jubileegirl
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2004
- Messages
- 211
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Author Thread
Cast:-
The Mummy, me, Alison
The Daddy, John
The youngest child, Chloe whos 15
Extras (staying at home this time):-
Peter, the eldest child, and Rachel his girlfriend
Amy, the eldest daughter
Freddie, the accident-prone cat
Day Two the journey
So, wide awake after the attentions of Yves in the shower (and smelling rather lovely) I went back to the bedroom and woke up the troops.A quick coffee and then off to Parking Express. We had been given printed directions but in the half-light I found it almost impossible to read them and we had a domestic which ended with me saying in a grown-up fashion If you continue to speak to me like that Im not going to navigate at all. Ah, happy holidays!!!!
Turns out we were on the right road and werent going to end up on the M25 and then have to come round via the Dartford Tunnel, so before we knew it wed found the car park, found a space and found the bus-stop to the terminals. One bumpy bus ride later and we were in line for the Iberia flight to Madrid. When we confirmed our flight we were told to show up an hour before departure but decided to ignore that advice and in fact we were glad we had because the place was already heaving and it took an hour to check in. This was when my first big worry was relieved. Having paid for our tickets I did a bit of research on airline review websites and was rather horrified to read many reports of Iberia being quick to overbook and bump people from flights and then (this was the worrying bit) being less than helpful sorting things out. But we left the check in with boarding cards and seat allocations all the way through to Miami PHEW!! That worry over, so time for the next one (whether our luggage would arrive in Miami) to shout in my subconscious me, me!! Its my turn now. Worry about MEEE! Which of course I did.
We didnt have a lot of time left by now so no time to look round the shops in the departure lounge, although we grabbed a quick breakfast in Café Nero and I bought some magazines for Chloe in Smiths (and very enlightening they were too, brought on a few hot flushes when I read them, I can tell you!)
We flew on a very new plane to Madrid with plenty of legroom. You could buy food and drink but nothing was complimentary (in fact a sandwich was quite rude about my hairstyle!)The flight left a bit late but we arrived bang on schedule except for some reason we couldnt grasp , which meant we had to disembark a long way from the terminal and then catch a bus. It took us through where all the luggage was being thrown onto conveyor belts, and seeing what looked like chaos and bags everywhere my hopes of ever seeing our stuff again increased!
Madrid departure lounge is huge with zillions of shops, marble floors very classy. We easily found our gate for Miami and after a short wait we boarded, seats right at the back of the plane good, if we go down in the sea our bit will be sticking up!
The flight to Miami was 8 hours and- well, just an 8 hour flight in a jumbo jet, economy class, really. The crew were very efficient , and not especially friendly but as we werent hoping to make any new best friends we werent bothered. And all the food and drink was very complimentary this time! We saw two films on a screen at the front of the cabin (Hidalgo and The Prince and Me) and had a bit of a chat to the couple across the aisle who were going bird watching in Costa Rica. They were a bit disparaging about people who go to WDW for a holiday. Yes, well, no comment!! Each to his own, I say.
Incidentally, the bird watching gentleman was quite impressed with Johns hat as he grew up on a farm in Australia he likes to wear a Crocodile Dundee type hat. Well, not to work as hes a policeman and it might just undermine his authority, but its a tradition when we go on holiday. Anyway, the man-on-the-plane was keen to tell us that his holiday hat was all squished up in his suitcase but that was OK as it was a zoo-keepers hat. Apparently, a zoo-keeper once had a hat that was regularly swallowed by his elephant but would be retrieved eventually thanks to the elephants digestive elimination system and once washed it was as good as new. I dont think our friend had that original hat but you never know!
Anyway, we landed on time at Miami (wed been watching the coast of the USA from the window for some time. Does anyone else feel that the place theyre going should look just a bit different from home? I guess if our destination was Alaska or the moon it would, but the coast of S. Florida just looked like land anywhere really)
Perhaps we hit an unusual shift, but going through security was very pleasant. Id told Chloe not to speak unless she was spoken to and we stood there with a look of terror on our faces whilst the really nice immigration officer tried to be chatty! I felt that every question was loaded. Have you been to the USA before? Why is he asking us that? Do we look like people on the wanted list? Do they know I got a speeding ticket the other day? We finally relaxed when he told us the weather on South Beach was just great and to have a good vacation. Yes, you can go now! So off we went.
And our cases were waiting for us on the carousel!
Next worry would we get into a fake taxi and be swept off somewhere into the ghetto and be robbed and murdered?
But the system at MIA is very slick and they have a kind of taxi maitre d who shows you to your taxi. Our driver was a young man from Montreal who wanted to be a policeman. Although John sat in the front with him I had to tell John this later as, like all our other visits to the USA John, who is from Australia, couldnt understand the American accent and vice versa!! No idea why this should be, whereas I can understand both easily. I had to keep interpreting for them both! It was like being with my elderly deaf dad where you have to keep saying 'he said ...' and then repeating everything. I suppose it was quite funny really but everyone was relieved when we pulled up outside the Holiday Inn South Beach!
One of the porters knew our driver and they were so busy high-fiving each other that John had to interrupt them to give the driver a tip. Another break with the expected as we thought he would have been standing with his hand out!
Anyway, long journey over and in we went!
