Part VIIII It's the final countdown, going home

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Checked in to my final room close to Miami airport. There's a free airport shuttle and I have to return the car a day before my flight so they can pick me up and drop me off again the day after. The room was great. I heard planes flying over (just like I did in Orlando) but none during the night. And the fridge and A/C were noisy. But hardly used the A/C and turned off the fridge at night like on most nights during my trip. I didn't do all that much here. Chill, repack, went to a mall, finished my final book, took a bath.

New shoes!

Walmart run to get some food and drinks. There's no restaurant/bar on site.

Went to the pool again the morning after, continuing my daily routine. But there was a bit of a ceepy guy, drinking beers at 9am. He said hi, I said hi back but went to the other side of the pool to the sunbeds and minded my own business. He got up and left soon after that, pfew. But then he came back with a towel. I guess he saw mine and maybe wanted to get in when I did? Luckily it started raining soon after and so I went back inside without going in and knowing the rain would probably only last a few minutes. When I passed him he said I could wait with him as well where it was dry with a smirk on his face. He was under a covered section but I said no thank you and went back to the room to finish my book with a cup of tea. And just as expected, by the time I got back into the room, it stopped raining and the sun was back out. That guy was probably expecting me to come back haha. But after finishing my book, I cruised around for a bit because I had to return the car by 2pm that day. 

Finished book #4

Final status of my cars 'scar'

I so far haven't received a reply to my damage report and I received an e-receipt half an hour after I returned the car but it didn't mention the damage, so I guess it's coming this week?

Waiting for my hotels airport shuttle. I was reading my Burgers Zoo magazine that I'd brought from home, only thing left to read and saw this little guy on the street!

Back at the hotel, snack time!

Last bag of Kneipp bathsalt, last night in the room, bathtime!

And I was able to see/hear one of my favorite shows from the tub, Law&Order SVU (marathon on tv that day).

After the bath, I did my luggage, only there wasn't much to do. When you bring so little and are pretty organized, it's done in 5. I kept walking around in circles, what else, but there wasn't anything else haha. Had a good night sleep again! 

Final day! Check out time was 12, they gave me a complimentary extra hour. And so I had my leftover mac and cheese that I also got at Walmart and cooked the day before when I ate half, for lunch and a banana. Did the dishes, had a good shower and checked out. Left my bag at reception and went to the pool. No creepy guy, no rain or dark clouds. Just me and a lot of sunshine. I followed the sun around the pool until 1630ish and took the airport shuttle back to to airport at 5ish.

My flight wasn't until 23 and I had a lot of water left, so I had some food and cocktails (3) before going through customs. I finished all the water I had left after, which was this bottle and another smaller bottle (0,7l). Pretty much downed it, which was not the best idea. I was soooo full after that!! And it's nice to only have handlugage but it's also annoying because you have to always bring it with you. But found a good spot where I sat for a bit before heading down to the gate.

My name was called for an extra document check or something and I wanted to go up there anyway to request an aisle seat. I was placed in a middle seat again. And this was a huge plane with a lower and upper deck and looking at the amount of people, I figured I had a good shot at getting an aisle seat. She asked me what I wanted and I said aisle in the middle part if possible and she asked me upper or lower? I said that didn't matter and said maybe close to the exit since I had a short layover and she said that is was the 2nd row but it was empty so far. I think my eyes opened wide from excitement haha. And you never know, I've had that before and then people come in last minute to burst my bubble. But looking around me once I got on, the plane there were a lot of half empty rows! And mine stayed empty and the row on my left did as well, besides the lady sitting at the window and the two of us made a few happy gestures and comments to one and other (the one on the right was completely empty). And on my way to Orlando, I flew American Airlines and had to pay for drinks, but not on partner airline British, nooo it's freeeee! I asked for vodka and ginger ale and as if that wasn't enough, she asked me if I also wanted a wine with my dinner haha. Sure. And so 4 seats, 4 pillows, 4blankets, 4 drinks, 2movies, couple of hours of good sleep laying flat. I was in heaven!

Safety video haha

And a 4hour delay followed. I had a very short layover and we had a slight delay but then a bigger one when we couldn't get the plane to the gate, another plane had to leave first. And so I was rebooked on a later flight. I tried to fly to Amsterdam but that wasn't possible. Went through customs and had some leftover Dr Pepper but the guy told me that plastic bottles were okay but they still had to check it in the end, that darn Dr. Pepper haha. I had plenty of time though. All good, continued my way to a Rest&Relax area and filed a claim with British Airways for the delay right away, should get a compensation for getting to my final destination 3+ hours and that could cover the rest of the costs for the cracked windshield then (I think), haha, everything happens for a reason. I then waited, ate, had a drink and waited some more. Time went pretty fast though!

Update: Claim was refused due to Air Traffic Control (ATC) restrictions. These restrictions are implemented for safety reasons and are outside of our control, meaning compensation is not payable under UK law.

1630, the time they announced the gate. A20, all the way on the other side from where I was haha. At the gate people were told to check in their bags because of limited space. I didn't want to, since I didn't want to wait for my bag in Dusseldorf and so I ignored it. I saw a girl who was told she had to check in her bag, she got so mad. She had been waiting for hours she said and didn't want to, I think she was on the same flight from Miami. She checked it in. Anyways, I got in line and the guy that was checking passports didn't notice or didn't mind my 2 bags. It wasn't a trolley so maybe it was ok, I took it in with me on the plane! It was a full flight and tight spaces but we left a few minutes early and got in 15minutes early as well so an hour or so in the air! Super fast flight with again a snack and a small bottle of water. Again, still had my dress on and my flipflops on, it's tradition! And it was fine, the sun was still under my skin and I didn't feel the cold! I was being picked up from the airport at 2000 which was just when I came out, perfect timing and was home by 2115 (most of it was the autobahn so high speeds hihi)! In the end it didn't matter much, if I had the original flight, I wouldn't have a pick up and had to take public transport which had a few detours today and it would take me 3-3,5hours to get home which would have been around 2000. So only an hour difference and this way I was dropped off at home. Again, everything happens for a reason hihi. Thanks again!!!

Home sweet home, temperature in my house read 15 degrees celcius brr. Put in a wash, put away all my other stuff, took a warm shower and drank a hot cup of tea with a dash of whiskey and ate my Key Lime dessert from the first flight (I was too full and so I took it with me). Home sweet home indeed. Thanks for kind of traveling with me through my blog, I hope you enjoyed it! I know I did :-)! Good night!!

Update: Memories remain collage :-)!