We've been meaning to do one of these for years and have finally done it. Be warned, it's a bit long and windy... like our holiday in someways. Here's part 1:
Foreword
We are a family of six. Debra, my beautiful wife aged (don’t be silly) and myself, Mark, aged 44, are the responsible adults. Alexandra, aged 15, Nicholas, aged 14 and Lucy Bear, aged 8 are our well behaved and well mannered children. Charlotte, aged 20 decided she was too old to go on holiday with her family and so stayed behind in Ashford, Kent to look after our menagerie of cats and dogs. We missed her.
The first thing to know is that we have vacationed in Florida a number of times prior to this, our first family visit to the West Coast of America. So we are familiar with the USA and like a lot of things about it and for many in our party i.e. the females, the thing we like the best is Disney. Charlotte had spent the previous year working at Epcot and we had been lucky enough to visit her three times during the 12 months which is another story for another time. Our last visit to Disneyworld which was courtesy of our eldest daughter’s employee discount rates meant that we could afford to spend a week in the Beach Club (upgraded to Concierge level by the Check-in clerk which was the icing on the cake) and a week at the Grand Floridian, the flagship hotel (although not my personal favourite in all honesty). Anyway, having ended on such a high and in such luxury I felt that 2008 would be a good opportunity to explore somewhere new for a change and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Deb and I had spent a week in Las Vegas to celebrate her 40th birthday (oops) a couple of years ago and although Sin City is geared towards adult entertainment I felt there were some things that the kids would enjoy and we could combine it with a tour of California which is something I had wanted to do for a long time. The original plan, in fact the original booking made in early January of 2008 included the full Californian experience taking in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and all points in between including Disneyland, Yosemite, the Napa Valley, Big Sur, Death Valley, and so on. It was a packed schedule with no time to stop and think or unpack and it didn’t take long before my sensible wife took me to one side and pointed this out in a way that made me realize that my enthusiasm had gotten the better of me and that to actually have an enjoyable experience it might be better to scale back on our travelling. The revised schedule would still take 19 days but we would save Northern California for another time. Our new route started in Vegas and then took us to San Diego, Anaheim and Hollywood before heading back to Vegas for the last few days. This meant that we had enough time to take in each place and have a chance to relax, which I guess is one of the main reasons for the holiday in the first place.
A combination of hotel choices and time of year meant that it wasn’t the cheapest holiday we’ve ever had and so the next few months were spent skimping and scraping wherever and whenever we could to pay the balance that was due in May. After that we did more of the same to raise as much spending money as we possibly could because I had a feeling we would need it (and more besides). Luckily I had a good contract in London and without it we certainly wouldn’t have been able to go. There were times when I think both of us were convinced that we weren’t going to make it, in fact we discussed the possibility of cancelling on several occasions, but one thing after another fell into place and we made each deadline by the skin of our teeth. Given the current economic situation it might have been wiser for us to bank that money and sit tight but I am sure it would have been gobbled up by something else (as it always is) and for that reason I don’t regret our decision to go ahead for a second. I know there are rainy days but life is for living and who knows what tomorrow may bring. Some of the experiences and laughs we had on this journey, and the many other journeys we’ve taken together over the years, are priceless. They will stay with me forever and I am very thankful to have had the opportunity and recognize that in some way or another we have been blessed.
Most of what you will read over the following pages was written by me and edited or corrected by Deb. She also contributes a few passages here and there when the girls did something that myself and Nicholas did not or where I got facts wrong or out of sequence. These are clearly marked and our writing styles are also suitably different. So hopefully you, dear reader, won’t get confused or disorientated when we jump from one voice to the other.
Finally, I think it is important to understand that I never set out to write a 98 page novel. For several years I have wanted to record our experiences on vacation for posterity in the form of trip reports that I so enjoy reading at places like Disboards.com. I had also encouraged the kids to do so but like me I think the best we ever did was keep a daily journal for about two thirds of one particular holiday. Other times I vowed to write up my thoughts the minute we got back home as they would be fresh in the memory only to become distracted by real life and sometimes post holiday depression. I was determined that this time it would be different. I even took a digital Dictaphone with us and at 3am our first morning in Planet Hollywood we all sat on our bed and recounted what had happened the previous day. The plan was that we would do this at the end of every day to save me the time consuming process of writing it up on the spot. Instead I could trawl through the recordings when we got back and put it together at my leisure. Typically the Dictaphone was never used again and so what you are about to read is courtesy of my brain fuddled memory and has been written over a period of several months. It should have been completed weeks ago when I was unemployed and looking for work (thanks for pointing that out darling) but the inspiration and desire simply weren’t there and if there is one thing I‘ve learnt over the years, you can’t force these things. If you do it will be rubbish. It is now Christmas morning and I am officially finished and very relieved. It has taken longer than I thought it would and there is more than I thought there would be when I started out back in September but it has given me great pleasure in remembering and recounting our 2008 vacation.
I hope you enjoy it.
The Day Before
Debra: Mark went to work today and took the train straight from London to Gatwick airport. Lucy still had school so after I picked her up and she got changed we loaded the car and drove to the airport. Charlotte came with us because she was taking the car back to use while we are away. We had agreed to meet Mark on the top drop off point, unbeknownst to us everything had changed at Gatwick and we couldn’t drive up there, it was only for buses to the car parks. Unfortunately Mark didn’t have a phone signal so we couldn’t get hold of him and he had walked up there to find no-one around, then he got a signal and phoned to find out where we were. Once he got to us we had unloaded and we said goodbye to Charlotte. The check in was quite quiet and we had no problems other than the girl checking us in could do with a lesson in smiling… We headed off to find somewhere to eat before we went to the Hilton to check in. As I have already said things had changed at Gatwick, there was no McDonalds and very little choice in eateries so we decided on Burger King then went over to the Hilton. We knew that we had booked a room with a double bed and bunk beds and it seemed fine for the night until we lay on the beds, were there any springs in them at all, or were they just covered bits of wood? It was probably the worst night sleep we had all holiday so not a very relaxing way to start.
