FRIDAY SEPT 8TH...........TRAVEL DAY..........
Guess who didn't sleep.........yep, not even a little.........again we both decided at 2.30 we might as well get up and look out the window and I made us a cup of tea.........so we sat for an hour or so just chatting about our trip in front of us and how much we would hopefully enjoy it. We got back into bed much later and felt as if we never slept at all.
Although I`m sure we must have slept at some point.........not sure when though as we both saw every hour on the clock the whole night......but.......our travel day had finally arrived.
It was very early and we eventually noticed we hadn't received our alarm call from the hotel. I`m glad we weren't depending on it........but even though we were tired, I jumped in the shower and then found the rather lackluster hairdryer they have.......it works though. It was still dark outside but as always and since around 3am the airport buzzes with life.......so much going on all around it.
We had breakfast included in the Lounge with our room, but we chose not to take it. Having seen the offerings the night before we thought we`d prefer to buy our own at the airport......so we headed straight down to check out and hand our car keys over. The car is taken offsite for our entire stay. We have used this for many years and touch wood it`s always been fine.........so we head down to terminal to hopefully go straight through security.
Best laid plans again...........the place is mobbed. It is so busy they are using another entrance to security........we go straight to the machine and buy the fast track.......can`t remember how much it was, but it was worth it.......we wander into the fast track queue and past many disgruntled passengers in the really long non fast track queue and are through in 5 minutes. This is always a scrum before the scanners..........trying to get trays, do we have to take shoes off, laptops out, watches off or not. Today we don't have to and for the first time I don't get buzzed going through the scanner........Tom however does get buzzed for an extra search......but again, it`s only a few minutes and we are through.....time for food.
We head into the duty free area to be again met by swarms of sales staff selling every kind of perfume and make up you can think of........I do plan to buy something but we head straight to our usual breakfast place. It always amazes me how busy airports are.....every day bringing a new flock of travelers......sometimes look and wonder what their story is........everyone has one.
We arrive and see its again busy......but a window seat appears just as we do.....so we ask if we can get it.......of course she says......so we again, get a nice view of all the planes passing.......yep, definitely a geek!
This is where we see the weather is awful......just the type of day we love to leave in.........
We have a look at the menu and Tom opts for the cooked breakfast of bacon, sausages, eggs and toast........I think I opted for toast with marmalade.......I had pancakes last year and they were huge........
This is such a relaxing way to start the day..........we enjoy the food and then order some more tea........America, we only drink coffee.........so we enjoy our last pot of proper tea.
We then head back to duty free where I pick up a bottle of Jimmy Choo Blossom and some make up from Estee Lauder........and then we go visit the bathroom and before we know it our gate is on the screens. We are usually down as far as you can go and seem to walk for miles just to get to our plane, and today was no different. No complaints though as we were just glad the strike had not affected our flights. Selfish? Probably.......but I knew we were so ready for this trip.
We used to always fly with Virgin Atlantic, but last few year we have flown with Thomas Cook. Short haul I wouldn't, but their long haul flights have been excellent and times are slightly better........so we were looking forward to this again. This plane didn't have a Premium cabin and we didn't manage to get exit rows on the way out but the leg room we had been told was excellent in the seats we had..........she was right!
We were first on the plane as we were in row 4.........and seats were comfortable........that's always something.......one thing I did notice was the lack of little children all clutching Mickey Louse or some other Disney orientated toy.......this was going to a much quieter flight. When I had flown previously to New York, all 3 times the flights had few or no children on them..........I don't dislike kids, but sometimes on a plane...........I`ll leave it a that.......
So, we took off on time and the take off always terrifies me........I try to enjoy it, but I`m always convinced it`ll never get off the ground......and this time I did feel......he could be going a little faster......expert that I am of course I was wrong.......take off was smooth and we sucked on fruity hard candy to save the ears blocking up. Always works..........
The drinks service is almost immediate.........and this year Tom wasn't driving when we got to the other side......so he ordered a couple of beers and I had my usual two little bottles of wine......would keep that for when the food came around.........and a pepsi for now.....
The flight is seven and a half hours to NY, so quite a bit shorter than the Orlando journey.........but they still feed you the same amount of times.....so before long the food appeared. It is usually quite good going out and today was no different........we both opted for the beef in red wine......it was actually very nice and the little dumpling looked awful but was surprisingly light.......cheese and crackers followed by a chocolate cake that I didn't eat.......think someone else might have devoured that ...........
So for plane food it was decent.
We soon got restless and began wandering around and standing up........we did have decent leg room....not sure you can see from these pictures........but for standard economy seats they were decent......Tom is 6 foot tall and he thought they were fine.
We set our watches for American time after we are fed........and all of a sudden the seat belt sign comes on.......now I don't mind turbulence.....even bad turbulence as I understand it.......unlike take off which just doesn't equate with me at all......but folks are getting jittery as it is quite bad. We usually have it on the road home, very rarely have it bad on the way out.
But it`s soon over and we settle down for what`s left of the flight. I did manage to sleep for around an hour, which my sore neck can attest to.......then they brought round afternoon tea which I declined as did Tom. Didn't look great........
Then it was time to land. I had chosen this side of the plane so Tom could see the city as we flew past it, I had come in this way on every other flight to NYC I had been on.........best laid plans again..........we came in and saw nothing..........so I was laughing at my promises he would see it clearly if it was decent weather..........always next time. Landing was excellent........and soon we were heading to our gate.....which ironically was the furthest away from immigration and security you could get.
We headed down to the line and were sent to an automated machine........we got a black cross on ours so then had to proceed to another queue to see an officer, and the queue was long. Very long. We must have been there an hour which was frustrating as we had landed right on time at 1pm NY time. That was now 6pm to our bodies. The office we got refused to speak to everyone in front of us and proceeded to tap everything he wanted us to do......we had watched but he had a twinkle in his eye.......It must be me as I did make him smile........and we got through to proceed to luggage pick up.
By the time we got through all the luggage had been removed from the carousel and was all piled up neatly in lines.......ideal. So we got our cases and headed out to get a cab into the city. We had thought of getting the guy we had used to take us out to Long Island, but decided to give Tom the full NYC cab driver experience..........so we got in the non existant line and the operator gave us our receipt and told us to hang on to it and did we know it was a set fee....we thanked him and said yes we did..........
So we set off on the cab drive from hell......but we got there..........with Tom asking me why wasn't it warmer??? Oh dear
NYC coming up............