Day of departure

We awake at 6.15 am – the taxi is due at 7.30 – but there is a few things that we need to do before it arrives, primarily a shower each, wake up the kids, and I need to do the lottery before we leave – who knows I could come home and be a millionaire…. Yeah right! (proved right as it happens – not a millionaire, only one number the whole time we were away!)

We all wait and as I am throwing out some rubbish the cab arrives – well its not actually a cab - more like a limousine. Andrew Lauren and Stef all shriek as they realise – it was only slightly more expensive to have the limo rather than the cab with a trailer for our luggage! Stef phones her parents and tells them about the “bloody long cab” that she is travelling in.

We are only taking three cases - one of which has two others inside. Lets just say retail therapy is high of the list of things to do especially with the dollar so weak - $2 to the £1

We arrive at Gatwick at about 8.30 and grab our luggage out of the limo – and enter the terminal. It is very busy and we find the right area and join a longish queue, probably not for the only time on the holiday. The Travel City Direct desks are quite efficient, as we get to the front of the line in fairly quick time. We then move towards the departure lounge – through security - and again have to join a long queue.

Once through we decide to have breakfast – and MacDonald’s seemed the place. However neither Anita nor Lauren are impressed with their sausage and egg McMuffin – and to tell the truth I am not either with my bacon and egg one, although I have had them previously. Even the hash browns aren't that nice - but who knows the food on the plane might be better than previous - well we can hope can't we?

One of the main things needed to be bought at the airport is a pair of special hair straighteners that Stef wants. She is hopeful that they will be on sale somewhere as they are very expensive - so hopefully will be cheaper here. But no luck I'm afraid, not in Dixons or any of the electronic shops (of which truth be told there aren't many!).

I on the other hand decide to buy myself the new Arsenal shirt - though I am torn between the white away shirt and the third strip which is redcurrant and deep blue - bit like Dennis the menace's shirt, and I'm not talking about Mr Bergkamp here either! I decide to go for the white - more stylish I think, and its a lot cheaper than in the shops by about £15. Andy is looking at the electronic shops for gadgets etc, and Lauren wanted to buy some stuff from HMV - a pair of headphones and a DVD - but Andrew puts her off the idea.....

We each buy a book or magazine - and a drink for the journey, Anita and Lauren queuing for what seems like ages to pay.

In duty free we buy a bottle of scotch and one of Bacardi - all for the grand sum of £15 - we will drink them on hols - so it seems, and is, a fantastic deal. We look at the departure board and our flight XL122 is boarding. We head off to gate 32 at a gentle pace. Arrive and it is packed - everyone is waiting. I decide to go and use the toilet here (rather than on the plane....) and go off and find one. I return only to have a senior citizen moment - I can't remember where we were sitting. I look around, and then see Lauren walking towards me - a big smile all over her face. She points out the rest of the crew who are almost wetting themselves with laughter aimed at me, as I had walked right past them!

We finally get on the plane - and being as the plane is 3 seats, 4 seats and 3 seats, we have one set of three, and two of the four. Andrew sits by the window, Stef on his left, and Lauren on hers - on the aisle. Anita has our aisle seat, and I am to her left. In front of us are two girls, one of which has an enormous chest - with a lowish cut top! However they are a couple (of dykes....). They are complete pains and not very nice with it. More to follow.....

The plane takes off maybe half an hour late, and takes forever to climb to the right height so that the captain can turn off the seat belt sign. Ping it goes off, and everyone unbuckles. The dykes then immediately move their seats into the reclined position (i have no problem with this!) and then begin to paw at each other. The big one puts her arm over the back of the seat rest - and Anita's view of the big screen is obliterated. Her chest is not the only thing huge about her. All Anita can see is the arm. The other one keeps moving her seat up and down - banging my legs every time. She must realise this - but their is no apology, just a dirty look when I accidentally kick the back of her seat. Yes it was a total accident, but boy did I wish that I meant it. Fortunately they settle down - but boobs leaves her arm up - so Anita just opens her book and reads.

The plane is ancient - and used to be one used by a Thai airline - well it looked like Thai writing in the toilet...

There are a couple of TV programmes first - one of which has Jamie Oliver in Sicily, Italy, trying to get a cooked fish seller to allow him to add a few herbs etc and cook it for his customers. A great show - made me laugh a lot! Anyway after a couple of these types of shows we get two films - Shrek the third and Spiderman 3.

Dinner arrives - I have made the best choice. I had beef - whilst everyone else had chicken - all except Lauren who surprise surprise doesn't eat anything! When I say my choice was the best - it still wasn't very good. The second meal is not much either......

The trolley dollies come around with the duty free and Andy is very romantic towards Stef - and buys her some perfume.

The flight seems to take a long long time - much longer than any we have taken before - even the one to Los Angeles seemed quicker! Although this journey at 8 and 1/2 hours should have been quicker! But in time wise it is longer than any other flight we have taken to Orlando!

We land, but the pilot advises us that Sanford has a strange way of getting the plane to the terminal - we need to be towed - so he will come to a stop - but do not start to get ready until he turns off the fasten seat belts sign. This takes a few more minutes - but finally we depart the plane, into the heat. It is very hot - in the low 90s - very exhausting weather after the long flight. We go to Immigration and there are very long lines - looks like about five planes all arrived at the same time!

