We had quite an eventful departure as our flight was delayed 40 minutes and as we had to change terminals,we were unlikely to make it if the BA flight to Orlando wasn't held for us. As it turned out they did hold the flight for two delayed flights - Glasgow and Dublin.
On arrival in Orlando airport, we were allowed to use the automatic passport control. I got it to work but got no receipt but it wouldn't take my companion's fingerprints!! However even if it did, one had to join a line to see an emigration official!!
When we were called, he advised me that I was not on the System!! I replied that the automatic passport control did not work and he agreed and replied that it was not my fault. He found me phh!! He was unusually friendly for an immigration official.
We then joined a long line to clear customs. When we met that official, he said that we had only one customs declaration We thought that was all we needed but it appeared that because I was lost in the system I had a different form to John who was in the system. He perused all our passport visas, looking up from time to time, but made no comment. I was hoping there was no visa the US disapproved of!! However, he sent us back to the immigration official, who informed us that the receipt that the passport machine produced was the other custom's form!! The bureaucracy!! As we had been told not to queue again but come back directly, I realised that with the length of the line, we were unlikely to get next or near the aforesaid official, Espying an officer, I explained my predicament She looked at both forms and told us that we were free to leave customs without a return visit to the original official - I've never experienced such a debacle. They need to put up clear signage as to the required procedures.
It was the same confusion as we tried tofind the hotel shuttle bus - no clear signage and no - one to advise. We have travelled widely - my sympathies with the novice traveller.
On arrival at the hotel, we heard that a Virgin plane bound for Las Vegas had had to return to Gatwick because of technical problems with its landing gear As they had not long departed Gatwick they had to dump fuel and were shaking the plane to get the landing gear to drop, which thankfully it did and as the airport has only one runway, the airport was closed for four hours. We were lucky we had departed. What with the Air Asia crash, one feels a little tentative flying at present, although we had an uneventful flight with the captain advising us to proceed quickly to Immigration as a Virgim flight was due to land just after us and it would make for a busy Immigration area,
Staying at airport hotel, as the car was not due for collection until tomorrow, we ate at a nearby restaurant - very typical, shack type with a heavy emphasis on deep fried food but on the positive side, the menu boasted plenty of fish. We had an In-house brewed beer together with deep fried shrimp for me ( starter portion more than adequate ) and a steak for my companion.
Tired, as it was 2100 local and plus 5 hours Irish time, we slept but awoke at 0300 and slept fitfully thereafter.
Breakfast was the usual fare, though I suspect the omelette was made from powdered eggs, juice, cereal, Turkey sausage, hamburger, pancakes, an extremely sweet cinamon cake and biscuits!! Now a biscuit is not a biscuit as Europeans know it but a scone! It is amazing that although we speak the same language many words vary - line / queue, sidewalk / footpath, biscuit / scone etc not to speak of the different pronunciation of words
We collected the car and set out for an outlet. On arrival it was mayhem as it appeared every Floridian ?? was shopping!! We spent 40 minutes looking for a parking space and finally got one having parked in a bay and waited for someone to return.
Tommy Hilfiger and Polo had enormous queues- lines!! I did a little damage at the alternative Polo - US Polo Association. Logo somewhat like Polo, quality as good, less expensive and no queue!! Hadn't come across them before on previous visits
We proceeded to a shopping mall It was huge - with a Macy's - not of NYC size but large. Again the number of shoppers was enormous. One purchase here a Michael Kors handbag - on discount with a further 10% off for foreigners.!!
We returned to hotel, parked the car and made a return visit to the Fish on Fire restaurant; iwalking - it was either that Mc Donald's or 7 Eleven unless one drove.! They appear to Drink and Drive here. I decided to eat local so I had barbecued pulled pork with black beans and coleslaw as accompaniments. It was delicious - a welcome relief from the deep fat fryer.
I am not a fan of fried food of any description as I was reared without a frying pan. My late mother would not allow one in the house as her health food guru Lelord Cordell advocated same. He was a precursor of the Atkins diet as he advocated a high protein diet with steak for breakfast. I remember as a child copious leaflets from self same guru coming through the letterbox.
Today, we will depart the Holiday Inn for Hobe Sound where Maria, my companion's cousin, has her winter condo -apartment to you and I. I love the Americans with their summer homes in the North, out of Florida's tropical heat while wintering in the pleasant Florida sunshine. . However, in the advent of the Celtic tiger, we Irish aspired to the self same lifestyle, which has unfortunately been sorely punctured by the demise of same.
