It's said that the longest journey starts with a single step. The quandary, in this case: Would that first step lead them to the left, or the right?
Epcot's World Showcase presented itself in front of the trio – a remarkable recreation of 11 countries from around the world, each offering up unique beverages.
The rules to Drinking Around the World were quite simple: Consume one beverage at each of the countries before the end of the Illuminations fireworks display at 9 p.m.
Emma stepped left and headed south of the border. It would all begin at La Cava del Tequila in Mexico. Cool, dark and evocative of a Mexican marketplace, the unmistakable aroma of agave drew them into the shadows of the pavilion's interior.
Emma and Ruby ordered shots of Blanco tequila and belted them back with ease. Elsa opted for the frozen margarita.
"The key is to pace yourself," Emma advised. They sat at the bar munching on some nacho chips while Elsa sipped her drink slowly to avoid brain freeze.
It took a little longer than the now long-gone shots, but Elsa bid farewell to her salt-rimmed concoction by loudly slurping the potent slush at the bottom of the glass. They emerged from the pavilion squinting in the bright sun, weaving in and out of the crowd and doing their best to stick together.
Elsa's eyes lit up with excitement as they approached the next stop. The majestic peaks of the stave church reached up into the clear, blue Florida sky. All the hallmarks of Norway beckoned, including the Kringla bakery, whose glass cases were stuffed with all manner of sweet, baked heaven.
"Emma, they have coffee, and that counts in our quest," Ruby grinned.
Emma perked up at that. Granted she was trying to keep cool in the heat, but the call of caffeine was not to be denied.
They opened the door and the scents of baked goods wafted out as well as the blessed blast of air conditioning. Elsa closed her eyes in contentment, relishing the atmosphere.
They ordered a round of Viking Coffees and sat down to munch on shared pastries. It didn't take long for the jolt of Norwegian mud to prod them onward.
"Ok, on to the next country!" Ruby grabbed Emma and Elsa's hands, pulling them up. The three friends ducked around a tourist group, intent on their next destination.
China offered up sweet fruity cocktails. While they rested and cooled off inside the giant pagoda, Elsa pulled out the map to figure out what might be their next drink of choice.
"Beer and pretzels seems to make the most sense," Emma said.
Elsa reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Biergarten it is."
Emma pulled her hair off the back of her neck, beginning to feel the effects of the hot sun and the buzz of alcohol. They took their time navigating the tightly knotted clumps of kids and parents. The beer cart had a small line and they joined the rest of thirsty patrons waiting their turn. The guy in front of them wheeled and almost bumped into Emma. He was trying to juggle a pretzel with a plastic cup of lager.
"Sorry lass." His lilting accent caught her ear, and she leaned back avoiding the splash of beer.
"Smooth move Killian," his friend reprimanded him. Ruby eyed the them as they tracked down a bench to enjoy their pretzels and drinks. She elbowed Emma and nodded towards the three gentlemen.
"Looks like they're on the same quest that we are. I recognize them from the kiosk in China." Elsa peered around Ruby to look them over. Emma stepped up to the stand and bought herself a beer and pretzel, then turned to track down a place to sit, making her way over to the wide base of the fountain, eternally guarded by a large statue of St. George slaying the dragon. She scooched to the side, making room for Elsa and Ruby to sit. She watched the dark haired guy that had almost spilled his beer on her. He sat at one of the few tables in the shade, toasting with his two other companions. His blue eyes caught her staring and he raised his cup in an apologetic salute. Emma rolled her eyes and concentrated on tearing her pretzel in two. Ruby snagged the other half and blatantly ogled the men across the courtyard.
"They're easy on the eyes, I'm just enjoying the view." One of group sporting short cropped hair and generous eyebrows raised a glass to Ruby.
"I hope I don't get too filled up with the beer. Emma's right about pacing ourselves." Elsa unfolded the map to peruse the choices in their next pavilion.
"Oooh, Italy! I'm ready for a refreshing glass of wine," she grimaced as she took another swig of beer. Emma downed the rest of her beer, noting that the scruffy dark haired guy raised an eyebrow at her actions. He leaned over to whisper something in the ear of his mate. All three glanced over at the slightly tipsy trio, and in unison raised their cups in salute and downed their lagers as well.
"Challenge accepted," Ruby grinned over at the three guys. Elsa choked down the rest of her beer while Ruby and Emma waited and took sips of their bottled water to stay hydrated. Once they'd gathered their things, they headed on to Italy.
"Let's rest in the wine cellar for a while." Elsa nodded happily at Ruby's suggestion. Emma trailed after the two, taking a moment to snap a few pictures to record their Disney vacation.
When Emma caught up with Ruby and Elsa they were seated at a table enjoying the cool air blasting from a vent in the floor. Ruby was chatting with eyebrow guy.
"Emma! This is Will, we were just comparing our drink choices." Ruby was arriving at the point where anything she said was amplified by her alcohol-fueled enthusiasm. Emma gave him a small smile while her eyes caught sight of his mates ordering a flight of wine at the bar. Elsa made room for Emma at the table, and she thankfully put her phone down. She took the opportunity to twist her hair up in a ponytail now that her hands were free.
