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Orlando, Florida
After a busy week in Florida I have a 2 hour layover in Atlanta for Washington so finally have a chance to write something.
Day 1- I got up around 5am to be picked up by my good mate Woofy for the 2 hour car journey from Carlisle to Manchester Airport. Arrived at the airport in good time and had a couple of issues at check in as I didn't have accommodation booked in the US (left everything until the last minute) but said I would book something at the desk and they processed me anyway, dropped my rucksack at the fragile goods baggage check-in and went upstairs to security. No issues getting through and met up with Chris Eden and his parents in the bar, I never had time for a drink so we just chatted for a bit until it was time to board.
We proceeded to boarding and as I walked down the ramp I noticed my old friend Sammy who works for Virgin Atlantic, it had been about a year since I'd seen here so was a bit of a pleasant surprise. She kindly sent up a pre flight glass of champagne which was nice.
We landed in Orlando around 3pm local time and I had a hell of a time at immigration where I was asked a million questions about my stay, why I was alone, how much money I had etc.
Got through after being called from the back office where they store the dodgy ones! Went out to the baggage lobby to find my rucksack had been offloaded from the carousel onto the ground. This gives you some indication of how long I had been waiting for processing at the secondary check!
I left the terminal and my first port of call was a hire car to get me from the airport to the hostel I had booked. I was wrecked by this point and just went to a desk, got the first car they offered to me which was a ford mustang convertible.. It was a steep $820 for a week but consoled myself by the fact the first week was a kind of holiday and would enjoy the roof down in sunny Florida! Went up stair to collect, threw the bags in and set off to the hostel. The drive reminded me of previous trips to Vegas where I'd drove quite a bit.
Got the hostel, was absolutely shattered and needed a shower badly! Got checked in to, at this time, empty 8 bed dorm and went for a shower. I was not expecting 5 star conditions but this was bad! I had met a guy from Israel on check-in so went outside and arranged to go for something to eat.. First day nerves and all that you pick someone to hang around with even if they are definitely not your cup of tea.. We walked across the street for a Taco Bell which was absolutely disgusting but he ate his. We walked back to the hostel and I jumped in the car to go and grab a Burger King on my own. As I'd not drove in America for a while I instinctively started driving the wrong way down the drive through to the dismay of two police officers who were talking to someone in the car park.. Drove to a 7/11 and got myself 4 beers and went back to the hostel.. Sat outside waiting for the party to start.. Unfortunately it never really did. Every now and again a bloke would walk past, some said hi, some never so I sat outside and thought I'll get myself to bed soon. Then my Israelian 'friend' came over so we went in and sat at a table where he proceeded to look for a camera on his iPad and 3 people sat and watched TV. The place was stinking of grease, everything was covered in grease in the fridge. I thought this was just hostel living so give it a bit of a chance.. The owner came over and I sat and talked to him for an hour then went to my bottom bunk bed in the dorm after drinking 3 cans. There was an Asian (Chinese I think) guy already in the room, in the bathroom when I went in. I got ready for bed, jumped in and my thoughts were that I have no idea who this guy is. Why was I sharing a room with him, how do I know he's not a psycho?! Anyway, I fell asleep after a bit to be woken around 3am by the loudest guy ever.. I listened to him for what seemed like forever but eventually fell back to sleep. I woke up around what I thought was 5am but as my watch wasn't adjusted for summer time it was actually only 4! I got up, had a shower and sat in the car I had had enough of the smell in the dorm. I was gonna go for a drive but decided after making a few calls to friends at home to complain about my situation I would try and get more sleep. I never got any ended up waiting till 8am to check out. I went and saw Sam from the plane at her luxury Virgin Atlantic provided Hotel at the Florida Mall.
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