I enjoyed the many interactive elements at Epcot including the “Honey I Shrunk The Audience” 3D experience based on the 80s movie “Honey I Shrunk The Kids”. There was also a chance to get behind the wheel of a go-kart when driving on the Test Track.

The kids I was with certainly loved the Imagination Institute ride with the dragon, Figment leading through various labs testing sight, sound and smell. The Mission: Space simulation blasts you off into space.

I did encounter a strange, but welcome surprise one evening while walking around the various “countries” at Epcot with my family. The Beach Boy’s music I could hear playing by a live band was actually being played by the legendary 60s band, themselves! I stayed to listen to some of their classics like ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’, ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘I Get Around’.

It will be 56 years ago, today, when the New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and the Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first people to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest.

These two men, with their team camped further down the mountain, managed to climb up the south face of the mountain located on the Nepal-Tibet border.

By the 50th anniversary of the ascent (May 2003), over 1,300 people had managed to reach the summit enduring the gruelling conditions.

Mount Everest was named after Sir George Everest who was the surveyor-general of India and the first to produce detailed maps of the Indian subcontinent.

More recently, Air Ambulance Chief Executive, Andy Williamson and his wife Linda, managed to climb Everest within 13 days to raise over £11,000 for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance services.

They were joined on the climb and in the fundraising by friends and a group of twelve other people from around the world.

Andy commented on this achievement:

“I have to admit when I decided to take up the challenge it seemed a good idea at the time. However, climbing Everest was quite certainly the most difficult and demanding physical and mental task I have ever undertaken. But through all the pain, discomfort, cold and boredom came a massive sense of achievement.

“We were delighted to raise so much money for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance which are both fantastic charities run entirely on voluntary donations. We feel proud to have done our bit to ensure this vital service keeps on going. Our fundraising activity will help to keep the helicopters and crew in the air and saving lives.”

In my last blog post describing my holiday to Florida I explained that we visited the Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Now I will look at the four unique theme park attractions in the resort starting with Magic Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom is a storybook fantasy land for children of all ages. There are many well-known cartoon characters that kids can have their picture taken with and they’ll be sure to find their favourite hero when walking round the theme park.

There are also themes at different times in the year – we were there around Halloween and there were various things planned – they also have Mickey’s Christmas Time during the festive season.

The classic Disney attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, has now been enhanced with characters and the story from the blockbuster Hollywood films.

The highlights for me, a big kid, were Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin where you can shoot lasers at targets on the ride and the roller coaster, Space Mountain.

I do remember leaving the place with the “Its a small world” song ringing in my ears…

Since the King of Pop announced his comeback concerts back in March (and I managed to get myself some tickets) I have been fervently looking for any further news regarding the concerts and provided an update a while back. Yes, I am a little apprehensive that Michael Jackson will not be in a fit state to perform 50 shows – that would be a lot for any performer, let alone a 50-year-old man who has been in a wheelchair because of back trouble.

The announcement last week that the shows will be moved will not have helped dispel these fears. There was a report in the Daily Mail that suggested someone close to the Jackson camp had let slip the revelation that Michael had only attended 2 out of 45 rehearsals so far and that was the underlying reason for the delay. Well, I hope not.

I have been affected by the changes myself – but only so far as I will see him earlier in his schedule now the other three concerts have been moved. I have tickets for Friday 24 July – now the 5th show.

The affected dates are as follows:

8 July - moved to 13 July, 2009
10 July - moved to 1 March, 2010
12 July - moved to 3 March, 2010
14 July - moved to 6 March, 2010

I received the following reassurance from the promoters by email:

Dear Customer

Michael Jackson’s producers recently announced the rescheduling and change of the opening shows in order to meet the challenges presented by such a large and technically complex concert. As you may be aware, the first four dates of the tour originally scheduled for 8th, 10th, 12th and 14th July 2009 have been rescheduled to meet these requirements.

We would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that the date you have purchased tickets for is unaffected by these changes and will go ahead as scheduled. Michael, who is directly involved with all aspects of the styling/choreography/band selection and rehearsals, is working around the clock to ensure this is the show to end all shows!

If you require any further assistance, please contact us by emailing Michaeljackson@Ticketmaster.co.uk

We’re looking forward to seeing you on the night on the show!

Please note, your tickets will be dispatched closer to the event date, please allow up to 5 days before the show for your tickets to arrive, or if you are travelling 5 days before you leave.

Regards

Ticketmaster - sent on behalf of AEG Live

As for whether he will indeed turn up, we’ll just have to wait and see.

A few years ago now I was invited by my Dad and his family to go to Florida and stay near the Walt Disney World Resort. I had always wanted to go to Disney World one day and as my Dad’s family now included three young grandchildren this was an excuse to go with them and enjoy all the rides – without feeling too old!

There were many restaurants and places to eat out in the Orlando area and we always found there to be quite a lot of choice. You do need access to a vehicle though in order to get around and driving in America can sometimes take a bit of getting used to with the road laws and right of way that does not always seem as logical as in the UK.

The main attractions of Orlando are of course the many theme parks. The Disney World Resort includes; Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.

In the next blog I will look at the theme parks and resort more closely. Then I will look at the other theme parks in the region including Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Over the past few years I have been drawn back to the Lake District on many occasions, partly due to the fact that I have family living in Windermere and near Grasmere. After overhearing a colleague saying that they are planning to visit the Lakes this bank holiday weekend it brought back fond memories of similar breaks away.

