with fries. I had fish for the first time in weeks and my husband had spare ribs! I think we have missed good/real food. Still no veggies though! Millie does remarkably well in these situations. It isn't easy being away from home (and your sister) and being hungry in a strange place where you have to wait for someone to bring you food. We all miss home. But it is good to have got out of RMH.
What are we doing tomorrow? Well, we could go back to KSC and do the bits we missed. Or we could go and check out some of the local wildlife. When NASA bought land for KSC they bought too much. Rather than sell it they gave it to a couple of environmental organisations in the area. Also, because a lot of NASA's land is closed to people the wildlife gets to roam free and is protected. There is a national wildlife refuge right next to KSC with walking trails and even a 7-mile long driving trail. It might give us another view of the shuttle. It might also give us a view of some of the extraordinary birds, mammals and reptiles there are round here, including dolphins and manatees. We are also thinking of being brave and returning to RMH along the coast road, Route 1, instead of the boring interstate that we came down on. The coast road would take us through Daytona Beach - the home of fast cars, and should give us some views of the ocean between here and home.
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