mkingdon
Obsessed...and admits it!!
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2002
- Messages
- 408
Cast
Me - Craig, only just 33. Rucksack carrier and stroller pusher.
Louise - Wife, 34, slowly becoming addicted to WDW.
Emily - Aged 8. Moody, full of attitude and daddys girl.
Rebecca - Aged 6. Comedian, Olympic eater and worrier.
The Williams tour of Florida restrooms, sponsored by VISA.
Day One - Thursday 14th August Last day of work .that lasted a week
Arrived at work at 8.15, just glad to be out of the house, which was full of cases, excited children and animals. Louise had to take Henry (Neurotic Cocker Spaniel), Marmalade (huge orange cat) and Pumpkin (small devil spawn of a cat) to the kennels today. Her day also included a million other jobs, and last minute shopping, so a day in the office seemed the better option.
Ive been talking about this holiday for 2 years, from the day we got back from our last trip. I have been talking about it a lot for 13 months, since we booked, and I have been driving the entire family mad for the last 8 months as I got really excited.
So the kids were sick of hearing about Disney. However, as they could now almost taste the airport, they were VERY excited, if not hyper.
As of 8.15 on this day I had my work life all in order. I was very up to date, my team fully briefed on what to do in my absence, so I felt quite smug as I sat at my desk browsing the DIS, sorry I mean, ploughing through my enormous workload.
However, a couple of phone calls later and I have two major emergencies to be sorted. So after a stressful last day, the clock found its way to 5.30. Well, to be honest 5.25. I did a runner five minutes early just to beat the traffic!!! It made all the difference.
I arrived home at 6.05. Kids waiting on the drive, smiles as big as mine, cases in the hall. One final dash around the house to unplug everything, and then we got the cases in the car. Amazingly we are travelling quite light this time. We have one medium case (not full) and the kids have a small pull along thing each, with their own stuff in them. Of course we have the obligatory rucksack as hand luggage, which will feature later during our yomp around the parks. Incredibly, we dont forget anything, and dont have to turn around five minutes later to drive back home, and have the it was your fault row to start the holiday.
Drove to Manchester Airport. Found Bewleys Hotel with no problem. Checked in, sorted the car parking out for the fortnight, and went to our room. Quite nice to be honest. Usual stuff, two double beds, TV, coffe/tea making, decent bathroom. £89 for the room and 15 days parking, not bad I thought.
Decided to head over to the buzzing metropolis that is Manchester Airport. Caught the courtesy bus from the hotel to Terminal 1. From my childhood, I always remember the airport as an exciting, busy place, full of great shops and restaurants. It was shut!!
All the shops had closed or were doing so. So we bought a drink from the ever so authentic Boddingtons pub (done up to look like a Northern back street pub). One pint of lager, one red wine and two cokes. Best part of a tenner. Now I dont go to the pub very often to be honest, but the last time I did, I could get drunk on a tenner, get a kebab and a taxi home and still have enough change to lose down the back seat of the taxi.
Sat at a table near the window to watch the planes. Once we were bored of that we left five minutes later.
Headed back to the hotel, but had to wait about half an hour for the courtesy bus to arrive. Back to the room and tried to get the kids to sleep. No chance. Initial plan was for the girls to sleep in the same bed. After an hour of giggling, fighting and messing about (and the girls werent much better) I swapped with Emily and had to sleep with Rebecca, the snorer.
Eventually we all drifted off to sleep until about 1.50am, when a jumbo jet decided to play the game of, lets see if we can run our wheels down the roof of Bewleys Hotel. I am not kidding, this plane must have been inches from our roof. Louise being a very nervous flyer anyway, was then awake all night listening for more planes to join us in bed.
I struggled for many seconds to get back to sleep.
Tomorrow, the start of the journey.
Me - Craig, only just 33. Rucksack carrier and stroller pusher.
Louise - Wife, 34, slowly becoming addicted to WDW.
Emily - Aged 8. Moody, full of attitude and daddys girl.
Rebecca - Aged 6. Comedian, Olympic eater and worrier.
The Williams tour of Florida restrooms, sponsored by VISA.
Day One - Thursday 14th August Last day of work .that lasted a week
Arrived at work at 8.15, just glad to be out of the house, which was full of cases, excited children and animals. Louise had to take Henry (Neurotic Cocker Spaniel), Marmalade (huge orange cat) and Pumpkin (small devil spawn of a cat) to the kennels today. Her day also included a million other jobs, and last minute shopping, so a day in the office seemed the better option.
Ive been talking about this holiday for 2 years, from the day we got back from our last trip. I have been talking about it a lot for 13 months, since we booked, and I have been driving the entire family mad for the last 8 months as I got really excited.
So the kids were sick of hearing about Disney. However, as they could now almost taste the airport, they were VERY excited, if not hyper.
As of 8.15 on this day I had my work life all in order. I was very up to date, my team fully briefed on what to do in my absence, so I felt quite smug as I sat at my desk browsing the DIS, sorry I mean, ploughing through my enormous workload.
However, a couple of phone calls later and I have two major emergencies to be sorted. So after a stressful last day, the clock found its way to 5.30. Well, to be honest 5.25. I did a runner five minutes early just to beat the traffic!!! It made all the difference.
I arrived home at 6.05. Kids waiting on the drive, smiles as big as mine, cases in the hall. One final dash around the house to unplug everything, and then we got the cases in the car. Amazingly we are travelling quite light this time. We have one medium case (not full) and the kids have a small pull along thing each, with their own stuff in them. Of course we have the obligatory rucksack as hand luggage, which will feature later during our yomp around the parks. Incredibly, we dont forget anything, and dont have to turn around five minutes later to drive back home, and have the it was your fault row to start the holiday.
Drove to Manchester Airport. Found Bewleys Hotel with no problem. Checked in, sorted the car parking out for the fortnight, and went to our room. Quite nice to be honest. Usual stuff, two double beds, TV, coffe/tea making, decent bathroom. £89 for the room and 15 days parking, not bad I thought.
Decided to head over to the buzzing metropolis that is Manchester Airport. Caught the courtesy bus from the hotel to Terminal 1. From my childhood, I always remember the airport as an exciting, busy place, full of great shops and restaurants. It was shut!!
All the shops had closed or were doing so. So we bought a drink from the ever so authentic Boddingtons pub (done up to look like a Northern back street pub). One pint of lager, one red wine and two cokes. Best part of a tenner. Now I dont go to the pub very often to be honest, but the last time I did, I could get drunk on a tenner, get a kebab and a taxi home and still have enough change to lose down the back seat of the taxi.
Sat at a table near the window to watch the planes. Once we were bored of that we left five minutes later.
Headed back to the hotel, but had to wait about half an hour for the courtesy bus to arrive. Back to the room and tried to get the kids to sleep. No chance. Initial plan was for the girls to sleep in the same bed. After an hour of giggling, fighting and messing about (and the girls werent much better) I swapped with Emily and had to sleep with Rebecca, the snorer.
Eventually we all drifted off to sleep until about 1.50am, when a jumbo jet decided to play the game of, lets see if we can run our wheels down the roof of Bewleys Hotel. I am not kidding, this plane must have been inches from our roof. Louise being a very nervous flyer anyway, was then awake all night listening for more planes to join us in bed.
I struggled for many seconds to get back to sleep.
Tomorrow, the start of the journey.
