My Top 5 Rides at Walt Disney World Resort Florida

5. Peter Pan Flight

This ride can be found in the Magic Kingdom the original of the Disney parks. Now this ride isn't an action packed thrill ride but for me its just a bit of nostalgia. Its one of the first rides I ever went on when I first visited as a kid. Its classic Disney and takes you on Peter Pan, Wendy, John and Michael adventure to Neverland. You fly over London taking in the nursery and then all the delights that can be found in Neverland including a run in with Captain Hook.

4. Kali River Rapids

This ride can be found in the Animal Kingdom. Themed as a rafting expedition through India, this is a great ride to go on when you need to cool off on a hot day as you can almost guarantee that you'll  get at the very least splashed if not completely soaked. Every time you go on this ride you never know how wet you will end up as the raft jolts and jostles in so many different directions it all adds to the fun.

3. Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

Like Kali River Rapids this ride can be found in the Animal Kingdom. Probably the most adrenalin inducing ride in the Animal Kingdom, you start with a small build up while you are waiting in line starting out in a fictional travel agency and moving on to a room with expedition equipment and then you move into what looks like a Yeti Museum. One on the ride you speed through Himalayan Mountain Villages and then you move on the Everest's Base Camp, this is where the thrill ride really begins with twists and turns, misdirection and a nice little surprise at the end before delivering you safely back to base.

2. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

This ride can be found in the Hollywood Studios park. So this was a real tough one to choose between the top two but they are super close. The build up to this ride sees you walking into the recording studio where Aerosmith can be seen. You are told that they need to get to their live show across town and then they make sure their manager get some 'super' stretch limos for you. You then move on to the queue which looks like a backstreet car lot where you are met with the limo to take you to the show. Once strapped in you are shot off into the LA traffic. A quick ride with lots of loop the loops, twists and turns with neon signs illuminated as you move around while Aerosmith songs blast in your ears. You are dropped off outside the show with a red carpet reception.  

1. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Again this ride can be found in the Hollywood Studios park just a stones throw away from the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. Another of the thrill rides. The build up starts almost immediately as you enter the reception of the abandoned hotel and you are show a short film detailing the events that lead up to the hotel being left to ruin like it has done. You then move in to the back rooms of the hotel where you are taken to the service elevator where you are seated and your ride begins. The best part about this ride is once you have moved through all the story and the tension has built up to breaking point you are suspended for what seems like and age not knowing if you are going to be dropped in this elevator or thrust up into the air before you are thrust and dropped numerous times before being dropped back off on the ground floor. I have to say this ride is always at the top of my list and one not to be missed.

These are just my top 5 rides and believe me it was so hard to choose because they have so many wonderful rides to offer everyone not just thrill seekers like me. I also have to say that each time I visit Disney World I change my mind on which rides I love the most I honestly just love theme parks and Disney so combining the two is just a dream come true for me!

What are your favourite rides at Walt Disney World or any of the Disney parks around the world? Would you be interested in my Top 5 Rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure?

An Italian Adventure ~ Day Three

Taking in Pompeii, Sorrento, The Island of Capri and The Amalfi Coast

Day three saw another early start this one even earlier than the last two, this was so we could hit the road and make the most of our last day before heading back to Rome. We drove from Sorrento down the world famous Amalfi Coast to the small town of Amalfi taking in he gorgeous views along the way. We saw the sunrise over the Mediterranean Sea and the view was just perfect a great way to start your day!

Next up we stopped at a look out over the hillside town of Postiano to get s few snaps of the picturesque little town again watching the sun rise over the hills it was truly magical we took a few shots from the look out and then we got a group shot with all the people on the tour which is a nice little memento of the trip and a good way to remember all the lovely people I met on this trip.

Once we arrived in Amalfi we went to a great little place and had some breakfast pastries before having a little look around the town, we had quite a bit of time to kill and the town was fairly small so once we had looked at the cute shops and the Church we headed to the marina and chilled out there catching some sun. We then met back up with the rest of the group for a little boat trip to see some of the scenery from the sea. On this boat trip we anchored up for a short while so we could jump off the boat and have a swim in the Mediterranean which was a real treat.

Back on dry land we piled back onto the bus and were shipped to the hilly town of Ravello more in land than Postiano and Amalfi. Once we arrived here we went straight for some lunch having a panini and a Peroni of course. We didn't have to much time in Ravello because it is so small but we wandered around for a little while and grabbed a frozen yoghurt with all the chocolate toppings and general yumminess before jumping back on the bus to head back to out campsite in Rome.

Back in Rome a few of us that had booked in to the campsite for the evening before heading onwards on our travels met up for dinner at the campsite restaurant as a final goodbye and also a chance to swap contact details.