Mark: Work was impossible today as I had the worst case of clock watching that I can ever remember. Mind you, if I had been at home it might have been even more difficult. At 4pm on the dot I got changed in the shower area that the 'fit' people use when they come back from the gym. I didn't realize it was so big -- three separate shower units. Clearly they expect a lot of stinky people and I guess that's better than having a queue of them standing opposite my desk every day. The big boss either cycles or jogs in every morning and is at work in his 'gear' until 9am even though he arrives a lot earlier than that. He's either too busy to shower straight away or he likes the smell of sweat first thing in the morning. Is he trying to set an example for the rest of us or is it a form of intimidation? Being the most unfit person I know makes me wonder if that is the reason he has hardly ever spoken to me in six months. That said, when John works from home he always asks me where he is rather than Sesi, so I am wondering if he is also a closet racist.
I take the train from Charing Cross to London Bridge as John says that would be quicker than tubing to Victoria and taking the Gatwick express. It is also £10 cheaper. The only problem is I might have to stand all the way as London Bridge isn't the first stop. I arrive at London Bridge on Platform 4 and immediately assume that the Gatwick train must be leaving from one of the higher number platforms. This involves a fairly long hike to the main terminal area where I discover that the train is expected on Platform 5 in less than 2 minutes -- ****ing typical. I backtrack rapidly to the adjacent platform and arrive sweating and out of breath just as the train is pulling in. There are several people in front of me so the chance of a seat looks unlikely but as luck would have it the layout of this train is unlike the ones I'm used to, more like a tube in fact, so there are still a couple of vacant spaces and I park myself on one of them much to the displeasure of the women next to me whose sigh is unnecessarily loud. The first thing I notice is that the seats are incredibly low and there is very little leg room. It's like sitting on the kids chairs during open evening at junior school. Knees up around ears is not really possible let alone comfortable for someone of my size. I remind myself never to complain about the Network Southeast stock again, even though I still mourn for the old style first class compartments. Sesi says that they still have them in India and that he can't see the difference between the first class seats and the standard class ones over here. I couldn't agree more. It also bothers me that every morning the Conductor announces that first class seats are for first class customers only and if you are found in them you will be charged the price of a first class ticket. Then, when the train arrives at Sevenoaks, everyone sits in them and the conductor is never, and I mean NEVER, anywhere to be found. I can't blame passengers for sitting down because the bloody train is always overcrowded and I am sure they didn't pay for standing room only tickets BUT I wonder where the conductor is and expect he is hiding in one of the toilets rather than trying to enforce a nonsensical policy that is likely to get him punched in the face on a regular basis. Mark (Seymour) tells me that the reason for the planned rail strike in the South is because they are planning to introduce new trains that do away with the need for a conductor. Does that mean there is no more first class or are they 'smart' seats that can somehow detect whether or not you have purchased a first class ticket? I wonder how they'll handle the Sevenoaks crowd? Perhaps they have built in speakers that will attempt to shame everyone into standing up as I can't see ejector seats being a viable option.
It's funny what you think about to pass the time. The journey only takes 35 minutes but because it is uncomfortable it feels longer and there is no air conditioning so we are all baking as it is a sticky afternoon. I am thankful to arrive and follow the throng up to the South terminal. I call Debra and find that they have just arrived but new security regulations mean they can't be dropped off upstairs and so I have another long trek to find them and an equally long trek back to the Virgin check-in desk, which as Debra said was pretty quiet. Gatwick is a shadow of its former self when it comes to shopping and eating options. Most of it has been closed down, it's almost like they don't want anyone to buy anything until they get airside. If that's the case they might as well close them all down and be done with it. We eat at Burger King and head for the Hilton as there is nothing else to do. Check-in is remarkably quick, in fact there is no queue which is a first. We smuggle Lucy into the room and settle in for the night. We are all 'high' on excitement for the morning but it is slightly dampened by a restless night on the most uncomfortable bed I have ever attempted to sleep on and the cheapest pillows. Honestly, it's one star standard at best and I wonder how they can get away with it. Who gives out these star ratings and do they ever go back and check them from time to time? I must look into it. In any event it wasn't good enough and you couldn't pay me to stay there again. If we'd have had the time to complain, oh who am I kidding, there wouldn't be any point. All things considered, we could have had a better start to the holiday.
Gatwick to Las Vegas
We were all feeling a little worse for wear today but excited to really get the holiday started so after we were all showered and dressed we headed over to the terminal and went straight through security. We got the bits and bobs that we wanted from Duty Free and WH Smith’s then headed for the VRoom. Now this really is the way to start a holiday, buffet food, not too many people, various rooms to keep the kids happy and a great view of the runway. We all drank and ate well and Lucy loved watching the planes while the other 2 went off into the teen lounge area and played table football and had a go on the internet. We waited in the VRoom until our flight was called and left there to go straight to the departure gate. This was by far the best experience we have had at an airport.
The flight started boarding not long after we arrived at the gate and as our seats were only 4 rows from the rear of the plane we were one of the first to board. It was starting to look as if the flight was pretty full so I wasn’t lucky enough to have a spare seat next to me. Another first was we had a female captain, and it was the first time that a captain has spoken when we could actually hear everything that was said and she was quite informative. We had some spectacular views on the flight over Greenland and saw some magnificent glaciers, the rest of the flight went well and was mainly clear skies. The descent and landing however were a different matter entirely. It was very turbulent and there were quite a few groans throughout the plane. I have never seen a child go green before but that is exactly what Lucy did and then threw up after we had landed but still on the plane. We had managed to make good time on the flight and I think that we landed about 40 minutes early. Although we were some of the last people off the plane immigration wasn’t too bad and the line kept moving. We saw the Virgin Holidays rep who gave us some info and told us that we would need to get on a blue and white bus outside the terminal, which would take us to the McCarran Rent-a-Car Centre. This is a brilliant idea; the entire Car rental companies under one roof. Unfortunately for us Dollar was about the only company that had people waiting in line, and what a long line! We were waiting in the queue for well over an hour, but Alexandra and myself had a very pleasant conversation with the gentlemen in front of us, who was English, and the gentlemen behind us, who was American. It did mean that the time saved in the air was lost here waiting to collect our car. When we finally got to the desk, there was a problem with the insurance that we had pre-purchased from Virgin Holidays, I had asked to make sure that we would be covered for additional drivers and been assured that what I had purchased covered that, but the man behind the desk said that it didn’t although he went back to a manager who said that they would waive the extra cost this time. When we finally got to the garage to collect the car we had a choice of 2, a red one and a white one, we chose the car closest to us, the red one, we loaded up and headed off. I mentioned to Mark that I was surprised about the amount of miles the car had done, around 22,500 miles, as every car we have hired in Florida had around 6,000 miles. The kids looked quite impressed with their first glimpse of Las Vegas and as we drove up the strip the spotted all the hotels that they had seen pictures of and heard of. When we finally got to Planet Hollywood, our home for the next two nights, we were all feeling rather sleepy. Virgin **** up number two: the hotel clerk informs us that we currently do not have 2 rooms together as they didn’t know that we wanted connecting rooms, he not only found us 2 connecting rooms but gave us a small upgrade as well as we had a view of the Bellagio fountains and the hotel pools. The rooms are amazing and we are all very impressed but feeling so tired that we decide to just order some room service and try to get a good nights sleep, not difficult after last night. The food was really tasty, Mark and Nicholas shared a pepperoni pizza, Alexandra had pasta with spicy meatballs, Lucy had a burger, that I helped her finish, and I had my usual 1st night in America meal of chicken noodle soup, it was all really good and everybody went to bed with full tummies and it wasn’t long before we were all sound asleep.
