Day 0 : Pre travel Day : Tuesday 11 November

Normal school day for the unfortunates who were not coming on holiday – hmm trying very hard to be sympathetic whilst desperate to shoe horn them out the door and do a little “ no days left “ dance around the kitchen island

Reservoir Dogs safely despatched to their respective educational establishments, time for last minute packing and weighing the cases over and over again.

They were full and heavy – Andys suits were bulky and we had the wedding gear.

Despite all the times we got the outfits out to double check what was being worn on what day, I still had far too many shorts and tops ( oh, that will be because it was jeffing freezing and not my overpacking) and Andy somehow was a shirt missing ( I take no responsibility for that at all- I am quite sure it wasn’t hanging on the back of the door )

After assessing the cases, a swift visit to the BA website and another bag booked for the return journey. Deep breaths, there will be shopping.

Finally time for OLCI – they are sooooooooooo precise with the 24 hours ( to the minute) and at 1146 the boarding passes printed off for our lovely Exit Row seats .

I also book these for the return flight – I had tried last night but had a paypal error message so, much like my multiple purchase of wedding shoes , I have either booked the seats 4 times or not at all.

We shall see.

After ditching paypal, seats seem to be secured with the trusty credit card. Worry about that bill when I get back then. I am sure the £110 will be so worth it.

Andy’s Mum has been waiting (im)patiently for himself to take her off to Tesco for some last minute shopping but he is getting a bit stressed with other stuff and keeps coming up to see me – I have had the sense to shut myself in the lounge and am busy keeping HP computer spares in business with my vast reams of colour printing of restaurant vouchers, day plans, boarding passes etc – yes that’s right, 2 pages of adverts for every useful page you need.

This is also when I discover that white travel trousers are not the best choice of clothes when changing printer ink .

As I stand there with splodgy hands and the potential for complete clothing disaster, I have to say to the printer – now? Really? You run out now ? It just laughs at me in the way only inanimate objects can do, blinking with its angry little empty light.:angry:

My last job ( remembered right at the last minute) is to call Disney Dining to add the wedding to our reservation. Very helpful chap who says he will call the Yachtsman Steakhouse as it such a special event. Well sadly they didn’t get the memo – but The Yacht Club did so overall, this phone call was well worth it

I had also promised my new work place a picture of myself so spent ages trying to take a good selfie – only to find my stoopid email account wont accept the size of the jpeg file. Ah well, it would only scare them and I don’t want that, I am looking forward to going there too much! I did think about the Disney ears, but decided maybe it was too early on in the relationship …..

Scary selfie



I was at the top of the stairs taking this with no glasses on – it could have all gone horribly wrong, what was I thinking

All too soon and its time to pick up the boys from school. I started to get a bit of a frog in my throat – Connor did that teen thing of going straight upstairs and not re appearing until the taxi came so we couldn’t tell if he was upset or couldn’t give a hoot.

Jamie however was chirruping away at 100mph and telling us how they will be fine, go and have a nice time, don’t worry about us at home etc – I couldn’t decide if he was being super nice or laying on the emotional guilt trip. One to watch that child.

Our car came promptly at 4.30, Andy had arranged for it and it was a luxurious 7 series BMW – such style , lovely.

I thought I would cry when we left but I was bustled out and away before I could get too emotional – as we drive away, I am really not sure how I will feel about going away without them ( hah, as it turns out, I am truly heartless, I hardly missed them , well you know, of course I missed them but I wasn’t the sobbing guilt ridden wreck I thought I would be )


And so we are off – and then it rains – I mean- it rains

I do all this planning and didn’t check the weather forecast for this evening.

Rain and white trousers – this is not good.

So it rains more and there is heavy traffic on the M25 – it’s a long journey – now I know why we always try to go from Heathrow – that extra bit round to Gatwick, its evil in tarmac form.

So rain, stop start and I do start to feel a bit queasy – but I think that’s probably tiredness and hunger but finally after almost 3 hours we are there and very grateful to be deposited at the Premier Inn .

