Jun. 30th, 2011 | 06:29 pm
Okay guys, here's a pic update. I have most of them on disk but I just discovered I can't bulk upload them to photobucket thanks to a windows crash 3 years ago that won't allow me to update java. So I'm going to post a few pics that are relavant to what I'm talking about on here, then slowly keep updating my photobucket as I go.
PLEASE NOTE:
I have JUST figured out that photobucket posts pictures in reverse order. So, if you want to see things in correct chronilogical order, start on the LAST PAGE OF EACH ALBUM. THANK YOU!
Anyway, on to my descriptions...
I have to tell you, it was a pretty rough start. A friend of Mom's dropped us off at the airport but couldn't help us with the bags for fear of getting her car towed so that left Mom with too many bags and not enough hands. We played leapfrog with the lugguage all the way to the counter with me pushing some bags out in front of me while Mom pushed the wheelchair and dragged another suitcase behind her. In retrospect, we should have sprung for the trolley and saved ourselves a lot of trouble but that's us for you, cheap, cheap, cheap. The guy at the counter made us stick our carry ons in the bag-size measuring box and Mom shoved each down so they would fit but not really...The guy laughed at the bag sticking up (thanks to the too wide wheels) and let us go. I mention it because it would be a big issue later on...
Anyway, we made it through with our bags and I had fun watching Mom using the moving sidewalk thingies...It reminds me of The Flinstones, Fred was forever riding those things...I tried to take a pic but by the time I snapped it she was in another time zone...
We made it through security and were on our way. I was nervous about the plane but I carried a bunch of goodies to keep me calm and was full of good drugs to keep my nerves at bay. I have to thank the makers of gravol and the patch that goes behind your ear releasing the good drugs. I'm here to tell you that they work...I was calm enough to take these pics..beautiful sunrise as we made our way toward England. I enjoyed going from late night (9:55PM my time to 11:00AM England time)
This would be the end of my joy for awhile, I struggled with the landing, my heart fell into my toes and I made this eeeeeeeee sound all the way down for landing. It was disappointing as I had done so well up until then. It hit me hard and I knew I was in trouble. The 6 hour plus flight hadn't bothered me but the landing literally shook me to the core.
Getting out of Gatwick Airport was tricky. I was already warm/sweating from my landing experience and coming off the plane directly into my wheelchair alerted the staff to us needing assistance so we got driven around the airport in a golf cart. It sounds fun but we were weaving down halls and I was ready to hurl. I have to tell you, we stopped just in time. I think the guy saw me turning green as he hastily rushed me out to the curb to wait for our ride to the Bed and Breakfast.
I have to tell you, when I first met the owner of the B and B I felt okay about things, he seemed nice enough and I had read lots of reviews talking about how friendly this couple was. He chatted with us on the way there and as we pulled up in front of the house Mom squealed "Oh, it looks just like the picture."
That's where the similarities ended. The woman hardly said two words to us as we were hussled down a long hallway to an accessible room at the back of the house. Barely a hello and no "How was your flight?" We were starving by this point and waited for the "help yourself to the fruit in the diningroom" we had just passed. Nothing. Instead we found one package of 3 small cookies on a very old table. The room was less than impressive and much smaller than we had anticipated.
We ripped into some junk food, but the sugar high was making me feel sicker. Mom had a nap, I layed there starving for 3 hours. We forced ourselves to go for a walk and quickly discovered a cute little town who's centre was five minutes away. Finally,, food and a pedestrian only town square just as I had imagined...We sat down at an outside cafe since the majority of the town seemed to have parked themselves there. It was a sunny day with light winds so we thought things were looking up...until we saw the food. The "ham sandwich" was actually spam on white bread with shredded cheese. I forced myself to take the "ham" out of the bread and eat it but quickly began gagging. I'm not kidding. I was so tired/overhungry that I was starting to lose it. We literally walked away without paying. I know Mom wondered what she was going to do with me if I couldn't hack all of this I was concerned too. Was my anxiety going to take over?
We ended up walking to a small supermarket and picking up some fruit. It was actually fun looking at all the different products and the shiny red apple helped me right the ship. Neither one of us liked the B and B, the couple was all business and we were shocked after the great reviews, they ended up being sticklesr for silly things-- like the minute we got there, we had to book a time for breakfast even though there was hardly anyone there, or the fact that the woman eyeballed Mom for taking water from the cooler when "that was for people going out for the day." What?
Anyway, they were weird but as night fell, we got a couple good pics and we found a fish and chip place that Mom loved. She says it was the best fish she ever had and I got some rocking fries and chicken nuggets.
My first lesson about England (minus mean B and B couples) People in England don't use plum sauce with nuggets, they use mayo and give you strange looks when you don't follow suit.) Anyway, here's a couple pics of the house/town square.
PLEASE NOTE:
I have JUST figured out that photobucket posts pictures in reverse order. So, if you want to see things in correct chronilogical order, start on the LAST PAGE OF EACH ALBUM. THANK YOU!
Anyway, on to my descriptions...
