Editor’s Note: Jenny is the person at Viator who finds all of the cool, fun and unique things to do in Orlando (and Florida). She’s just back from Orlando and wanted to share a few experiences from her trip.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love my job (for the most part), and this past week reminded me of another reason why.

I have been down in Orlando discovering all the things to do aside from the ‘Big 3’ (Disney, Universal Studios and Seaworld). Whilst I love these parks (and yes, I know they are some of the best theme parks on the planet) that doesn’t mean I think you should spend 100% of your Orlando vacation visiting them. Orlando has a whole lot more to offer.

Top Things to Do in Orlando: Alligator Wrestling at Gatorland

Florida is know for their alligators, so where better to start than at Gatorland? I had the unique pleasure of going ‘behind the scenes’ where regular guests can’t go, but even the guest areas are full of interesting (porcupines), cute (a black bear), scaly (snakes, gators, lizards etc) and somewhat scary animals (no, I am not a fan of spiders and scorpions!).

There is one behind the scenes tour you can do which is really cool – be a Gator Trainer for a Day. Every day the tasks you do are different – one day it could be collecting gator eggs, the next it could be helping with the shows. And don’t worry you’ll still have plenty of time to visit the Big 3; a half day at Gatorland is all you need to explore this gem in the heart of Orlando. (Update: There was a fire here at the front entrance in 2006, and I’m happy to advise this is almost completely rebuilt. The current construction has no effect on the rest of the park.)

Next I was off to the coast (about 45 minutes by car) for the Daytona 500 Experience, part of our broader collection of NASCAR racing tours and ride-alongs in Orlando. If you’re a fan of racing you will love the Daytona 500 Experience: two IMAX movies (one in 3-D), a simulator ride that is too real for words, and the actual winning car from the Daytona 500 every year, scratches, dents and all! To be honest, I’m not a big NASCAR fan, but it was extremely impressive to see the racetrack on the “Speedway Tourâ€. It’s hard to comprehend how huge this track is and you can only imagine what it must be like to have every seat filled and engines roaring around the track. This is definitely worth a day trip to the coast to check it all out.

Top Things to Do in Orlando: Swimming with Manatees

So then it was back to nature – swimming with manatees. I was picked up from my hotel and taken out to Crystal River, where I went diving with these gentle creatures. It wasn’t actually ‘manatee’ season, but there were still plenty to see. I’ve swum with dolphins before and had a blast – this was equally impressive.

All the food served on the tour was excellent and it is obvious that the manatees and the preservation of the native Florida wildlife is paramount in the mind of the operators of this tour. After the swim, we headed to our airboat ride – such fun!

Finally, it was over to the Homossassa State Wildlife Park. This is where they bring the manatees to rehabilitate them, but honestly just seeing the manatees here would have been enough for me - swimming with them was an added bonus.

Kennedy Space Center is another great day trip from Orlando and can be purchased either with or without transport and a variety of upgrades to choose from. Kennedy Space Center is one place that has a lot to see and do. You don’t have to be a space junkie to enjoy it all and be amazed by the sheer magnitude of the shuttles. There are hands-on exhibits, IMAX movies, you can have lunch with an astronaut, and much more. This really is a must-do in Orlando.

Then there was Cypress Gardens, a 1-hour drive from Orlando. This park was in its heyday a number of years ago and they have recently done a lot of work to attract visitors again. Thrill rides and a water park have been added, there’s good food, and the gardens are simply amazing. They also have free outdoor concerts featuring acts like the Beach Boys. The park is renowned for its waterski show (which runs year round) and the southern belles that wander the park adding a touch of southern hospitality and charm. The park is constantly undergoing improvements, but nothing that will detract from the experience

Finally, there are all the shows in Orlando. Orlando is a haven for families and these shows make for a perfect end to the day. From pirates and knights to Arabian horses, Blue Man Group and Disney characters, you can combine good food and first class entertainment in one place!

Keep an eye on our Orlando offerings however – we have some new and unique experiences coming up. It’s all part of my job, to find amazing adventures for travelers like you to experience.