After queuing for a while we get to the front of the queue, and the lady says each family group must go together to the agent. When Stef begins to walk on her own she is asked her age, and when she says 17 we are told that an adult has to accompany her. So we all approach the desk, and have to put our right index finger into a reader, then our left, and then have our pictures taken. All the time the male immigration officer is cracking jokes about blondes (well having both Lauren and Stef in sight he kinda has to). Whilst he is dealing with Lauren he asks her to put the right index finger into the reader, and then her other right! He then falls about laughing his head off. He is probably the most genial agent we have ever had at Immigration! Once through and down to baggage claim - and low and behold our bags are out almost first. Mind you if we had taken more we might not have been so lucky.

I go off to the Travel City Direct office to obtain the vouchers for the Royal Palm Lounge for the return journey which I had booked the Monday before we leave, and to get the early check-in confirmed. Piece of cake and then back out to find the kids sitting on the cases waiting for Nita - who was in Dollar trying to get car. There is a toilet there so I go in - and once finished look down the line waiting - and she is maybe ten from the front. Shouldn't be too long hopefully.

Whilst we are waiting it is obvious that there is lots of brits about - we have moved away, so are not causing any problems with the ability of people to enter the Dollar offices - but loads of people just go ahead and place their bags into the walkways and then moan when others ask them to move. I even see a set of Barbie twins - well they are blonde, wearing the same clothes, and obviously from Essex! Not a brain cell between them - cos they are the worst offenders in blocking the walkways - well they are told probably ten times not to block the aisles.......

Back out and join the kids - then Andy decides to go and keep Mum company, which is probably not a bad idea as she is probably going nuts in there!

Then they are out - and we have to navigate through the mass of people, many of whom are still blocking the walkways by the way (!). Then we get to the car - a Dodge Grand Caravan. It is quite big - and the luggage fits real easy in the boot. Nita has been given a booklet - and all the documents which she hands to me. So we drive off - and look for the I4 (this is the main Interstate (motorway) for Florida, intending to head for Orlando. Unfortunately we take a turning which turns out to be a toll road - $0.50 needs to be paid - but alas all the change that we have has been left at home. The car in front has done exactly the same. Neither of us has any small coinage - there is no one looking after the toll - so we just head off - and then I see a sign saying that you will be charged $100 for failure to pay the fine.....Well if we get charged we will just have to pay it!

NB after a couple of days when we look at the booklet that Dollar had given to Nita – it had all the details about travelling from Sanford to Orlando in it! Doh!

We get lost - OK I get us lost! - The map that I have does not cover the Sanford Airport area- well actually there is one in the dollar documents but I hadn’t checked them - and we have to ask directions, in a 7-11 where we stopped to get a get a drink and some change - in case we come up against another toll! After a quick drink we are off - off down the I - 4 aiming for International Drive, where we are staying at the Fountains resort - where we had stayed two years ago in 2005 - prior to Hurricane Katrina! It only takes about half an hour and we see the signs for International Drive (or I-drive as it will be known as from now!). Off we get and drive down - almost to the bottom. Andy is positive he knows exactly where the hotel is - and on which side of the road - and he is proved right! - or was it left - lol!

We all jump out of the car - and begin to check in - easy system, get four keys, and then are advised we have to speak to guest services to get our parking permit.

Over to the next desk - and a very keen young man gets us to fill out another couple of forms - and asks us if we have an itinery - and if we have all our tickets etc. We tell him we have all except for a dinner show and that we fancy the Pirates adventure one. He goes off and advises us that he can do them for just under $40.00 a ticket. When we had looked at home the cheapest we could get was $50 - so this is quite a good saving. Then his boss comes over - and basically she can talk for America - if not the whole bl**dy world! She looks at his pricing stuff and agrees - and even offers to create our own personal itinery! Gives us her life story almost and then drops the bombshell - for us to get the cheap tickets - Anita and I will have to sit through a timeshare spiel.... still we have done it before - so nothing to make us worried there then! It is booked for 8 am - mind you we are normally up very early on our first day in America when we come on holiday - so that shouldn't be a problem.

We are given our parking voucher and go off to find our apartment, park the car, unload the bags, and get into the lift in the apartment block, and find the room and try the key. No good! Try again, and the look at the number - oops another senior citizen moment!. We are in block 4 trying room 502 - when we are actually staying in block 5 room 402! Close but no cigar!

Back down in the lift - the kids and I take the luggage over to block 5 while Nita drives the car around. Up we go - and find the correct room this time. It is exactly the same as the one we had last time - except for the fact that everything is on opposite sides, i.e. where the telly was on the right as you looked down the room, it is now on the left etc. In our room there is a large spa bath, and the bed is enormous – well probably six foot six long, but eight feet wide! You could easily sleep 4 adults on it without it being too tight a squeeze!

We put the bags down, and allow the kids to explore – and then decide that food is on the agenda. Everyone is hungry - so we head off up I-Drive to see if we can find a restaurant. Low and behold we see a big Denny’s sign - and decide that burgers would be good! Pull in, and enter the restaurant, and are seated in a booth - and handed menus. Kids all have milkshakes, and Anita and I have diet cokes. We all get burgers of some such - with seasoned fries for all apart from Lauren (no surprise there then!). We all make a good effort but no-one can finish it all - the burgers are probably a good 6 ozs and the portion of chips makes MacDonald’s at home seem very stingy....and as for the seasoning…mmmmmmmm

After finishing we jump back into the car - and head down I-Drive, and find a 7-11 where we load up on bread, some butter, peanut butter, Coke and Dr Pepper - oh and beer! As we have a fridge and freezer in the apartment it makes loads of sense for us to have the basics (and beer is one of the main food groups! or so I have been reliably informed!).

Back to the apartment - unload the car - and as the kids get ready for bed - Anita and I both have a drink - me beer and she a Bacardi and coke. The telly is on - but quickly it becomes apparent that we are all tired so head off to our respective beds.