Mark: I don't think I have ever wanted to leave a hotel room so fast and it had nothing to do with being excited about the holiday. Deb checks us out, no queue again, which is good and we make our way over to the terminal happy that the only queue we have to face now is the one for immigration. There was hardly anyone here either but we are told not to go in for some reason which I still find puzzling and instead we are directed upstairs which was a first for us as I don't think there was an 'upstairs' when we last flew out of Gatwick some 14 months ago. Sure enough at the top of the escalators we see a new Immigration entrance where WH Smiths used to be (I think) and thankfully there is only a few people in front of us so it doesn't take long to go through. Lucy's fannying about with her shoes (after they have been scanned using a separate machine) so I make my way out into the expanded airside shopping area while Deb deals with her. On this day in particular I have enough stress of my own making without adding to it. The expansion has almost doubled the size of the old area and there are several shops that have still not opened. We make our way down the escalators and set up base camp while Deb and Alex go Duty Free shopping. It's busy here and I am even more surprised that getting in was such a breeze. What time did all these people get up in the morning and more importantly regarding the girls in particular, did they get dressed in the dark or forget to pack their own clothes? And what's with all the tattoos and multiple piercings? Their general appearance and attire, or lack thereof, is clear evidence that society is failing these kids especially when a high percentage of them have clearly forced their way into outfits that are at least one size too small or possibly even two. I wouldn't mind if any of them had been good looking but it seems the fatter and uglier they are the less they are inclined to wear. Maybe that's the only way they think they can attract the boys. Don't they know that teenage boys will shag anything? Talking of boys, there are plenty on display this morning already lagered up and wandering around in matching t-shirts which have their names or nicknames on the back. Mostly these are their names with a 'y' or 'er' added on the end. As unimaginative monikers go, football has a lot to answer for. I expect they are all going to Ibiza, Aiya Napa or some other godforsaken island. Rather them than me is all I can think.
Deb and Alex arrive back which means that it is time for Nick and I to make sure we have plenty to read on the plane. It's our male ritual thing and traveling to the States wouldn't be the same without the latest copies of Total Film, Classic Rock, Q, T3, etc. Standing in the long line to pay it suddenly occurs to me that there are a few problems with this ritual: (1) the magazines are pretty heavy and our hand luggage is already over the limit especially mine which includes the ridiculously large and heavy laptop I bought a few weeks ago without really thinking about what I'd be using it for, (2) they are also bloody expensive, especially when there are two of you buying them and 3) we never ever get to read them all. Having said all that, I feel better with them than without them and I am happy that we have plenty to keep us occupied for the next 12 hours or so. Nick, who has to carry most of them, is probably less happy.
Heavy bags in tow we make our way to the Virgin Holidays lounge, which is very pleasant and provides a stunning panorama of the runway. It's a shame the weather is so dull today. There is a good choice of breakfast goodies on display although I am sure some people will bemoan the limited hot menu of sausage and bacon rolls or the vegetarian option of a mushroom, cheese and tomato tower (for want of a better description). We all eat well, too well if truth be told, and the lounge is pretty quiet which makes for a nice escape from the masses downstairs. Virgin flights are displayed on monitors and boarding messages are relayed over the public address system. It's all very pleasant. Nick leans back in a chair that is not designed to be leant back in and spills his drink everywhere. More stress ensues while they clear it up and I try not to think about what I'd really like to do to him right now. It's a good time for the kids to have a wander and so they all head for the play area where Alexandra kicks his butt at table football. It's not quite what I had in mind for him but it'll do. Deb goes back down to the Duty Free for some aftershave for Brian while I take in the view for a while before heading to the loo even though I don't really need to go. This is another ritual as I am terrified of getting caught short on a long flight, or any flight for that matter, as there is no way I would fit on that toilet seat plus Deb would probably have to wipe my bottom. The thought of getting wedged on the loo or having to poke my backside out into the corridor while she takes care of business down there fills me with horror, so you can see why it is absolutely vital that my bowels are completely empty prior to boarding. Luckily the toilet is spotless and it has a new fangled dryer that does its best to blow your fingers off. The water doesn't stand a chance and after two passes through my hands are completely dry but it doesn't stop the child in me from having a third go and giggling even though the PA, which is also piped into the loo, has just called our flight.
We all meet up and head down to Gate 13. Oh Christ, I wonder if I am the only one to notice and I think about saying something but then think better of it. Later while we are waiting to taxi from the terminal Alexandra complains that the floor of the plane is really hot and that number crosses my mind again but it's too late to turn back now and the chances of the plane crashing are a million to one apparently. Good odds and no reason to fear then if it weren't for the fact that this figure is much less than the chances of winning the lottery. The fact that a close family member won almost 2 million a few years ago is not something I like to think about at times like this, and yet this worrying statistic always pops into my head whenever we are about to fly, more often than not as we are hurtling down the runway.
