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Atlanta --> Florida // GSW Spring 2024

 

Atlanta down by the Aquarium. I wish I had 3 days here!

In February the girls and I had a quick 4 day (2 travel days!) time spent together. We needed a place that was 1 flight each, in a warmer climate (because...February and potential weather risks...) that our friend Ali to drive to from Virginia. Atlanta! 

The closer the date got, I realized we would NOT be staying in Atlanta, but fulfilling my friend's dreams to go to Universal Studios and experience Harry Potter together. Ali had never been and she had been dying to go. I had just been there about 10 months before and loved it...it just meant a lot more driving. 

Mardi Gras parade at Universal Studios. Incredible!

Before Emily got into town, Ali and I had time to check out the Atlanta Aquarium. We practically ran through it in two hours, but the shark area was incredible. A whale shark! Huge mantas! Hammerheads everywhere! Even dolphins blowing bubble rings! It's an expensive event, so I'd strongly recommend going for at least half a day, but we took what we could. 

Once we picked up Emily we had a four hour drive ahead of us to get to where we needed to stay about an hour outside of Orlando. Once there, we all decided to sleep in the same bed (the sleeping arrangement areas were...weird. It was a cheap airbnb!) and basically collapsed at that point. Emily had had a full day parenting/working/homeschooling. Ali had by that point driven 12 hours, and I had been at the airport for 2 hour, commuted 1 hour prior to that, flew for 5 hours, then drove with them for 4 hours. I was incoherent by that time. 

Universal Studios, Hogwarts in the background

We arrived at Orlando right as the parks were opening and rung Hogwarts and Hogsmeade out like old laundry. We did everything we could, drank way too much butter beer, watched an actual fight break out in line while we were waiting for the train, got Ali a wand, and watched the little side-shows I missed the previous year. 

Atlanta Aquarium and the first hammerhead shark I've ever seen in real life

After our full day in Harry Potter bliss, we went to the other area of the park so the two of them could ride some more rides (me = nope), and I got to watch nearly all of the Mardi Gras parade, which was incredible! I think we went to sleep at that point nearby, and spent the next day driving back the 5 hours, and then doing our flights/drives. I told them I'm never doing that again. Four days, bare minimum, to fly somewhere....not including travel days! It was hectic, but as usual, a blast. 

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