–Jenny Crossling

Planning a trip? Check out Viator’s complete list of Orlando tours and things to do. Or consider extending your stay in the Sunshine State and check out the colorful Art Deco District and Little Havana neighborhoods in Miami, or partake in a smorgasbord of water activities in the gorgeous environs of Key West.

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Day 5 going really well.

All noticeable glitches solved And templates all in motion.

Now it’s a few hours of work and it shall be all done….BUT HEY! Wait up, I got a call from my friend to join them for soccer later at night, again for 2 hours, didn’t really wanted to go because of work but there’s not enough people going tonight, so I am going to turn up tonight to support the manpower. hehe. Nothing is worse than not having enough people playing in a game. Nevertheless, that’s all right. I can still do my work now and later.

The 7 days experiment is great, it’s a gauge to how much can be done and how systems really work out to be. And why is such an experiment so important to self improvement?

” By realizing how you spend time, you will grow to recognize how to modify spending your time for increased effectiveness. We waste time every day, lots of time, one way or another, minimize it.

A key point to note, which I always repeat and say, time is the only thing we have. Everyone have 24 hours in a day, how you choose to spend it is paramount to your success or failure.

To be harsh, if we are sticking in a job we don’t love and has few financial or spiritual rewards, think twice and think again should we carry on with it. Chances are, it aren’t so hard to get away from work that we prefer to spend more time in the pantry than on the desk or out in the “battle field”.

Time is the only thing we have.

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Well I have been up all night due to managing a work issue. I will be heading into the orrifice a little later to swap some hardware, however will be home and to bed very soon there after. As a result I doubt I will be blogging today, atleast not about anything too meaningful. Anway, in order to keep myself awake I have been hitting both the Aussie Bloggers Forum and the Blog Catalog forum pretty hard.

On the Aussie Bloggers Forum I have been offered moderator status, and have accepted. I am rather excited about this project as it focusses on the Australian blog community that often has little chance to network effectively on the other social networking sites, often due to the time difference between down under and the rest of the English speaking world. I am happy to share my experience with this community as they are with me. It is a great sociable place.

The Blog Catalog forums give me the opportunity to socialise with the rest of the world. Many discussions start up there and I enjoy it immensely. Again, it is another helpful bunch and many great contacts are being formed.

In fact across the night I have been thinking about some off beat stuff and have started a thread on the Blog Catalog forums around what cartoons we all watched, or still do watch. My absolute all time favourite was Battle of the Planets, however many people would know it as G-Force. It was one of the original manga cartoons. You can see the intro in the below YouTube video.

Strange what late nights make you think isn’t it.

Well, that’s a maybe. The Australian government is hoping that a new proposal from them will be able to cover up a loophole that let’s Japan conduct whaling for “scientific reasonsâ€.

The Australian environmental minister Peter Garett said today that Australia will present their proposal next week in London during an International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting.

If Australia’s proposal gets accepted whaling for “scientific reasons” must be conducted according to the commission’s rules.

But this will not be an end to whaling. Several countries like Norway, Iceland and Greenland will still continue to brutally slaughter whales for “commercial” and “cultural” purposes.

Upon reflection on the past 3 days, I have taken time to think about what has gone wrong.
It wasn’t the unexpected things that turned up, no, we can’t blame those things, anything can always happen.
Then what can it be?
The answer was straight in my face, I was spending too much time doing productive work and NOT super productive work. Yes, designing websites and planning are fun but getting it done first should be top priority, the fancy things can come later. Much later. That’s what I’m thinking now anyway. A few punches in my face for missing this lesson again. Some of us are fast learners, but many of us are fast to forget too!
From the Korean Series, I’m shouting “AZA AZA FIGHTING” right now, which means “GO GO FIGHTING”.

Plan A: Build things right the first time round
Plan B : Don’t stop, just go, we can fix the rest later

Time to put Plan B at work right now.
The need for speed

Baby obaby pushchairs, petite star prams or pushchairs as they are also known, are becoming more and more straightforward in their design. This critique outlines the central concept of each type of baby buggy and what advantages or disadvantages they have.