I don't know why the floor was hot or whether it had something to do with why the plane was delayed but we sat waiting to be pushed off from the gate for at least an hour. Inside it was like a sauna especially at the back where we were. The lady captain said that it would get cooler once we were in flight but she didn't say when that would be which did nothing to calm my nerves. The flight time to Vegas was 9 hours and 50 minutes, which is less than I remember. I don't know whether they put their foot down because of the delay but we did end up landing 30 minutes earlier than scheduled so they definitely did something. The flight was fairly smooth most of the way with a couple of seatbelt signs that only lasted a few minutes. We were flying on Barbarella both ways as it turns out, which is one of the older planes using the most basic entertainment system, so no games for the kids and you have to wait for the longest film to finish before you can watch the next one. The control system is also molded into the side of the seat, which makes it very difficult to use for the larger person. There is also the matter of the earphone socket, which always pokes into my leg and sometimes breaks. It's gotten to the point where I've stopped using their system and now take my own. I notice that there are several people in our section of the plane that have also done the same. These consist mostly of portable DVD players and one or two PSPs. If Virgin find out I imagine that they'll consider doing away with the entertainment system altogether. The cheap *******s.
The route takes us up the spine of the UK and then left over Scotland towards Iceland and then Greenland where the cloud cover clears and we get to see and photograph some spectacular views of the landscape below including an amazing looking glacier. After Greenland it's a relatively short hop before we are over Newfoundland and northern Canada which is empty save what looks like thousands of small pools or lakes (it's difficult to tell from 38,000ft). I look hard but don't see any Polar Bears, which is disappointing. Maybe it's the lack of snow. We head down through Canada but don't pass close to Calgary this time so we can't say 'hi' to Pam or Greg. Montana is completely flat and boring so I lose interest for a while until the flight map says we are getting close to Denver but it's just our luck to be on the wrong side of the plane and so we miss having any view of the Rockies whatsoever. The same thing happens as we head down through Utah as the majority of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' are coming from the other side. The kids seem to be enjoying it though and when we arrive at Lake Mead, which is a mesmerizingly deep shade of blue that is in striking contrast to the surrounding landscape, I tell them to look out for the Hoover Dam. Sure enough we see it below us just as the plane makes a right-turn for Las Vegas and we hit the worst spell of turbulence I have ever experienced. The plane is thrown up and down like a roller coaster. I am officially frightened and expect a full on panic attack to hit me any second. I try closing my eyes but can't escape the sound of people gasping with each rise and fall. I grip my seat as tightly as I can which makes me feel better even though I know that it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to the outcome if we end up plummeting into Henderson below. Deb looks over and tells me that Lucy has turned bright green, which is a first. I see her looking for a sick bag and hope she finds one in time. The bumpy ride doesn't let up until we touch down at McCarran. We are all visibly relieved. On queue Lucy throws up while we are taxiing to the terminal. The man sitting next to Debra seems ok with it thankfully. He probably has kids so knows what it's like. Alexandra and Nicholas are hotel spotting as Barbarella heads parallel to the strip.
We wait for everyone to leave which makes us the last people off the plane with the exception of those needing assistance of which there are a few. Heading down the aisle I notice that the plane is like a dustbin and I wonder how people can make so much mess and why they are happy to leave it like that. The walk to the Immigration queue is a short one and we take our place behind 360 other passengers expecting a long wait but the truth is it only takes about half an hour to reach the front. Our fingers are scanned and passports are stamped before heading to find or luggage which is already on the conveyor belt. We hand in our Customs declaration form and exit to find the Virgin Rep who directs us to the bus stop. Outside it is hot, well over 100 degrees and the kids first real taste of a dry heat. They seem excited but I wonder if we'll be able to sit outside in it. We miss the first bus but it doesn't take long for the next one to arrive. If people could be bothered to queue we would be near the front but they don't and so we face the prospect of missing this bus as well. I decide that is not going to happen and make sure two of our bags are first on. The problem is that I am in the way of the driver who is trying to load other people's luggage so I have to get on and hope we all make it. We do thankfully but it was touch and go at one point and I honestly thought that Nicholas and Lucy might get left behind as it became a complete free-for-all. The journey to the car rental terminal is a short one. The terminal itself is a great idea as it gets people away from the airport, which I presume also has a positive effect on traffic in and around the area. Being last off the plane meant that we were also last to the Dollar queue, although there were as many Americans in the queue as British from our plane. Deb and Alexandra queued while Nicholas, Lucy and I sat with the luggage and had a drink. None of the other rental companies had more than one or two people in them and I made a mental note not to bother hiring a car until we get here next time. That way we can pick the quietest rental counter and not have to wait an hour and a half. There were problems with the booking at Dollar as we had been badly advised by Virgin Holidays again. Thankfully the guy talked to a manager who understood and waived any additional fees we would have had to pay. Thanks Virgin. Before we left the UK I expected to arrive at the hotel around 5pm local time but it must have been closer to 6pm when we parked up outside Planet Hollywood. The check-in queue was pretty busy so Deb got in line and I found a spot to park the kids and our hand luggage. The backdrop behind the check-in desk changed colour every couple of minutes or so which was typically Vegas and I could see that the kids didn't quite know what to make of their glitzy surroundings. We had described it to them plenty of times before leaving but I don't think anything can prepare you for the experience of actually being there. Again Virgin Holidays had cocked-up the booking and so we didn't have connecting rooms as requested but the guy at the desk was more than helpful and moved us without any bribes exchanging hands (I've read elsewhere that it happens all the time in Vegas but wouldn't have any idea about doing it myself). The new rooms we were assigned overlooked the hotel's pools and the Bellagio fountains. It was a shame about the building work opposite but other than that the view couldn't have been much better. To say the rooms were swanky would be somewhat of an understatement. They have been refurbished since we last stayed here and were much larger than I remember with two comfy armchairs a table and 42" HD Plasma screen. Oh my. The baseball on ESPN looked incredible. If we had come here during college football season I might not have been able to leave the room at all. At one time I think we had planned to have a look around the hotel and perhaps head into the Miracle Mile shops to keep us awake but the reality was that we were all tired and hungry. Creatures of habit we had a standard first night room service meal which included obligatory pizzas and chicken noodle soup for Deb. Needless to say it went down well. We tried to stay awake as long as possible but I don't think that any of us saw much past 9pm. Better than I expected but not late enough to keep me from waking up in the early hours.
