The Holiday of a lifetime Part 2

[eagleydo]

This has reminded me of our first visit. We had to collect keys from the management agency and they were no where near the villa we were staying in. We spent over a couple of hours driving, it was geting darker and darker, the rain was heavuy and my son unbeknown to me had turned the air conditioning, in the van, down really low. I was freezing, the view was as wet as the one we had left in England and I was crying. Then we finally found this little building near a KFC. My husband opened the door and went into the buiding, the hot air rushed in through the open doors and the boys stepped out into the warm rain and started to laugh. We all then went into kfc and had the best cajun wedges and chicken that I have ever eaten. When we came out, the rain had stopped it was very,very hot and it was impossible to believe that a drop of rain had ever fallen.
Refused ever since to collect keys and only ever rent property with a code for keybox and alarm system.
To this date, after 8 more visits we have never found this area again, where we collected the keys and that is still the best Cajun wedges I have ever eaten.

[cook22uk]

I was warned by several travel agents not to use Chicago if flying indirect, we use Washington (very efficient) or Charlotte - Atlanta also is meant to be very busy. It's really worth asking people who travel indirect before booking. Shame about your owner's directions,really no excuse for that - they may be from the agent rather than the owner - make sure you plan your route back to the airport in good time! We send our own version out but also suggest the guests may use mapquest.com to print out directions and maps as an alternative.

I agree totally about the agents/key collection, we have done the same thinking it must be near the property but of course these agents cover such a wide area and are rarely at the office when the British fly in late afternoon/evening time. We always ask now if we stay on the coast - they are very relaxed and usually leave keys in mailbox for us or a code - we have the same at our own villa, after a long journey you need the simplest ways. Also having a code if there are a large party staying at our 6 bed it is useful - no keys to lose at the parks and everyone can come and go as they please without keys to worry about.

[SDJ]

The drive time to the airport should be 30 minutes. Karl certainly went on a detour to get to Windwood Bay!

Sandra

[lafifille]

I've never had any serious problems transiting in O'Hare, and I actually like this airport, but it's probably because I know it so well, and I just love Chicago [msnwink]. I'm sorry you got such a bad feeling about that city.

[7165red]

4 hrs. that's awful. We have been lost on past trips and it can take the joy out of arrival. Glad you had a good vacation. We were lost in CA.

[DisneyPrincess]

I would get lost even with a Sat Nav!
Looking forward to the next installment!