time flies when you're on vacation-part 2

I knew you'd come back for part 2!

My gma (yea, GG!) gave us 4 passes to be used at either Busch Gardens or Sea World (part of her retirement package-nice, huh). We chose to go to Busch Gardens...did you know that they pass out free beer there? To sample... kind of like wine...with cheese and chocolates? We had no idea, but it really makes sense because of the tie to Anheuser Busch...duh. It was pretty enjoyable, not only for the free beer, but because it was air conditioned in the beer sampling room. It was 90-frickin' degrees and very humid every day of our trip, so that sampling room was a big hit with this hot chick.

Cheers!

Because of the tickets savings, we bought the optional Serengeti Safari package that loaded us up in a big open-topped jeep that drove us right next to the animals. Really pretty cool.

But it got waaaay cooler when we got to PET and FEED the giraffes. So exciting!! Even Michael held up his lettuce leaf w/G's help and fed a couple of giraffes. We all had such a great time!

Gar is so tall that when the giraffes were leaning into the jeep for the lettuce leaves, they kept bumping into him and knocking his hat off.

There was one giraffe that evidently didn't want me to take pictures because it bopped me on the head with its mouth and then got me again when he bopped his mouth onto my camera lens.

Before we left for the safari, we stopped by the Lory Landing to feed the birds (lorikeets, I think?). At first, they startled me when they landed all over my arms and head to get to the food, so I handed the food off to Gar and Carole. Michael did okay through it all...the birds didn't seem as squawky as the lorikeets at the Columbus Zoo. We left when he tried to squeeze one of the birds sitting on Gar's arm.

We got back to the cabin in time for one last sunset...

The next morning, we packed our bags, cleaned up the cabin, and said our goodbyes to the Gray's (who we rent the cabin from and take such good care of us, making sure we have everything we need---good people, they are). We also said goodbye to the boys, who had to stop off in Myrtle Beach for a few days of golf with the guys.

Later that day, we were back home in 54 degree weather wishing we were still at the lake. Those days sure went by fast. Can't wait to do it again next year!