Thanks for reading. Part 2 tomorrow.
Foreword
We are a family of six. Debra, my beautiful wife aged (don’t be silly) and myself, Mark, aged 44, are the responsible adults. Alexandra, aged 15, Nicholas, aged 14 and Lucy Bear, aged 8 are our well behaved and well mannered children. Charlotte, aged 20 decided she was too old to go on holiday with her family and so stayed behind in Ashford, Kent to look after our menagerie of cats and dogs. We missed her.
The first thing to know is that we have vacationed in Florida a number of times prior to this, our first family visit to the West Coast of America. So we are familiar with the USA and like a lot of things about it and for many in our party i.e. the females, the thing we like the best is Disney. Charlotte had spent the previous year working at Epcot and we had been lucky enough to visit her three times during the 12 months which is another story for another time. Our last visit to Disneyworld which was courtesy of our eldest daughter’s employee discount rates meant that we could afford to spend a week in the Beach Club (upgraded to Concierge level by the Check-in clerk which was the icing on the cake) and a week at the Grand Floridian, the flagship hotel (although not my personal favourite in all honesty). Anyway, having ended on such a high and in such luxury I felt that 2008 would be a good opportunity to explore somewhere new for a change and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Deb and I had spent a week in Las Vegas to celebrate her 40th birthday (oops) a couple of years ago and although Sin City is geared towards adult entertainment I felt there were some things that the kids would enjoy and we could combine it with a tour of California which is something I had wanted to do for a long time. The original plan, in fact the original booking made in early January of 2008 included the full Californian experience taking in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and all points in between including Disneyland, Yosemite, the Napa Valley, Big Sur, Death Valley, and so on. It was a packed schedule with no time to stop and think or unpack and it didn’t take long before my sensible wife took me to one side and pointed this out in a way that made me realize that my enthusiasm had gotten the better of me and that to actually have an enjoyable experience it might be better to scale back on our travelling. The revised schedule would still take 19 days but we would save Northern California for another time. Our new route started in Vegas and then took us to San Diego, Anaheim and Hollywood before heading back to Vegas for the last few days. This meant that we had enough time to take in each place and have a chance to relax, which I guess is one of the main reasons for the holiday in the first place.
A combination of hotel choices and time of year meant that it wasn’t the cheapest holiday we’ve ever had and so the next few months were spent skimping and scraping wherever and whenever we could to pay the balance that was due in May. After that we did more of the same to raise as much spending money as we possibly could because I had a feeling we would need it (and more besides). Luckily I had a good contract in London and without it we certainly wouldn’t have been able to go. There were times when I think both of us were convinced that we weren’t going to make it, in fact we discussed the possibility of cancelling on several occasions, but one thing after another fell into place and we made each deadline by the skin of our teeth. Given the current economic situation it might have been wiser for us to bank that money and sit tight but I am sure it would have been gobbled up by something else (as it always is) and for that reason I don’t regret our decision to go ahead for a second. I know there are rainy days but life is for living and who knows what tomorrow may bring. Some of the experiences and laughs we had on this journey, and the many other journeys we’ve taken together over the years, are priceless. They will stay with me forever and I am very thankful to have had the opportunity and recognize that in some way or another we have been blessed.
Most of what you will read over the following pages was written by me and edited or corrected by Deb. She also contributes a few passages here and there when the girls did something that myself and Nicholas did not or where I got facts wrong or out of sequence. These are clearly marked and our writing styles are also suitably different. So hopefully you, dear reader, won’t get confused or disorientated when we jump from one voice to the other.
Finally, I think it is important to understand that I never set out to write a 98 page novel. For several years I have wanted to record our experiences on vacation for posterity in the form of trip reports that I so enjoy reading at places like Disboards.com. I had also encouraged the kids to do so but like me I think the best we ever did was keep a daily journal for about two thirds of one particular holiday. Other times I vowed to write up my thoughts the minute we got back home as they would be fresh in the memory only to become distracted by real life and sometimes post holiday depression. I was determined that this time it would be different. I even took a digital Dictaphone with us and at 3am our first morning in Planet Hollywood we all sat on our bed and recounted what had happened the previous day. The plan was that we would do this at the end of every day to save me the time consuming process of writing it up on the spot. Instead I could trawl through the recordings when we got back and put it together at my leisure. Typically the Dictaphone was never used again and so what you are about to read is courtesy of my brain fuddled memory and has been written over a period of several months. It should have been completed weeks ago when I was unemployed and looking for work (thanks for pointing that out darling) but the inspiration and desire simply weren’t there and if there is one thing I‘ve learnt over the years, you can’t force these things. If you do it will be rubbish. It is now Christmas morning and I am officially finished and very relieved. It has taken longer than I thought it would and there is more than I thought there would be when I started out back in September but it has given me great pleasure in remembering and recounting our 2008 vacation.
I hope you enjoy it.
The Day Before
Debra: Mark went to work today and took the train straight from London to Gatwick airport. Lucy still had school so after I picked her up and she got changed we loaded the car and drove to the airport. Charlotte came with us because she was taking the car back to use while we are away. We had agreed to meet Mark on the top drop off point, unbeknownst to us everything had changed at Gatwick and we couldn’t drive up there, it was only for buses to the car parks. Unfortunately Mark didn’t have a phone signal so we couldn’t get hold of him and he had walked up there to find no-one around, then he got a signal and phoned to find out where we were. Once he got to us we had unloaded and we said goodbye to Charlotte. The check in was quite quiet and we had no problems other than the girl checking us in could do with a lesson in smiling… We headed off to find somewhere to eat before we went to the Hilton to check in. As I have already said things had changed at Gatwick, there was no McDonalds and very little choice in eateries so we decided on Burger King then went over to the Hilton. We knew that we had booked a room with a double bed and bunk beds and it seemed fine for the night until we lay on the beds, were there any springs in them at all, or were they just covered bits of wood? It was probably the worst night sleep we had all holiday so not a very relaxing way to start.
