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I needed a break from

…planning my menu > cooking my planned menu > cleaning after cooking my planned menu > vacuuming > scrubbing > dusting > planning another menu.. not again! Le sigh.. the endless list of household chores!

So, last weekend was a blast {literally} with a trip to Kennedy Space Center – NASA. Some might quote me as geeky, but I heart NASA 🙂 If only, whilst growing up, my parents had coaxed me more towards space engineering. Anyone out there, dream of being an astronaut? You have my blessings for sure 🙂

This is a lengthy post, filled with photos. Don’t steal, ask for permission before using any photos. Considered warned 🙂

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If you are a Floridian, I would suggest getting the yearly pass to NASA, or for that matter, any Disney theme parks! Total tour takes a whole lot of time. With unlimited returns to NASA via a yearly pass, you can plan your trip and cover every nook and cranny. You have 1 year to do that anyways 😉 There’s a whole lot of exhibits, tours and gadgets to see, test-drive and familiarize with. We arrived around noon and was greeted by some gracious security personnel at the check point. It was a fast and easy-peasy process. They were absolutely friendly. I heart friendliness. After a click of the above photo, me and Tarun were famished and begin our tour by visiting the Orbit Cafe for a scrumptious meal of chicken fingers and fries. It’s fast food for us whenever we are on the road.

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With a happy tummy, we proceeded for our first bus tour. This is not our first trip to NASA. We skipped visiting a couple of exhibition sites that we’ve visited before and instead, choose to enjoy the informational bus tours and clicked away endlessly with our Nikon 🙂 These photo’s below are some of scenery’s taken from the bus:

Awaiting to board the tourist bus

Awaiting to board the tourist bus

This is where the orbiter is fitted & engineered with the Solid Rocket Boosters ;)

This is where the orbiter is fitted & engineered with the Solid Rocket Boosters 😉

The Crawler is used to transport the orbiter to the launchpad for the countdown ;)

The Crawler is used to transport the orbiter to the launchpad for the countdown 😉

Pebbled pathway for the enormous Crawler!

Pebbled pathway for the enormous Crawler!

We returned to the Visitor’s Centre Rocket Garden and enjoyed a full blown view of orbiters, shuttle rocket booster and experienced a whooping simulation of a shuttle launch. Goodness! It was so thrilling! No photos allowed in the simulation as it was a very shaky ride. Wouldn’t want to hurt yourself or any one else! I could never understand how these astronauts are able to handle such working conditions, riskiness and pressures. Kudos to them, I can never do it because of my vertigo. And the fact that I am very well under-qualified 😉 Sigh… this is the little astronaut in me, spewing words from the beyond 😀 Enough of me, let’s get back to more photos:

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A model of a solid rocket booster!

A model of an Orbiter, where astronaut's are housed during shuttle missions.

A model of an Orbiter, where astronaut's are housed during shuttle missions.

The Launch Simulation Hall.. Exhilirating!!!

The Launch Simulation Hall.. Exhilirating!!!

That’s it for now! Stay tuned for Part 2 – our visit to the Astronaut’s Hall of Fame. Yes, this tour was a long and enjoyable one!

On a separate note, we want to take this opportunity to thank our readers and well-wishers for your continued support, love and participation during the 2009 Orbbies: Orlando’s Rockin’ Blogs competition. We are eternally grateful 🙂

So, what are your plans for the weekend? Anything in the lines of … 3…2…1… Lift Off?

{ 21 comments }

1 Frat Mustard November 20, 2009 at 9:03 PM

What a cool tour… how much does the tour set you back in terms of $?
.-= Frat Mustard´s last blog ..Dubrovnik Restaurant Facebook Contest =-.

2 Kiran November 23, 2009 at 12:30 AM

Thanks Frat.

Per entry fee equals to $38.00, but it’s worth to add $12 for a yearly pass. Only if you are a Floridian 🙂

3 dinu November 21, 2009 at 10:18 AM

hey, looks cool !

4 Kiran November 23, 2009 at 12:30 AM

Thanks 🙂

5 Ramkumar November 21, 2009 at 12:13 PM

Guess wat ., I was considering Florida State University of MS. Hope to visit these places soon 🙂
.-= Ramkumar´s last blog ..Which Mobile to BUY???? =-.

6 Kiran November 23, 2009 at 12:32 AM

Hi RamKumar,

MS? You mean, Masters? What have you finally decided? Good luck in your pursuits 🙂 And yes, NASA is fab!

7 Ramkumar November 23, 2009 at 12:38 AM

Yup., But my GRE score was bit less 1100 out of 1600. I Choose FSU, University of Colorado and Purdue. Lets see which one i get into. And thanks.

8 Kiran November 23, 2009 at 11:04 AM

Good luck! I am sure you would get admission, with flying colors!

9 Ramkumar November 21, 2009 at 12:14 PM

Guess wat ., I was considering Florida State University for doing MS. Hope to visit these places soon 🙂
.-= Ramkumar´s last blog ..Which Mobile to BUY???? =-.

10 Kitchen Butterfly November 21, 2009 at 4:50 PM

Wow..Lovely photos. Hope you had a chance to refresh and recharge and you came back feeling better?

11 Kiran November 23, 2009 at 12:35 AM

Welcome KB, and thanks for visiting Chatterbox 🙂 Thank you, I am feeling so recharged especially after riding the Shuttle Launch simulation! It was a blast of adrenaline rush 😀

12 steppinout November 22, 2009 at 11:14 PM

Nice place
.-= steppinout´s last blog ..Office 2010 Beta Download Link Now Available For Public =-.

13 Kiran November 23, 2009 at 11:03 AM

Welcome, and thanks for visiting Chatterbox SIO 🙂

14 Kelvin Servigon November 23, 2009 at 4:27 AM

whoa, that place is sooo cool. I want to go there, and I want to be an astronaut, too! 😀
.-= Kelvin Servigon´s last blog ..The Advantages and Disadvantages of Having a Web Hosting Account (For Free) =-.

15 Kiran November 23, 2009 at 11:03 AM

Ya, it’s so cool 😀 It’s never too late for you to be an astronaut! Good luck!

16 Rajesh Kanuri @ TechCats December 10, 2009 at 4:16 AM

Hope I visit all these places right away.. my urge to visit NASA increased after seeing this post…
.-= Rajesh Kanuri @ TechCats´s last blog ..Download Beta Versions of Google Chrome for Linux & Mac =-.

17 Kiran December 10, 2009 at 11:37 AM

It’s a great place for space and science enthusiasts.

18 hitchwriter December 30, 2009 at 8:07 AM

wonderful pictures !
.-= hitchwriter´s last blog ..bewakufo… baaki chodo… mazaa looto ! =-.

19 Kiran April 28, 2010 at 10:30 AM

Welcome to Chatterbox Hitchwriter, and thanks for your comment 🙂

20 Nova May 2, 2011 at 11:21 PM

Wow!!! So, is it a tourist place? Or do you need special permission?
Nova recently posted..10 steps to marry a Prince!

21 Kiran May 4, 2011 at 9:29 PM

Nova,
This is Kennedy Space Center Visitor area, and yes, it’s open to public. No permission needed, just purchase a ticket 🙂

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