I really look forward to staying in the cosy hotels, whatever the weather, with cooked breakfasts every morning followed by a good walk, a late lunch or afternoon tea and a locally produced meal in the evening. I always find that the customer service and attention to detail in the many cafes, pubs and restaurants is second to none and the busiest are usually the best (sorry to state the obvious).

I also like to relax in the hotel’s spa and pool facilities after a long days walking and trekking over hills and down by the area’s many lakes. Overall, I would recommend a holiday to the Lake District to anyone. Yes, it may be pricey, but you certainly get what you pay for.

There are many changes in Europe at the moment regarding energy and the built environment. Europe is getting tougher on energy performance and the efficiency of buildings and the proposals are soon to include hotels in the United Kingdom.

In the United States, free no-obligation environmental assessments are already available to US hotels. An engineer can conduct a thorough evaluation then based on their findings; the team submits a free report and proposal to each hotel. This includes practical steps the hotel can take to increase its energy efficiency and includes a cost/benefit breakdown.

The important legislative proposals by the EU were put forward in the draft Recast Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings. One proposed change relates to when display energy certificates will actually be required. This change may lead to administrative implications for hotels; at present it is limited to public authorities and public services.

The proposed EU legislation is to include those buildings “frequently visited by the public” and will be required in much wider situations and a display energy certificate will need to be prominently displayed.

If this proposal is passed then private sector buildings will be affected. These are likely to include retail shops, leisure facilities, banks and offices, as well as hotels. This will not come to pass until Member States pass the necessary domestic laws for the public sector changes by 31st December 2010. After 31st January 2012 all buildings will be included, however there are consultations to address any questions arising out of the change in law.

One of the places that I have vowed to visit some day is Peru. Images of forgotten temples and treasures immediately come to mind when I think of this extraordinary place. Like many visitors to South America and on Peru holidays in particular, a visit to the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu has to be one of the highlights of any trip.

If you are looking to visit this spectacular location, an amazing archaeological site located 2,430 metres (8,000 ft) above sea level, you will need to know that the high season is from late May until early September; the maximum limit of 2,500 people allowed to visit daily is still being imposed.

Other places to visit include the capital city, Lima with its colonial architecture and museums, plus Nazca, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca and Cuzco.

South America has always been regarded as one of the most popular destinations for travellers and backpackers. In fact, GeckoGo, the most comprehensive gap year traveller’s poll, has now revealed that gap year travellers dream about travelling to South America more than anywhere else, and in particular, Peru. 23 per cent of those questioned said that their favourite volunteering abroad destination would be Peru.

When we stayed in Los Angeles the only real experience of the city ‘centre’ itself was when the Greyhound Bus brought us from Las Vegas. I found the city to be devoid of a central area, especially with regards to shopping. As most visitors know, or eventually find out the hard way, you do need your own transport to really make the most of this place.

As my brother and I were travelling by Greyhound, we had to make do with the bus service. After consulting my Rough Guide, I found that there were places to stay in Santa Monica so headed there. On this route, there were further links to Beverley Hills and also to Hollywood.

Santa Monica is a wealthy, seaside place where the rich and famous like to spend their time. We did, however, find some reasonably cheap accommodation by the sea. We soon found out that everyone seems to travel around on roller skates or jogs by. It is a place for finding bargains in the various stalls along the boardwalks.

As a lover of films, I was intrigued to know that the resort’s pier with its famous Ferris wheel and antique carousel featured in both ‘The Sting’ and ‘The Lost Boys’.

Santa Monica is a 15-minute drive down the coast from Malibu and certainly offers the perfect base for anyone visiting Los Angeles.

It is actually not that far from Hollywood yet it has a warm, friendly ambience. There are plenty of shopping malls and street traders and during the summer boasts gorgeous weather and great beaches. We were there on the 4th July that year and we were treated to a firework display and BBQs on the beach. It was a truly amazing experience.

San Diego is California’s laid back second city which offers sunshine and endless sandy beaches. After visiting the city in 1998, my brother and I decided to go back there and stay within the famous Gaslamp district, with its restored 1860s buildings and loads of places to eat and drink in the evening.

There were plenty of things for us to do and see in San Diego, with local bands playing most nights, a visit to the world famous zoo and it was also the time of year (during the summer) where the city was host to the annual Hooter’s bikini contest! Needless to say, we enjoyed the contest, which we happened to chance upon when eating at the renowned restaurant.

The city is also famous for its film locations and the memories of Tom Cruise riding his motorbike along a sun-baked Pacific highway in Top Gun will stay in your mind. Some Like it Hot was also filmed here. In the summer, teenagers and many Americans on vacation flock to their beach homes and enjoy endless BBQs and days out on the beach.

Also, as the city stands on the southern edge of California, it is sometimes easy to forget that the city borders Mexico. The trip wouldn’t have been complete without a visit across the border to Tijuana in Mexico. This place is certainly an eye-opener although I’d suggest you need to know what to expect before going on a day out there.

You can get around by its fabulous trolley ride. You can take trips to nearby areas such as La Jolla, the upmarket oceanside district just to the north of the city. San Diego is only a two hour drive from LA, which I will look at next, but is worth visiting on any Californian travel itinerary.