Mark: Work was impossible today as I had the worst case of clock watching that I can ever remember. Mind you, if I had been at home it might have been even more difficult. At 4pm on the dot I got changed in the shower area that the 'fit' people use when they come back from the gym. I didn't realize it was so big -- three separate shower units. Clearly they expect a lot of stinky people and I guess that's better than having a queue of them standing opposite my desk every day. The big boss either cycles or jogs in every morning and is at work in his 'gear' until 9am even though he arrives a lot earlier than that. He's either too busy to shower straight away or he likes the smell of sweat first thing in the morning. Is he trying to set an example for the rest of us or is it a form of intimidation? Being the most unfit person I know makes me wonder if that is the reason he has hardly ever spoken to me in six months. That said, when John works from home he always asks me where he is rather than Sesi, so I am wondering if he is also a closet racist.
I take the train from Charing Cross to London Bridge as John says that would be quicker than tubing to Victoria and taking the Gatwick express. It is also £10 cheaper. The only problem is I might have to stand all the way as London Bridge isn't the first stop. I arrive at London Bridge on Platform 4 and immediately assume that the Gatwick train must be leaving from one of the higher number platforms. This involves a fairly long hike to the main terminal area where I discover that the train is expected on Platform 5 in less than 2 minutes -- ****ing typical. I backtrack rapidly to the adjacent platform and arrive sweating and out of breath just as the train is pulling in. There are several people in front of me so the chance of a seat looks unlikely but as luck would have it the layout of this train is unlike the ones I'm used to, more like a tube in fact, so there are still a couple of vacant spaces and I park myself on one of them much to the displeasure of the women next to me whose sigh is unnecessarily loud. The first thing I notice is that the seats are incredibly low and there is very little leg room. It's like sitting on the kids chairs during open evening at junior school. Knees up around ears is not really possible let alone comfortable for someone of my size. I remind myself never to complain about the Network Southeast stock again, even though I still mourn for the old style first class compartments. Sesi says that they still have them in India and that he can't see the difference between the first class seats and the standard class ones over here. I couldn't agree more. It also bothers me that every morning the Conductor announces that first class seats are for first class customers only and if you are found in them you will be charged the price of a first class ticket. Then, when the train arrives at Sevenoaks, everyone sits in them and the conductor is never, and I mean NEVER, anywhere to be found. I can't blame passengers for sitting down because the bloody train is always overcrowded and I am sure they didn't pay for standing room only tickets BUT I wonder where the conductor is and expect he is hiding in one of the toilets rather than trying to enforce a nonsensical policy that is likely to get him punched in the face on a regular basis. Mark (Seymour) tells me that the reason for the planned rail strike in the South is because they are planning to introduce new trains that do away with the need for a conductor. Does that mean there is no more first class or are they 'smart' seats that can somehow detect whether or not you have purchased a first class ticket? I wonder how they'll handle the Sevenoaks crowd? Perhaps they have built in speakers that will attempt to shame everyone into standing up as I can't see ejector seats being a viable option.
It's funny what you think about to pass the time. The journey only takes 35 minutes but because it is uncomfortable it feels longer and there is no air conditioning so we are all baking as it is a sticky afternoon. I am thankful to arrive and follow the throng up to the South terminal. I call Debra and find that they have just arrived but new security regulations mean they can't be dropped off upstairs and so I have another long trek to find them and an equally long trek back to the Virgin check-in desk, which as Debra said was pretty quiet. Gatwick is a shadow of its former self when it comes to shopping and eating options. Most of it has been closed down, it's almost like they don't want anyone to buy anything until they get airside. If that's the case they might as well close them all down and be done with it. We eat at Burger King and head for the Hilton as there is nothing else to do. Check-in is remarkably quick, in fact there is no queue which is a first. We smuggle Lucy into the room and settle in for the night. We are all 'high' on excitement for the morning but it is slightly dampened by a restless night on the most uncomfortable bed I have ever attempted to sleep on and the cheapest pillows. Honestly, it's one star standard at best and I wonder how they can get away with it. Who gives out these star ratings and do they ever go back and check them from time to time? I must look into it. In any event it wasn't good enough and you couldn't pay me to stay there again. If we'd have had the time to complain, oh who am I kidding, there wouldn't be any point. All things considered, we could have had a better start to the holiday.
Gatwick to Las Vegas
We were all feeling a little worse for wear today but excited to really get the holiday started so after we were all showered and dressed we headed over to the terminal and went straight through security. We got the bits and bobs that we wanted from Duty Free and WH Smith’s then headed for the VRoom. Now this really is the way to start a holiday, buffet food, not too many people, various rooms to keep the kids happy and a great view of the runway. We all drank and ate well and Lucy loved watching the planes while the other 2 went off into the teen lounge area and played table football and had a go on the internet. We waited in the VRoom until our flight was called and left there to go straight to the departure gate. This was by far the best experience we have had at an airport.
The flight started boarding not long after we arrived at the gate and as our seats were only 4 rows from the rear of the plane we were one of the first to board. It was starting to look as if the flight was pretty full so I wasn’t lucky enough to have a spare seat next to me. Another first was we had a female captain, and it was the first time that a captain has spoken when we could actually hear everything that was said and she was quite informative. We had some spectacular views on the flight over Greenland and saw some magnificent glaciers, the rest of the flight went well and was mainly clear skies. The descent and landing however were a different matter entirely. It was very turbulent and there were quite a few groans throughout the plane. I have never seen a child go green before but that is exactly what Lucy did and then threw up after we had landed but still on the plane. We had managed to make good time on the flight and I think that we landed about 40 minutes early. Although we were some of the last people off the plane immigration wasn’t too bad and the line kept moving. We saw the Virgin Holidays rep who gave us some info and told us that we would need to get on a blue and white bus outside the terminal, which would take us to the McCarran Rent-a-Car Centre. This is a brilliant idea; the entire Car rental companies under one roof. Unfortunately for us Dollar was about the only company that had people waiting in line, and what a long line! We were waiting in the queue for well over an hour, but Alexandra and myself had a very pleasant conversation with the gentlemen in front of us, who was English, and the gentlemen behind us, who was American. It did mean that the time saved in the air was lost here waiting to collect our car. When we finally got to the desk, there was a problem with the insurance that we had pre-purchased from Virgin Holidays, I had asked to make sure that we would be covered for additional drivers and been assured that what I had purchased covered that, but the man behind the desk said that it didn’t although he went back to a manager who said that they would waive the extra cost this time. When we finally got to the garage to collect the car we had a choice of 2, a red one and a white one, we chose the car closest to us, the red one, we loaded up and headed off. I mentioned to Mark that I was surprised about the amount of miles the car had done, around 22,500 miles, as every car we have hired in Florida had around 6,000 miles. The kids looked quite impressed with their first glimpse of Las Vegas and as we drove up the strip the spotted all the hotels that they had seen pictures of and heard of. When we finally got to Planet Hollywood, our home for the next two nights, we were all feeling rather sleepy. Virgin **** up number two: the hotel clerk informs us that we currently do not have 2 rooms together as they didn’t know that we wanted connecting rooms, he not only found us 2 connecting rooms but gave us a small upgrade as well as we had a view of the Bellagio fountains and the hotel pools. The rooms are amazing and we are all very impressed but feeling so tired that we decide to just order some room service and try to get a good nights sleep, not difficult after last night. The food was really tasty, Mark and Nicholas shared a pepperoni pizza, Alexandra had pasta with spicy meatballs, Lucy had a burger, that I helped her finish, and I had my usual 1st night in America meal of chicken noodle soup, it was all really good and everybody went to bed with full tummies and it wasn’t long before we were all sound asleep.
