Nikki's TripPart 1 - Orlando Forums

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Nikki's Trip - Part 1

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niccola27

United Kingdom
129 Posts
Joined: 15 Mar 2007
Status: offline

Posted - 30 Oct 2008 : 13:09:05

Tuesday 23rd September

So the time finally arrives – it’s time to at last set off on our long awaited holiday which we booked January 2008. I’m going with my boyfriend Kev and my parents and we are going for three whole weeks. We set off at crazy o’clock in the morning and arrive ridiculously early at Gatwick. We have breakfast and wander around the airport until boarding.
Now I am a terrible flyer (so bad infact that I am shortly going to be trying hypnotherapy) but the virgin flight over was the best flight I have ever been on. Hardly any turbulence and the seatbelt sign didn’t come on at all during the flight.
We arrive at Orlando airport and get our hire car then my parents drop me and kev off at our hotel and then they drive to their hotel. We are all staying on international drive for the first night, my parents opt for an early night so me & Kev decide to make the most of what’s left of the day and go to our favourite bar buffalo wild wings, to have a bud and watch the game!! Great end to a long and tiring day!!

Wednesday 24th September
Me and Kev go to IHOP for breakfast which was fantastic then we met my parents and gave them my empty suitcase. My parents are driving to Fort Launderdale and staying there for two nights, then going to the keys for two nights and then me and kev are getting an internal flight (more flying oh joy) down to fort launderdale where they are going to pick us up before the four of us drive to Naples. When me and my parents first came to Florida (back in 2000) we spent a week in Orlando and then drove down to Naples and spent a week there and we have wanted to go back since. My boyfriend has only ever seen the Orlando area of Florida so my parents decided that they would pay for us to fly down to meet them and pay for two nights in a hotel at Naples for my birthday treat (despite the fact that my birthday was a month later!!).
We gave my parents my suitcase because with internal flights you pay per suitcase so as me and my boyfriend went out with fairly empty suitcases we put all out stuff in one and gave the other to my parents to take in the hire car with them.
Me and Kev then went up to Festival Bay and shopped before retiring to the pool in the afternoon and finally out to TGI Fridays in the evening for dinner before heading to Buffalo wild wings to see the game – although I’m still unsure of the rules but the beer is cheap!!

Thursday 25th September
We go to IHOP again for breakfast and then we spend a lovely morning and early afternoon by the pool. We hear that the weather further south is not too good and my parents haven’t seen the Florida sun since leaving Orlando – just lots of rain!! At about four me and Kev head off to city walk to do some shopping, alcohol tasting and to get some dinner. We have a great time and get back to International drive we decide to call in once again to Buffalo wild wings!!

Friday 26th September

We are flying down to Fort Launderdale on Sunday morning and we knew that my parents were experiencing nothing but rain so we had to make the most of out time in the sun and get as tanned as possible!! We spent most of the morning by the pool, then went down to the premium outlets and then go to Black Angus for dinner and then to – yep you’ve guessed it – BWW’s!!

Saturday 27th September

Woke up with that horrible “you’re flying in an aeroplane soon” feeling and realised that this was our last day on international drive. After the two nights in Naples we are staying in a villa for two weeks with my mum & dad so our good old BWW won’t be on our doorstep. Kev is ridiculously exciting about “the game” tonight as Saturday night football is meant to be a big thing. We spent some time sunning ourselves and going for a wander around our hotel and also for a wander on international drive. We go to Tgi’s for dinner and then get to BWW nice and early – it’s already pretty heaving in there.
I get very excited when I see Jeff Stelling flash up on the screen (Sky sports football blokie) along with the result of my beloved Exeter City FC beating Macclesfield Town 4-1 away!! Kev pretends he doesn’t know me as I cheer! I had already found the result out earlier on the internet but seeing City’s name up in an all American bar got me all excited again. Me and Kev settle in to the fantastic atmosphere between some local American football fans and have a few buds. Had to get a fairly early night though due to our stupid early start in the morning!!

Sunday 28th September

The alarm goes off at half two – are flight is at 7.45. I am not feeling my best. We pack the remaining bits and pieces, take some last minute photos of our room and head towards reception to check out. A taxi picks up and before I know it I’m sat in an aeroplane listening to the captain telling everyone that the flight will take 46 minutes (it said 1hr 10 on the tickets). My friends who had flown internally before had warned me that there would be a lot of turbulence as the aircraft goes at 21,000 (ish) rather then 37,000(ish). It was awful and I spent a lot of the time panicking which really isn’t pleasant for Kev. Luckily the flight only took 36 minutes and I was so relived when we landed – but not as relived as Kev and the poor American man who I had sat next to who must have thought I was possessed by the way I was jumping about and holding my head!!
My parents picked us up an hour or so later and we then proceeded to drive to Naples. On the way my mum and dad told us that it had rained most of the time they had been in Key West too!!
We finally get to Naples and to the Hotel we would be staying at – the very hotel we had stayed at back in 2000 and it looked better then I remembered it. My parents have bought the weather with them and it is pouring with rain. We checked in and then explored our rooms which were fantastic. We met my mum and dad in the café about an hour later for something to eat and to plan our short time in Naples.
In the evening we had dinner at the local Applebee’s (the game was on so Kev was relived and my dad soon got into watching it!!). We had a great meal and a couple of drinks. We then drove back to the hotel and decided to head to the lobby where there was a cocktail bar. The four of us were joined only by the cocktail lady and a pianist – who was great and played the Beatles for me!!! We had some of the best cocktails ever before a cocktail called the “Jamaican kiss” finished everyone off and we had to admit defeat and call it a night!!

Nikki

sunandfun

United Kingdom
89 Posts
Joined: 17 Apr 2005
Status: offline

Posted - 30 Oct 2008 : 21:45:51

Great - I love reading trip reports. It sounds like you had a great time.

I'm off to read your next report now.

LiesaAnna