Into the Hotel

Editor's Pick Award

Our Editors awarded this travel blog entry for providing relevant information that may be useful and inspiring for other travelers.

What a day Tuesday was.  If things could go wrong they did.  It was one of those days where if you dont force yourself to laugh you would break down in tears and collapse in a heap!

The idea was very simple.  We had to get the RV back before 11am, and transfer to a hire car, and then goto the hotel.  Total distance to travel - around 10 miles.  Estimated time to complete - about 3 hours.  Actual completion time - around 7 or 8 hours! 

To start with Matthew was very ill.  He was still as pale as a ghost, and being sick intermittently throughout the day.  Then we had the problem with the gps system when we went to pick up the hire car.  The gps lead us into the airport itself, and height barriers which we couldnt go under.  So a few choice words were exchanged between me, Steve and the gps whilst we negotiated our way across the taxi ranks and out of the airport (twice!).  After driving around for about an hour I realised that the road that the car hire was on had been demolished.  There was the remains of a "Budget" car rental place, and one great big sealed off area.

I tried ringing the rental company to find their new address, but no answer.  So we decide, with time running out, to go straight to the RV hire company. 

After sorting out the RV it is decided I should go get the rental car, and Steve wait behind with Matthew and the luggage.  I get a lift there from the RV company, the guy wasnt too happy taking me and wanted to drop me off at the airport rather than the rental pickup, but I manage to talk to someone else and ask for them to drop me off. Not like it made any difference to him, as he was dropping people off at hotels aswell anyhow.

At the rental place (which happened to be one of the locations we had been past earlier, but had not seen it!), it turns out I need my passport.  Great, this is back with Steve!  So me and Lloyd (yep baby always at my side) manage to get a lift from Dollar back to the RV place.  The driver of the car had the right ump - he kept on about how he was losing money taking me when he could be picking up people from hotels.  Then he tells me about his thoroughly miserable life (seemingly made up of gambling at every opportunity from what I gathered).  I tell him "hey Im having a crap day too, sorry if Ive ruined yours but lifes hard!". 

This all takes quite a bit of time, and eventually I get a hire car and race back to Steve (who has been standing in the blazing sunshine with Matthew in the pram asleep in the shade).  Then, after feeding Lloyd, looking after Matthew, packing all the luggage in, we finally get off to the hotel.  On the way we are waiting at traffic lights when a car wipes out another car side on right besides us.  It was pretty scary, at first I thought we had been hit it was that loud.  Makes you think.  We drove off, but things didnt look too good in one of the cars.

We eventually get to the hotel around about 4pm, god what a long day it was.  Steve then has to drag all the bags upto the room.  And Matthew is really ill by this point.  So all in all was a very stressful hectic day. 

Wednesday

We had a rough night with Matthew on Tuesday, but it was a huge relief to be in the hotel.  The room is so much cooler than the RV, and we are able to escape the glare of the sunshine.  In the RV we had the blinds down pretty much the whole time we were in it because of the sun, but that still didnt keep the glare out.  Now in the hotel we could pull the curtains, put on the air con now and again, and its cool.  Also there is more space, so we can keep Lloyd and Matthew apart easier.

Matthew seems slightly better Wednesday morning.  We are all awake about 5.30 am though, which Im sure pleased the neighbouring hotel guests!  I take Matthew out to get breakfast and some more water whilst Steve looks after Lloyd.

Later that day we head to the Tropicana hotel and to see the "Bodies" exhibition (http://www .bodiestheexhibition.com/).  Steve and myself had wanted to see this when it was in Brick Lane, London, but never got around to it.  The exhibition is quite controversial, as its comprised of whole and parts of dead beings.  Cameras are banned, so sorry no photos.  It was a bit stomach churning when I saw the first human being standing there, all their inners exposed.  But you quickly dis-associate yourself from the fact they are like you, and that they were once alive.  It then becomes quite interesting.  I must say its probably more interesting if a) you are a medical student, or b) you know nothing about the human body.  I know a tiny little bit, so many of the things on show I had seen in text books and the like.  The most interesting thing I saw was a spinal column, which was massive. I didnt realise that it was so substantial.

You may wonder what effect this exhibition had on the kids.  None.  Lloyd has no idea whats going on, he just looks at everything.  And Matthew didnt pass one comment on any of it.  I never told him what the "bodies" were, and made a point of pointing the chair away from any full-sized bodies if I was looking at something for any period of time.  But it wasnt gruesome anyhow.

We had the leave just before the end of the exhibition as Lloyd started crying (after being fed, he was falling asleep).  It was good though, I enjoyed seeing it.  I'd recommend it to anyone interested in how the body is made up.  Its very well done, all the exhibits are done in good taste.

We then head back to the Excalibur hotel, and take Matthew upto the arcade.  He has a great time collecting tickets (costing us money!) and exchanging them for little toys.  I think when we get home a trip down the casino on Canvey is in order.  He now seems to have the concept of money, plus the concept of exchanging one thing for another.  He also has overcome his fear of moving vehicles, when we left he was petrified of the little cars they have at tescos and the like.  Now he loves them!  He is still a little scared if they are enclosed, like a rocket we saw that was very dark, but loves the fire engines and the cars.  Its great, and a relief to know that he has overcome this little hang-up.

In the afternoon I take Lloyd down to a shopping mall, whilst Steve takes Matthew for a walk to see the planes take off at the airport.  Its much nicer outside in the late afternoon, early evening. 

Thursday

The plan was to goto a mini-grand prix today, but we get nearby and there is a massive traffic jam, so we turn away.  We instead head to do some last minute shopping, stopping at Costcos, then back to Outdoor World (for more fish gear) and onto the Las Vegas Outlet Centre.  We find some more rides in the outlet centre for Matthew, plus a Merry-go-Round (which he loves).  We spend some more money, buy some more goods to pack in the ever-increasing bags, and head home.  It seems a boring day, but trust me it was hectic!

We will finish packing tomorrow, ready for our flight at the weekend.  I'm so excited at going home, I cant wait to get back to my family and my friends. I have heard its raining in england, and also cant wait to get back to that!  Me and Steve were saying we are going to sit in the garden under the brolly in the rain when we get back, just breathing in the english air! Yes we miss home.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog.  I've been surprised by how many people who have said they read this, surely you cant keep up with my wittering on all the time!  It's nice to know some of you have joined me on my journey, and I hope I havent bored you too much.  I've loved doing the blog, just to write down a record of this fantastic holiday has been something well worth doing, and something I shall look back on with fondness in years to come.  And remember, at least you wont get all the boring stories about "when we did this...", as you will very quickly be able to say "yes I read about it in your blog"!!!