Leaving soon, again :-)

[stephensmum]

Glad you're home guys, lucky you were on the 6pm flight.

 

[stephensmum]

Glad you got home Wayne!

We have another 2 nights out here before we are able to fly home. We had a 9-night holiday and have already been stranded for 7 nights - so by the time we leave, we'll have been out here for twice as long as we intended. We were due to fly home on Thursday 15th, the day this all kicked off - now the plan is to fly home on Saturday 24th.

Oh Kath, you've really been unlucky, I think it would have been better if it had started the day before at least you would have been in Orlando. Hope you have a straight forward journey on Saturday.

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

Glad to hear you got home in the end Wayne!

Kath - here's hoping you're home soon without any further hassle.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Welcome back - I think you have worked it out really well.

Oh and we are with you in your opinion of France!! My DD refused a trip to DLP for her birthday. "No thanks, Mummy. I'll wait to see Mickey at home in Florida."

 

[Netty]

glad you've finally got back Wayne, Karen and Matt

 

[scojos]

well, bizarelly i have to defend the french
yes, they can be rude and arogant, but so can the british, like it or not we have an image of being "stand offish" and cold.
REAL french people (thats not people who work at CDG) are kind warm and funny people, i agree a smile goes a very very long way. the britsh often go ove rwith attitude (not wayne but many) and that will get anyones back up to start with...
...as for the cost of coke, how much does one cost at Heathrow or gatwick???
glad your home safely, looking forward to the pool party so i can introduce to 3 nice french people
tracy

 

[happyj]

Welcome home x

 

[Ware Bears]

Welcome home Wayne bet you were glad to see your own bed.

Just got to say that when we got stuck overnight at CDG due to Air France strikes the staff were absolutely fantastic. We ended up spending the night at the airport because all the airport hotels were fully booked up and even though we got given the statutory food vouchers by Air France, the CDG staff looked after us really well and kept us fed with extra goodies and supplied with real (not vending machine) coffee all night.

 

[2Tiggies]

looking forward to the pool party so i can introduce to 3 nice french people

 

[wayneg]

just saw the wonder clip - wasn't it hard to watch it leaving and not be on it?

1st time we have been to the port to wave a ship off, didn't bother us at all, really enjoyed the afternoon saw all 3 ships go (DCL, RCCL & Carnival) watched the fishing boats some of them struggle to get boats out of water and they get a big cheer from everyone in the bar when they eventually do it, watched them cleaning the fish, talking to others waving the ships off, had a couple of drinks Karen got vodka and coke and it was all vodka just a splash of coke, I had bottle of Bud, Matt a coke cost $8 +$2 tip the place was really busy must get packed in the summer. We will spend another afternoon there sometime.

i wonder if the flowers are being flown in to you yet....
we had lovely fruit here over the past week...
all the good stuff usually goes to europe, but the ash put a stop to that....
so all of a sudden we had spectacular watermelons that we don't usually get right now....silver lining...i guess this weekend they'll all be gone again...

anyway....welcome home!!!!!!! we missed you!!

Went to wholesalers this morning (managed 4 hours sleep) no problems with stock as just about everything arrives by boat/ferry except produce from Israel and a few smaller supplying countries, main shortage is Gypsophilia from Israel, normally we can sell around £15/bunch (60p/stem) today it would be around £50. Back to normal tomorrow I believe, stock has got thru.
We are starting to have a problem with good quality daffodils, one of the few flowers we still produce in this country, they export all the best to maximize profits, can't blame them as customers in UK don't want to pay the price, will be same with your best produce.

well, bizarelly i have to defend the french
yes, they can be rude and arogant, but so can the british, like it or not we have an image of being "stand offish" and cold.
REAL french people (thats not people who work at CDG) are kind warm and funny people, i agree a smile goes a very very long way. the britsh often go ove rwith attitude (not wayne but many) and that will get anyones back up to start with...
...as for the cost of coke, how much does one cost at Heathrow or gatwick???
glad your home safely, looking forward to the pool party so i can introduce to 3 nice french people
tracy

I know airport charge a premium for food and drinks but I have never seen CDG prices anywhere, a small water (330ml? possible 500ml) was 4 Euros, a few hours later I bought a litre bottle in Heathrow for £1.79.
Looks like all the family will be ready to push me in the pool in August Tracy

Just got to say that when we got stuck overnight at CDG due to Air France strikes the staff were absolutely fantastic. We ended up spending the night at the airport because all the airport hotels were fully booked up and even though we got given the statutory food vouchers by Air France, the CDG staff looked after us really well and kept us fed with extra goodies and supplied with real (not vending machine) coffee all night.

As everywhere they will have good and bad staff, I got the bad ones this week. Didn't help after we had spent 6 hours there it still wasn't enough time for them to get our luggage onto our flight(or the next one) had to wait 2 hours 30mins at Heathrow waiting for the 8:30pm arrival. Thankfully they were on (less a brand new Disney luggage strap)

I guess its not a good mix a tired traveller and security that are strictest I have ever seen. Had a go at me for not taking camera out, never taken my camera out anywhere before. Then my wallet, again never had to do this. Then they body search me. Shouldn't complain about security but it was their attitude with it.

