Our American Holiday 2012 – Part 9

And lo, the last part of the American Holiday blog begins.

We pick up where we left off, departing Kennedy Space Center. As I recall, we had to wait for one missing passenger. And it can only have been Miss Daisy! Although, apparently she was already on the bus and Suzanne must have missed her in the head count! So the German one is not infallible!

It’s about a 250 mile drive down the east coast of Florida, to get to Miami Beach and with a time limit set; we were not going to hang about. As I said last time, a few of the passengers onboard were not staying overnight with us in Miami Beach and were catching connecting flights elsewhere.

The drive down the coast was again mile upon mile of highway, but we had the wonderful scenery to view from our coach window. At one point we were driving alongside the massive Lake Okeechobee, and I ‘m sure everyone on board the coach, started singing in their heads, “Oh Okee Okee Chobee! Oh Okee Okee Chobee!”

There were no stops today to visit attractions; unless you call the truck stop come motorway services an attraction. They certainly did lovely panini’s!

The last couple of hours, rolling towards Miami were a pretty sad affair. Suzanne was carrying out her official duties as tour guide, ensuring we had our vouchers for the airport shuttle vans, for the next day. Making sure we had filled in our questionnaires. And gently reminding us about the obligatory tips for Ernie and herself. Not that we would begrudge them a single dime that they received in tips, as they had done sterling work for the two weeks they were hauling us around the States.

And whether you liked it or not the Fruity Fraulein came around the bus kissing us all and wishing us well.

Ernie touched our hearts also, when he announced on the tannoy that we were a really great bunch and he loved having us on board, and would even go so far as to say, that we were the best tour group he’s had the pleasure to know!! What a darling!

He did follow this up quite quickly, by saying that he would be telling the next group exactly the same thing!

Anyway, we pull into Miami Beach and to our last hotel. Some quick goodbyes to some passengers and to Suzanne and Ernie and we’re on our own, almost. The second tour guide, on bus number 2; Wesley, was still with us, which was a good job, as we needed him to help us book into the hotel!

The hotel was really nice, the rooms we were in were suites, so we had a kitchenette and a lounge and a well stocked mini-bar. Which stayed well stocked as I wasn’t paying those prices!

Luckily the hotel bar had a Happy Hour at 7pm, where certain drinks were just $1 each. Well, it would be rude not too.

I did take the opportunity of the computer in reception to check-in to our flight the next day, just to save time and make sure we had a good seat. Not as good a seat as some of our fellow passengers, who upgraded to Premium! Lucky devils.

After downing several rum & cokes. What? It was Happy Hour! We decided to wander off to find a restaurant to have supper. Well, we were slightly disappointed to find that after walking 4 or 5 blocks up from the hotel, there were very few restaurants and as the neighbourhood seemed to be going downhill rapidly, we decided to turn around and head back towards the hotel and look at the restaurants we had already passed.

This is when we bumped into 11 others from our group who were doing the same thing. After a quick discussion about the choice, we headed for the nearest restaurant and started causing chaos as we asked for “a table for 14 please!”

They were only too happy to oblige and we whiled away the next couple of hours eating and talking and drinking.

It is so nice to meet friendly people.

And so to bed, for our last night.

We woke after a small lie in, no early morning alarm call today! Our first priority was to get some packing done, and sort out clothes for the return journey.

However, packing aside, we were in Miami Beach! So, it would be wrong of us, not to actually go to the beach. So that is what we did, via Walgreens for some throat lozenges! Don’t ask. OK, do. Mrs Dave had a sore throat.

We didn’t stay long on the beach, just strolled along the water’s edge, did a little paddling and took a slow walk back towards the hotel, after washing the sand from our feet.

On the way back it started raining! What? Rain? In Miami? Afraid so.

Once back at the hotel, as we had negotiated an extra hour before we needed to check out, we decided to make the most of the facilities and go for a swim. The sun had decided to come back out, and it was gloriously hot.

Swim session done, it was back to the room, for showers and the all important weigh-in of the cases, to see if we’re under the limit.

Of course we would be, we haven’t bought that much, was the confident cry coming from the female side of the party.

How much!!!

Is that in KG’s?

What have you put in here?

Two of the three cases were over the limit, cue panic shuffling of the heavy clothes into Little Miss Dave’s case. She was well under the limit.

Anyway, we managed to equalise the load, but it would be close at the airport. I just hope our scales are slightly out in our favour.

After one more sweep of the room, to make sure we had everything, we closed the door on a hotel room for the last time this holiday.

We checked out at reception, who then secured our cases, as the shuttle to take us to the airport, was not due for another couple of hours. So enough time to grab some lunch. We wandered out of the hotel and found the nearest restaurant, a quick flick through the menu and we ordered, informing the kind waitress that we have a flight to catch, so don’t be too long, please.

We waited and our drinks arrived.

We waited and drunk our drinks.

We waited and kept looking to the door to see if our order was coming.

We waited.

We waited, and then Mrs Dave said, I can’t wait any longer and called a waiter over. “Where’s our food you half witted imbecilic moron!! We ordered ages ago and we said we had a flight to catch, so we really want our food NOW!!”

