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24 Nov 06, 10:48 AM |
#1
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Imagineer
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Georgemac and Crew – Oct 2006 - Day 1 – The Journey and Arriving at the Villa
Day 1 – Thursday 19th Oct – The Journey
Cast Myself – 45, planner, open wallet, driver and according to DS the saddo who sits at the computer too long planning our holidays in Florida! DW – 39, loves Florida, people watching, refuses to drive. DD – 18, leaving DBF at home, loves the parks and the shops DS – 14, loves the rides and the shops, knows everything now (he thinks) Well got home from the rig on time so 1st part of plan went well. Wednesday and we packed the cases in the afternoon, with all the usual worries about whether I have forgotten anything – you will note that only I could forget on anything – nobody else has any responsibility in this area! Set off for Glasgow, intending to stop in Aberdeen for something to eat, but DS was fast asleep. Stopped for petrol in Dundee, pizza hut and BK available but the junk food king announces he wants proper food so down the road we go hoping to get somewhere en route. Anyway, it was not to be so 4 miles from the airport we headed for the Braehead shopping centre thinking there may be a leisure complex there – no – we ended up in pizza hut at 9 PM. I have to say the food was not very good at all – I was glad to get out and I would suffer for eating so late after. We arrived at the Holiday Inn Express and I immediately realised my kids were not kids in size any longer and I should have booked two rooms. There were no spare rooms available. The kids immediately jumped in the double bed, and DW started to put down the sofa bed – under the cushions was not the cleanest place we had ever seen, so no way would DW get in there. The 3 of them got in the double, and I got in the sofa bed diagonally as that was the only way my legs did not overhang by a foot. Dad was not the most popular guy in the world at this time as you could imagine! At this time I was thinking about sunshineheaven’s trip report title “the Clampits” and thinking we were more like the Clampits! Alarms set for 6 am and I am informed I was easily the first to sleep at just after 11, but awoke before 4 am with the pizza hut from last night giving my stomach a very hard time! We got up, showered, had breakfast, got the cases from the car and left our travelling clothes in the boot, and did the 5 minute walk to the terminal. I was asked to pack the GHD hair straightners in the case, but told the girls they would not work due to the different voltage (sure I read this on the Dibb), so they said OK, we’ll just buy a new set when we get there. I was heading to the Globespan desk remembering Steve’s (Highlander447) warning about me booking my son as MS (master I thought). Steve had changed his booking at a cost of £30, but I decided I would kick up a fuss and pay the £30 on the day if reqd. Got to the premium economy check in, no-one in the line and no problem, check in took about ten minutes and we were on our way to departures. Of course, DS set off the bleeper again in the scanner, don’t know why it always goes off with him but I love it, and he hates it! Bought some duty free, amazed at how much alcohol was being consumed in the airport at this time of the morning but lot’s of Rangers fans heading to Italy. Boarded the flight, we were among the last called, the legroom at the front of the PE cabin was great, I could almost stretch my legs out fully before they hit the bulkhead. The 2 kids were in front of the screen so they were happy and I think had even more legroom than us in the window seats! Dad’s popularity was recovering! The flight rolled back just about on time, flight was great, films (which I seldom watch) were the Devil Wears Prada and Robots, never even had the headset on, and unfortunately I had to decline the offer of plentiful free drinks, food was typical airline food, the crew were great. DW and I read our books and napped on and off, never reclined once! Flightpath stayed over the sea all the way, apart from Northern Canada, but it was cloudy so never saw any land until we crossed the Florida coastline.
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2016 SoCal Road Trip (Trip Report), 2017 Crystal Cove Villa, 2018 US East Coast Road Trip 2011 Highgrove Villa 2014 Calabria Villa 2015 West Coast Road Trip (Trip Report) 2006 West Stoneridge Villa, 2007 Windwood Bay Villa 1997 Airtours, 1999 BA Best Western LBV, 2001 Westridge Villa, 2005 Westridge Villa (Trip Report) |
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24 Nov 06, 10:49 AM |
#2
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Thread Starter
Imagineer
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We landed at 1.20 PM, and we were through immigration and customs with the bags, and waiting at the Budget desk at 1.40 PM – amazing. Unfortunately the Budget guy was not there, well we had booked our cars for 3 PM, but someone had phoned him and he was on the way, 3 of us waiting, not sure if any of the others were fellow Dibber’s. The Budget man arrived about ten minutes later, and we had our keys by 2 PM. Unfortunately when following his directions to the Budget car park, I did not go through the construction works past the under construction mutli storey, and went to the other hire car parks, then back to Budget to get my directions again – I should have believed what my brain told me initially – the instructions and me we were right. Eventually we got our very large Chevvy Impala and left around 2.35 PM. Headed for the I4, no change for the 50 cent toll so drove through – hope they do not come and arrest me! We had switched on the sat nav in the car, but it still thought it was in the UK, and when we got to the villa it was still confused and had not found out where it was! We should have got it out and switched it on while we were waiting for the car!
