Now that I have sufficiently recovered from jet-lag, I bring to you part 1 of many...
Day -1: Tuesday 15th November 2011, aka Running Around Like A Headless Chicken Day!
Before we start, I'd just like to point out that there is no better feeling than the anticipation of the trip of a lifetime, as I'm sure many of us who went to Vegas are aware. However, waking up on the day you're supposed to be leaving having a million and one things to do.not so much fun! In her infinite wisdom, Joobs had decided that although we were leaving for London on the Tuesday, she was actually going to work on the Monday so she would get everything done before she left.
[ ] This happened.
Needless to say we were still in her work at 7.30pm on the Monday night trying to get everything done. This left Tuesday to sort out the house.
And pack.
And get the train, complete with 3 suitcases, 1 wedding dress in a box and 1 wedding suit to London, at 2pm.
It got even more fun when Joobs disappeared to have her nails done before she left, which turned out to not be the best idea we've ever had! Somehow we managed to finish all the packing, make the house look tidy, get Joobs' nails done, sort out money for exchanging and leave by 2pm. Because we live 5 minutes away from the train station (under normal circumstances) I was in no uncertain terms told that no, we were not getting a cab to the train station. Needless to say this sure was a good idea! 15 minutes it took to walk to the train station, and Joobs still has the bruises from the wedding dress box hitting her legs!
Once we got to the train station we had enough time to get through the barriers (tickets already sorted out well in advance) and thankfully the train was due to depart from the closest platform. Win number 1. Win number 2 was when we got on the train. I'd booked a table seat for the laptop, and naturally so had half the world and we were supposed to be sharing our table all the way to London. We were the first ones on the train (started at Chester) and so Joobs had commandeered the table for our use. The couple who had booked the other 2 seats glanced at their seats, then Joobs' maniacal look, then the wedding dress box proudly sat on the table and realised that the dress box wasn't getting moved.
And left. Awesome.
Train journey was a doddle and we arrived into London Euston right on time. Joobs decided she was hungry and I had to go to London Victoria to change some money at a very good exchange rate (I got 1.60 whereas in Chester I was lucky to get 1.55) so I left her at Euston with the luggage and quickly zipped to/from Victoria to change the cash. Sadly, by the time I got back to Euston it was clearly rush hour on the Tube and the journey to Travelodge Heathrow Central was a nightmare. We had to take a train from Euston to Green Park and then Green Park to Hounslow West (well, some crappy place out there anyway). Euston to Green Park wasn't that bad, just hot. Green Park to Hounslow? That was just horrible. I had trouble breathing at one point, and we were stood on the Tube for the whole 45 minute journey, complete with bags jammed against us. Just to cap things off, there was an old, unkempt looking labourer guy stood against the ventilation window. When we left Green Park, he farted. The whole carriage turned green. I still, to this day, never want to smell anything like that again. It was worse than anything I've ever smelt before and I'm struggling to describe it without heaving. Needless to say he carried on doing this all the way until he got off.
At Hounslow West.
FML.
FML.
FOL!
Finally managed to get off the train only to find that there was no lift and we had to lug all the suitcases and luggage up some stairs. Just what you need when you have been travelling for 5hrs! Eventually get them up the stairs and find a bus to the hotel. Bus drops us straight outside the Travelodge and 2 very very exhausted Vegas Vengeance travellers collapse in the hotel, not before grabbing some food and watching England beat Sweden 1-0. Quick shower and then bed, although stupidly excited about what is to come the next day.
