Third Time and Very Lucky

Hi,
Please excuse the lack of posts lately, I'm having a mini relapse (I think my body loved the warmth in Australia and the UK is bloody cold at the moment) so my limbs are all twisted and I'm on my full meds again! Plus there have been a few....erm... dramas? I don't know if that's the word, but there has been a lot going on and I've felt a tad overwhelmed!

Anyway... Australia

Yes, I am a jammy so and so! I went to Australia for the third time in 3 years. Please don't hate me! Mike had training with work... I say this limply because his course is 3 days long...we were there for 14!

Anyway, as always, I love to write about my travels, so here it goes....again!

The Journey

Picture the scene; It's Monday April 7th. After some mundane food shopping, I settled on the sofa to catch up on some TV. Mike is in our study, most likely doing Genealogy research - it's his guilty pleasure! He walks in to the living room and the conversation goes like this;

Mike: So, do you want to come to Australia then? (It had been discussed for weeks but I didn't see it happening)
Lynsey: Always, when?
M: Saturday
L: Which Saturday?
M: This Saturday.
L: *Looks confused*....as in 5 days time?
M: Yeah
L: It's a bit cheeky though.
M: Why? I have air miles and 6 free days in the Hilton Hotel there.
L: Shall I check the diary?
M: Really?
L: Hell no!!

So cue frantic car/flight/insurance booking, summer clothing shopping and major hair removal!

So, 4 days later we took an airport car to The Holiday Inn by Heathrow Airport. It's the same hotel we used for New York, clean, friendly staff and a huge disabled friendly room. You can find my review here (notice the comments below from their General Manager :)

With a 4:30am alarm set, I was asleep by 9:30pm!

The alarm went off, I was instantly angry, only made better when I realised what was happening! I positively leaped from the bed *may be a slight exaggeration, and physically impossible for me!* and into the huge shower. I chucked on comfy clothes, ignored my make up case but still had to straighten my hair much to Mike's confusion.  Girls, am I alone in this?

We arrived at the airport and within 20minutes I was asleep sat up in my wheelchair, so much for leaping eh?

As Mike travels so much for work, we get to use the Singapore Airlines lounge! This is still a complete novelty to me. Free magazines, booze, food and wifi - my simple mind was joyful! Unlike the first time Mike took me into a lounge, where I was too scared I would be chucked out or charged £20 for a single drink (this is London!) this time I had breakfast, several coffee's and nabbed copies of Marie Clare and Hello!

Singapore Airlines were as brilliant as ever. We had rung up to inform them of my special needs and informed them I was bringing the wheelchair on my travels. Throughout the checking in, boarding and both flights they were thoughtful, they didn't make me feel like a nuisance, they kept me informed of their plans too.

Singapore Airlines - Hotels in the sky!

Singapore Airlines are now my favourite airline, so far no other has come close.  They're service in economy feels like first class with menu's, cocktails, personal screens with 100's of films, TV shows and plenty of music to keep you amused for the 21hrs of flight time!

Our midway point was at Singapore, where we headed straight for the lounge again to keep loved ones informed and annoy our Facebook friends with hideously annoying holiday status'! 

The only bad bit of the whole trip was the aisle seats they use to get disabled/elderly people to their seats on the plane. I'm not thin, but I'm only a UK size 14 yet these chairs gave me almighty bruises on my thighs and bottom, sadly this can't be rectified as airplane aisles are all small and compact but be prepared if you're any bigger than a size 14! The first time I went to Australia a just about fit....last time we came I had inches either side, this time I just about fit...wonder whether I'll fit on the way back?? eek!

L x

New York - Day 12

If you've missed any of the 12 New York blogs click the links below!

Day - 1
Day - 2
Day - 3
Day - 4
Day - 5
Day - 6
Day - 7
Day - 8
Day - 9
Day - 10
Day - 11

New York - Day 12

Our alarms went off at 5am, not for an early flight or pre dawn check out. I wanted a photo with the Wall Street Bull, without a million people crowding round it! The business district is very quite on weekends like in any city but the Bull constantly had people surrounding it.

Our 5am date with the Wall Street Bull

So with just one police car for company we took it in turn for pictures and a quick rub of the Bulls balls (it’s good luck, there are defined rub marks!) before heading back to our hotel to pack. Again, I mean Mike packed, carefully rolling up our clothes, protecting our gifts and trinkets. I on the other had fallen asleep in an armchair gracefully dribbling over my left shoulder - sexy!

Once I had woken, Mike had finished packing and we had checked out; we went to lovely restaurant for brunch and New York staple! For bloody Mary’s and Eggs Benedict! 

With a couple of hours until our airport bus would arrive, we went to the Hilton Hotel bar. Mike on his laptop me reading when I fell asleep with my head in the book that was lying on the table - where a now infamous phone was taken!

A tad sleep

Our bus arrived 2 hours early so we had a lot of waiting around in the airport even resorting to playing eye spy! When we eventually were able to check our luggage in United Airlines were atrociously bad mannered and unhelpful. The check in support woman proceeded to mock our accents (and not in a cute way!) and when we asked about checking in the wheelchair she told us it wasn’t her job and that being a member of their miles club was irrelevant even if I had prebooked support before making the trip.

We had time to kill and dollars to use up, looking for a few last minute bits, when I needed to use the bathroom and whilst in there a woman actually asked me “Don’t you people have your own bathroom?” bloody cheeky mare!

When we got to our gate we spoke to a lady called Laura who said she’d see what she could do since we’d been placed at the back of the plane with no assistance or paperwork for the wheelchair.

Annoyingly Laura came back and said that there was no where else for us to be seated and proceeded to look blankly at us. So a said “So.... how am I getting to my seat?” to which she replied “I don’t know” - Helpful!

I then asked if they had the aisle wheelchairs available and the United staff were like “Oh yeah, great idea” - I wanted to bang my head against the wall at this point.

When we eventually got to our seats and got comfy, my instructions to Mike were that I would be going to sleep, I didn’t want any food, drinks or loo trips. That’s exactly what I did, I slept the whole 8 hours home. Mike didn’t, he was awake all night watching movies trying to stay on US time as we were getting home Monday Morning and he was flying straight back to work in California the following day - poor dude!

We got to Heathrow and Mike’s Mum picked us up. Arriving home we had to unpack immediately so that Mike could repack all over again, no rest for the wicked!

On Tuesday Mike had left by 6am and I sat in our living room alone, thinking “A week ago I was sailing on the Hudson and sitting on top of the Empire State Building” I couldn’t help be a tad sad!

New York is an amazing city and we had the most spectacular time. I would highly recommend visiting such a vibrant and energetic place, it is very expensive but if you plan your trip and look up deals it doesn’t have to be so pricey. If you’re a movie or TV fan it’s so much fun to see all the places from your favourites.

Despite 12 days in New York there was so much more we didn’t get to do, Mike and I have decided to return to the city for our 35^th Birthdays in 5 years for another big city adventure!

L x

P.S... I leave you with this awesome Squirl who was working his angles.....

 ....work it, my furry friend.... work it!

L x