Mark: I don't think I have ever wanted to leave a hotel room so fast and it had nothing to do with being excited about the holiday. Deb checks us out, no queue again, which is good and we make our way over to the terminal happy that the only queue we have to face now is the one for immigration. There was hardly anyone here either but we are told not to go in for some reason which I still find puzzling and instead we are directed upstairs which was a first for us as I don't think there was an 'upstairs' when we last flew out of Gatwick some 14 months ago. Sure enough at the top of the escalators we see a new Immigration entrance where WH Smiths used to be (I think) and thankfully there is only a few people in front of us so it doesn't take long to go through. Lucy's fannying about with her shoes (after they have been scanned using a separate machine) so I make my way out into the expanded airside shopping area while Deb deals with her. On this day in particular I have enough stress of my own making without adding to it. The expansion has almost doubled the size of the old area and there are several shops that have still not opened. We make our way down the escalators and set up base camp while Deb and Alex go Duty Free shopping. It's busy here and I am even more surprised that getting in was such a breeze. What time did all these people get up in the morning and more importantly regarding the girls in particular, did they get dressed in the dark or forget to pack their own clothes? And what's with all the tattoos and multiple piercings? Their general appearance and attire, or lack thereof, is clear evidence that society is failing these kids especially when a high percentage of them have clearly forced their way into outfits that are at least one size too small or possibly even two. I wouldn't mind if any of them had been good looking but it seems the fatter and uglier they are the less they are inclined to wear. Maybe that's the only way they think they can attract the boys. Don't they know that teenage boys will shag anything? Talking of boys, there are plenty on display this morning already lagered up and wandering around in matching t-shirts which have their names or nicknames on the back. Mostly these are their names with a 'y' or 'er' added on the end. As unimaginative monikers go, football has a lot to answer for. I expect they are all going to Ibiza, Aiya Napa or some other godforsaken island. Rather them than me is all I can think.
Deb and Alex arrive back which means that it is time for Nick and I to make sure we have plenty to read on the plane. It's our male ritual thing and traveling to the States wouldn't be the same without the latest copies of Total Film, Classic Rock, Q, T3, etc. Standing in the long line to pay it suddenly occurs to me that there are a few problems with this ritual: (1) the magazines are pretty heavy and our hand luggage is already over the limit especially mine which includes the ridiculously large and heavy laptop I bought a few weeks ago without really thinking about what I'd be using it for, (2) they are also bloody expensive, especially when there are two of you buying them and 3) we never ever get to read them all. Having said all that, I feel better with them than without them and I am happy that we have plenty to keep us occupied for the next 12 hours or so. Nick, who has to carry most of them, is probably less happy.
Heavy bags in tow we make our way to the Virgin Holidays lounge, which is very pleasant and provides a stunning panorama of the runway. It's a shame the weather is so dull today. There is a good choice of breakfast goodies on display although I am sure some people will bemoan the limited hot menu of sausage and bacon rolls or the vegetarian option of a mushroom, cheese and tomato tower (for want of a better description). We all eat well, too well if truth be told, and the lounge is pretty quiet which makes for a nice escape from the masses downstairs. Virgin flights are displayed on monitors and boarding messages are relayed over the public address system. It's all very pleasant. Nick leans back in a chair that is not designed to be leant back in and spills his drink everywhere. More stress ensues while they clear it up and I try not to think about what I'd really like to do to him right now. It's a good time for the kids to have a wander and so they all head for the play area where Alexandra kicks his butt at table football. It's not quite what I had in mind for him but it'll do. Deb goes back down to the Duty Free for some aftershave for Brian while I take in the view for a while before heading to the loo even though I don't really need to go. This is another ritual as I am terrified of getting caught short on a long flight, or any flight for that matter, as there is no way I would fit on that toilet seat plus Deb would probably have to wipe my bottom. The thought of getting wedged on the loo or having to poke my backside out into the corridor while she takes care of business down there fills me with horror, so you can see why it is absolutely vital that my bowels are completely empty prior to boarding. Luckily the toilet is spotless and it has a new fangled dryer that does its best to blow your fingers off. The water doesn't stand a chance and after two passes through my hands are completely dry but it doesn't stop the child in me from having a third go and giggling even though the PA, which is also piped into the loo, has just called our flight.
We all meet up and head down to Gate 13. Oh Christ, I wonder if I am the only one to notice and I think about saying something but then think better of it. Later while we are waiting to taxi from the terminal Alexandra complains that the floor of the plane is really hot and that number crosses my mind again but it's too late to turn back now and the chances of the plane crashing are a million to one apparently. Good odds and no reason to fear then if it weren't for the fact that this figure is much less than the chances of winning the lottery. The fact that a close family member won almost 2 million a few years ago is not something I like to think about at times like this, and yet this worrying statistic always pops into my head whenever we are about to fly, more often than not as we are hurtling down the runway.
