Holiday Time

Sandestin 2012

Remind me not to take responsibility for booking a holiday ever again.

The timings for this holiday were crucial, we had to see Sarah Millican at the Playhouse first. Then squeeze a 2 week holiday in before Easter.

There weren’t many options really, the alternative to my chosen (*read, crappy) route was direct to Newark from Schipol, so still going on a route that meant you were flying back the way you had already come. If you know what I mean.

Keeping things to Terminal 5 at Heathrow does have its advantages after all! Waggamama is one of them, the other is NOT being in Schipol where we know by previous experience things can go wrong too!!

Flight from Edinburgh to Heathrow was good, and did that thing I have never done, but always wanted to do, buy one of those raffle tickets for the shiny red Ferrari. I didn’t opt for the Ferrari though, I went for the ‘more tickets / less car’ option. Aston Martin, that will do nicely. Don’t worry, you will be the first to know if I win. (hmmm… what colour?!?!) really, a wee AM would sit alongside George quite nicely. Ed did point out that if I won, we would need to build another garage. Oh well!

Anyway, a wee brunch at Waggamamas was very tasty. Nothing like a good dod of red chilli to ‘get you going’ in the morning. As usual we had a wander into the ‘sexy & expensive’ shoe shops in T5, to realise that nope, nothing has changed, they still don’t fit my size 4 exceedingly wide feet! Still, it keeps Ed happy the fact we have looked!

I did have to ‘step away from the chocolate / book stores’ even though the temptation is there to pick up some Cadburys with the excuse of ‘have you TASTED Hershey’s?!’ managed to resist. Resisted the books too, however, that didn’t last long!

I hadn’t really liked to see how long any of the flights were. When we got on the Jumbo, I was gutted to hear 9 hours. Ed thought that I had said a 6 hour flight?! Hmmm… I couldn’t be bothered working out the maths regarding the time differences… Oh well, suck it up. Watch some films and do some quizzes. Have a snooze and generally pass the time. It was ok. Gluten free afternoon tea left a lot to be desired, however, I didn’t starve.

On arrival at Miami airport, the customs queue was so goddamned slow. Should have read a book. At this point I said to Ed to join queue #20, he chose 19. Should have listened. Actually, we should have stood in a queue each, then hopped across. Why didn’t I think of that logic last night?!

Collected bags, followed the yellow dots to drop them off again (giving Ed the chance to pack away the mini bottles of red wine procured on the flight). Then it was off to our next flight. Not. Flight to Pensacola cancelled. It really did remind me of our previous trip to Montana.

Damn you American Airlines.

We were given the option of flying to Tampa. Hotel. Flight first thing. Ed jumped at it. Then he asked the time of the flight. 7am. Bollocks to that. So we were booked into a hotel in Miami for the night. AA gave us some meal vouchers, conning $hites, what they ACTUALLY give you is one dinner voucher and one breakfast voucher. Might need a wee email rant for that one. We won’t fall for that one again! (!)

Anyway, better fed than dead, crash into bed and got a not too bad sleep, considering it was the noisiest hotel room they had!!

The next morning, nice and warm, breakfast done (managed to convince them that one voucher would do considering we only wanted a wee brekky) off in the shuttle. No wonder they want you to check in 2 hours before your flight. Dear god, what a performance to get through security!!

Starbucks & book shop… Knew it had to happen. Oddest thing I saw in the book shop was a poo diary, really. Boy, my triple shot Americano was darn good, I have to say.

Onto our puddle jumper of a plane. Toilet held together with sticky tape, however, as Ed said, look on the bright side that it’s the inside of the plane that’s held together with tape. Can’t argue with that logic. I have it on good authority (the captain of our puddle jumper) that it’s 14 degrees in Pensacola. Ffs, it’s warmer in Tyndrum.

As for the guy who tried to squash his too large case into the overhead locker… Idiot. You can see it in the picture of the plane… Really, mind you, that’s as long as I manage to work out how to add photo from phone! You would have to take a hack saw to it. Being such an idiot, the air hostess (only one on board) made him stick his large case under his seat – how on earth did he get that back out I wonder?!?!

It is however the start of our holiday, it may be 14 degrees, but hey, it AIN’T Tyndrum!!! Woop!

Good news, luggage turned up.
So did our Sunshine Shuttle driver.

There, that made up for what could have been a really dodgy journey!some pictures…