New York or Orlando?? Heck, let`s do both.....12 nights NYC & Sapphire Falls...July 18 Trip Report

[macraven]

I’m waiting to here about the fantastic trip !

Carole does them up rightly fine!

 

[schumigirl]

I'm late to the party as usual
Glad I didn't miss the cocktail hour.

Looking forward to reading about your latest travels.

And I didn't know that Tom retired on my birthday...we share an anniversary of sorts

to my mate Vicki...……

You made the first page....you`re not late!!!!!

Hope you enjoy reading along this one too Vicki......nice to see ya...…..

 

[schumigirl]

Haha! It's only once a year a gal turns 29 again! I don't have Luke Skywalkers on shelves YET! But, hopefully will tomorrow and will send you (Tom) pics!

Would love to see them!!!! And yes, Tom absolutely would...…..

 

[schumigirl]

I'm following along as well!

to Lstar311...…...we almost met recently!!!!!

Nice to have you along, and I really hope you enjoy this one too...…….

 

[schumigirl]

I’m waiting to here about the fantastic trip !

Carole does them up rightly fine!

Thanks mac...…….

You know me, I`m always up for compliments...…..

 

[I-4Bound]

Hooray! Adventure awaits...let's go!

 

[JaxDad]

Yo Schumi! I'll be joining in when I can.

 

[schumigirl]

Hooray! Adventure awaits...let's go!

Andrea...……

Hoped you`d be along...…..

Yep, maybe not so much adventure as a slow drawl on this one...… But, I can try...…..Hope you enjoy it...…

When are you back again??? I get so confused at times when everyone is going back...…..

 

[schumigirl]

Yo Schumi! I'll be joining in when I can.

Another warm JaxDad……….

Will be lovely to see you drop by whenever you can...…….

 

[AussieBritTraveller]

Oh cool another great trip report to build the excitement!

I've started my own for this year's trip

 

[schumigirl]

So, after our May trip was over we immediately began to look forward to this one...…...poor Kyle finds it so funny we are talking weeks between trips instead of a year...…..bless him. He is looking forward to December though

We had 51 days since we came home from Orlando in May till we were back on a plane heading back to NYC. Kyle over breakfast one morning commented we will have travelled 9 times between Sept 2017, till May 2019 I think that`s 21 months.....and around 120 nights!! He`s the math whizz......I`ll take his word for it.....

So our travel day had finally come around......we slept not too badly the night before, I think the small rum and ginger beer helped...….and it was a very small rum...….I couldn't face travelling feeling even remotely unwell, so no large cocktails I usually make up.

I set my alarm for 6am, as Kyle was leaving for work at 6.45, he was supposed to leave an hour later but was going in early for something or other, so despite Tom kinda half asleep grumbling it was too early I went through to our bathroom and heard Kyle in the shower already...…..I did wonder if I should have another 10 minutes till he was ready...….but didn't think that would be a good idea as I was sure I`d be out for the count again. So sat in the chair by the window and waited till he was done. Quickly showered and dried and straightened my hair, all while Tom strangely still slept through. Usually my hair dryer in the bedroom wakes him up. One thing I noticed is another difference between us, is we don't have electric sockets in bathroom areas...….of course we have different voltage, but I do still find it strange in America plugging something in beside the bathroom basin with water!!!

But, as I wandered out of the bedroom I told Tom Kyle would be leaving in 20 minutes......that did wake him up, as he wouldn't want to miss him this morning......so he was up in a flash.

Kyle had already eaten breakfast by the time I got down and was up in his room getting his suit on...…...this was always the bit I didn't look forward to the most......and I say it every time, I know he`ll be fine, I know we`re not away that long and yes, he is an adult...….but he`s still my boy and we miss him a lot.....although I think he`d be bored rigid the way we tour 90% of the time now. And definitely can`t see him wandering round stores in NYC or being keen on Prosecco time as he is a non drinker...……

But, before I could have even a cup of tea he was back down and telling us he was leaving for work...…….oh dear!!!! I did better this time, only had a few sprinkles of tears before he let go to give his dad a hug...….of course I had to get another and as always didn't quite want to let go ...….but, he was out the door wishing us a fabulous trip and to have the best time...…...I grinned back at him and said we`d certainly try...…...his car was on the driveway, so he didn't need to bring it out of the garage, he was quickly in and heading down the driveway with us waving him all the way down...…...always my sad point of the day!!!

