So here goes, lets see how I do (sorry for lack of photo's from Day One, you will see why)
Wednesday 19th September
As is always the way, it had been a really busy few weeks at work in the lead up to the holiday. I work in HR and we are getting a new HR system so we are in the early stages of learning it so yesterday and today I was in training all day, knowing that my last 2 days in the office I'd be in training was tough
Anyways I cartwheeled out of the office and headed home. I travel an hour on the train but this journey home felt like 2, I was so desperate to get home and start the holiday.
I had felt a niggle in my back bottom tooth the day before and while it was on my mind I was hoping it would just go away. I'd been in and out of the dentist the last few months sorting out a few issues, teeth are my nemesis even though I do everything to keep them strong. Rob is a fitness professional and had his last Clubbercise class at 7pm so he would be home about 8:30pm. I walked in the door about 6pm and did my last bit of packing before getting the suitcases ready and cleaning up the house.
Rob had dropped off Jackson at the boarders earlier in the day, OMG I'd forgotten how easy it is to clean without a dog in the house but I missed him already!
As soon as Rob got home we brought in his equipment, speakers, lights and all the technical equipment. I then took the cases out to the car and I think we left about 8:45pm. We ate a few wraps id bought on the way home for dinner.
We had a pretty quiet journey to Gatwick, and arrived at purple parking around an hour later. We registered the car and got the bus over to the North Terminal (via the South terminal) C'mon already we wanted a beer
Love the Premier Inn, and I love the self service check in. So simple and fast. We had a room on the 6th floor, normally if we travel down during the day I will ask for a runway view but as we were only in the room for a few hrs I hadn't bothered
We literally dropped off our bags and went to the bar. As we were walking down the hllway Rob said "Look at your shirt" I stopped and turned and saw a hole! JACKSON STRIKES AGAIN. Little bugger must have done that that morning as I swear it was fine the night before. I blamed Rob anyway LOL. I changed my shirt and threw the other one in the bin, it was a primarni one anyway
We ordered 2 beers as we always do before any holiday, that's how we know its holiday time. We'd been waiting for this moment for 6 months
We had some rowdy ladies next to us who must have been in the bar for some time earlier, next to them were a couple who kept staring and looking away when we looked, we assumed they had never seen 2 grown men drink beer before
Rob suggested we get a bottle of wine and although it was 11pm I said go on then, why not. We talked loads about the trip and generally chilled out after a busy few weeks. My tooth pain had disappeared and we went up to go to sleep around midnight
Thursday 20th September
We actually slept pretty well and woke near 6am and watched tv in bed then got up and ready
We always eat bfst after security but one day we mean to try the Premier Inn breakfast. We walked over to check in about 8am
As we were flying Premium we were excited to stand in the Premium line, and it was actually 3 lines it was busy. We waited and we joked that this is not how Premium people should be treated
After 10 minutes a lady from Upper Class came over and said could she help us so we wandered over and checked in under the Upper class sign, Oh how the other half live!
We exchanged money at the moneycorp stand and then went through Security, all done by 830. Now for Breakfast!
We did think of trying somewhere new today, but you just can't beat the Red Lion Weatherspoons, its quick and we have the app so the food is on the table within 10 minutes
2 eggs benedict and 2 beers, yes before 9am but it's tradition
It didn't feel overly busy in there like normal so we stayed for about an hour, we facetimed Rob's mum who was is currently in Australia and his sister
I mostly people watched here, hoping that the big rowdy groups weren't on our flight
We then wandered round the shops as you do, we bought a cheap pair of sunglasses each from JD Sports, 2 for £20. Told you its cheap, but we aren't fancy sunglasses people, I think its such a waste as most people like me just lose and drop them
We walked up to Jamie's Italian, the bar is quiet and chilled so we got a drink each.
At 10:40am we got our gate number and headed up to check in. My goodness the gates are never big enough to hold all the passengers, its always so squashed. Soon Premium was called and we enjoyed getting on sooner. I am always amazed by people's behaviour at the gates, so many people ignore the announcements, line up and think they are running things. SIT DOWN FOOLS!
