I'll be honest: The Forbidden Journey ride at the Harry Potter exhibit inside Universal's Islands of Adventure had me swallowing spit afterward.

Turns out, riding a broomstick isn't as much fun as I thought.

I walked through the recreation of Hogwarts, taking deep breaths through my nose and pushing my tongue into my bottom teeth, wondering when my glands would stop filling my mouth. We all know that feeling - whether it's one too many shots of tequila or a bout of carsickness - and I had to concentrate awfully hard to avoid disaster (you never want to have to stick your head into a trash can at an amusement park).

Long story short, I survived without incident, but I was definitely rattled a bit. Although I'm typically pretty good with motion, the combination of sudden side-to-side jerks, limited forward vision, and fast-paced animation seemed to be my kyrptonite that day.

No worries - we all have bad days - and fans of Harry Potter will enjoy the recreation of Hogwarts and pretending to participate in a game of Quidditch. Next time, I'll skip the ride and stick to butterbeer.

Earlier in the day we rode Hulk, Spiderman, and three different water rides: Jurassic Park, Ripsaw Falls, andthe white-water rapids (on which everyone got completely soaked, see photo to the left).

My friends (who are residents) taught me a helpful trick when it comes to reducing the time you spend standing around in line: Take advantage of the "solo rider" line.

You go to the park as a group, but similar to seeing a movie, the attraction itself is an individual experience. You chat it up and share your thoughts when it's done, but does it really matter who is sitting next to you as it's happening? I'm not talking about saving five minutes - going solo saved us twenty minutes on the Hulk and about thirty on Spiderman and Harry Potter. Just something to consider as that's significant time, and fast passes are not free at Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure (but they are at Disney... info to come).

It began to rain as we made the walk over to Universal Studios (Islands of Adventure is separate), and unfortunately we were only able to spend an hour at the park. However, I have a few things to report:

The infamous Jaws attraction was closed in January, ending it's two-decade run. My guess is that most kids today have no idea about the classic thriller - and their parents aren't about to introduce them to the summertime anxiety we all went through.

Had I more time I would have definitely auditioned for the live Fear Factor show, a competition right there on site. You can audition seventy minutes prior for a chance to play with some creepy crawlers.

As Epcot does with the countries (story to come), Universal breaks down into different sections of the United States: Hollywood, San Francisco, and New York.

Pay attention as you walk through the park. Some of the people who approach you will offer a chance to sit in on a live taping (one such opportunity was even paid).

Who among us can say they've been paid to watch a television show?

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Yesterday I made the drive from Orlando to Savannah, coming back up the east coast into Georgia after a long weekend in Florida. I'll checking out four bed and breakfasts over the course of the next four nights.

I have many stories to share from Orlando (as well as a few more to come from St. Simons), including trips to Universal Studios and Disney (my balloon ride was unfortunately canceled due to windy weather). I had been traveling through St. Simons and Orlando with friends and fellow writers, but now I am flying solo here in Savannah. I love traveling with a group, however being on my own has its benefits as well.

Productivity and freedom of scheduling are two of them, but sleeping alone in a romantic room is not on the list.

Even though I've been doing this (travel writing) for a year and half, I still have some things to improve upon, and remembering to confirm the size of my party is currently the most relevant. When I arrived at the Zeigler House in Savannah in the early afternoon and met the owner, Jackie, she was surprised to see me.

Well, she was surprised to see only me.

"I thought you were traveling with someone," she told me, "I gave you the most romantic room."

I laughed, but she wasn't kidding. It's called the Giverney Suite, and I almost feel bad staying in here knowing that there are couples sleeping downstairs in smaller rooms. Fresh flowers decorate the coffee and dining tables, and there's even an orchid on the nightstand. From my window I can see the purple clouds and pink sky, the sun setting behind the trees.

The live oaks really do it for me here in Savannah (it seems to be a common trend throughout Georgia). Every other block you find yourself walking under a canopy, strolling in the shaded squares beside the flowering bushes. There are benches everywhere, almost as if they are arranged so another is always in sight (that's probably not true, but it sure seems that way).

Many of the sidewalks are made of old cobblestones or red bricks, which drives home that historic feel. Savannah is a town built around squares - they're everywhere (and beautiful... see map below, I'll have photos later).

An interesting thing about the Zeigler House: Unlike most B&Bs, breakfast is not served in the dining room - you have it at your leisure in your room. My kitchen is stocked with fresh baked goods (made daily by Jackie... cream-cheese danishes, blueberry muffins, monkey bread), cereal, English muffins, coffee, tea, milk, juice, yogurt, etc (all included in room rate).

I think that this could be a welcome change if you are embarking on a romantic weekend - no pressure to get up and go downstairs for a hot meal - you can enjoy coffee and breakfast at your leisure as you wake up in the suite. I'm a social being, yet I can see the allure of not having to leave the comfy bed to run down and eat with the rest of the guests, to not feel obligated when you know the innkeeper has been slaving away at the stove since the crack of dawn. I'm not taking sides, though - I see the benefit in both approaches.

That's why they make chocolate and vanilla.

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