USA 1982 - Florida

 We flew to Jacksonville with Delta Airlines.
I was very impressed by flexibility of the staff.
The nice person, who checked our tickets and handled our luggage appeared to be also the pilot of the plane.
During the flight he was so friendly that he invited the kids to visit the cockpit..
To great regret of Michael, I did not let him go.
Maybe it was an influence of strict security rules in Poland, but I considered socialising with pilots who perform at that time very responsible duties as quite improper.

Anyway, 2 hours later we landed.
Ken waited for us in the airport and drove us to his family holiday house somewhere in the middle of dense bush.

The place and surrounding exceeded our expectation - dense bush, succulent green vegetation, lake. 
Of course there was a boat which we could paddle around. 

There was however a warning - beware of crocodiles.

As for frequent rains, there were no big trouble - it came always as a relief from humidity, freshened the air for some time. We did not bother to hide from it or to change wet clothes,

After few days Gail brought up a new idea - you can take our car (a small, handy, yellow Renault, and visit Disney World and some other attractions around.
Like St Augustine - added Ken.

It was a great idea.
Orlando - Disney World - great...

We spent 2 days there and enjoyed every minute.
Then Sea World - another great experience.

To return to reality we visited Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Centre there.
For me it was a great experience - touching satellites which were operated by Walter Schirra, whom I remembered for his intervention when automatic control systems failed - CLICK.

Children did not share my enthusiasm.
- There are no buttons we could press.
- Nothing moves, shakes, makes noises.

Well, I could see they did not measure up to space programs.

St Augustine, total change of climate, first encounter with America's history and past times.

On our way I noticed a sign - Daytona Beach.
I associated it with a car race, we were no fans of noisy cars, but beach - yes.
Now I realize it was my only physical contact with Atlantic Ocean.

We returned to Ken's and Gail hospitable home full of memories and with sharpened appetites - time to hit the road.

Bob S. my American friend from Kuwait insisted that we must not miss Washington.
There was an easy connection - direct bus from Jacksonville.

Ken drove us to the Greyhound station, I noticed some concern on his face.
- This is not Greyhound I remember - he said - sorry, I cannot stay with you much longer, but please - keep sharp eye on your luggage.
We did not see much reasons to worry, anyway we will dispatch our luggage in few minutes.

We went to the ticket office - four tickets to Washington.
The teller issued tickets.
- What time is the bus? From which platform?
- Please check on a schedule display.
- And here is our luggage.
- Please take it to the luggage office.

We went to luggage office, they just glimpsed on our tickets and took the luggage.
Now we looked at the schedule.
There was no bus to Washington displayed.
Panic, panic!
I asked some passerby.
- Washington, it must be somewhere on the route to Toronto or New York. Ask the driver.

Sounded very strange, but just some bus arrived - Toronto.
I asked the driver and showed him our tickets.
He nodded with acceptance.

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