It’s Happening!!!!!!

Day1

Alarm startled me into awareness at three AM.  And of  course I hadn’t slept well because well you know, vacation!

My wonderful friend, Cathy, took me to the airport! I owe her big time!

For reasons unknown, American was unable to check my luggage the entire way to my final destination.  Sigh….  so I was gonna have to get my luggage from baggage claim and schlep it to the international terminal.  Yes I am leaving the country!!!!

The flight from Tampa was uneventful. I did purchase a day pass to the admirals lounge and spent my time there prior to the first flight. 

It’s a pleasant place, very different from the main terminal. Plus they have a decent breakfast array of food. I got a cup of coffee and they did have a machine for just about any other breakfast drink your little heart desires. 😀 they also had a crockpot looking that contained scrambled eggs and another with oatmeal. Of course all the  toppings you wanted were included. 

I got a bagel but they did have quite a variety of other things in the donut line as well as a couple kinds of pastries and cereal.

Because it was still zero dark thirty, the bar was not open-but during normal hours you can get a couple of decent adult beverages to help you ease into vacation mode!

My flight took off on time and I was reasonably comfortable in my first class seat. 

In case you were wondering how I could afford first class, the answer is points! I’ve been hoarding airline and hotel points for the past couple of vacation-less years-so I went all out and splurged!

They are serving meals again but they are pre-packaged and “meh”.

cereal.  

Closing in on LA.  So densely populated.  I could never live there. 

When I got to LAX, I schlepped two wheeled bags and a back pack to the international terminal. That was fun——not.  Made my way to the airline check in only to be told the COVID test I had done Wednesday was not valid. WHAT????  Well more like WTF, but I digress.

Panic sets in!  The agent tells me there is a COVID testing site in area C and if I hurry I may make it.  Apparently, the rules changed on Wednesday and since that was the date of my PCR test, I never checked the website after that—-stupid rookie Mistake! I blame being a bit out of practice having been confined and travel- less for the past 3 1/2 years. 

Off I dash across two other terminals, lugging what feels like 500 pounds of luggage, mostly successfully dodging hoards of people, and I reach the testing place dripping sweat. How pretty!

Thankfully, there was a lovely woman there that calmed my panicked ass down.  Walked me through the entire process and happily relieved me of $80! After being thoroughly swabbed in both nostrils,I was told I would get  results in 30-60 minutes  via email. 

I decided to walk outside and what do I spy? A luggage cart! Feeling extremely stupid, wondering why I didn’t get one before, I ponied up $7 and got one. Again more rookie errors.  Sigh!  But, I did spot this:  Kinda cool! 

I decided to stay outside, despite being in the middle of a construction zone, rather than go back inside and immersing myself into that hot, sweaty sea of humanity.

30 minutes later I’m walking back to the original check-in counter to show my new COVID test and rid myself of a very large suitcase.  

What I didn’t know was my business class flight got me a day pass to the Star Alliance lounge— had I known that I would not have sprung for the Admirals club lounge.   These rookie mistakes are adding up and I don’t like it one bit.  

So I headed up the escalator to security. OMG. Now I have had Pre-check for years now.  It is so worth the money.  It’s like $95 but that is for 5 years.  A no-brainer is your ask me! But, it expired in October and I didn’t renew because I was conditionally approved for global entry and that includes pre-check.  

They had more than 10 screening areas open but it was as if toddlers were running the show. I have never seen such chaos. The pre-check line had like 10 people in it and I kinda regretted not renewing mine.  The regular line was queueing in an area about the length of a football field. Randomly, some “Agent” would start moving the queue ropes around forcing people to walk miles in an area that had no people in it just for us to circle back to where we were before.

Finally my turn in the make you naked scanner. Apparently, something was amiss with my right breast and I had to have a rather uncomfortable manual pat-down,  Oh the joy of airports.  

After 68 minutes I was on my way to the lounge. I stepped inside that place and as I walked around, I immediately thought “Admiral Lounges are crap!”

The food was excellent!! There were so many different areas you could sit too—even this cool area outside with little fire tables. It was impressive!

Look at all that wine!!!!  They were serving it up and people were drinking it like water!

I was sad to leave this place!  If I had more time, I could have had a shower to freshen up before the long flight ahead!

In a mere three hours, it was time to board my flight for my final destination!!  I was excited as I made my way down the jetway! I got to turn left upon boarding!!!! The front of the plane! Yay me!