This was my first experience of travelling on my own in the sense that I didn't go on this trip with anyone I knew in advance, and this is a very big step for me. I used this trip a taster of what solo travel and organised independent trips might be like, and I must say it was an absolutely wonderful experience once that I hope to do again in the near future. Its such a great way to see the world whilst making new friends along the way. 

You can read Days One and Two by clicking on the links

Wish List ~ US Cities

The USA being as vast in size as it is, has a lot of great cities with so much to offer visitors. Each one has its own unique charm and history wherever you go there is always some new and interesting to see and do. I have had the fortune to visit some of the wonderful cities this amazing country has to offer and here are a few that I have on my wish list for futures trips!

Nashville, Tennessee

This city was added to my wish list in the last year but has kind of shot straight to the top! I've always known about this city but not really known what it had to offer until I started watching the Country Music TV Drama Nashville which is set in its namesakes city. As well as opening up my music tastes to the world of Country Music I've also realised that the Country Music Hall of Fame is housed here and there are always live music performances happening all over the city in all kinds on venues including the most prestigious of all The Grand Ole Opry. As well as its Country Music scene you can also find the Antenbellum Plantation mansion houses turned museums still in keeping with architecture and interiors of the civil war period, you can also visit some civil war battlefields are near by too. As you can see there is so much for you to see and do in this southern city and I cant wait to see it.

New Orleans, Louisiana

So ill be the first to admit the reason this was added to my wish list was mainly because I really want to go to the Mardi Gras Festival, it just looks like so much fun and so colourful. Having looked in to what else this fantastic city has to offer I was pleasantly surprised and found there is way more to this city than its street festival. Just to have the chance to take a wonder around the different districts and neighbourhoods looking at all the different architecture and businesses etc. people watching is something I could easily spend an afternoon doing and I hear that the French Quarter is great for this. I'd also love to catch one of the street cars taking in some of the sights and scenes. There are an abundance of museums from the World War II museum to the Old Mint and plenty of houses for me to explore. As well as all this culture New Orleans is well known for its food scene in particular Creole cuisine with its wide variety of influences from French to German, Spanish and West Africa. As well as this there are loads of other culinary places I'd love to discover, Yum!

Boston, Massachusetts

I cant remember exactly what it was that attracted me to this city but I have a feeling It may well have been it's English town influences being in New England after all! Boston is well known for its prestigious university Harvard as well as other world renowned learning institutes, but there is so much else to see and do. Arnold Arboretum is the oldest public arboretum in North America and has some lovely landscapes I could lose myself in exploring and seeing all the different plants and species. Another big draw is the freedom trail, a two and a half mile walk taking in 16 of Boston's historic sites a great way to see all the important sites learning all about the historic events and buildings in this culture rich city. Id wouldn't mind taking in the Sam Adams Brewery Tour as well because who doesn't love a brewery tour and with the promise of free samples, I'm there! Sine I went to my first Baseball game in Tampa earlier this year if I got the chance I would love to go to one of the Boston Red Sox games, the atmosphere at ball games is so fun so going to see another game would be the best.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

So I can see a theme developing here my stomach seems to be informing most of my decisions to visit certain places, oops! So as you will have probably guessed the first reason that drew me to this city was the cheesesteak sandwich it is world famous after all! Another big draw for me is he historic parts of this city, the Liberty Bell is housed here as well as Independence Hall and Constitution Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were debated and subsequently adopted, it would be great to find out more about the origins of the United States. You can also climb the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art made famous by the film Rocky, there is also a statue of Rocky himself commissioned for Rocky III and donated by Sylvester Stallone to the city and sits at the bottom of the steps waiting for that picture perfect moment.

New York, New York

This city has been on the wish list for as long as I can remember it has everything I love in one place, it has shopping, tourist attractions, museums, history, culture, open spaces, bright lights, great food, great bars. Some of the main things id like to see and do would most definitely be Central Park a great place to people watch take a nice walk in the fresh air have a picnic take a few selfies and maybe even a rowing boat ride. To get some great pictures of the New York Skyline I've heard that the Top of the Rock is one of the best because you can get the Empire State Building in your shot I would obviously like to go to the top of the Empire State building too but to get a shot with the building in is deffo on my list. I cant wait to get lost in all the amazing shops that New York has, in particular Tiffany's. Ever since I saw the film Breakfast at Tiffany's I have always wanted to recreate that iconic scene taking my breakfast pastry and coffee to the store and browse the window displays, and pop in to see all the beautiful jewellery. I want to walk along the Brooklyn Bridge, hop on the Staten Island Ferry, take in the Statue of Liberty, explore Grand Central Station, browse some of the many museums and galleries and stand in the middle of Times Square and take it all in. I'm lucky enough to be going to this amazing city next year and I actually cant hold in my excitement there are so many wonderful things to see and do that one trip will not be enough, so I'm sure that there will be many more visits to New York in my future!