Next time the Holiday Inn and a very sobering first night
Author Thread
Cast:-
The Mummy, me, Alison
The Daddy, John
The youngest child, Chloe whos 15
Extras (staying at home this time):-
Peter, the eldest child, and Rachel his girlfriend
Amy, the eldest daughter
Freddie, the accident-prone cat
Day Two the journey
So, wide awake after the attentions of Yves in the shower (and smelling rather lovely) I went back to the bedroom and woke up the troops.A quick coffee and then off to Parking Express. We had been given printed directions but in the half-light I found it almost impossible to read them and we had a domestic which ended with me saying in a grown-up fashion If you continue to speak to me like that Im not going to navigate at all. Ah, happy holidays!!!!
Turns out we were on the right road and werent going to end up on the M25 and then have to come round via the Dartford Tunnel, so before we knew it wed found the car park, found a space and found the bus-stop to the terminals. One bumpy bus ride later and we were in line for the Iberia flight to Madrid. When we confirmed our flight we were told to show up an hour before departure but decided to ignore that advice and in fact we were glad we had because the place was already heaving and it took an hour to check in. This was when my first big worry was relieved. Having paid for our tickets I did a bit of research on airline review websites and was rather horrified to read many reports of Iberia being quick to overbook and bump people from flights and then (this was the worrying bit) being less than helpful sorting things out. But we left the check in with boarding cards and seat allocations all the way through to Miami PHEW!! That worry over, so time for the next one (whether our luggage would arrive in Miami) to shout in my subconscious me, me!! Its my turn now. Worry about MEEE! Which of course I did.
We didnt have a lot of time left by now so no time to look round the shops in the departure lounge, although we grabbed a quick breakfast in Café Nero and I bought some magazines for Chloe in Smiths (and very enlightening they were too, brought on a few hot flushes when I read them, I can tell you!)
We flew on a very new plane to Madrid with plenty of legroom. You could buy food and drink but nothing was complimentary (in fact a sandwich was quite rude about my hairstyle!)The flight left a bit late but we arrived bang on schedule except for some reason we couldnt grasp , which meant we had to disembark a long way from the terminal and then catch a bus. It took us through where all the luggage was being thrown onto conveyor belts, and seeing what looked like chaos and bags everywhere my hopes of ever seeing our stuff again increased!
Madrid departure lounge is huge with zillions of shops, marble floors very classy. We easily found our gate for Miami and after a short wait we boarded, seats right at the back of the plane good, if we go down in the sea our bit will be sticking up!
The flight to Miami was 8 hours and- well, just an 8 hour flight in a jumbo jet, economy class, really. The crew were very efficient , and not especially friendly but as we werent hoping to make any new best friends we werent bothered. And all the food and drink was very complimentary this time! We saw two films on a screen at the front of the cabin (Hidalgo and The Prince and Me) and had a bit of a chat to the couple across the aisle who were going bird watching in Costa Rica. They were a bit disparaging about people who go to WDW for a holiday. Yes, well, no comment!! Each to his own, I say.
Incidentally, the bird watching gentleman was quite impressed with Johns hat as he grew up on a farm in Australia he likes to wear a Crocodile Dundee type hat. Well, not to work as hes a policeman and it might just undermine his authority, but its a tradition when we go on holiday. Anyway, the man-on-the-plane was keen to tell us that his holiday hat was all squished up in his suitcase but that was OK as it was a zoo-keepers hat. Apparently, a zoo-keeper once had a hat that was regularly swallowed by his elephant but would be retrieved eventually thanks to the elephants digestive elimination system and once washed it was as good as new. I dont think our friend had that original hat but you never know!
Anyway, we landed on time at Miami (wed been watching the coast of the USA from the window for some time. Does anyone else feel that the place theyre going should look just a bit different from home? I guess if our destination was Alaska or the moon it would, but the coast of S. Florida just looked like land anywhere really)
Perhaps we hit an unusual shift, but going through security was very pleasant. Id told Chloe not to speak unless she was spoken to and we stood there with a look of terror on our faces whilst the really nice immigration officer tried to be chatty! I felt that every question was loaded. Have you been to the USA before? Why is he asking us that? Do we look like people on the wanted list? Do they know I got a speeding ticket the other day? We finally relaxed when he told us the weather on South Beach was just great and to have a good vacation. Yes, you can go now! So off we went.
And our cases were waiting for us on the carousel!
Next worry would we get into a fake taxi and be swept off somewhere into the ghetto and be robbed and murdered?
But the system at MIA is very slick and they have a kind of taxi maitre d who shows you to your taxi. Our driver was a young man from Montreal who wanted to be a policeman. Although John sat in the front with him I had to tell John this later as, like all our other visits to the USA John, who is from Australia, couldnt understand the American accent and vice versa!! No idea why this should be, whereas I can understand both easily. I had to keep interpreting for them both! It was like being with my elderly deaf dad where you have to keep saying 'he said ...' and then repeating everything. I suppose it was quite funny really but everyone was relieved when we pulled up outside the Holiday Inn South Beach!
One of the porters knew our driver and they were so busy high-fiving each other that John had to interrupt them to give the driver a tip. Another break with the expected as we thought he would have been standing with his hand out!
Anyway, long journey over and in we went!
Next time the Holiday Inn and a very sobering first night
Great trip report.