I have to tell you, it was a pretty rough start. A friend of Mom's dropped us off at the airport but couldn't help us with the bags for fear of getting her car towed so that left Mom with too many bags and not enough hands. We played leapfrog with the lugguage all the way to the counter with me pushing some bags out in front of me while Mom pushed the wheelchair and dragged another suitcase behind her. In retrospect, we should have sprung for the trolley and saved ourselves a lot of trouble but that's us for you, cheap, cheap, cheap. The guy at the counter made us stick our carry ons in the bag-size measuring box and Mom shoved each down so they would fit but not really...The guy laughed at the bag sticking up (thanks to the too wide wheels) and let us go. I mention it because it would be a big issue later on...
Anyway, we made it through with our bags and I had fun watching Mom using the moving sidewalk thingies...It reminds me of The Flinstones, Fred was forever riding those things...I tried to take a pic but by the time I snapped it she was in another time zone...
We made it through security and were on our way. I was nervous about the plane but I carried a bunch of goodies to keep me calm and was full of good drugs to keep my nerves at bay. I have to thank the makers of gravol and the patch that goes behind your ear releasing the good drugs. I'm here to tell you that they work...I was calm enough to take these pics..beautiful sunrise as we made our way toward England. I enjoyed going from late night (9:55PM my time to 11:00AM England time)
This would be the end of my joy for awhile, I struggled with the landing, my heart fell into my toes and I made this eeeeeeeee sound all the way down for landing. It was disappointing as I had done so well up until then. It hit me hard and I knew I was in trouble. The 6 hour plus flight hadn't bothered me but the landing literally shook me to the core.
Getting out of Gatwick Airport was tricky. I was already warm/sweating from my landing experience and coming off the plane directly into my wheelchair alerted the staff to us needing assistance so we got driven around the airport in a golf cart. It sounds fun but we were weaving down halls and I was ready to hurl. I have to tell you, we stopped just in time. I think the guy saw me turning green as he hastily rushed me out to the curb to wait for our ride to the Bed and Breakfast.
I have to tell you, when I first met the owner of the B and B I felt okay about things, he seemed nice enough and I had read lots of reviews talking about how friendly this couple was. He chatted with us on the way there and as we pulled up in front of the house Mom squealed "Oh, it looks just like the picture."
That's where the similarities ended. The woman hardly said two words to us as we were hussled down a long hallway to an accessible room at the back of the house. Barely a hello and no "How was your flight?" We were starving by this point and waited for the "help yourself to the fruit in the diningroom" we had just passed. Nothing. Instead we found one package of 3 small cookies on a very old table. The room was less than impressive and much smaller than we had anticipated.
We ripped into some junk food, but the sugar high was making me feel sicker. Mom had a nap, I layed there starving for 3 hours. We forced ourselves to go for a walk and quickly discovered a cute little town who's centre was five minutes away. Finally,, food and a pedestrian only town square just as I had imagined...We sat down at an outside cafe since the majority of the town seemed to have parked themselves there. It was a sunny day with light winds so we thought things were looking up...until we saw the food. The "ham sandwich" was actually spam on white bread with shredded cheese. I forced myself to take the "ham" out of the bread and eat it but quickly began gagging. I'm not kidding. I was so tired/overhungry that I was starting to lose it. We literally walked away without paying. I know Mom wondered what she was going to do with me if I couldn't hack all of this I was concerned too. Was my anxiety going to take over?
We ended up walking to a small supermarket and picking up some fruit. It was actually fun looking at all the different products and the shiny red apple helped me right the ship. Neither one of us liked the B and B, the couple was all business and we were shocked after the great reviews, they ended up being sticklesr for silly things-- like the minute we got there, we had to book a time for breakfast even though there was hardly anyone there, or the fact that the woman eyeballed Mom for taking water from the cooler when "that was for people going out for the day." What?
Anyway, they were weird but as night fell, we got a couple good pics and we found a fish and chip place that Mom loved. She says it was the best fish she ever had and I got some rocking fries and chicken nuggets.
My first lesson about England (minus mean B and B couples) People in England don't use plum sauce with nuggets, they use mayo and give you strange looks when you don't follow suit.) Anyway, here's a couple pics of the house/town square.
It was a cute town, and right away you noticed the slower pace. People knew each other and weren't afraid to say hello. They weren't busy texting or rushing away from each other as a cell phone rang. I do have a picture of the house but we took it at the end of the trip when we had to go back for one day after the cruise (we both wanted to cancel our reservation at that point, but had no way of meeting the 24 hour timeline needed for cancellations since we had no access to phones/the internet. Anyway, we did get a nice shot of the house but the ideal picture in no way tells the story of the "real" experience. Small, drab room, creepy couple LOL. No worries, things did improve once we got away from the Bates Motel...:-) Looks cozy right? NOT.
ETA: It was fun knowing we were so close to Wimbledon. I've always wanted to go (especially when it was Agassi/Sampras) I was thrilled to turn on the tv and see Will/Kate sitting there smiling at the camera. It really does make you realize how close you are to a whole other experience, makes the world seem pretty small when you realize you've managed to fly half way across the world.
smg.photobucket.com/albums/v624/CindyM99/U
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