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Today we fly to Miami from San Francisco. We are up at 06:30, even though our airport shuttle does not leave until 09:10.
We get packed up, I am still blogging - trying to catch -up! We go down to reception and check-out.We have a twenty minute wait for the airport shuttle. Both Di and I have chosen shorts and sandals in which to travel - could be a mistake! The weather has gone a little cooler and our feet are freezing - I think that I have frostbite in some of my toes. The San Francisco weather is a little strange, somtimes it is foggy and really cold, sometimes it is really sunny but windy and can still be a little cool, other times it is really warm - and all of these can be in one day!. We have had a number of occasions where Americans have stopped us in reception when we have been dressed in shorts and tee shirts and told us that we really need to have a coat on (We normally have had fleeces in our backpacks). We are now heading to Miami where thunderstorms are forecast for the next 4 days, but it is in the 80's. So although our feet will then be wet, at least they will be warm!
The airport shuttle arrives and we set off for the airport, making a couple of stops along the way to pick-up additional passengers. Our Mexican driver obviously had a day off when the company did their customer relations course. Anyway we arrive at the Domestic Terminal and get checked in at the American Airlines desk. We resist the temptation to get an upgrade to 1st Class for $250 a pop!. You get zero baggage allowance on US domestic flights and we pay $25 each for our two pieces of hold baggage. We pass through security where you are virtually down to your Y-fronts before you pass through the scanner. There is only one lounge in the terminal which is the American Airlines Admirals lounge, but we manage to gain entry with my BA Silver card number - boost!
The flight ends up being a couple of hours late, but we make use of the American Airlines lounge hospitality. We eventually board the plane and settle down for the 5-hour flight. We are yet again amazed at the size of luggage that the Americans consider to be "carry-on" luggage, it is a wonder the overhead compartments don't collapse.
We have to buy food and drink on the flights, it costs me $46 for a Chicken Sandwich, Cheese and Biscuits and two 3/4 bottles of wine.
The flight is uneventful and we arrive in Miami at 22:20. We have lost 3 hours on the way so we are now only 5 hours behind the UK. We have to wait for the hold luggage for while, and we then easily get a taxi tp Fort Lauderdale. It takes about 50 mins to get to the hotel and is a $84 ride. There is none of the thunderstorms that were forecast it is dry (and our feet are warm!!)
As we enter the hotel and it is full of music and young people, it is more like a discoteque than an hotel. We are told that reception is on the 4th floor, we go up there and the music is still as loud (Could have something to do with the fact that it is a holiday week-end (Memorial Day)). We get to the room, it is a real "arty-farty" hotel, with a glass wall to the shower (So you can see into the shower from your bed??) and a fluffy white alligator on the bed.
Having lost the 3 hours, it is now 01:00, so we turn in.
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