When you reach the immigration hall you will need to select a queue.  Go for the far right hand queue as this is next to the American queue and when they have finished processing the Americans they will call people from the adjacent queue.

Recently the immigration officers seem to have become more welcoming.  You will have to give fingerprints and they will take a photograph but it is quite quick.  You will also have to declare if you are carrying any food, although things like tea bags are fine.

When you reach baggage reclaim your luggage is likely to be circulating but if you are travelling economy you may still need to keep an eye on the Premium Economy carousel as sometimes the bags get mixed up.  There is one more check before you leave the baggage hall and some people are selected to have their bags x-rayed.

You are going to have to get on a shuttle to reach the main terminal building and just outside baggage reclaim you have to leave your trolley.   You can put your heavy luggage on a conveyer belt and then wait for it again at the other end or, if you can carry or wheel it, you can take it with you.  This does save a lot of time as you are then at the front of the queues for the car hire.

At the other end of the shuttle trip you cross the concourse and go down the escalators or lift one floor to the baggage reclaim or two floors to the car hire desks.  It is then only a short walk across the road to pick up your car. 

The whole process can take anything from 30 minutes to nearly 2 hours!

Many of the impersonators in this show have performed at some of the biggest casinos in the country and in some of the biggest shows including the world-renowned Legends in Concerts and these acts are some of the most talented to be seen. With upbeat singing and dancing. The beautiful showgirls will be dressed in colorful headdresses, huge hats, feather boas, and loaded with rhinestones and sequins appropriate for all ages. The revue is included in the price of a Fair admission ticket. Show times vary each day:
• Thurs., Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
• Fri., Feb. 8 and Sat., Feb. 9 at 3, 5 and 7 p.m.
• Sun., Feb 10 through Wed., Feb. 13 at 1, 3, and 5 p.m.

All acts, concerts, scheduled times, exhibitors, prices, and other advertised events are subject to change and/or cancel without notice.  Fair gate admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages six to 11; and free for children five and younger.  NO RE-ENTRY is permitted without an admission ticket.  Gates open daily at 9 a.m. and parking is free during the 12 days of the Fair. 

The Florida State Fairgrounds is located just seven miles east of downtown Tampa, with easy access via I-75, I-4, U.S. Highway 301, Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, and Orient Road.  For more information about the 2008 Florida State Fair, call toll-free (800) 345-FAIR or (813) 621-7821, visit .

Guests visiting from the northern U.S or Europe may not be aware of some of the dangers of some of these creatures.

Whenever I visit Florida, I seem to be a magnet for Fire Ants.  Most ants I have encountered are harmless and do not bite, however these small reddish ants sting.

I advise guests not to walk in the grass without some type of footwear. Even then, it may not protect you from the Fire Ant.

When they bite, it feels like a minor itching sting.  You probably will not see a mark or other evidence.  As time goes by, the sting turns into a raised red bump which has intense stinging itch. The symtoms will last a couple of days and usually the bumps will scab and finally go away.

There are a few topical creams to treat the bites but, they only limit the discomfort.  While doing some yardwork. I was bitten over 100 times and I had and allergic reaction (from so many bites) I had welts all over and difficulty breathing. I went to a local clinic and had an antihistamine shot.

Stay away from the ants!

We have visited many of Florida’s beaches both on the east and west coasts.  No beach  has been as good as Pine Island.  It is only 90 minutes from highway 192 in Orlando.

To get to this beautiful beach you need to head north on highway 27 to Claremont.  A left turn on to highway 51 and you enter the old Florida, natural scenery both left and right and old style villages.  The road leads directly west to the coast passing through many rural suburbs.  No need to hurry, enjoy the gentle pace of life, stop for a snack at the road side, or just continue to this unique beach.  The traffic is so much easier to deal with than the busy I4 or Beeline, no one is in a hurry.  Not many traffic jams to contend with, so you should arrive already relaxed and ready for a peaceful day.

On arrival you will be asked for a small sum of money about $2 and then you are free to park in the spacious area directly adjacent to the beach.  There are two main areas for you to sit.  Both have fine golden sand and gently slope into the warm Gulf Coast waters.  It seems to be very safe for the smaller members of your party.

There is no need to take food with you to this beach as there is a small café that serves hot and cold foods along with a good variety of drinks and ices, and not too expensive either.  A childrens playground is central within the car park along with areas to sit under shade or use barbeque facilities.  Also provided is a clean washroom with ample room for changing for the beach.

On several occasions, whilst relaxing by the water we have seen dolphins passing very close to the shore, a splendid sight to enjoy.

There is just one word of warning,  on one occasion about 18months ago we had spent a wonderful day relaxing, swimming, walking and just snoozing.  As we were leaving the car park our friends pointed to a notice that read  - warning an alligator has been seen in the creek adjacent to the beach, please be vigilant when swimming.  We were very glad that we saw this notice as we were leaving and not whilst we were swimming.

Altogether a friendly, quiet and relaxing beach.  I don’t know why I am telling everyone about it.  It should be kept a secret.

The only team in Orlando is the Orlando Magic; they play their home matches at the Amway Arena in the Eastern Conference League.  It really is a great evening out for all ages.  The stadium holds about 12,000 fans and it’s nearly all home fans so very, very safe.  The season runs from October to April.

Getting tickets is very easy too; you can go direct to the Orlando Magic website www.nba.com/magic and select the Calendar/Tickets window and this will take you direct to the Ticket Master site.  The tickets are reasonably priced at the bottom end starting at $10 and ranging to almost touchline seats at $115 each.  Very few matches seem to sell out so you can normally get a ticket whilst out there on vacation.  Tickets are booked online or over the phone and collected from the pick-up windows at the stadium.  Even at sell out games you can buy tickets outside the stadium at a little over face value.

Parking is great too – just wish a few of the UK sporting events were as good.  There are colour coded parking lots all around the stadium with two located on the forecourts directly outside the main entrances.  The stadium is located just off I4, Exit 83B (Amelia Street/Orlando Venues) then take a left onto Livingston Street and the parking lots will be in front of you. 

Inside the stadium you will be able to get a range of foods and drinks including: burgers, sandwiches, hot pork in a roll, Starbucks, beers and lots more.  There are often giveaways if you arrive early in the form of banners, sweat bands and tee-shirts.  Our children were invited to ‘high-five’ the visiting players on court before the match started.  They were selected randomly as we were walking around the concourse.

It’s a full evening with most games starting at 7pm and finishing by 10pm.  The atmosphere is excellent with cheerleaders and on court games during the breaks. Really worth a visit if you enjoy watching sports – Go Magic, Go Magic!!