Shogun
30-09-2008, 09:49 PM
Friday 12th September
The telephone by the bed jangled at 5am with our alarm call. This is it!! The day we go!!!
Turn on the TV and cannot believe the news we are hearing about Travel City. If TCD had kept their 4 engine 747s we would have booked with them however we had booked on the Virgin flight.
Showered, dressed and cases packed we went down to the terminal to drop off the cases. No queue at premium economy so we were back at the hotel for breakfast very quickly. Buffet style – help yourself to as much as you want from a huge selection.
One last look from the bedroom window. The airport looked very busy this morning.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_4918a.jpg
We even saw the Virgin plane landing and taxi-ing in.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0019a-1.jpg
Back to the terminal, up the stairs, through security, down the stairs and into the duty free. Got the drink for consumption at the villa then off to gate 300 where they bus you out to the plane. A while later they announce our plane is going from gate 208. It seems we have commandeered the plane for the later flight.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0022a.jpg
We got called over to the flight desk to identify a case that had lost its label. Having said it was ours we were assured it would be on the flight.
We were only about 2 hours late boarding and once upstairs we were able to look around. The cockpit door was open so I stuck the lens in.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0026a.jpg
Once in the air the flight tracker came on the seatback TV.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0027a.jpg
All the upstairs cabin seats are rows of 2 each side so there is a lovely wide aisle.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0029a.jpg
8½ hours flying makes you quite tired so some ZZZZZs help to pass the time.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0028a.jpg
Once we landed we were through immigration and collected the suitcases very quickly. In fact it probably only took about 15 mins to get to the Dollar car rental from getting off the plane.
This however is where the holdup started. When we presented the US Car Rental Paperwork we were told it had expired. They were uncertain if they were part of XL Airways and it took a long time to sort out. We did at last get our cars on the US Car Rental paperwork, found them in the dispatch area and drove in a short time to the villa.
Looked at the great views.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_4956a800x533.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_4940a.jpg
And, as mentioned, the welcoming committee.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_4934a.jpg
Chose the bedrooms we wanted.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_1218a800x600.jpg
Then it was off to Publix for essential supplies then relax around and in the pool till bed time.
See you tomorrow.
The telephone by the bed jangled at 5am with our alarm call. This is it!! The day we go!!!
Turn on the TV and cannot believe the news we are hearing about Travel City. If TCD had kept their 4 engine 747s we would have booked with them however we had booked on the Virgin flight.
Showered, dressed and cases packed we went down to the terminal to drop off the cases. No queue at premium economy so we were back at the hotel for breakfast very quickly. Buffet style – help yourself to as much as you want from a huge selection.
One last look from the bedroom window. The airport looked very busy this morning.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_4918a.jpg
We even saw the Virgin plane landing and taxi-ing in.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0019a-1.jpg
Back to the terminal, up the stairs, through security, down the stairs and into the duty free. Got the drink for consumption at the villa then off to gate 300 where they bus you out to the plane. A while later they announce our plane is going from gate 208. It seems we have commandeered the plane for the later flight.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0022a.jpg
We got called over to the flight desk to identify a case that had lost its label. Having said it was ours we were assured it would be on the flight.
We were only about 2 hours late boarding and once upstairs we were able to look around. The cockpit door was open so I stuck the lens in.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0026a.jpg
Once in the air the flight tracker came on the seatback TV.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0027a.jpg
All the upstairs cabin seats are rows of 2 each side so there is a lovely wide aisle.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0029a.jpg
8½ hours flying makes you quite tired so some ZZZZZs help to pass the time.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_0028a.jpg
Once we landed we were through immigration and collected the suitcases very quickly. In fact it probably only took about 15 mins to get to the Dollar car rental from getting off the plane.
This however is where the holdup started. When we presented the US Car Rental Paperwork we were told it had expired. They were uncertain if they were part of XL Airways and it took a long time to sort out. We did at last get our cars on the US Car Rental paperwork, found them in the dispatch area and drove in a short time to the villa.
Looked at the great views.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_4956a800x533.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_4940a.jpg
And, as mentioned, the welcoming committee.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_4934a.jpg
Chose the bedrooms we wanted.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a222/shogun249/2nd%20album/IMG_1218a800x600.jpg
Then it was off to Publix for essential supplies then relax around and in the pool till bed time.
See you tomorrow.