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The 4F Trip Report
Day 15 - 11-Jul-2009 - The Last Day and Journey Home
Our last day had an evening departure, but we hadn't been organised enough to arrange a late checkout. So we got all of our bags packed and were ready to leave by 11am, as required.
The bell man took our bags away, and we were left in our swimming cossies with nothing to do but spend the day splashing around in the pools. We spent a short time in the "village" pool, and while there we got chatting to an American couple who had just arrived. They were going to Cinderella's Royal Table the following day, and were really looking forwad to their trip.
After that, the kids wanted a final play in the main, Pirate pool , so we upped sticks and went there. We played for a while, had lunch, played in the arcade... and all of a sudden it was time to get showered, changed and get onto the Disney Magical Express.
The 5pm bus arrived a couple of minutes late, and all our luggage was loaded onto it. Relucyantly, we took our seats and watched the video as we made our way back to MCO.
When we got there, we initially were far too stingy to allow a porter to help us out. And then we looked at that mountain of fifteen bags... Well, they're only US dollars... what would we use them for when we got home?
We had to race to keep up with the fellow, but otherwise this was one of our better decisions. In no time flat we were at the checkin, and both it and security went smoothly. ("Have you had these cases in your possession ever since they were packed?" "Oh yes" So what about the time they were in the hotel's safe room, or in the boot of the bus?) A little looking at the shops, a further walk and we were at the departure gate, thinking how strange it was to be hearing all of those Glasgow accents!
The flight was pretty well on time, I had an emergency exit row all to myself (save for take-off and landing), Marie and the kids in the row behind. I am never entirely sure whether I manage to sleep when on planes, but I didn't feel as if I had been on the plane for eight hours...
When we arrived at Glasgow Airport we collected our bags and went out through customs (please pick up the red phone if you would like to declare anything) and then to our bus stop. We had to wait about twenty minutes for the car park bus to turn up, and compared to what we'd become used to it was cold! But then we got on the bus and were taken to our car.
Marie and the kids sat inside the car, out of the rain and wind while I loaded the luggage. I was glad there were no traffic snarl-ups on the way back home - I'm not sure I'd have stayed awake through a long traffic jam!
When we got home everything looked fine, but there was a pretty awful smell when we got in. "Maybe the place is just a bit stale," I thought.
It was around then that Marie opened the door of the freezer.
Remember back on Day 1 when I said I went round the house, being green and switching off everything that was on standby. Guess I threw a switch I shouldn't have...
All of a sudden we were back in the real world - clearing out and cleaning the freezer, then washing, ironing and all the stuff that we do in real life.
And that was the end of the 4F trip - the Flippin' Florida Freezer Fiasco
regards,
/alan
The 4F Trip Report
Day 15 - 11-Jul-2009 - The Last Day and Journey Home
Our last day had an evening departure, but we hadn't been organised enough to arrange a late checkout. So we got all of our bags packed and were ready to leave by 11am, as required.
The bell man took our bags away, and we were left in our swimming cossies with nothing to do but spend the day splashing around in the pools. We spent a short time in the "village" pool, and while there we got chatting to an American couple who had just arrived. They were going to Cinderella's Royal Table the following day, and were really looking forwad to their trip.
After that, the kids wanted a final play in the main, Pirate pool , so we upped sticks and went there. We played for a while, had lunch, played in the arcade... and all of a sudden it was time to get showered, changed and get onto the Disney Magical Express.
The 5pm bus arrived a couple of minutes late, and all our luggage was loaded onto it. Relucyantly, we took our seats and watched the video as we made our way back to MCO.
When we got there, we initially were far too stingy to allow a porter to help us out. And then we looked at that mountain of fifteen bags... Well, they're only US dollars... what would we use them for when we got home?
We had to race to keep up with the fellow, but otherwise this was one of our better decisions. In no time flat we were at the checkin, and both it and security went smoothly. ("Have you had these cases in your possession ever since they were packed?" "Oh yes" So what about the time they were in the hotel's safe room, or in the boot of the bus?) A little looking at the shops, a further walk and we were at the departure gate, thinking how strange it was to be hearing all of those Glasgow accents!
The flight was pretty well on time, I had an emergency exit row all to myself (save for take-off and landing), Marie and the kids in the row behind. I am never entirely sure whether I manage to sleep when on planes, but I didn't feel as if I had been on the plane for eight hours...
When we arrived at Glasgow Airport we collected our bags and went out through customs (please pick up the red phone if you would like to declare anything) and then to our bus stop. We had to wait about twenty minutes for the car park bus to turn up, and compared to what we'd become used to it was cold! But then we got on the bus and were taken to our car.
Marie and the kids sat inside the car, out of the rain and wind while I loaded the luggage. I was glad there were no traffic snarl-ups on the way back home - I'm not sure I'd have stayed awake through a long traffic jam!
When we got home everything looked fine, but there was a pretty awful smell when we got in. "Maybe the place is just a bit stale," I thought.
It was around then that Marie opened the door of the freezer.
Remember back on Day 1 when I said I went round the house, being green and switching off everything that was on standby. Guess I threw a switch I shouldn't have...
All of a sudden we were back in the real world - clearing out and cleaning the freezer, then washing, ironing and all the stuff that we do in real life.
And that was the end of the 4F trip - the Flippin' Florida Freezer Fiasco
regards,
/alan
and some fantastic photos 
