One thing I wanted to make sure that I saw whilst I was in Florida was the Kennedy Space Center (the Wikipedia page has some great pics). I have this book at home from the first moon landing that The Age released at the time, and it always fascinated me so it was time for a trek about 45 minutes out of Orlando!
Finding someone to take me out there was a challenge. The concierge at La Quinta was able to find me a brochure from about the time that Neil Armstrong landed on the moon (ok maybe not) that looked strange but I gave Gator Tours a call. The closest pick up for me was going to be about a 20 minute walk away at some other hotel so I left La Quinta at 7.30 for the walk down International Drive. I didn’t have the best sleep the night before – I think because I knew I had to get up early so I wanted the walk to wake me up a little.
The minute I stepped outside I felt the steaminess/humidity hit me and if I closed my eyes it would have put me straight back to Savannah – it felt exactly the same. The misty feeling in the air was lovely and it made for a pleasant walk to the other hotel. We had to make a few pick ups along the way including one at the Sheraton resort – we waited ages for this couple and they didn’t show so we drove off. About five minutes later the tour guide’s phone rings and they are waiting in the lobby – so we had to go all the way back and get them again. Eeek they only had to get on a lift and go a few floors and they still couldn’t be there on time!
The tour guide was so enthusiastic about NASA and the Space Station and it was a great change to what I was subjected to in Miami! But I happened to fall asleep after about 5 minutes. Oopsy daisy. And to make it worse, it was such a deep sleep I started dribbling! It was so mortifying, I don’t know why this happens that when I am away I can just fall asleep any place, any time but before I knew it we were at the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame for a visit there before heading out to the Space Center.
The Hall of Fame was a good mix of displays and memorabilia from many of the missions as well as some demonstrations of what life is like for an Astronaut. I bought some Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Space Food from there which is exactly like what the astronauts eat. It is freeze dried and one of the wierdest things I have tasted. Wasn’t good at all!
After the Hall of Fame (and waiting for another couple who obviously got lost in the gift shop) it was time to head to the Kennedy Complex. What a lot of people don’t realise is the Space Center is located on a huge conservation reserve and the acual NASA part only takes up a very small area. That means along the way we got to see more alligators, lots of native bird life and even some Flamingo!
The rest of the day was so jam packed I couldn’t even stop for the whole six hours I was there. It is necessary to board a huge Greyhound-like bus for a tour of the actual space facilities and as well as this there are two IMAX films that you must see, the visit on the actual shuttle etc. So I mapped out my mission and it was GO GO GO!
The first thing I did was go and explore the space shuttle. I was blessed that there were hardly any crowds while I was there and I was in there on my own. What took me by surprise is that the shuttle is so – EMPTY! It is just like a big empty plane with no seats and all work is done in the tiny area in the front!
I then ran all the way to the tour bus to start the tour of the external areas. The LC39 Observation Gantry was ok – it took longer to get on and off the bus than what it did to visit this area. I learnt so much on the way to the gantry though and going past the main workshop I was able to get a peek at the Atlantis shuttle that is going up in March. It was actually leaving the workshop the next day (isn’t that always the way) as it has to sit on the launch pad for 30 days for final preparations! So very exciting!
I then jumped on the next bus to take me to the Apollo/Saturn V area. This was just AMAZING! I cannot describe how huge the Saturn V shuttle is – it felt like I was walking as long as the MCG following it from start to finish – it was just massive and to see it suspended above so you can walk under it and see so much was fantastic!
Unfortunately, I had to skip the International Space station area to get back to the visitor complex to attend the IMAX films. The first one was fascinating as they are in 3D. When at the start it said ‘Narrated by Tom Cruise’ on the screen, so many people in the theatre started laughing it was hillarious. This film was created by the Astronauts themselves and it was just a wonderful film and at times I really did feel like I was on the Space Station. It also shows a very human side to those that are up in Space and really the great things and hard work they do while they are up there.
The 2nd film would’ve been great but I was sitting too close to the screen so I… fell asleep again. The first ten minutes were ok but it was just boring so I used that to get some shut eye.
When I left the films the sky had come over BLACK – there had been warnings of severe storms and it has been raining while I was in the IMAX but wow do they get great storms. I bolted across the complex to the area for the Astronaut Encounter. This was my favourite part of the whole NASA experience. We had Jon McBride speaking to us and he was just so enthralling to listen to. He was actually part of a mission with Paul Scully-Power, an Australian astronaut. Jon went through many of his experiences in space and talked about the other great people he worked with. He then had a Q&A with lots of questions from people about what life is actually like in space. Then I had the opportunity to meet him, shake his hand and get a photo with him! So now I can say, I have met an astronaut. It was just awesome and something I will nver forget. One thing that impressed me is he showed one of his Astronaut group photos and everyone in the photos in in alphabetical order! Very well done! ehhehehehe
While he was doing his presentation, the claps of thunder were so loud it felt like the ground moved. I had to run through pouring rain to get back to the bus but it was just great seeing actual pouring rain – I wish some of it would get back home!
The day was absolutely huge and I really learnt so much – when the shuttle was bought out of the workshop later on, it was broadcast on CNN and I could understand everything they were talking about. It is really addictive so I can’t wait to watch the launch later in March.
It then was back to La Quinta for some packing before I left the next day and I ordered in pizza for dinner. It seems like common practice that you get JUNK MAIL in your hotel room. Everyday I would get back to three or four pizza menus slipped under my door. One night it was 9pm and I heard this noise at the door and I got up and crept slowly and there is a menu getting slipped under. I quickly opened the door and the guy was so shocked and I just was like “Do you know how ANNOYING you are?!??” and just slammed the door straight back. I had never had this anywhere else and this guy basically goes around from floor to floor doing this every night. Just so strange and so annoying… but the pizza was good!