Tony Bush
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2001
- Messages
- 677
Day 1 ( Dec 3rd. )
Woke up at 7.30 and my first thought was how long could we go before Jack started to be sick! (I have posted numerous times asking for air sickness/nervousness cures for my long suffering son.) Thanks to my DIS friends I was well prepared with Sturgeon tablets if needed. We were all up and dressed by 8.30 and took a stroll into the airport. I was very tempted to go and look at the queue for Virgin check-in just to make myself feel extra good about using the twighlight check in, but decided against it. Had a breakfast of tea, toast and jam in the food court - and to my great surprise Jack ate as well and said he felt fine. (Last time we went in 2000 he had already been sick before even getting to the airport!) Sturgeon tablets stayed firmly in my pockets! Looked around the shops for a while before going through to the departure lounge. No great security changes this end although the man on the desk through to the departure lounge seemed quite confused about twighlight check-in. He asked the people in front to go back to the Virgin desk as they had put a sticker on their passport dated 2/12.......
Bought Jack a game boy game to keep his mind off the flight whilst DW and DD disappeared into the shops in search of perfume and other girlie goodies! Went through to the departure gate without any fuss and boarded the plane ("Hot Lips" was our Virgin 747 this time) Still Jack professes to be fine and I am completly amazed.
Settled into my cramped little space and watched Eight Legged Freaks, One hour photo and The Bourne Identity. I actually ate on the plane which is a first (even if it was just Jack's kids meal!) but it was a very smooth flight. Jack finally cracks and is sick about 4 hours into the flight. I decide it's too late now to give him Sturgeon and pray he won't be too bad before we land. It was a very clear day and we all had a good view of the New York skyline from 36,000 feet! Landed on time and Jack is sick once again but says he feels ok. (This breaks his all time record - only sick twice!)
Through Customs really quickly - we had actually filled in the Visa forms correctly this time - probably because I did it at home a few days before we left rather than on the plane. Had to go through 2 xrays and checks before picking up our cases for the last time. I was prepared for a huge queue at the dollar desk thanks to warnings in here and usually would have left DW, DS and DD to get the luggage whilst I went there, but for some reason I completely forgot this until too late. Amazingly only two people in front of me and even better no pressure from Dollar to upgrade the car - (I had already upgraded to the Intermediate when we booked the holiday) No credit card needed either - but I did pay for a full tank of gas.
Car was a nice red Dodge Stratus. Squeezed 3 cases into the boot and 1 had to go on the back seat between the kids ( maybe I'll get a full size next time !)
Armed with two sets of directions we set off. Took two wrong turns but made it to I-Drive (via a Chillis' car park and a construction site!)
Checked in to the Quality Inn Intl. and first impressions weren't brilliant. I could tell DW was not impressed as she went very quiet - I know after 13 years not to speak to her when she's like this!! The hotel looks very tired and worn and DD pronounced the lifts "skanky".
Left her to unpack whilst I took the kids for food. Now I had a great list of restaurants we wanted to eat in but gave in as I was tired and had a terrible head-ache. So MacDonalds it was!
All ate whilst I crashed out at 7.30.
Fav's of the day :
Tony - Landing !!!
Paulet - Saying thanks, and hearing "you're very welcome" in return.
Jack - 8 Legged Freaks
Chloe - Our new car for 17 days.
Tony
Next - Day 2 - Lazy Day
Woke up at 7.30 and my first thought was how long could we go before Jack started to be sick! (I have posted numerous times asking for air sickness/nervousness cures for my long suffering son.) Thanks to my DIS friends I was well prepared with Sturgeon tablets if needed. We were all up and dressed by 8.30 and took a stroll into the airport. I was very tempted to go and look at the queue for Virgin check-in just to make myself feel extra good about using the twighlight check in, but decided against it. Had a breakfast of tea, toast and jam in the food court - and to my great surprise Jack ate as well and said he felt fine. (Last time we went in 2000 he had already been sick before even getting to the airport!) Sturgeon tablets stayed firmly in my pockets! Looked around the shops for a while before going through to the departure lounge. No great security changes this end although the man on the desk through to the departure lounge seemed quite confused about twighlight check-in. He asked the people in front to go back to the Virgin desk as they had put a sticker on their passport dated 2/12.......
Bought Jack a game boy game to keep his mind off the flight whilst DW and DD disappeared into the shops in search of perfume and other girlie goodies! Went through to the departure gate without any fuss and boarded the plane ("Hot Lips" was our Virgin 747 this time) Still Jack professes to be fine and I am completly amazed.
Settled into my cramped little space and watched Eight Legged Freaks, One hour photo and The Bourne Identity. I actually ate on the plane which is a first (even if it was just Jack's kids meal!) but it was a very smooth flight. Jack finally cracks and is sick about 4 hours into the flight. I decide it's too late now to give him Sturgeon and pray he won't be too bad before we land. It was a very clear day and we all had a good view of the New York skyline from 36,000 feet! Landed on time and Jack is sick once again but says he feels ok. (This breaks his all time record - only sick twice!)
Through Customs really quickly - we had actually filled in the Visa forms correctly this time - probably because I did it at home a few days before we left rather than on the plane. Had to go through 2 xrays and checks before picking up our cases for the last time. I was prepared for a huge queue at the dollar desk thanks to warnings in here and usually would have left DW, DS and DD to get the luggage whilst I went there, but for some reason I completely forgot this until too late. Amazingly only two people in front of me and even better no pressure from Dollar to upgrade the car - (I had already upgraded to the Intermediate when we booked the holiday) No credit card needed either - but I did pay for a full tank of gas.
Car was a nice red Dodge Stratus. Squeezed 3 cases into the boot and 1 had to go on the back seat between the kids ( maybe I'll get a full size next time !)
Armed with two sets of directions we set off. Took two wrong turns but made it to I-Drive (via a Chillis' car park and a construction site!)
Checked in to the Quality Inn Intl. and first impressions weren't brilliant. I could tell DW was not impressed as she went very quiet - I know after 13 years not to speak to her when she's like this!! The hotel looks very tired and worn and DD pronounced the lifts "skanky".
Left her to unpack whilst I took the kids for food. Now I had a great list of restaurants we wanted to eat in but gave in as I was tired and had a terrible head-ache. So MacDonalds it was!
All ate whilst I crashed out at 7.30.
Fav's of the day :
Tony - Landing !!!
Paulet - Saying thanks, and hearing "you're very welcome" in return.
Jack - 8 Legged Freaks
Chloe - Our new car for 17 days.
Tony
Next - Day 2 - Lazy Day
Not a bad travelling day though 