I wiped away the tiny little tears that couldn't help but bubble under the surface...….then thoughts turned to breakfast as Tom was saying he was starving which is unusual for him. It`s usually me who`s hungry all the time...….so he got some cereal and I made fruit and yoghurt with a croissant. It was really too early to eat. But, hot breakfast tea is always welcome...…...so we sat at the table and our minds were already whirling ahead to later...…..

Once I had tidied up and made sure everything was sparklingly clean and tidy (why do we do that) I turned my attention to final packing of suitcases with last minute toiletries and anything for hand luggage. I had decided just to use my handbag as hand luggage as I didn't need much on the aircraft and Tom`s hand luggage held all we needed. So making sure we had the all important ipads and more importantly the chargers...….we did another check to make sure we had passports and anything else we needed for travel. We could make do without everything if necessary, but not Passports.

I always have a book with all the details of all our bookings and a paper copy too. Just in case...…..we were once told by an immigration officer we should have our ESTA`S printed off just in case the system ever went down......so we did. And this was our first time entering fully with Global Entry so I was looking forward to doing that......but, I`m a worrier......so I had copies of everything. Without an ESTA we don't leave the UK...…...it`s a travel document we Brits need to complete and have it authorized well before flying. It only costs $14 and lasts 2 years.

Gave my mum a call and as usual, same as last trip, she was heading out the door and I laughingly had to say goodbye very quickly as she`s always swanning off somewhere......she is such a busy bee for an 83 year old......which is a good thing of course.....but, I had spoken to her as promised...…..meanwhile Tom was loading up the car with our 2 suitcases and his hand luggage...…...this never fits the same way twice!!! But, he manages just as one of our closest neighbours comes up our driveway...…..we tell her we have a workman coming to do our downstairs bathroom while we are away, he has a key to get in and gates won`t be locked so if she sees a van heading in while passing it`ll be him...….hopefully!!! She wishes us well and we lock the house up and get in the car to our usual 80`s radio station...……

The drive up to Manchester is uneventful thankfully...….folks always seem to ask why we don't fly from a London airport...….I really don't think there`s a reason we do or we don't...…..we like Manchester airport and like the hotel. Maybe sometime we`ll fly again from Heathrow......they have the beautiful Sofitel there......I loved staying there!!!! But, for now we pulled into the usually mobbed car park and today is no different...…..but we manage to get a decent space which may or may not have been the last one......you know when you see a manager type organizing people that they are short of space.

Luggage unloaded we trawl it up and around to the hotel entrance, which with heavy luggage feels like a ten mile hike...…..Tom at this point stops to ask what I have in them!!!! Not a clue what he means...……

In through the revolving doors and up in the elevator to the 9th floor for Executive check in. It`s nice having a separate check in area, much quieter and a little cosier……...here we meet the lovely Klaudia…...I had heard a lot of good things about this young lady but in all our stays we had never met her......finally we did. And she is as lovely as everyone says. There was another young lady with her who may have ben training...…..so we sat down to check in and ended up chatting for half an hour or so......in which time I think we married Kyle off to the other young lady...…….ssshhhhh haven't told him yet...….we were just mentioning him in passing how he hates social media like FB and all that, doesn't drink and works hard...…..and she was most impressed! I think we may have sold him a little!!!! But, it was a nice conversation and although our room was ready we were in no rush...…...but, my tummy was now rumbling, so we got our room cards and headed down the corridor to our room which is usually ready a little earlier. With the Executive rooms we have always got in around midday, but we were later today so quite near regular check in time.

We also mentioned how hard it was to park and she said yes, when they have meetings and conventions in the hotel, they take up parking spaces meant for guests, but she said it should be clearing soon as they were finishing up today at 2pm. So Tom might go down and move it to better space if it opened up.

Our room is as always...…….

The rooms have everything we need.....although I didn't use the ironing board mac...…….lol...…..you get free bottled water and only have to ask for more if you need it, free movies and of course access to the Executive Lounge.