"They're from the UK." Ruby chattered on sliding a glass of red wine towards Emma. She sipped the drink and savored the flavor. Will's two friends turned from the bar, looking around for an open table. Ruby, always the friendly one, waved them over to their huddle. The dark haired scruffy one slid his wine flight onto the table, being careful not to spill a drop.
"Don't want any accidents here ladies," he slapped his friend on the back and made introductions. "You've made Will's acquaintance I see. This here is Robin, and Killian Jones at your service." He made a gentlemanly bow and smiled at Emma.
"It appears we are both making the attempt to drink around the world." He raised his wine glass and tipped it in Emma's direction. "Apologies, love for almost spilling on you."
"No harm done." Emma raised her own wine glass acknowledging his admission.
"I'd be honored if you'd allow me to buy your next beer to make amends." Emma couldn't help but be charmed by his gesture. It didn't hurt his cause that he had the most sparkling bright blue eyes she'd ever seen.
"You're on," Emma said.
The girls introduced themselves to Robin and Killian. Elsa, more than a little buzzed, leaned towards Robin and appeared to be enthralled by his story telling. They rated their selections so far. The men had also picked the frozen margaritas a few countries earlier. They seemed impressed by Emma and Ruby's bold choice of shots.
"We didn't want to get too full before we got to France and the frozen Grand Marnier slush," Ruby explained. Emma's brain felt pleasantly fuzzy as they slowly moved on to the halfway point at the America pavilion.
Elsa was happy for a bathroom break, but disappointed that beer seemed to be the only choice of beverage. Killian supplied the round of Sam's Summer Ale and a large order of onion rings.
The group lounged beneath the umbrellas and listened as the fife and drum band marched through the square, entertaining the tourists. Emma checked the time, prepared to keep them to their schedule. She wanted to make sure they were still upright by the end of the World Showcase. Ruby made a second bathroom visit, vacating the spot next to Emma. Killian took the opportunity to slide in next to her.
"Got an appointment to keep?" he inquired. Emma glanced up from her phone, any trepidation hidden behind her dark sunglasses.
"Just making sure we're keeping a slow enough pace that we're not all too far gone to even remember this day."
"I doubt I'll forget this day." Killian turned his eyes to her, smiled, and took a swig of his beer. Emma felt her ears and face burn with a blush. Flustered, she reached in her bag to pull out some sunscreen. She was due to re-apply anyway to keep her fair skin from burning in the Florida sun.
"Who's ready for sake in Japan?" Robin pushed away from the table, ready to get the group moving on to the the second half of the World Showcase. After some grumbling they gathered their things, posing for a group selfie before wandering toward Japan.
Thankfully the sake was nice and small, after the filling beer and rings of America. They found themselves easily entertained with the silk fans and umbrellas in the merchandise shop. Emma couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so much. The guys were obviously trying to impress the ladies and their antics seemed to get sillier the more they indulged.
They left Japan and moved on to Morocco in search of sangria. Morocco had colorful tiles and a maze-like bazaar to explore while they sipped their drinks. They'd found a fountain in the back with a wide bench to rest on. Emma couldn't help but admire Killian's legs when he stretched out and crossed his ankles. Ruby was teasing Will by plopping a red fez on the top of his head.
"Will can be a sloppy drunk, but your schedule seems to have kept us at just the right amount of time in each country." Killian looked at her with admiration. Emma glanced at the time and motioned the group that it was time to make their way to France.
"I've been waiting for this Grand marnier frozen orange slush all day," Ruby clapped gleefully. Once they'd collected their drinks, they gathered around the high tables to watch the street performers wow the crowd.
"That guy is insane to be climbing that high up. What if he falls?" Elsa seemed rather concerned with a mimes safety as he scrambled up a rickety-looking stack of wooden chairs that had been precariously-balanced, one atop the next. Robin reassured her that he knew what he was doing.
"I have a proposition," Killian declared. "I say we skip the UK to go to Canada, and then backtrack to end with a pint at the Rose and Crown."
"No better way to honor the homeland," Robin nodded in agreement. The girls looked at each other and all seemed to think it was a good idea.
Emma sipped the frozen cocktail and tried not to notice that Killian's scruff was ginger in color. She tried not to notice the way the hair at the nape of his neck was just a bit sweaty, and that she had the urge to run her fingers through it. She gave herself a mental shake.
"Excellent, Swan, shall we head to Canada now?" They rounded up the group and headed out of France. Killian tarried over the bridge, taking in the view of Spaceship Earth.
"So what's so special about the Rose and Crown?" Emma asked.
Killian leaned toward her, scratching nervously behind his ear. "Well aside from pints of Guinness, I was hoping you'd allow me to buy you dinner." Emma couldn't deny the attraction she felt towards this man. She nodded and grinned at him.
They may or may not have held hands and shared a kiss on the balcony of the Rose and Crown watching the fireworks at the end of the evening.