One of our quests during this adventure of ours is to find the place where we would like to "settle down" after we are done travelling. This week we checked out "The Villages" -- you know, you've all heard the commercial! We first visited the sales and information office and took a trolley ride around the area with a fantastic tour guide who, of course, had us sold before we disembarked. We then went with a sales representative to tour the "designer home" models, running from 1600 - 2100 square feet and decorated to the hilt!! You could get one of these homes (unfurnished unfortunately) on a normal 70 x 100 lot for about $300,000-$325,000 with monthly expenses of about $950 which included all utilities and amenity fees. There is an extra charge for greens fees for the championship courses (8 of the 33 courses throughout the Village) and for the fitness facility. On the pro side: everyone owns their own golf carts (my goal!) and there are golf cart roads that take you everywhere within the Villages; there are 33 golf courses and the couple of executive courses we saw weren't all that small (not like that one in Bellingham we used to play!!); there are numerous clubhouses and pools; there are all sorts of stores (including Super Wal-Mart), banks and services, as well as a medical complex with doctors in all specialties and its own hospital (all accessible by golf cart); and, activities similar to a cruise ship, more than anyone could possibly take advantage of. There is also a free shuttle to and from the Orlando Airport which would make trips home easier!
On the con side: The Villages is not a parcel of land bought and developed. It is a town within the State of Florida with county roads. Therefore anyone can drive through. There are gates located at each of the residential villages, but because it's a county road, you only need to press a button to get through. There are currently 35,000 homes in The Villages with 20,000 more to be built. On our trip through, the store area (open to everyone) was very congested with traffic, and there were a lot of golf carts on the road...I wonder if they suffer from road rage there too? Also, from what we've seen so far, the surrounding areas are very poor and depressed. Not that you would have to leave that often!!
The nice homes and the many activities keep The Villages on our list of possibilities.
About 1/2 mile down the road from our campsite here is a Russell Stover Chocolate Outlet Store, touted to be the largest in the WORLD...if only Uncle Henry and Dad knew about this!! We weakened and bought four 1-1/2 pound boxes of Whitmans Chocolates for $19.95. They are so big we had to find a space in the motor home just to store them!!! 
We played golf this week at 
Continental Country Club which is another retirement neighborhood, however, this one has been around for 35 years (we played golf with residents -- he was 76 and she was 82 and played golf like a pro). Here you could buy a manufactured "double wide" for around $200,000 and pay $2,200/year and play golf or tennis. The golf course was great but most of the neighborhood looked very tired (wouldn't you be after 35 years!
Continental Country Club which is another retirement neighborhood, however, this one has been around for 35 years (we played golf with residents -- he was 76 and she was 82 and played golf like a pro). Here you could buy a manufactured "double wide" for around $200,000 and pay $2,200/year and play golf or tennis. The golf course was great but most of the neighborhood looked very tired (wouldn't you be after 35 years!
(Wonder how Ken can get any sleep at night!!)Speaking of Ken...he shaved his beard and WE MISS IT! So, to Jen's delight, he's growing it back again, at least until all the kids can see it in person!!
After reading Greg and Marilyn's blog, we followed their suggestion and took a trip to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. The wildlife park was originally privately owned and housed many exotic animals. When the state took it over it was changed to animals native to the State of Florida. However, no one wanted the adult male hippopotamus so, by declaration of the governor, he became the honorary citizen of the park. 
The park is also home to many birds, reptiles, a panther, a bear and six manatees. Did you know that the flipper of the manatee contains the same bones found in the arm and hand of he human, only modified for aquatic life? 
We leave tomorrow for Veteran's Memorial State Park in Georgia for a week of golf and kayaking. It will be the first time since January 1st that we have been out of Florida. We will be returning after the Rally in Perry, Georgia in mid-March and Sarah will be joining us at the end of the month. We're really looking forward to seeing her. I do get homesick for the kids and grandkids!
1 comment:
I was unhappy to see old grizzly go too!!!
Post a Comment