Temp was about 92 degF, mixture of sun and clouds – no rain. Got into the villa – 4 bed 3 bath on the US27 at West Stonebridge, stunning, beautiful, fantastic. What more can I say. Unpacked, back in the car, up to the villa management co to leave credit card details for security deposit, and then off to Wal-Mart. By now the garmin had recovered and knew exactly where it was – hopefully it will prove it’s worth this trip. The villa management co are based at Tuscan Hills, we nearly booked a villa there that was supposed to be completed in August, don’t know if it is completed, one phase looks finished but lots of construction still going on there. Essentials bought at Wal-Mart, including a pair of hair straighteners at $20 which they are happy with, back to the villa, chill with a few beers (Amber Bock and very nice too) by the pool, DS is in the water having a splash about, then the kids internet for a short while and they all crash except me, so I type this up and have a wee drink to help me sleep. DD had almost been tearful as she was missing DBF but recovered once I got the internet connection set up! Hope it is not like 2003 in Spain where she pined for him all the time. He was asked to come but declined, but is now regretting it – I checked on Tues and he could have got a flight in economy for £206 but too late to make arrangements to get off work! Tomorrow, the holiday begins for real, and so far we have stuck to the itinerary!
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2016 SoCal Road Trip (Trip Report), 2017 Crystal Cove Villa, 2018 US East Coast Road Trip 2011 Highgrove Villa 2014 Calabria Villa 2015 West Coast Road Trip (Trip Report) 2006 West Stoneridge Villa, 2007 Windwood Bay Villa 1997 Airtours, 1999 BA Best Western LBV, 2001 Westridge Villa, 2005 Westridge Villa (Trip Report) |
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24 Nov 06, 10:49 AM |
#3
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Thread Starter
Imagineer
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2016 SoCal Road Trip (Trip Report), 2017 Crystal Cove Villa, 2018 US East Coast Road Trip 2011 Highgrove Villa 2014 Calabria Villa 2015 West Coast Road Trip (Trip Report) 2006 West Stoneridge Villa, 2007 Windwood Bay Villa 1997 Airtours, 1999 BA Best Western LBV, 2001 Westridge Villa, 2005 Westridge Villa (Trip Report) |
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24 Nov 06, 11:49 AM |
#4
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Apprentice Imagineer
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Reading this gave me a bad case of De-Ja-Vue, last month we stopped and got petrol at Tesco's in Dundee, opted for the Pizza hut option, then through to the Holiday Inn express then flight with Globespan, arrive on time, get to villa (Highgrove) then walmart on US 27, strange how so many people follow similar routine! ,
Villa looks good by the way, stayed at west Stonebridge last year and the villa's are superb, anyway look forward to seeing what else you guys got up to. Oh and by the way the GHD straighteners do work in florida but not as well and take ages to heat up (well thats what my DW say's) |
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24 Nov 06, 04:45 PM |
#5
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VIP Dibber
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Great start George.
Good to hear the garmin settled in. Villa looks lovely. DH says Amber Bock, lovely p.s did you manage to get any photos of the plane?
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24 Nov 06, 05:03 PM |
#6
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VIP Dibber
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Villa looks lovely, looking forward to more.
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24 Nov 06, 05:24 PM |
#7
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Imagineer
Join Date: Jan 04
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Great start to the trip report and some great photos
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24 Nov 06, 05:38 PM |
#8
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Imagineer
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Lol at you all rying to fit into the beds at the Holiday Inn. The villa looks lovely.
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24 Nov 06, 06:13 PM |
#9
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Imagineer
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Great start George, love Amberbock, glad u had no probs with Globespan, we've canceled ours as they have changed dates etc so I never actually had to pay the £30 either
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24 Nov 06, 07:32 PM |
#10
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Guest
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Excellent start and some cracking photos. Off to find the next part. Thanks for doing the trippie.
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