Day 21 - the day I kissed a dolphin.

2nd August 2013

We'd been counting down to this day for such a long time we couldn't believe it was finally here. We got up super early and caught the bus to Discovery Cove.

 

We were that early (I know mum will be impressed) that we were booked onto the very first dolphin swim of the day at 8.20am. We had to have our photos- we assumed just for ID purposes just for the park's own purposes but as it turned out  they were taken for our lanyards which we had to wear all day and doubled up as both our Seaworld and Aquatica passes :|. I looked like a small chubby boy with a bowl cut, so much so that later in the day, at the bar, the woman didn't believe it was me and nearly refuses to serve me. Awkward. Anyway, we rushed off for breakfast. Both meals, drinks and snacks throughout the day were complimentary, and we definitely made the most of it.

We got into our wetsuits and ready for our dolphin swim. I can't recommend the experience highly enough. It was amazing. Our trainers Maria and Shannon and dolphins Jenny and Capricorn were all amazing. We all got to stroke the dolphins, getting used to them. Then we got shown how to get them to give us a kiss and give them a hug. We did that with Jenny. Then with Capricorn, we got to go for a swim. With one hand on the dorsal fin and other on the flipper, Capricorn took us from trainer to trainer - amazing. A professional photographer took photos throughout the session. As awful as we looked and as difficult as it was for us both to choose photos (I was squinting in them all due to the sun) we decided we had to buy photos as it was such an amazing experience. We drew the line at purchasing DVD footage of it though - I dread to think what we looked like. 

After that we went to the Coral Reef and were able to snorkel with stingrays and all sorts of fish. You can swim up to the shark tank too. We then had a bit of a sunbathe but it was too hot, so we decided instead to go down the Windaway River, which is exactly as it sounds. You can float all down and round the river rating how fit each life guard is as you go past. Or maybe that was just me and Lauren. It started to drizzle so we took our opportunity to grab some lunch.

There was too much to choose from really but we both had pulled pork sandwiches and prawn cocktails.

We went down the river again and then went to see the otters (again you can swim up to the tank) and the aviary which you can swim through too, or a get out feed the birds. There were lots of different birds, even a peacock! We ten went in search of 'marmosets'. We had no idea what they were but after a day of wondering we discovered that they were these teeny-tiny monkeys. So cute. We then both went for a lie down in the sun which turned into a kip. By the time we woke up it was closing time, so we got hanged and headed for the bus home. 

We returned to the hotel and showered. From the bus we had seen the Pointe complex across the road which was a site with lots of shops and restaurants and headed over there. We stopped at Cuba Libre. We had a couple of mojitos and the waiter brought out cuban bread with mango butter - yum.

 We each ordered a seafood paella each. It was amazing but we could barely walk after that. 

We did though, and headed home to bed ready for another adventure tomorrow. Lots of love xxxxxx