For a newfound baby, you have the choice of going for a traditional pram or a multi purpose pram, which can do both jobs with a few tweaks. A pram looks nice but some of the better ranges can be expensive, specificantly as a pram may only be used for the initial few weeks. However, a pram can doubled up as a second cot until the baby gets larger.

A second issue the pram has compared to the stroller is its size. They are ideal for walking on a big path or in the park but they are almost unworkable to get on most busses and they are also hard to steer in a busy shopping area.

In recent times, highchairs and baby baby buggy or vehicle has become more fashionable as they are generally more compact, modern but manage to offer the stability of a pram. A baby pushchair can also be used for many more months than a pram, even for years depending on the type you go for.

Standard Baby Strollers - The usual pushchair looks the most like the traditional pram out of all the designs. It is also the type that can accomplish the most number of tasks. As well as a carriage, it normally has a large amount of storage for bags and accessories and also often comes with a detachable cot or infant sling. A good all-rounder.

Umbrella Baby Strollers / Buggies - The umbrella baby buggy is the lightest and most compact of them all, and probably the most accepted for those reasons. These strollers are easier to take on coaches, trains and will fit nicely into the car boot. They by and large come with a rain hood and a small carrying tray / net underneath.

There is an even lighter version of this pram, which doesn’t have a hood or any carrying compartments, it’s very movable but you have to hope it doesn’t rain!

All Terrain Baby Strollers - This type of buggy is often a 3 wheeler and is the most stylish of the bunch. In fact, many paternity go for this type for the style domain as much as anything else. They can often be more pricey due to their shiny shape but do offer a comfortable ride for both passenger and pusher. Bear in mind that many of these strollers are often heavier than ordinary models.

Jogging Baby Strollers - Like the all all weather stroller, these have air crammed tires, which of course can rupture. These will give a smoother ride and gifted of tackling rougher terrain. The model is you can keep fit while pushing your youngster, as long as the baby is old enough.

Each baby baby buggy offers features, which may or may not be proper for you, so when you buy your stroller, keep in mind how and where you are chosing to use it and you won’t go far incorrect.

Photo by good10740

It has been a really tiring day so far, 3.15am. Coffee works wonders *winks* especially two cups within a space of 5 minutes which not only kept me awake but “entitled” me to a trip to the restroom 2 times in 4 hours. Caffeine overdose ? lolz

Some of you might realize that I usually reply to your emails and messages near or during the weekend, it’s when I have more personal time I work 7 days a week particularly all the time , it’s fun to me, so that’s all right. Do you remember the times when you enjoy doing your stuff so much that you forgotten to take your dinner? It happened to me today too.

Now for a recap for the day.

- Finished the investment site today, just need to fill in the contents and it will be up. Always wanted to do one to share some personal investment knowledge around. Sometimes books and technical terms just stops many people from going further into exploring the world of investment. Hopefully they will appreciate my “coffee shop” language about investments. Yup, I decided to take the mask off this site and be public with the site about its author. *winks*

- Plans for tomorrow, day 7 of 7, complete the site and make it public. It looks highly likely to go overtime though, I will try my best

In the end, the real race is not against others,
but against yourself and a factor called “Time”

- Maynas Chua

I can’t believe it: yet another stylist’s letter making the rounds in NYC that we have no knowledge of. Again, I won’t name the stylist, but if you are going to go around with a letter that bears my name and signature, I’ll give you one bit of advice: get the postal code right. Copying and pasting the paragraph about us from the web isn’t clever. And, finally, bear in mind a lot of the showrooms in New York know who we are and they’ve seen prior letters from me. Yours looks nothing like them.
   There have been several incidents like this, probably because PDFs and electronic files are easy to take apart. How this gentleman got an older letter with my signature on it is anyone’s guess: a leak from former staffers, or genuinely a stylist who has worked for us before who has taken it upon himself to change the dates?
   Fortunately, too, I update my electronic signature on these letters regularly, mostly because real-life signatures do change.
   I wonder if the older magazines go through this.

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