Tuesday 21st December 2010

[13:15 EST]

Day two of our extended holiday starts with a glorious view of the Orlando International Airport car park.

Despite being in the actual airport, I have to say you didn't hear the aircraft in the room at all. It was a very peaceful night actually. Or perhaps we were both just really tired!

Virgin's vouchers entitled us to a breakfast in the hotel, so we popped up to the 9th floor to get a buffet breakfast. Again very nice.

We'd been told by the check-in desk last night that we should start queuing to check-in again at 1:30pm and they would open the desk at 2pm. So as we left our room at midday, we were going to look for a place to sit and wait before joining the queue. However, on turning the corner at 12:15 we came across this...

... already waiting for the check-in desk to open. Thus we joined the queue and waited.

At about 12:30, we saw movement on the desk as people started to get themselves logged in. By this time we'd jumped to the bag-drop queue (which was significantly shorter) in the hope that our check-in yesterday would still be valid. Indeed it was! :D

So I'm now sitting in the waiting area killing time before our gate opens. Fingers crossed we're all still OK at the Gatwick end. News reads that there has been some snow in the area, but nothing too heavy.

Oh - and Linda is out and about in the shops, where else!

[16:38 EST]

We are through security (via a very long line) and now over in the departure area. It looks like there's two other Virgin flights also in the same area so obviously it's pretty busy here. Flight status is still looking for a 17:05 take off, although as we've not started boarding yet, it's looking a long shot that we'll make that.

Hot Lips is taunting us through the glass. We are so close now!

[18:43 GMT+1]

We sat on the tarmac for about one and a half hours as we were still missing 14 passengers. They were apparently tracked down to the security lines in the main concourse. Eventually, however, their bags were unloaded and we finally took off. Wheels up at 19:15 by my watch.