I go up to check in , assisted by the fabulous Pablo, and after paying for wifi and declining the meal deal we are all set . First impressions very favourable.

We decide to ditch the cases asap – it is still raining so I do this weird hippety hop walking to avoid getting muddy wet splashes on my white trousers ( that’s it I am wearing black next time) and also trying not to get completely soaked and having the horror of the see through trauma as well as sitting on a soggy bottom. Wet White Trousers - not recommended

Andy is pan faced as he is lugging the cases behind me and being very stoic about all my anti rain shrieking and hopping about- I couldnt catch what he was saying, I am sure it was something sympathetic

Its 7.30pm and the terminal is deserted so we go straight to bag drop – cases are 21 and 20kg – good job we have that extra one coming back then ).

We are a bit cold ( dressed for Florida the next day after all) and cant be bothered to take the shuttle to Giraffe in the South Terminal so back to the Premier Inn to see if we can eat there ( maybe now thinking I should have gone for the meal deal)

We book a table for 8.15 which doesn’t seem too bad a wait .

We pop up to drop our hand luggage bags in the room and have a nose about. Really impressed – great value for £29.





I give tomorrow's plane footwear a trial outing



Yeah, rocking that cabin chic look

We pop back down and have a couple of drinks in the bar. ( note , I did put shoes back on, I did not go down to dinner in my slippers)

Bar was pricey, £10 ish for a glass of Rose wine and a Cider.

Service in restaurant very friendly and efficient even though the place was packed out. Very impressed. Large menu , including a load of new burgers.

I went for the lasagne with salad, trying hard to be a bit healthy before the impending food fest. £10.25



Andy went for Full House Burger £13.20



And took advantage of their 3 for £3.30 deal which was ridiculous value for the wings, just a shame I don't like wings ! Yep, 3 side portions of wings for 3.30!

Total for Dinner was £26.75

We passed on dessert but I did get these mini cakes ( orange and cranberry for me, salted caramel for Andy)



from the costa coffee and I got a hot chocolate to take up to the room. I also picked up a bag of mini shortbreads to have with my early morning coffee. I think the total for that lot was £11 ish.

We were both a bit tired by now so up to bed – we watched the Nations Favourite Queen Song programme – very fitting as we have picked “ You’re my Best Friend” as our wedding song – the words say it all and I think we are nostalgic glam rockers at heart.

Being such rock n rollers we are both asleep before 10pm - must say these beds are super comfy and there is no room or corridor noise at all – bliss.

Sweet Dreams - its travel day in the morning and its just HERE

Great to see you have made a start on your trippie , I really don't know where you all find the time to put so much effort into them. I love reading them and the pictures bring back wonderful memories of our own Florida adventures.

My sister got married many years ago at Cypress Gardens - a truly wonderful day with lovely memories

yipee...you've started! cant wait to read more

Knew you would turn up!

Glad your trippie has begun Amanda.

Had to laugh at you blaming the heavy luggage on Andy's suits - are you sure your dresses had nothing to do with that?

Glad you managed to avoid disaster with the white trousers. I wouldn't even dare to think about attempting to wear white trousers for travelling as I wouldn't make it out of the house without some sort of stain!

Looking forward to reading the rest.

Ah, thanks, it's good fun writing them and re living the holiday . Thank you for reading along .

Thank you. Travel Day will be along soon

Hello Jo, er, the dresses were really light... But maybe the matching shoes and bags were not quite so light No, definitely his suits, they were really heavy .

Packing to come home on the last day prompted some interesting observations ...
Mr A : Oh these (3) umbrellas you bought are so heavy .
Mrs A : not as heavy as the (6) pairs of trainers you bought...
You get the drift !

Thanks . Yes they are a bad choice and I do it every time I need some different travel clothes .

Great start, I love your trip reports
Looking forward to reading more x

Yay you've started it!

Great start.

I can just picture the movements involved trying not to get your trousers wet!

The journey to Gatwick really is awful and one of the reasons we prefer Manchester.

Your dinner looked really good and that wings offer is really good.

Looking forward to more.x