Journey to Vegas - Part 2

We got off the train, with assistance, were guided to somewhere in the station, and then given instructions about where to go (now, now!). Then, we were abandoned. Now, normally, as women, we are the ones who don't have to ask for instructions, because our brains are capable of taking in a lot more than mens, aren't they?! (Yes, is the answer to that question, in case you're a bloke thinking about it!).

Sooooo, we follow the instructions....................... and then get lost! LOL! We're not really sure how to get out of the place, so ask a cleaner - who speaks German only and is new anyway! I then remember a vital piece of information, like the stop number, and we go towards it - on the other side of the road. WRONG one! Sooo, we go back across the road (are you keeping up?!), find the right stop, and discover a 50-seater bus, he says we should be further up the road. We go up the road, Janette being very capable with the trolley - but I then have an uncontrollable attack of the giggles watching her ahead of me - no idea why, she was doing very well!

We get to the stop, and the bus comes, his ramp doesn't work. So, I walk on the bus (again, shush!). We eventually get to our hotel, but as he's stopped on the pavement, I have to launch myself off the pavement, as he's over the dropped kerb - DOH!

Large line at check-in - Janette guards luggage outside. Eventually check in and get key - meet Trissa (nearly ignored her, but never mind - and where was my cider, missy! LOL!). Have a bit of a chat, but really want to get to room to settle in. Room is just perfect - apart from bathroom which is small, but it's only for one night. We put the telly on - to find that we were probably the last train to get through the East Coast Mainline as there was an engine fire, and people had to be taken off the train and led along the line - that would've been fun - not!

We decide to have something to eat and join the others, I order pizza and it is HUGE! I couldn't eat it all - this became a recurring theme throughout the holiday. Eventually we decide to go to bed, and we sleep OK, fitfully, through the night - I never sleep a full night on the first night.

In the morning, I wake up about 6.30am and wait a bit, we decided to set the alarm for 7ish (I think) but I opened the curtains with a bit of a flourish before then - and Janette wasn't happy! Well, we were both awake, why waste a minute?!

Got up, packed everything away, and went for breakfast. The waiter was a little 'attentive' - telling the others where their breakfast was and said 'I'll get yours' pointing to me - no you will not, sonny boy! I managed to get it with the minimum of spillage - slope included (if he'd said that existed, I might have said OK, you can help me, but as he was so insistant, I got defensive!

Anyway, we chatted so much that I was the one who broke up the party and said we'd better go and get this plane. The shuttle arrived really quickly, got on OK, ramp included, was told I was free (after paying £2 the day before - tightwad that I am, I was happy!), and we went to the terminal - the poor driver having to deal with someone on the way who'd been told he was on the wrong bus, but didn't take any notice. Some people!

Anyway, we got to checkin - meeting lots of other people on the way who were going somewhere similar (VERY similar - LOL!), and joined the line - after going the wrong way. We were asked the security questions twice (probably because we (OK, I) was behaving a bit weirdly! We got to the desk and it took forever! First he ran out of paper for his machine, then he rang up for me to get assistance - and they wouldn't answer (no wonder, given what we experienced later!). Eventually he got through, and gave us instructions on how to find the place for getting help (dearie me - here we go again!), by the time we'd finished, there was NO-ONE at any of the check-in desks - very spooky! Where did you all go?! We went through customs with the minumum of fuss (I decided to behave), got my crutches and hand luggage scanned, didn't have to take my shoes off (well, one of them, the other sort of fell off!), was patted down and went through and found, with the minimum of getting lost, the info point. And discovered LOADS of people there, and a bunch of 'helpers' who were looking as though their passengers had all the time in the world. We were told we were early, and were told to come back at a certain time, so we went window shopping. I accidently spilt Fahrenheit on myself (it smells a bit strong when you put it, errrm, spill it the first time, but gradually it smelt quite decent). Can't think what drew my attention to it at all - HA!

Anyway, we eventually looked at the time and decided we'd better head back to Customer Service - and were told we were still early (even though our plane left in 45 minutes!), so we waited, and waited, and I eventually decided that, if they didn't come in five minutes - we'd walk it. They came - with a better buggy than before, and it was fun scattering people out of the way!

Got to the plane and got on. We had bulkhead seats so didn't have a window. As I've said before I am not the best taker-offer in the world, so sat back and breathed deeply (thanks for the hand-hold, Janette!). Once we got up though, we had fun because we were all more or less near each other (some our side, some the other). We started off with 15 - that did NOT continue for the whole of the journey.

I'm not sure I will fly with Delta again - the only member of staff who was remotely human was one of the captains, who stood in the galley near us eating a chocolate mousse and delighted in the fact that we hadn't got one! His name was Mike and he was rather nice - if you know what I mean! LOL! But the rest of the staff were, not exactly rude, but they didn't smile, didn't look like they were enjoying their jobs at all! We watched the movie without a soundtrack because we didn't want to pay (or I didn't!) for the headphones - even though you could take them with you. The food was OK - chicken, veggies, cheese and crackers. The flight was long - and I should've done some updating of my journal then, but didn't!

Anyway, we eventually arrived in New York - and the 'fun' began!