Return to Florida our way - 3rd – 17th December 2021 - Pre Travel Day

[Chilli-pepper]

Pre-Travel Day - Thursday 2nd December

Pre trip report

Travel Day Day 1

Day 2

We went to express test at Birmingham airport last night for our LFT’s to enter the US. ( three days rule at the time we were travelling) We found this to be the easiest and most straight forward place for us to go to and only 30 mins away, other places more locally were too much of a faff and had read some worrying reports of tests not being available when they arrived and were turned away, equally this would be my first time ever doing a test so wanted to make sure it was done correctly so felt it was best to do an ‘in person’ test to be on the safe side. – Express test was easy to find once parked (with clear instructions of where to park and the walk to get to the centre being provided), they were very efficient and organised, very friendly people carrying out the tests, had a good chat about Florida and in no time, we were on our way back to the car. We did have to book a slot but as it was the traffic was not as bad as we thought so arrived about 20 mins early – no problem seeing us early as there was no queue as such, but a steady trickle of people going though, not sure if they would have made us wait to more near our booked time if they were busy?

By the time we got home (about 30 mins) both our emails had arrived and thankfully both negative. Our daughter was very relieved at this, she had been away the week before and had come back with a stinking cold – she did test for COVID and was negative (just in case) but bless her in the week before our tests she isolated herself in the house, we live in a 3-story house and all the top floor is all hers so very easy to do, and whenever she came downstairs, she wore a mask. Personally, we would have preferred this

but a mask would suffice.

All documents were uploaded to Virgin Atlantic website this morning and confirmation emails received. We then ordered our day two return PCR tests from Randox (£43 each with a Virgin voucher) in readiness of our return, fingers crossed they don’t change the rules again, and we have to organise something different! We had already bought the day two return LFT’s (from Superdrug online doctor for £20.99 each) but a week before the holiday this was changed to the PCR’s, baring in mind we were still waiting on the negative pre departure test we decided to hold off ordering the PCR’s until we knew we were going. No point in having a shelf full of LFT’s and PCR tests not being used.

I finished work yesterday so that I could ready the house, do a shop with our daughter who is staying behind with her boyfriend to house and cat sit, and do the packing.

We hadn’t really done any packing until we were 100% sure we were going, what with waiting for a negative LFT, and Bojo’s ever threats of new restrictions. We had put roughly what we wanted to pack to one side, so it was a case of doing the official packing today.

OH was still working all day so he was kept busy and out of the way, apart from the occasional gracing me with his presence and saying– ‘right you can have me for 5 mins what do you need me to do?’ Queue eye rolling from me and a terse response ‘oh nothing you just concentrate on work, and I will sort things out’ – patronising I know, but knowing him as I do, for my own sanity (and his health and wellbeing) it was best he kept clear out of the way if we were to get away on time, and I wasn’t going to murder him.

We set off to Heathrow at 5pm, checking into the Staybridge Bath Road at about 7pm and was upgraded from a King Studio to a King one bed suite due to being an IHG member. This does come in handy as most times I would say whenever we book a room with points we are upgraded.

The room was great and to be honest it seems a waste of a good room to only be there for one night and an airport hotel.

Don't ask, I was taking the phots when OH decided to do an artistic one

The Staybridge does not have its own restaurant but shares the one in the Holiday Inn attached next door. Breakfast is also included when staying at the Staybridge albeit again in the same dining room of the Holiday Inn. Once we had thrown the cases in the room, we did a quick facetime to MIL who had not been well in the last week and had we had just found out she required a quick trip to A&E without telling us, but thankfully all was OK so we went into the restaurant next door for something to eat.

OH, had Ham and Mushroom Pizza with skin on fries and a beer – he enjoyed this

I had their soup of the day which was Broccoli and Goats Cheese – and an orange and Passionfruit J20. The soup was lovely (hot just as it should be) it doesn't look it from the photo but it did have a good amount of goat’s cheese.

We are lightweights when it comes to meals so didn't have starters or a desert.

Back to the room for a final check to make sure there were no pending rules changes and make sure we were all ready and off to bed.

[Clare]

A nice pre travel day, Staybridge looks really good and the food too. I’m glad you’re mil was ok, nothing like adding a bit of stress to a pre travel day.

[Talland 2016]

Thanks for posting
Love a trip report

[Florida1972]

Nice room and a great start 👍
Looking forward to reading more 🙂

[Em4owen]

Your hotel looks lovely. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment 🙂

[Ciano]

Nice start...looking forward to this!

[P&S]

Nice relaxing pre departure day (MIL aside! Glad all is well )

[Chilli-pepper]

Originally Posted by Clare

A nice pre travel day, Staybridge looks really good and the food too. I’m glad you’re mil was ok, nothing like adding a bit of stress to a pre travel day.

See more...

Originally Posted by Talland 2016

Thanks for posting
Love a trip report

See more...

Originally Posted by Florida1972

Nice room and a great start 👍
Looking forward to reading more 🙂

See more...

Originally Posted by Em4owen

Your hotel looks lovely. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment 🙂

See more...

Originally Posted by Ciano

Nice start...looking forward to this!

See more...

Originally Posted by P&S

Nice relaxing pre departure day (MIL aside! Glad all is well )

See more...

Thanks everyone for reading, thankfully MIL is OK, although she did get a rollicking of me for not telling us she needed to go to A&E.

The Staybridge really was lovely and totally wasted on a one night pit stop for the airport.

[Goldia]

That hotel suite looks lovely! What a fab upgrade.

[Disney Planning]

Great start, looking forward to flight day 👍