I don't know why the floor was hot or whether it had something to do with why the plane was delayed but we sat waiting to be pushed off from the gate for at least an hour. Inside it was like a sauna especially at the back where we were. The lady captain said that it would get cooler once we were in flight but she didn't say when that would be which did nothing to calm my nerves. The flight time to Vegas was 9 hours and 50 minutes, which is less than I remember. I don't know whether they put their foot down because of the delay but we did end up landing 30 minutes earlier than scheduled so they definitely did something. The flight was fairly smooth most of the way with a couple of seatbelt signs that only lasted a few minutes. We were flying on Barbarella both ways as it turns out, which is one of the older planes using the most basic entertainment system, so no games for the kids and you have to wait for the longest film to finish before you can watch the next one. The control system is also molded into the side of the seat, which makes it very difficult to use for the larger person. There is also the matter of the earphone socket, which always pokes into my leg and sometimes breaks. It's gotten to the point where I've stopped using their system and now take my own. I notice that there are several people in our section of the plane that have also done the same. These consist mostly of portable DVD players and one or two PSPs. If Virgin find out I imagine that they'll consider doing away with the entertainment system altogether. The cheap *******s.
The route takes us up the spine of the UK and then left over Scotland towards Iceland and then Greenland where the cloud cover clears and we get to see and photograph some spectacular views of the landscape below including an amazing looking glacier. After Greenland it's a relatively short hop before we are over Newfoundland and northern Canada which is empty save what looks like thousands of small pools or lakes (it's difficult to tell from 38,000ft). I look hard but don't see any Polar Bears, which is disappointing. Maybe it's the lack of snow. We head down through Canada but don't pass close to Calgary this time so we can't say 'hi' to Pam or Greg. Montana is completely flat and boring so I lose interest for a while until the flight map says we are getting close to Denver but it's just our luck to be on the wrong side of the plane and so we miss having any view of the Rockies whatsoever. The same thing happens as we head down through Utah as the majority of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' are coming from the other side. The kids seem to be enjoying it though and when we arrive at Lake Mead, which is a mesmerizingly deep shade of blue that is in striking contrast to the surrounding landscape, I tell them to look out for the Hoover Dam. Sure enough we see it below us just as the plane makes a right-turn for Las Vegas and we hit the worst spell of turbulence I have ever experienced. The plane is thrown up and down like a roller coaster. I am officially frightened and expect a full on panic attack to hit me any second. I try closing my eyes but can't escape the sound of people gasping with each rise and fall. I grip my seat as tightly as I can which makes me feel better even though I know that it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to the outcome if we end up plummeting into Henderson below. Deb looks over and tells me that Lucy has turned bright green, which is a first. I see her looking for a sick bag and hope she finds one in time. The bumpy ride doesn't let up until we touch down at McCarran. We are all visibly relieved. On queue Lucy throws up while we are taxiing to the terminal. The man sitting next to Debra seems ok with it thankfully. He probably has kids so knows what it's like. Alexandra and Nicholas are hotel spotting as Barbarella heads parallel to the strip.
We wait for everyone to leave which makes us the last people off the plane with the exception of those needing assistance of which there are a few. Heading down the aisle I notice that the plane is like a dustbin and I wonder how people can make so much mess and why they are happy to leave it like that. The walk to the Immigration queue is a short one and we take our place behind 360 other passengers expecting a long wait but the truth is it only takes about half an hour to reach the front. Our fingers are scanned and passports are stamped before heading to find or luggage which is already on the conveyor belt. We hand in our Customs declaration form and exit to find the Virgin Rep who directs us to the bus stop. Outside it is hot, well over 100 degrees and the kids first real taste of a dry heat. They seem excited but I wonder if we'll be able to sit outside in it. We miss the first bus but it doesn't take long for the next one to arrive. If people could be bothered to queue we would be near the front but they don't and so we face the prospect of missing this bus as well. I decide that is not going to happen and make sure two of our bags are first on. The problem is that I am in the way of the driver who is trying to load other people's luggage so I have to get on and hope we all make it. We do thankfully but it was touch and go at one point and I honestly thought that Nicholas and Lucy might get left behind as it became a complete free-for-all. The journey to the car rental terminal is a short one. The terminal itself is a great idea as it gets people away from the airport, which I presume also has a positive effect on traffic in and around the area. Being last off the plane meant that we were also last to the Dollar queue, although there were as many Americans in the queue as British from our plane. Deb and Alexandra queued while Nicholas, Lucy and I sat with the luggage and had a drink. None of the other rental companies had more than one or two people in them and I made a mental note not to bother hiring a car until we get here next time. That way we can pick the quietest rental counter and not have to wait an hour and a half. There were problems with the booking at Dollar as we had been badly advised by Virgin Holidays again. Thankfully the guy talked to a manager who understood and waived any additional fees we would have had to pay. Thanks Virgin. Before we left the UK I expected to arrive at the hotel around 5pm local time but it must have been closer to 6pm when we parked up outside Planet Hollywood. The check-in queue was pretty busy so Deb got in line and I found a spot to park the kids and our hand luggage. The backdrop behind the check-in desk changed colour every couple of minutes or so which was typically Vegas and I could see that the kids didn't quite know what to make of their glitzy surroundings. We had described it to them plenty of times before leaving but I don't think anything can prepare you for the experience of actually being there. Again Virgin Holidays had cocked-up the booking and so we didn't have connecting rooms as requested but the guy at the desk was more than helpful and moved us without any bribes exchanging hands (I've read elsewhere that it happens all the time in Vegas but wouldn't have any idea about doing it myself). The new rooms we were assigned overlooked the hotel's pools and the Bellagio fountains. It was a shame about the building work opposite but other than that the view couldn't have been much better. To say the rooms were swanky would be somewhat of an understatement. They have been refurbished since we last stayed here and were much larger than I remember with two comfy armchairs a table and 42" HD Plasma screen. Oh my. The baseball on ESPN looked incredible. If we had come here during college football season I might not have been able to leave the room at all. At one time I think we had planned to have a look around the hotel and perhaps head into the Miracle Mile shops to keep us awake but the reality was that we were all tired and hungry. Creatures of habit we had a standard first night room service meal which included obligatory pizzas and chicken noodle soup for Deb. Needless to say it went down well. We tried to stay awake as long as possible but I don't think that any of us saw much past 9pm. Better than I expected but not late enough to keep me from waking up in the early hours.
Thanks for reading. Part 2 tomorrow.