Once settled in, I discovered this fairly new Dreamliner was not nearly as roomy as advertised. I was, however, grateful to be here. I cannot even imagine how cramped coach must be. Once again I gave thanks for airline miles. 

 

There was a decent amenity kit in the seat, a comfy pillow and a blanket. The seat was adjustable in a myriad of positions and I had a monitor that was pretty large.  Champagne was served!   Yes please! 

We took off on time and the first meal was served shortly after that. A cold lobster appetizer, salad, baguette, salad , cheese assortment and then the main course i choose the shrimp and coconut rice. And finally some sort of cold sort of crème Brûlée. It was delicious.  More wine, and yes another glass please.  

Sleepy time! I got the seat into a fairly comfy position and was able to sleep for a few hours! Much needed as I’d been up for about 20 hours at that point. 

We were also given a pair of Bose noise canceling headphones to use.  They were nice for sleeping purposes. The selection of movies and other entertainment left a lot to be desired.  About 2 hours before landing, we were served another meal. I did try everything but ended up eating the yogurt, cheese and baguette!  This time washed down with juice and water!

Landing!!!    I am finally here!  

 

One of the first off the plane and into the unairconditioned terminal. It is very hot inside.  One of the first through hoop number 1-picking up the COVID test after showing ETIS receipt and paying $50 for the test.  Next up the actual test performed by a health professional.  Onto luggage collection and I’m in the customs line in no time!!!!!  Once up at the desk they ask me for the results of my COVID test from LAX—-I cannot access it because I didn’t save it in my documents in my phone and I can’t get internet at the moment.  OMG I start to panic.  The customs man looks through my other stuff (vaccination cards and unusable COVID test) stamps my passport and tells me to go, it’s fine.  BLESS you mister.  

Outside!!! Into 80 degree weather and 90 percent humidity and a sea of humanity and wearing blue jeans. Can you say sweat?  But I’m here and despite hair dripping with sweat, jeans plastered to my body i am ecstatic!!!! 

Now off to look for my transportation to the B&B.  An hour later we are all in the large van in our way to the B&B. We had to wait until all the people were there. Finally a decision was made to take the 5 of us and come back for the other people. YES!

 

After a short drive, we arrived and were shown our rooms. Rooms are very basic but clean and with AirCon!!!! I asked about water and was told the tap water is drinkable—fine but there are no cups in the room.  Oh.  Ice?  No!   Ok fine.  Back down to my room where I think I drank about a gallon of water before I stripped down and got into an ice cold shower!  Bliss!   I turned the AC down to 20c—whatever that is! And got ready for bed.  

And so ended day 1 and 1/2 off my adventure!!!!

Day 2 

 

I began the day by having breakfast at the B&B. I think it was $10 or $15.  It was a typical European spread.  Meats, cheeses, breads, yogurt, coffee etc. what gagged me was the 84000 black flies all over the food.   Ummm, yeah, NO!  So, off I went to the Intercontinental.

 

 

Arrived at the intercontinental about 11am.  My room was ready. I was given a garden view room on the first floor.  Lovely view. And a patio to boot!  

The room is just stunning. Decorated in subtle Tahitian.  I am over the moon.  The shower is a complicated apparatus that I am pleased to say I figured out without a lot of difficulty. 

I went up to the lobby and sat at the balcony over looking the pool and that water!   It was hot but a lovely breeze was coming on off the water. Paradise!   

I went back to the room in order to charge all of my various devices. Then decided the water was calling my name.  The pool is a thing of beauty. Infinity edge but a shallow zero entry pool surrounding it.  

 

There is also a lagoonarium here as well.  I plan on checking that out tomorrow!  

I pretty much decided that I am going to just hang here for the two nights I have here. I’ll save more exploring for the next visit here.  These rooms are so expensive, and there is so much to do here, I’m taking advantage of it.

 

Will someone please comment on the sizing of the text and pictures?   Another rookie mistake—- never bring new technology on a trip!!!  I bought a new keyboard for my tablet. It worked perfectly at home but when I got here, the tablet won’t recognize it.  UGH!   So,  now I am forced to type these posts with my phone and upload via blogger.com to blogspot.  I am not amused.  

 

Also, please excuse typos and spacing.   I haven’t figured that out yet!