 

[wayneg]

Our last few days.
Decided to do things we wouldn't normally do like goto Port Canveral, Also played mini golf did Summerland as we had free tix, enjoyed so much went back next morning(same day we flew) and played Winter side (50% off for 2nd round even though we didn't pay for 1st round) been planning on doing this for years but never got around to it.
Another thing we did was eat at T-rex, I said I never would but as we were trying new experiences it had to be here as I totally dislike places like this
Turned out a mixed experience. Bad start about 1 hour to get a seat, raining outside so it was chaos inside. Got to table in Ice Cave, just sat down when a man came over and said we were at his table, they had double allocated the table somehow. Another 5 mins they gave us another far side of building, family a few tables away with kids fighting on the floor and running around. Ordered food which seemed to take ages, by now we were really hungry, Karen and Matt ordered Lasagne I ordered a burger & waffle fries, theirs was good, mine was almost cold, sent it back. 2nd one was much better although not worth almost double the cost of Beeches & Cream but I enjoyed it.
Finished with the chocolate extinction, we liked this much more than the Kitchen sink at B & C, would easily feed 4 (or more after a large entree) for $14.99 nice choc fudge cake, ice cream & whipped cream.
Noisy, overcrowded places to eat are not places I like to eat at but I can see the appeal for families with younger children. Glad we went, the dessert changed my opinion from never going back to maybe give it another chance sometime.

Golf pics, great themeing.

High score of the day but it was only about 11:30am

Anyone any idea where this might be going? saw it being delivered into Disney on a Disney truck.

Dessert, so good a pic from back and front.

Our last view of Disney from the plane. Til August

 

[Cyrano]

Just a quick post to say I am back. Will read thru last few pages when I get time and finish off last few days of pics.

Long journey but home at last. 31 hours from hotel to home. Airspace opened just in time for flight from Paris to Heathow, luckily we had a 6 hour wait in paris booked on 6pm flight, if we had been booked on 4pm or earlier they were all cancelled, passengers being told they would be on standby but upto a week before they could guarantee a seat
Worst part of trip was Paris. Attitude of staff, especially thru security. My only time on French soil, hope its my last. Can't believe they can charge £3.75 for a small coke and not even smile or say merci. Paid by credit card as I had no Euros, sure I heard someone behind tut, maybe I was just too tired
Work to do, post more soon.

Glad to hear that you are back safe and sound after your epic journey.

You will not be surprised to hear me say we love all things French However in a past life I travelled regularly throughout Europe and had some lovely experences in European airports. Working for a certain French national drink company meant I was a regular flyer into CDG. It is without doubt one of the worse adverts for a beautiful city. It is not an airport I enjoy spending any time in Shame that your final leg of the journey was not a better experience

 

[disneyholic family]

I guess its not a good mix a tired traveller and security that are strictest I have ever seen. Had a go at me for not taking camera out, never taken my camera out anywhere before. Then my wallet, again never had to do this. Then they body search me. Shouldn't complain about security but it was their attitude with it.

i've always thought you look suspicious...
it's really just silly that they waste excessive time on people who are obviously no threat...
and i hate it when they have an attitude....ok...so search me, but don't treat me like a mass murderer.....smiling is not forbidden...

as for France, i sort of am with Reid on this one...
i like the French (except if i have to stand in line with them, which is why i'll never go back to DLP), but CDG airport is the wosrt of the worst...
i've been in a lot of unpleasant airports, but for some reason, CDG really takes the prize for places you don't want to be...and definitely not for 6 hours...

your afternoon at port canaveral sounds really fun and relaxing....i think we'll have to do that sometime....
we also enjoy the miniature golf...did you prefer one course over the other?
i remember we did, but i can't remember which one we liked better...

 

[disney_princess_85]

I know airport charge a premium for food and drinks but I have never seen CDG prices anywhere, a small water (330ml? possible 500ml) was 4 Euros, a few hours later I bought a litre bottle in Heathrow for £1.79.

I agree, the prices are extortionate at CDG.

Ooh, I know what I'll be getting when I go to T-Rex!

That's a great photo!

CDG airport is the wosrt of the worst...
i've been in a lot of unpleasant airports, but for some reason, CDG really takes the prize for places you don't want to be...and definitely not for 6 hours...

I find your comment interesting. Would you mind elaborating? I ask because I've always thought that CDG is an aesthetically pleasing airport (inside, not outside ).

 

[Netty]

Great photos wayne, glad your back, how many weeks til you go back??
we have never seen disney from the airplane!

 

[wayneg]

Great photos wayne, glad your back, how many weeks til you go back??
we have never seen disney from the airplane!

14 weeks 5 days. but then will probably be a year before we return

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

14 weeks 5 days. but then will probably be a year before we return

I can't believe that!!

Glad you are home safely and back to work - loved keeping up with your report while you were away

 

[fav_is_tink]

Great pics as usual, that dessert looks delicious

Glad that's you all home safe and sound, what an epic journey back tho

 

[Neoshoegal]

Glad to hear you're back home safely. You certainly managed to make the most out of you extra few days

I'm thinking the hippo might be for the jungle cruise at the MK???

 

[ruthie]

Hi Wayne
glad you're all back safely, I've loved all the updates and photos!
I really can't believe you'll go a whole year without going back,how will you cope?

Ruthie