It takes a lot make me scream. It's not the most vocally soothing sound in the world but washed among a heap of splashes, a fearful drop and many other screams it sounded loudly. There's just something about that rollercoaster dropping feeling that gets the heart pumping and although the experiences were few and far between in Orlando's Universal Studio Resorts they were still great. However I have to admit to being ever so slightly apprehensive about taking on Dr Doom's death drop. It was like staring my fear of heights in its ugly face, whimpering a little and then taking a deep breath or three once my feet started hugging the earth again after the drop. It didn't concur the fear exactly, in fact I think I'd like to attribute the short ride with some blame for my upset stomach that lasted for three days, but I now do know what it's like to be shot off the ground right up in the air about a hundred or so meters at a quicker speed than you could possibly fall. Oh, and there is also that emasculating feeling of seeing tonnes of little girls and boys who clearly look less fearful than you do but what are you gonna do.

The whole Universal Resort is so well set up. The two main parks are linked through the Hogwarts Express and an open public City walk area that's chock full of restaurants, activities, miniature golf and live music. From 8am to way past 10pm the place is rocking with holiday vibes and like Miami the weather is tropical during winter. It has the tourists from all over the U.S. and the world flocking to it, I think most U.S. people to probably escape the cold winter from their own towns further up north.

Like most theme parks Universal is not one to consider if you can't stomach long lines for rides and weaving through people darting every which way no matter where you're headed. That's unless of course you want to purchase a fast pass for the rides and skip the queues. This is something Maddi and I decided not to do given it was going to cost us nearly a hundred bucks a day more but after being trapped at the bottom of the water coaster ride in Island of Adventure for nearly an hour we considered upgrading.

One of the features I really wanted to see, even if Maddi was not at all keen for it, was Harry Potter world. And I have to say I'm impressed. The attention to detail in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village is amazing and had it not been for a ridiculously large amount of muggles getting around in summer clothes it would have been like being on the movie set. As much as my inner child kept telling me "Get it, get it, get it." I did not end up purchasing myself a wand from Ollivanders. I think Maddi may have just disowned me and I'd be riding solo from here on in. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter had by far and away the most amount of people in it at all times of the day and night and the wait time for the rides was always the longest. The series may have ended a few years ago but there's no doubt it's still as popular as ever.

Transformers, Shrek, Twister, the Mummy and a whole host more are represented at the parks, they even have a cool San Francisco bay area setup with a replica Jaws hung from rope. They have a Simpsons area complete with Moe's Tavern, setup similarly inside to the TV show complete with the Love tester machine, Krusty Burger and the Kwiky Mart. It was a lot more than I was expecting.

So now I've done both Universal Studios California and Orlando and if I had to compare and choose I'm going with Orlando by a fraction because of night life options although the real set experience in California was great last time.

So we begin the last legs of our journey and slowly but surely head back west which started with a back to back flight path to New Orleans. And with grotty that head cold feeling and a rumbling stomach I'll tell you Sunday's travel for me was plain, pun intended, misery. At least in each flight we were sat at the back of the plane where I had readily available toilets should I have felt the need to refund what little I has consumed in the previous twenty four hours. Fortunately it didn't come to that but it very nearly did on the first leg when we flew through some challenging Southern Georgia weather that had us rocking up and down like a yo-yo for twenty minutes. Maddi and I joked about how different we are with our travel habits and feelings. I'd trade for his calm temperament on the plane while flying for my organisational skills at airports anytime.