The hotel has a swimming pool which although quite small you can just about swim in it. They have a lovely spa that I haven't taken advantage of in many years......but it is very good. And of course the view isn't exactly beautiful...….but we love airports and always like to see planes...….my husband wonders if I wasn't allowed to look at planes as a child as I`m drawn to looking at them wherever they are...…..yes, such a deprived child that couldn't look at planes!!!!

We left the room and went down to the bar for lunch...…..this was our favourite start to our trips...…...some sandwiches and prosecco...……

The Little M Bar is nice......and today exceptionally busy, so we take up a booth meant for about 8...…..there really was nowhere else...…..of course as soon as we sat down the couple in the booth beside us both, yes both started talking on their mobile phones extremely loud!!!! They were obviously both business people as laptops were open and they seemed keen for everyone to hear how important they were...…..the couple behind them looked at us and burst out laughing...….I grabbed my menu and sat behind it as I was sure someone was going to say something to them......they really were extremely loud, much louder than their general conversation had been...…..I think the head waiter was about to speak to them when the woman behind them complained to them that no one in the bar wanted to hear their obviously very important calls and everyone was trying to have a quiet lunch...……..I was dying watching their faces...…..and I was still being rather furtive hiding behind the oversize menu...….both of them were huffing and puffing but they did stop their calls and rather sheepishly paid their bill and left the bar......there was almost a cheer went up!!!!

The woman who had spoken to them leaned over and told us that was their 3rd "extremely important and very loud call each" Oh dear. I was laughing so hard at this point and grateful for once it wasn't me...…….this has happened before to us!!!!! I`m no longer afraid of speaking my mind. There are a lot of business people use this hotel too, maybe more so than families, but not sure about that.

But, with the noisy couple gone we perused the menu I had been wafting around to cool my face down as I had been giggling so hard...…...our waiter was Ibrahim who immediately said didn't I just serve you recently...…..we said yes, in May...…..I was surprised he had 2 kids as he looks about 14!! But he was lovely...…..we chat briefly and order 2 glasses of prosecco and ask him if it`s a fresh bottle, he checks and says yes, he`ll be opening a fresh one......and we do indeed see him do so. I ask about the Coronation Chicken sandwich and if it can be prepared without onion, says he`ll check with the chef. But first brings our glass of prosecco...……now we are on vacation...…..

I really should have titled this trip report.....Why is my face so red all the time!!!! Future pictures will attest to this...….And that was before the bubbly...…….it was very nice....and the woman who complained to the loud couple saw us and asked for 2 glasses for her and her husband...….she said it looked so nice...….and it was.

Ibrahim came back and said the chicken could be prepared without onion, so I went ahead and ordered that, while Tom had honey ham and tomato.....very simple but nice. He never gave me coleslaw as it has onion in, so he gave me some potato chips......it was a lot as we both had fries come with our sandwiches...…

And now we had tasted the prosecco and liked it, we ordered a bottle...…….

The sandwiches were lovely......and Tom loved his coleslaw......he loves onions too!!!! They were very fresh and so tasty...…

We planned to spend a couple of hours in here today, so the bottle would be spread out over a while, till we went up to the lounge...…..this was lovely......I took a couple of pics on the ipad and sent them to Keisha and mac to say our Vacation begins!!!!

Er, fill it up please...……….

We do like a good full glass!!!!

We pass an hour or so in here, just chatting and musing on what lies ahead for us on this trip...…..we love this time, everything is in front of us and so much to look forward to.

But, we pay our check and tell Ibrahim we`ll see him in September...……..and we head up to the Executive Lounge...….

This is a lovely way to start a trip too. And at this time of the day, it`s incredibly quiet. I thought with it being July it would be busier......but not so today.

There is a sign up saying No Children under 12 allowed...….it used to allow children up till 5pm when the alcohol is served, but they changed it apparently as folks were unhappy at having to leave...…...we didn't mind this.

It is a lovely lounge. There are cold drinks, teas and coffees available all day. There used to be Sol beers in the cold cabinet too, but now it comes out at 5pm too...…..I`m sure there`s a reason for this....there usually is. Also Olives, snacks and chocolates which even I had one and it was nice. I liked the olives though...…..

