The one unlike nothing you've read before. Travel day

[Holdensccs]

So today is travel day our first longhaul journey as a couple (without kids) for a good few years. I was up and showered, by.05:50... DW right after. We said final farewell to DS and got into the car for the short journey to the train station I dropped DW off and took the car back to the house then walked back, 12 mins, to the station. (I did say it was short) Would have got a taxi, but none wanted to get up this early for shuch a short fare!. £6.10 each to Glasgow airport, including the shuttle bus from Paisley to the terminal building.

Having checked in yesterday and downloaded the boarding passes to my phone all we had to do was bag drop where they issued boarding passes anyways and then security. From arrival at the airport to sitting in departures, 10 minutes, that's a good start.
The flight to London was bang on time. Gatwick airport though ! Off the aircraft via the airbridge, downstairs and then onto a blinking bus!.. through the bowels of the airport and back upstairs again...and the signage is woeful too!

However security is a breeze e en though I was singled out for the body scan and as. theres no gate posted yet, we'll have a beer! in Jamie Olivers diner...no food didn't realise there was a queue so walked right in! pint and a half £7.45 On the board tge BA2039 shows delayed until 14:00 according to the sign...
which turned out to be correct, although our estimsted arrival in Orlando is 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

There was a drinks service shortly after taking off and the meal came round about 2 hours in.
DW chose the chicken I went for the veggie option...mine was quite nice especially as DW gave me her spinach...
the salted caramel (micro) cheesecake was lovely though...I had a red wine with dinner, but that will be my last, I have to remember that I'm driving when we arrive.
Time to destination currently 6 hours!. Have to say, this is a non refurb 777 and the screen is unwatchable IMO good job I've got movies and tv shows (altered carbon and young sheldon if anyone's interested) on my phone. I'll leave the flight info playing though...I do like to know where we are... time to destination now 4:14 and we're over St Johns allegedly there's a place down there called Paradise ! over halfway done.

Two words 'Magnum' 'Mini'

The snack before we started our descent was a chicken mayo sandwich and a fruit flapjack, I ate mine and DW's

There was bad weather apparently in the Orlando area, for some reason thus meant we had to hold for 40 minutes, which didn't seem too bad, as we were ahead of schedule anyway...we landed at 18:10 15 minutes late.
Then as we were all stood waiting to disembark, they announced that because the airport was full? we wouldn't be able to get off for another 30 minutes. Then qhwn we did, we were kept in the holding area for a further 20 minutes before we could go to actual immigration... there were NO kiosks in operation!
2 hours and 20minutes from landing in total. There is a lot of workgoing on in this area so I hope its all done by our next trip in December.

From here on it was all plain sailing. Straight to the garage and Avis preferred. Ah yes Mr Holden... You have a special request for a Dodge Charger? Yours is in row T20... card swipe and license check, less than 2 minutes.

This is what I got for 10 days (for £210) via BA...

V8 Hemi 5.7lt yaaas!

Have I been upgraded or is this standard?

Anyhow...uneventful drive from the airport down the 417 and along Osceola Parkway... managed to miss Sherbeth road due to it being dark and the roadworks.. and possibly a bit of muppetry from me as well, but we were never lost and found the Ramada Gateway hotel easily.

We are in one of the older rooms, but although very basic, it's clean and we really can't complain for what we paid (flights plus hotel 9 nights under £500 each if you're interested)
It will certainly do, it's just a place to sleep.

Tomorrow we are meeting DD and going to get our SW/BG annual passes...

[app]

New Photo Added by Holdensccs - 29 May 18 12:17 PM.

[margyloveswdw]

Despite the immigration non-sense a nice easy travel day - not read many trippies that involve a picture of the car engine though

Looking forward to reading more!

[mick]

Good travel day apart from the wait in immigration


Joan

[Jakey Neverland]

Great start, looking forward to the rest.

[pandanne]

Good start apart from immigration - I hope they have it sorted for end of August. Looking forward to reading more.

[Jedi Princess]

Good start, apart from immigration. Looking forward to reading your updates.

[Jake71]

Not the worst travel day to be fair, apart from getting off the plane. Looking forward to reading more.

[Michyloulou]

Seems like quite a relaxed travel day! 😎