13 September - Overcast so just chilling by the pool

We wake up at 8am with two things being a bit strange for us. One it is quite late for us to wake up, and we are in the same room! Ha ha

Looking out and its very quiet probably because it is quite overcast, as they had forecasted a bit of rain. So being sensible we decide to stay by the pool having a slow wake up with coffee and tea and sitting on balcony.

We also have some breakfast of bacon and eggs, in preparation of our real busy day here in the Fountains 😜

We head done poolside. and find seats by pool, and being very overcast we don’t put on sun crème. As we sit, we feel little drips of rain which becomes a bit heavier so hide under an umbrella.

View of the pool area at the Fountains

The rain gets quite heavy – but stops after about 10 mins, so move away from the umbrella and go back poolside. We get in the water, swimming for a bit. There is a woman swimming by us remarking on the use of the chair to get in the pool as she had never seen it used. "Quite remarkable" she said.

We head back to the lounge chairs, and I end up dozing laying on my back for about an hour. Wake up a bit and sit and read. Feeling hot and thirsty so go off and get Pat an Icee and me a beer but as we start our drinks it begins to rain again. Only it’s a lot, lot heavier this time and we try and sit under the umbrella again, but we are still getting wet! The water is running off the top of the umbrella and try as I might it always seems to go down my back! No choice but we head back to the room feeling colder on the walk, and into the lift lobby – where the air con is on full blast, meaning it is like an igloo! Fortunately, the lift is not too long before it shows, and we are in a slightly warmer climate!

Down the corridor from the lift to the room, open the door and immediately we can see we have been visited by the cleaners as its all cleaned and tidied, not that it wasn’t clean and tidy – just that everything (like tables and chairs etc) are back in place. Only trouble here is that we had moved some of the larger obstacles out of the way of the wheelchair, they had put them back – so I had to move them again. Oh well - a slave’s work is never done – ha ha ha.

Feeling loads warmer now – but also surprisingly hungry, we make a lunch of microwave cheese and ham pockets! Absolutely stunning – although it does take a while to eat – microwaved cheese is bl@@dy hot, and I really should have remembered that the first bite normally burns a little! Still what’s a layer of skin in my mouth……

Until this point, I had not taken any pictures of the apartment so began to walk around taking a few although truthfully the apartment is virtually the same as the one we had two years ago – well apart from the pictures on the wall – and that it was a mirror image. As I walk around we discuss the Kong ride again and decide that if we are awake early enough we will go in one morning – just for that but review once we get there. If the wait is more than 60 minutes we will forgo the pleasure. As we talk we kind of decide on maybe tomorrow – but let’s wait and see!

Now this little piece of fun – whilst only two paragraphs, actually takes up about an hour and the weather has changed again to lovely sunshine, and the clouds have almost cleared as well. No longer overcast or raining, so let’s go back poolside!

Therefore, back down pool side and its very warm again. When we get back to the poolside we realise (ok I am informed really) that I am quite red prominently on my chest and shoulders although also on the front of my legs – so whilst the morning was a bit overcast I got some rays….

Already feeling warm, we get into the water for a swim, but when we get out coat myself almost totally in sun crème, and then we sit for a bit. I am still feeling very warm so grab a beer and a coke and then have a swim again. As we are getting out of the chilling water the clouds begin to congregate above us again, and as we have a pretty good day sun-wise I suggest going back to room, before perhaps it gets wet (and therefore colder again). We grab the gear, taking the hire towels back to the kiosk and then back upstairs via the lift.

What a lovely day – been very chilled in the right way – and so relaxing. I make Pat a cuppa, grabbing a coke for me and as we get out onto the balcony the storm, that we thought might hit, has hit and big time! There are still a few people around the pool, which is now turned almost into darkness and yes it was very quick, who now begin to run for cover as the rain – I would like to call it severe pain in a fluid form, but being behind the surround it is not as bad here so won’t say it.

Now I have been through a hurricane (thanks Katrina) and an Asian tropical storm in Bali, but for the power and beauty and colours of nature there is nothing quite like a Florida storm. Ok I know that when I met Katrina I was in Florida but you know what I am trying to say I hope! The thunder and lightening are exceptionally stunning!

The sky is now black – although lit by some amazing lightening – almost like a fireworks display. The rain is now very, very heavy, and as we sit watching Pat is trying to video the storm on her iPad. We sit in wonder for maybe 10 minutes and the splash begins to get in through the netting that stops the insects getting in at us. The floor around us is beginning to get wet as well – so we head inside, for longish spa baths.

Out of the bath feeling fairly relaxed and we then take our time and slap on the old aftersun! Now that’s what I call being pampered!

A bowl each of ice-cream, (ooh more pampering) and settle down to watch some Penny Dreadful, only to have some issues. For love nor money I cannot get the computer to play through the TV with sound. The cable is inserted and removed on about 10 occasions but no joy. 🙁 So I play the video just through the computer, and it is a bit like the old days of our first holidays when we have no TV in the bedroom! Lol. We manage just one episode before sleep overtakes us.