We sit back and relax with coffee and a chocolate each......ok, maybe 2...….. there is no one around except the girls on the desk till around 4.30, so it is quiet, except when they pop in to see what needs replenishing...….

The wine and alcohol come out from 5pm till 9pm and appetizer style food is out from 5pm till 7.30pm. We tend to see what the snacks are like, if they`re good we don't go down to the restaurant, if we don't like what`s on offer we do. So it`ll be a surprise to us too.

When the young lady appears she speaks and we can hear immediately she is from the same area roughly as we are originally from...….and she is!! Turns out her aunt used to own a pub/restaurant we always used to go to years ago and on occasion when we go back up that way......it really is a small world!!!! She was lovely...…..had moved down to live with her boyfriend...….anyway we asked her what the snacks were tonight...…..so we had a charcuterie plate, small pork pies, veg and chicken spring rolls, shrimps on sticks, spicy cheese parcels which are delicious......falafel, and turkey and cheese plates with various chutneys...….we wouldn't be going to the restaurant tonight.

We were still quite full as we did have a late lunch...…...so we waited till around 6.30 before having any food or wine...….and again I was surprised it wasn't busier as it was peak travel time.

We had a few glasses of wine and some of the food which was very nice...….we like to nibble little bits now and again, and it was all fresh and replenished regularly by Aimee...…..we chatted a lot to her as it was so quiet, and really had a lovely evening.

Around 9.30pm we said our goodnights and headed down to our room...….

We had arranged to Skype Kyle very briefly when we got back to our room, so we did....of course we hadn't much to tell each other...….lol......but we said goodnight to him and arranged to Skype Sunday as we travelled most of Friday and on the Saturday we had plans all day. Of course we didn't know then that would change.

Tom made us a cup of tea and we watched some movie or other on the tv......I never remember which one we watch.

It is chucking it down with rain tonight, and I love watching it from inside all warm and cosy…………the airport is still incredibly busy and people are swarming along the skywalk non stop.

I set about 35 alarms including an alarm call from concierge.

Wasn't sure how well we would sleep, but we were certainly tired enough to sleep well. We love their beds as they are huge and the same size we have at home...….you really can get lost in it!!!!

But, 11.30pm, lights out and again wondering if we will indeed get a lot of sleep.

Long day ahead of us again...……..

 

[schumigirl]

Oh cool another great trip report to build the excitement!

I've started my own for this year's trip

to my favourite AussieBritTraveller………….

Although technically I don't know another ABT...…… jk………

Thanks so much and glad you`re along for this one...…….just been over to your report...…..sounds fabulous!!!!

 

[pattyw]

Always hard to leave the kids! At least your Kyle is waiting back at your home! Mine will be far away soon!

Funny about your waiter looking so young! I say that all the time now! Makes me feel so old! But no- just that we're young and they're younger! My mom still calls me her baby! Always hated that but these days that sounds lovely!

 

[schumigirl]

I`m still the baby too with my mum. I`m the youngest of my siblings.

It never gets old hearing it either...….

 

[macraven]

So, that is what an ironing board looks like...

Lol

 

[schumigirl]

So, that is what an ironing board looks like...

Lol

My ironing board has a sparkling purple cover on it..........of course.

I’m supposed to be doing that right now.........but, I’m studying new bathrooms right now!

 

[I-4Bound]

Lol, my face is red all the time, too! I'm a redhead, so it goes with the territory. Drinking any type of alcohol always makes it redder!

 

[tammy]

What a wonderful start to your trip. The hotel looks so nice and the lounge so inviting.

 

[schumigirl]

Lol, my face is red all the time, too! I'm a redhead, so it goes with the territory. Drinking any type of alcohol always makes it redder!

Lol...I’m the same......but in most of these pics I’ve not had a drink at all!!! It was just hot I think........it’s a blight though.......may invest some Clinique redness minimiser........

But there are a lot of red faced pictures.......not the most flattering, but heyho........

 

[schumigirl]

What a wonderful start to your trip. The hotel looks so nice and the lounge so inviting.

It really was a good start tammy......

The hotel is beautiful........folks always ask why we stay there all the time........it really is the nicest one there, and most convenient too.

But, the lounge is very nice too.