Cheetahs, rhinos, more alligators and a great big surf shop

Our last day with the girls, daughter Elin and her Boston friend Abby, started with a visit to the Brevard Zoo. Our expectations were low, but were greatly exceeded by the quantity, quality and unusual selection of animals we saw.

The zoo had a nice selection of animals located in open display areas. We also were on hand for the 3 p.m. alligator and crocodile feeding, which was also entertaining and educational.

A wide selection of birds from a number of continents were on hand at the zoo and we visited an "free fly" aviary that was large and interesting in its layout. It was an up close and personal look at many birds we had never seen before.

We missed by 20 minutes the vulture feeding, but found it strangely ironic that the vultures in the aviary were being visited and harassed by free flying vultures who were trying everything to get inside the cages to share in the meal being enjoyed by their captive cousins.

The carcass is always sweeter on the inside of the cage, I guess.

Joan likes otters and there was a nice display of river otters that we spent some time at.

One of the featured animals and events was the giraffe feeding exhibit. Unfortunately we never saw the giraffe. Hard to believe a giraffe could find a place to hide, but it did.

Following the zoo, we drove north to Cocoa Beach and visited the headquarters store of Ron Jon Surf Shop to do a little souvenir shopping. Can't say much about that here because some of the folks who read this blog will also be the recipients of the souvenirs.

Then it was off to the Orlando Airport to drop off the girls at a hotel so they can catch their flight tomorrow and we can set sail north to home.

Hard to believe our two-week vacation is nearly at an end, but we are also looking forward to returning home. It has been fun reconnecting with Florida family and friends and enjoying the outdoor activities here in Florida.

Blogging may, or may not occur during our trip home because we have made a course correction and aren't sure yet where we are staying the next two nights, or whether they will have Internet. If not, we'll catch up when we get home.

Thanks to all of our hosts and hostesses as well as all of those who have followed our trip. We pray for travel mercies as we make our way home along I-95 and I-77. By the end of the trip we will have driven through 10 states.