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View Full Version : UK - New York and Home in 3 days!


Disney fan
09-27-2004, 01:37 PM
I really cannot believe I have done this trip! even now I am home it seems so hard to believe that I could possibly have done it.
Just a few years ago I would stand at the gate getting ready to board the plane and I would cry! I would shake with fear even though it may just be a 2 hour trip to Europe.
I would get on the plane and no-one could speak to me or touch me. I just had to be left alone. I could not eat or drink anything on the plane ,such was the fear.

OK Back to the story!

The day prior to our trip I decided to book a long weekend off work. Husband out of the blue said lets go to New York for the weekend!
Now anyone that knows me will tell you I plan everything, I book trips a year in advance!

I thought that 2 days in New York was really not long enough and said No to begin with. Later that afternoon I thought Why not, lets go.

What a rush trying to get flights and book a hotel for the next day. We eventually managed to get everything sorted out by 7 pm the night prior to travel

The flight was on Continental 777 and we managed to book a room in Waldorf Astoria, ( No Jeff we did not pay 800 LOL in fact I think we got a good deal at 319 including full American breakfast!)

We arrived at Manchester airport ( UK) and our plane was already there waiting.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/Belynda/new york/PICT0001_edited.jpg


The journey to New York took 7 hrs 10 minutes.
Manchester was sunny and clear, Take - off smooth. The pilot came on and told us he expected the flight to be smooth, he said we had picked a good day for flying over the Atlantic.

For some reason I still felt nervous on this flight, maybe it was more to do with the lack of preparation and rushing around trying to find the right clothes to take.

The flight was not as smooth as the pilot thought it was going to be, We ended up with seat belts on for 4 hours of the flight!
The landing was very bumpy bounced up and down on the runway.

I really did very well with the turbulence and it did not bother me too much this time. I am getting to the point where I accept that on such a long flight we are going to get some, if we don't then it is a bonus!
Nothing severe or even moderate this time.

Janet!!! Your Cab drivers are something else!! Scary! put me back on the plane anytime. He said Friday afternoon is always bad in New York. His driving was just scary. It took us 90 minutes to get from Newark to the hotel.

The view from Newark airport was fantastic.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v371/Belynda/new york/PICT0079_edited.jpg

The flight home was perhaps the best flight for me. I did lots of things that I have never done before.
I was NOT nervous AT ALL
I Ate chicken and a bread roll
I Slept part of the way.

Seat belts were on again a couple of hours but there was only the occasional bump!

The flight home was the quickest that pilot had ever done the Newark Manchester route. It took 5 hours 40 minutes!!!

Now I have 5 weeks to prepare for the Florida flight!

New York was great! Would I do it again, Not for 2 days but would like to go back some time for a longer period.

WillFlyToDisney2
09-27-2004, 01:38 PM
Great report, Lynda! Glad you're home safe.

:)
Kelley

YankssRule
09-27-2004, 01:42 PM
Lynda-

I warned you about the cab drivers..they are nuts :wired , I never take them....yeah, NY traffic is definitely horrible, but then, also, they have some thing going on at the UN so traffic is snarled a bit more then usual. Imagine me in this traffic twice a day 5 days a week...and my trip, sometimes is longer than 90 mins (one way) !!! But the money is fabulous, can't beat that.

I'm glad to hear that your flight went so well, sorry to hear about the turbulence though.

So, tell us..what did you do during your stay in New York? Did you love the Waldorf? You got an awesome deal..and I love the "american breakfast". :rotflmao . I forget, that when we went to Europe, imagine our surprise to find cold cuts for breakfast instead of the usual eggs/cereal/toast/coffee. :rolling

I'm so proud of you for taking this journey, and such a long journey it was..but I'm sure, and I hope, it was a rewarding one !

Janet :banana

WillFlyToDisney2
09-27-2004, 02:43 PM
Cold cuts for breakfast??? No wonder my brother (who lives in London) chows down on GRITS when he is home.

Kelley

Disney fan
09-27-2004, 02:48 PM
Kelley , lol what are Grits!

Europe has continental breakfast in the hotels, you will be pleased to know that England has full English breakfast!

ie Cereals then Eggs Bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomato, beans, fried bread, black puddings ( yuk) Toast, marmalades, jam ( jelly) continental breakfast is also included in the buffet breakfasts.

Lynda

YankssRule
09-27-2004, 03:03 PM
When I was in Italy..the complimentary breakfast had cold cuts, they did however have cereal & toast..LOL..had to pay extra for eggs.