Is what she said in her head, in reality she asked, “Can you check our order please, we need to catch a flight. Thank you. Most kind”.

Our food appeared and we scoffed it down quick, waving for the bill with a mouthful of salad! We paid and scarpered, getting back to the hotel just in time to get the cases and mingle in the lobby with others in the party, who were on the same flight as us.

Within minutes a man from the shuttle company appeared and asked for those on the 2:30pm shuttle, (although he was early!).

This is where the fun begins.

It was a nine seater shuttle. So that’s us three. Laurence & Gill. Paula & Jen. Sarah & Amy. Jenny & Jan.

Hold on that’s eleven!

Laurence & Gill and Paula & Jen, had already got in, Mrs Dave , Little Miss Dave and I popped our cases in the boot, and got in too.

Jenny. (That’s mad Jenny, her of the disappearing walking stick), is trying to get in. Paula and Jen don’t want her in the back seat with them, they were saving the last two seats for Sarah and Amy.

The driver is behind Jenny, heaving her up into the van. Paula is pushing her out again. Jenny is going red in the face. And we’re counting seats.

Hold on we say. There are 11 of us and only nine seats. What’s going on!

The driver lets Jenny slip back out of the van and she collapses against the door in a flustered heap!

“What?” says the driver?

“We have the too many peoples?” Yes, he was a bit foreign.

Mrs Dave takes charge and says; “have you got names on that list? If so, call them out!”

The driver dutifully calls out the names and we answer in turn. All except Jenny and Jan.

“See?” Paula shouts! “We said it wasn’t you, now get out!”

Jenny remonstrates and says, this isn’t right, where’s my shuttle then? It’s too late, the cases are in, the doors are shut and Jenny and Jan are left on the pavement as we drive off. I shout “don’t forget to write!” as we pull away. We turn into the street and as we do, we see another shuttle van turn up, so don’t worry, Jenny and Jan were safe.

I know it’s not nice to laugh at the misfortune of others, but we giggled all the way to the airport!

Once at the airport we had to run the gauntlet of the cases being checked in. Will they be over weight? Will they be under? Oh the tension. Oh the worry. Oh who cares?!

They were just under.

It was then off through security and into Departures. When we had got to our gate it was time to relax and speculate as to where Jenny had got to. We all sat together and took it in turns to watch each other’s bags, as we went off to spend the last of our American cash.

As we were chatting away, somebody said they thought they had seen Jenny, in a wheelchair! How we roared, if it were to be true!

I started mimicking Jenny, pretending I was in a wheelchair propelling myself through the Departure Lounge, shouting “look at me! Who’s laughing now suckers!”

Just as I did this, out the corner of my eye, I saw a wheelchair being pushed through the centre of the aisle. It can’t be, is it?

The laughter stops, and we look up to see the now regal looking Jenny, being pushed right up to the departure gate. I swear she waved like the Queen as she went by.

When she got out of ear shot, we burst out laughing again! You had to be there really.

And that was that. An uneventful flight home and we were back in Blighty. As we slowly traipsed from the ‘plane, we passed through the upgraded passengers section and saw Jenny and Jan. She looked up smiled and said; she had to wait for her chariot to arrive to take her off. We smiled, said goodbye and sniggered all the way down the tunnel into the terminal.

We met up with the others by the luggage carousel, they immediately asked if we had seen Jenny and I said, she’ll be coming through those black strips of plastic soon, spinning around the luggage carousel, like the Waltzer at the fair, shouting; “Jan, Jan!! Get me off here!” As she disappears around for the third time!

And there we have it. Another American holiday done and dusted.

Please forgive the seemingly egotistical nature of these blogs, but in the years to come, when the memory fades, we’ll have a record of what we did, where we went and who we met.

I hope people have enjoyed reading them, as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

If you have enjoyed them then you’ll enjoy my book!! Which I haven’t written yet, maybe one day.

Thank you.

**** Footnote - added 3rd August 2014 ****

Two years to the day since embarking on our wonderful holiday to the USA '12, eight of the members of the tour got back together for a mini reunion in London. Brian and June came all the way from Australia! Not for the reunion, they were on a tour of Europe, with a cruise and several mini breaks, including a stop off in England. Having heard of their impending visit, Amy and Sarah drummed up some enthusiasm and enlisted the support of Paula and Jenny, along with Denise and myself.

So we descended upon our nation’s capital and took in some sights; Leicester Square, Convent Garden, where we met up with the other girls. We then tackled the Underground and the massively expensive toilets! Finally meeting Brian and June, along with two more of their Aussie friends at Westminster, where we boarded a Thames cruise down to Greenwich and back.

It was a wonderful day for a cruise, with ample time to reminisce about our USA holiday and to catch up on what we have been doing in the intervening 24 months.

We dropped the Aussie’s off at Tower Bridge, as they had another function to attend and we (Jenny, Paula, Sarah, Amy, Denise and myself) headed back to Westminster, where we parted company after a marvellous time together.

Days like today just show how special relationships can be and how friendships can be forged, when like-minded people are put together. It is something very special and endearing and will add to the wonderful memories we already have.