See our PTR for a little bit of info on who we are and what in gods name we've decided to do ... which pretty much all changed by the way as you will see!!
So the trip was supposed to be:
depart Sunday Oct 12th from our island to Miami.
Drive to the Keys and spend 2 days down there.
Then a few days in Miami, hook up for another 5 days with friends in Palm Beach,
One night in the Spongebob Nickleodeon hotel in Orlando followed by 7 nights in a villa, then fly Orlando to Barbados and stay for a few days at Sandy Lane.
This was the master plan until October 10th when it ALL changed!!!
First problem was that Amercan Airlines cancelled the first flight from our island to Miami. No problem - we'll just fly to Barbados a day early, stay over at a villa the business has and onto Miami early on the morning of the 12th. This was no problem and was arranged.
Then on the morning of departure DH decided he really didnt fancy the keys and wanted to spend his time in Miami and Palm Beach instead (BLOODY MEN!!!!!!!!!!
) but this was something I could rearrange and change hotels so I did so.
So off we set on a lovely early morning taxi pick up at our villa in Barbados of 3.45 am for a 7.30 flight ..... oh the wonders of a mid nightime get up with 2 young boys!
Check in with American was fine but all the shops were still closed so we sat there gasping for coffee and dying to eat anything they could provide. Eventually someopened and we scoffed down a couple of Roti's which satisfied the hunger pangs and boarded on time.
Now all English long haul traveller are spoiled (oh the joys of the Virgin Clubhouse are a distant memory with AmericanAirlines!) .... the wonderful American airlines and total crap in comaprison, no seat back TV's, no BLANKETS!!, no food service, even the naff little headphones are $3 to try and watch some screen 40 feet away up the cabin but it was only 4 hours so we sucked it up and enjoyed as best we could.
Landing in Miami was a great sight, clear blue skies, a little early as 11.15am and we were itching to get off and going. Miami is renowned as a terrible airport to get through with immigration and we were stood in the usual long lines for what seemed like forever but we were through in just under an hour. Luggage pick up was quick and we headed down to Alamo to pick up the car.
The desk was closed and we were directed to the bus to go out to the Alamo depot offsite which we did, in a bus which was so over-AC's there was condensation running down the windows and a busload of FREEZING people! As we got to the depot there was a HUGE line outside the building, at least 70 people and I prompty threw my toys out my little basket and had a hissy fit whilst getting off the bus that this was such a load of crap yadda yadda yadda ....... if only I'd noticed the sign that said this queue was for people catching the buses BACK to the airport after drop off ......
as it was we get into the office and its empty!
Very quickly we are processed, all papers are presented and we are assigned our car, which is very nice:
which if anyone wants to know size info for maybe their vacation, its a GMC Acadia, 7 seater SUV. With only 2 rows of seats it has a huge boot space but with 3 rows up its only got a couple of feet space in the boot if that. In comparison I drive a Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon and that comes in at about 3 feet longer. The next level up is the Suburban and thats more comparale to my car.
anyway, it comes with a built in DVD player so the kids are HAPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
We drive off and programme the satnav for our hotel we always stay in in Miami - the Fairmont Turnberry Isle. It had a 100million $ refurb 18 months ago and its just gorgeous, a real treat in Miami. As usual it was fabulous, amazing staff, totally beautiful and a lovely base for the next 5 days. Here's the kids room, our room (interconnecting), the cabana which came with our reservation and the pool area :
the Miami stay is filled with relaxing, shopping and eating and we sadly bade farewell at the end of our stay and drive onto our friends condo in Palm Beach for the next part of the journey ....
So the trip was supposed to be:
depart Sunday Oct 12th from our island to Miami.
Drive to the Keys and spend 2 days down there.
Then a few days in Miami, hook up for another 5 days with friends in Palm Beach,
One night in the Spongebob Nickleodeon hotel in Orlando followed by 7 nights in a villa, then fly Orlando to Barbados and stay for a few days at Sandy Lane.
This was the master plan until October 10th when it ALL changed!!!
First problem was that Amercan Airlines cancelled the first flight from our island to Miami. No problem - we'll just fly to Barbados a day early, stay over at a villa the business has and onto Miami early on the morning of the 12th. This was no problem and was arranged.
Then on the morning of departure DH decided he really didnt fancy the keys and wanted to spend his time in Miami and Palm Beach instead (BLOODY MEN!!!!!!!!!!
) but this was something I could rearrange and change hotels so I did so.So off we set on a lovely early morning taxi pick up at our villa in Barbados of 3.45 am for a 7.30 flight ..... oh the wonders of a mid nightime get up with 2 young boys!
Check in with American was fine but all the shops were still closed so we sat there gasping for coffee and dying to eat anything they could provide. Eventually someopened and we scoffed down a couple of Roti's which satisfied the hunger pangs and boarded on time.
Now all English long haul traveller are spoiled (oh the joys of the Virgin Clubhouse are a distant memory with AmericanAirlines!) .... the wonderful American airlines and total crap in comaprison, no seat back TV's, no BLANKETS!!, no food service, even the naff little headphones are $3 to try and watch some screen 40 feet away up the cabin but it was only 4 hours so we sucked it up and enjoyed as best we could.
Landing in Miami was a great sight, clear blue skies, a little early as 11.15am and we were itching to get off and going. Miami is renowned as a terrible airport to get through with immigration and we were stood in the usual long lines for what seemed like forever but we were through in just under an hour. Luggage pick up was quick and we headed down to Alamo to pick up the car.
The desk was closed and we were directed to the bus to go out to the Alamo depot offsite which we did, in a bus which was so over-AC's there was condensation running down the windows and a busload of FREEZING people! As we got to the depot there was a HUGE line outside the building, at least 70 people and I prompty threw my toys out my little basket and had a hissy fit whilst getting off the bus that this was such a load of crap yadda yadda yadda ....... if only I'd noticed the sign that said this queue was for people catching the buses BACK to the airport after drop off ......
as it was we get into the office and its empty!Very quickly we are processed, all papers are presented and we are assigned our car, which is very nice:
which if anyone wants to know size info for maybe their vacation, its a GMC Acadia, 7 seater SUV. With only 2 rows of seats it has a huge boot space but with 3 rows up its only got a couple of feet space in the boot if that. In comparison I drive a Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon and that comes in at about 3 feet longer. The next level up is the Suburban and thats more comparale to my car.
anyway, it comes with a built in DVD player so the kids are HAPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
We drive off and programme the satnav for our hotel we always stay in in Miami - the Fairmont Turnberry Isle. It had a 100million $ refurb 18 months ago and its just gorgeous, a real treat in Miami. As usual it was fabulous, amazing staff, totally beautiful and a lovely base for the next 5 days. Here's the kids room, our room (interconnecting), the cabana which came with our reservation and the pool area :
the Miami stay is filled with relaxing, shopping and eating and we sadly bade farewell at the end of our stay and drive onto our friends condo in Palm Beach for the next part of the journey ....