I do have to say..that I will never have a cappaccino in America again...phew, In Italy, they were so good, that I had them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the entire time I was their..I was wired to say the least !!!

Janet

Passenger Mark
09-27-2004, 03:17 PM
LYNDA!!!

Fantastic!!!

I am so happy for you, especially your flight home! Ate, Slept, WOW!

And the photos too!

I copied this over to the Trip Reports Board as well.

It is absolutely fine for everyone to post their flight reports here, and we can copy to the Trip Reports Board to save them, and keep them from scrolling off!


Great Report and photos Lynda!

Just one question... How did you make a photo of yourself landing at Newark! :p

Welcome home! :welcome

Mark

WillFlyToDisney2
09-27-2004, 03:20 PM
Ha Lynda!

Grits are hominy served piping hot. So YUMMY! We true Southerners eat ours with nothing but butter and salt. Others add things to theirs like cheese, ham, bacon.

You need to rent the movie MY COUSIN VINNY for a hysterical take on grits by an outsider (a Yankee!!). My brother ROLLS laughing at the whole "grits" scene.

Have you ever tried biscuits and gravy?? Another Southern breakfast delicacy.

Kelley

Disney fan
09-27-2004, 03:26 PM
Kelley, I don'y know what hominy is LOL

Never tried biscuits and gravy;? Do you mean gravy made from meat juices??? and sweet biscuits ??? like shortbread?

Gosh sometimes you would think we did not have the same language lol

Chelle
09-27-2004, 03:31 PM
Lynda, that is SO awesome, good for you! :hyped

I guess there's something to be said for spontaneity :D

You must be so pleased with yourself :happyguy

Welcome back!

Disney fan
09-27-2004, 03:40 PM
Mark,

You know that guardian angel that sits on our shoulders when flying well.............. I just handed the camera and asked for one more favour!


Lynda:angel

WillFlyToDisney2
09-27-2004, 04:32 PM
Found the official "definition" of grits on a website:

"In most of America "hominy" came to mean lye hominy, or whole kernels (of corn) that had been skinned but not ground. In the South, however, "hominy" came to mean skinned kernels that were then ground coarsely to make "grits." To add to the confusion, most of the South (except for Charleston SC, which holds to the old ways) calls grits "hominy grits".

Well, I live in Charleston, SC (OLD SOUTH). We do everything our own way around here. Biscuits and gravy are not sweet at all. Biscuits are made with mostly flour and shortening (no one said we Southerner's were HEALTHY eaters) and the gravy is made with flour and sausage drippings. YUMMMMMMM!

:)
Kelley

xiknal
09-27-2004, 05:44 PM
Congratulations, Lynda!!

:cheers
That was a real triumph, and you deserve all the pride and wonderful feelings of accomplishment and slight disbelief that go with it. :happyguy

Do it again!

Barb

VictoriaW
09-27-2004, 06:44 PM
Lynda...

You are my idol! :hail
I have my first **SOLO** international flight coming up 2 weeks from today....YIKES!....I'm on pins and needles already.... I'm so glad that you had a great time and I loved reading your flight report! I'm hoping my flight goes as smoothly as yours! Congrats!

Vicky

Disney fan
09-27-2004, 06:58 PM
Vicky where are you flying too???

VictoriaW
09-27-2004, 07:11 PM
Flying out of Oklahoma into Dallas...from Dallas to London (Gatwick) and then final destination Dublin, Ireland. Meeting my husband there after not seeing him for almost 4 months. That alone, is going to get me there....it's "during" that I'm most nervous about...well, and doing this first international flight alone...

Vicky

JPenny
09-27-2004, 08:45 PM
:dancers :dancers :dancers :dancers

Rah, Rah, Lynda!!!!

:pompoms :pompoms :pompoms :pompoms :pompoms :pompoms

Jean

marypoppins76
09-28-2004, 11:26 AM
Congratulations Lynda! :cheers

Fantastic report.

MP

Hope 2 Fly
09-28-2004, 04:14 PM
Fantastic Lynda!
You really give me hope. You make it all sound so easy!
Yvonne

ChrisLynch
09-30-2004, 03:53 PM
Well Done Lynda Great Pics too. How was Continental?

Chris

Disney fan
09-30-2004, 04:34 PM
Chris,

Continental was great!! We have flown with them before and always found them good.

Service was really good for economy, drinks brought round at least hourly. Even the meals were ok.

Chicken with rice, or beef with roast potatoes for lunch and later a lighter meal of Hot Turkey sandwich.

The 777 was a great plane too.

Lynda