We were in the bubble which did feel nice and different and peaceful, soon we had a glass of prosecco and were ready to go. We took off around 12 noon (11:35 scheduled)
My tooth was a little sensitive but I think I was so excited I stopped worrying. The flight attendant had made a mistake when doing the safety announcement, she had said that we in the bubble should use the stairs on a water landing but she meant use the top stairs, maybe she was new? After the seatbelt sign went off we had the drinks service and rob got 2 gins and tonic and I had to JD and coke, we order 2 as it saves asking for more. The flight attendant was lovely and joked with us that it saves her time and she just came back from Vegas and people on that flight "didn't stop drinking" we thought great, we are in for a fun flight LOL
We got the menu's and both decided on the Coq au vin as the other choice was Pasta (no thanks) and Marsala (I try & only eat Indian food when I'm in my own home
) and both got some red wine. I watched most of the movie downsizing but got bored or started to fall asleep. there was a further drinks service and we got one drink each
I think it was about 6 hrs in of a 9 hr flight now and this happened
Rob asked if I felt like another drink, I said yeah maybe lets ask for some amarillo or baileys as I am sure Virgin did one or the other. He asked the same flight attendant from earlier and when he asked she said "Have we not had enough?" Rob's face was priceless. She then said "Its just that US immigration can be tricky" Rob said "Fine, don't worry about it" and she scuttled back to the other end of the plane
Besides being embarrassed, we were annoyed as there is no way we were in any way drunk, or appeared drunk. I am always the one who will say to Rob, nah we have had enough but we were fine
An hour later they wandered along with the afternoon tea and when they offered tea and coffee, we couldn't resist saying yeah we better have some strong coffee and get ourselves sober LOL . It was so annoying as I talked Rob into booking Premium and while that flight attendant annoyed us, but nothing against Virgin I think she was fairly new and was trying to be assertive. Soon we were coming into land, the flight had gone fast but for the life of me I can't remember the other movie I watched.
My tooth had started to throb a little an hour before we landed but again not major, but as we stood in the customs queue it really hit a new beat, it was like african drums playing on my tooth. OUCH. The line was about 4 deep and I could only see 5 agents working so I was worried we would be here for hours. (why do they not have more agents working??) I took 2 Ibuprofen and Codeine in the queue but it didn't even touch the pain. We had landed about 4pm and were waiting for the Mears vechile at 530pm so not terrible, we arrived at Loews Royal Pacific near 6pm. Mears was pretty good $66 return for the both of us
We were really excited to be back and even my tooth pain was taking a back seat as we saw the amazing lobby again for the 1st time in 3 years. There was a queue of about 5 people but at least 6 people serving, its a busy front desk. We were called forward and Kristian was checking us in, he asked a few questions and we happily told him it was 3 years since we were here but we loved the place so much we couldn't wait to get back.
I was standing back admiring the lobby and Rob had quietly mentioned it was my 40th bday at the end of the trip and our anniversary in 2 days, Kristian said Oh congratulations. Rob asked "Have you seen the notes I have written?" Kristian was reading them for the 1st time. Then said that's ok we will look after you both. He then asked "Will you be in your room later? We said we weren't sure as we might hit the parks.
Now I have worked in hotels for 17 years so I know hotels from the other side as well, For 5 years I actually worked teaching what amazing customer service is, making an experience for a guest so the guest remembers the experience not just a hotel stay. I was amazed that no-one had read the notes in the booking, that is the easiest way of finding out how to make an amazing experience even more amazing. I assumed that he was asking if we would be in the room later as they were going to deliver an amenity. No this wasn't the case.
We then went to the room 2610 and didn't worry about the check in. We then got a text from the hotel. It started with "Maholo Mr & Mrs" now we are not precious but our notes showed we were a same sex couple, they had seen us both at check in and both names were on the booking so this was another fail.
Now my tooth was still hurting but we said lets go and check out Halloween Horror nights just to get a feel of it as were were so excited. We decided to walk so changed and popped our shorts on. Wow it was so warm, we loved it!
Soon we were in city walk and wandered along checking out what was new and headed into Universal Studios, we wandered along 1st scare zone and said lets go on Rip Ride Rocket. Bad Idea, while it was only 5 minutes tooth ache and rollercoasters do not mix, OMG that hurt I can still feel it now. Rob could tell I didn't enjoy that and said did I want to go back. I said no lets do at least one hose, I felt bad to ruin his 1st night. We decided on Scary Tales as it was close and we had heard really good things. We both loved it, but I really couldn't concentrate as I was in proper pain now. We got back to the hotel and I went over to the concierge desk to ask about a dentist. She gave me a slip with contact details and said to give them a buzz. Now 3 years ago the concierge would have offered to call for me and see if there was anything more they could do, as they could see I was in a lot of pain. But we went upstairs and I called and they said they would call from 730am, I was grateful as I had feared the worst.
We ordered some room service Rob got some buffalo wings and some fries for me, I ruled while eating the fries on the left side of my face. Amazingly I fell asleep around 10pm, Rob must have turned of the tv and lights as I don't remember. Unfortunately I work around 130am and was in a fair bit of pain, I topped up my pain killers and played on my phone. Rob was awake by 4am and we watched the TV and waiting for morning.