Day 14
We were up at a reasonable time, having deliberately chosen not to start any packing the night before, and despite initial concerns, it all fitted into the bags that we had brought with us (although when we got to the airport a while later we did discover that they had just about doubled in weight!).
Once packed, we went over and enjoyed a final breakfast at Olivia's, before a final go on the table tennis table. The weather had turned rather British to encourage us that it was time to go home, and so we had to dry the table with towels before it was ready for play.
And then, due to the earlier flight times than normal - due to the connecting flights - it was time to wave goodbye to WDW and head for the airport. There had been stories on the news of accidents of I-4, and so we avoided it on the way back, approaching the airport from the south.
The check-in line at the Air Canada desks was pretty short - certainly much shorter than we were used to at the Virgin desks, and the good news was that it wouldn't be necessary to handle our bags or to go through immigration when we got to Toronto.
Once checked in we did the usual wander around the airport shops before going through security (worst part of the airport) and heading to the gate. A bit of confusion and stress at the gate as there had been a problem with the previous flight and we ended up with a changed gate and a late-departing flight - again.
However, once we got to Toronto, we were able to get off, hand in our landing card, and leg it to the gate for our onward flight in time to discover that whilst they had started boarding, they hadn't got to our row yet. Phew!
Flight home uneventful, and being a couple of hours shorter than the direct one from MCO made a noticeable difference. Air Canada customer service nothing to write home about - favourite moment was when I was told that the dinner choice was pasta or chicken and I made the mistake of asking what sort of pasta it was - to which I received the reply - "don't know, but it looks like this!".
Anyway, we won't be using Air Canada again any time soon, and only for trips to Canada. It has been decreed that from now on, all trips to Orlando will involve direct flights to MCO.
We landed back in Blighty on time, and our chauffeur (Grandad) was there waiting for us when we emerged in arrivals.
And that was the tale of our Christmas holiday!
Since then we've been busy in our new house, and every day and in every way we're gradually continuing to get it just how we want it. It'll take quite a while to get it just so, but we're enjoying the journey - even the little things.
Since getting home we've:
- unpacked a few more boxes in the games room;
- got a new light for Nicky's study;
- taken delivery of the new sofas for the lounge (happy days - a sofa big enough to lay down and fall asleep on!!) and moved the old ones into the conservatory;
- had the removals firm come back and take away a couple of huge stacks of moving boxes;
- put up a few more pictures around the place;
- played lots of games of pool on our inherited pool table (I know this doesn't count as sorting out, but it's still fun!);
- bought a cheap and cheerful freeview box and been pleasantly surprised when it worked really well in our bedroom (despite the fact that all the houses around us have huge poles on their roofs with aerials on);
- made emergencies repairs to the dishwasher;
- had a trip to Ikea for Billys and Poangs;
- continued to sort out in Nicky's study now that it has some more bookcases in it;
- ordered an ottoman (which should be delivered this week and will either end up in the hall or our bedroom); and
- bought some new lights for the conservatory.
And then there is the minor matter of work - I am catching up from blogging from my hotel in Brighton, at the start of another one of those weeks!