"Returning to Jamerica!" November 2013
INDEX
Day 15 – Going Home 
Thursday 21st November 2013
Today started, understandably, reluctantly. We had secured a late check out with Jackie & Arthur and so didn’t have to rush around too much which we were most grateful for. The boys were straight in their cozzies and in the pool, getting in maximum swimmage time while they still could. I had the miserable task of gathering up two weeks’ worth of holiday and shoving it back into suitcases. There can’t possibly be anything more depressing!
I took some photos of our purchases before packing them away – I think we showed remarkable restraint if you ask me
Although I think there might a few things missing from the photos
(The Red Sox cap is Simon's!)
Simon joined the boys outside and took the opportunity to soak up the last of the Florida rays, although the ominous dark clouds overhead threatened to cut short his chosen activity. Heaven forbid he should be forced inside to ‘help’
. In fairness, I’m best left on my own to pack, I’m not exactly on tip-top form as you can imagine, and Simon’s well aware of this.
With Mum only having herself to look after, she was happy to have a quick tidy round the villa, making it look as presentable as possible. In all honesty, we didn’t spend a lot of time in the villa anyway, so any mess was just the bits and bobs that needed packing, and we barely used the kitchen so a quick wipe round was all that was needed.
Beds were stripped at Jackie’s request, and the fridge was emptied, any perishables were chucked away, and anything that could be kept we left on the side, hoping the cleaners would help themselves to it.
Eventually I was all done, and so plucked the boys out of the pool and frogmarched them into the shower. They then messed around in the games room while I got myself showered & ready. Meanwhile Simon popped out to fill the car up with fuel, which wasn’t as easy as it sounds with the silly procedure of having to ‘pay before you pump’. He underestimated the amount of fuel he would need and so had to go back in and pay for more as the car had to be returned full (ish!)
We put the last of the used towels in the washing machine, had a final scout round the villa, checking every nook & cranny for anything we might have forgotten (sadly not finding Daniel’s Red Sox cap), and that was it, we were done.
Goodbye pool!
Rather than hanging around delaying the inevitable, at around 1pm we loaded up the car and started the depressing journey back to MCO. Silently we pulled away from Sunset View Villa for the last time, each of us knowing exactly how the other was feeling.
As we reached the High Grove main gate, the clouds above began to get even darker
And by the time we were back on Hwy192 they had started to spill - the rain hitting the windscreen was almost the perfect soundtrack to the journey.
True to form, the rain wasn’t the only water falling – predictably I might have been having a little blub too, what can I say, I’m a wuss! I did manage to stay composed enough to snap some photos of our favourite restaurants en route, just for old time’s sake!
As well as the famous Sherbeth Road
The rest of the journey was a straightforward, albeit sombre affair, and we arrived at MCO at around 1.45. We had to wait a few minutes for our car to be checked over, but that in itself only took seconds, barely enough time for us to 'gingerly' retrieve Gingey from his precarious position atop the aerial!
We had a really lovely guy help us with our suitcases, he basically took over and wouldn’t let us do a thing, and then chatted away as he led us to the BA desk. We tipped him accordingly, bid our farewells, then joined the fairly lengthy queue to check in.
That’s when I spotted Bob…….. I guess our fleeting friendship hadn’t meant as much to him as it had to me as he didn’t give me a second glance
One family who had been sat near us on the flight out greeted us like long lost friends, chatting away about their holiday, asking about ours and if we’d picked up loads of bargains. Apparently they’d spotted us at Florida Mall! I always find it a funny experience to see the same faces two weeks later, as you realise that despite sharing the long flight, you then generally wrap yourself up in your own little holiday bubble, only to meet up again back at the airport, having no doubt experienced completely different holidays despite being in the same place. I know what I’m trying to say, please humour me!
Continued in the next post...