Virgin Atlantic Y & J- LHR-MIA-LHR, Miami, Orlando & 2015 Chevy Tahoe
Aug 3, 2015, 8:32 am
#31
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: Amex Centurion, B.A. Silver, Virgin Atlantic Gold, C.X. Diamond
Posts: 205
Aug 3, 2015, 10:13 pm
#32
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Great report with lots of cool pics. Love your sense of humour. And louislitt? One of the all time best FT handles. 
Keep up the great work and tell dad not to wake you again just to ask about duty free.
Keep up the great work and tell dad not to wake you again just to ask about duty free.
Aug 4, 2015, 5:53 am
#33
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Programs: Some
Posts: 11,522
Aug 8, 2015, 9:28 am
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: Amex Centurion, B.A. Silver, Virgin Atlantic Gold, C.X. Diamond
Posts: 205
The Drive to Miami
Our flight VS006 was scheduled to leave Miami at 21:55 on the Monday and as such we had to be at Miami for around 18:00. We had to drop the Tahoe off at Alamo which mean that we would have to take the Miami mover back to the main terminal. I realised that these chaps would have a lot of luggage (the memo for pack-light never gets through to these guys 
)
Anyhow the sneaky 17yr old in me decided to call Alamo and ask them for a ride to MIA so that I didnt have to carry these bags over to the terminal on the train.
I spoke to Alamo and they said that it would be fine. YAY!
The night before, whilst I was packing, my mother and my sister blocked the exit for my bedroom and demanded that I make sure that they would not get an Asian Vegetarian meal on the fight home because the normal vegetarian meal sounds much nicer. Never grateful. Ever.
I thought that I had done this but during the online check-in phase on the Sunday night I found out that I had selected the Asian-Veg meal for the return journey and I couldn’t change it.
After let the expletives run from my mouth for about thirty seconds or so and I realised that there was only one thing I could do. Call Virgin. I couldn’t let these guys know about this or I would be in a fair bit of crap.
I snuck off to the study and the only option available to me was to call the Call Centre in Swansea and ask if they could change it for me. After three minutes on the phone and a quick identity check I was able to cancel the meal request. I would have the last laugh. More on that soon.
Our roll-out time was set to be 14:15 to give us plenty of time to get to Miami and face Monday Afternoon rush-hour.
Our only stop off was scheduled to be a petrol (gas) station near Miami Airport.
The drive was scheduled to be 3hr:55 minutes (give or take 20 minutes).
After loading all 8 bags and a pair of golf clubs into the car we hit the road.
You have served us acceptably lil 'T'hoe
Our route back to MIA was as shown:
I can't wait to get back in this!!
Soon we got on the Florida Turnpike and began roaring down to Miami
Um... I mean to the first toll:
Making the most of being allowed to be on Bluetooth:
And then it turned dull...
93mph Cruise applied:
Obligatory legroom shot:
Leather dash on this Tahoe:
One of the more apt songs to play for the journey home
One of 25 abortion posters that I saw...
Still going:
This poor chap is probably working from Super Max (if you don't get the joke then ask):
Little?!
I'd rather go to Jupiter than go home to be honest:
And then it began to rain. Which is conincidentally when this journey got interesting:
Oh Fe*k( in the words of Mrs Brown)
Never seen an E-Class chuck up that much water before:
Time check-still 2hrs out:
Its the EClass chap:
It turned into a carpark:
Ooh a Tesla
40 minutes later it cleared and we were back to 90
4th toll of the journey:
Near there:
I try and keep politics out of my trip reports but look at this ****** with his 'Trump 2016 sticker'
Each to their own I suppose.
I learn to drive next week maybe I should get one of these as a first car...
Oi O (This advert would not be allowed in England)i:
Miami:
The sun-life stadium, which reminds me of the new TV Show Ballers starring 'The Rock'
You have to 'register' to take the Carpool lane... ?!?!
You didn't have to do that in LA
Finals:
We slipped off early to find a petrol station.
Yup definitely near the airport:
First Chevron I have seen during this trip. The ones in Orlando have been replaced by 'Wawa' and 'Race Trac'
Refuelling:
The rain washed away all the bugs:
I was pretty desperate to get to the toilet and so I decided to use the one at the gas station. Butttt not before being stopped my MotherLitt.
Imagine the voice of Howard Wolowitz's mother in The Big Bang Theory:
Mother: "Louis this area is unsafe you will get stabbed"
Louis: " Mum it is just like Cranford next to Heathrow for god sakes! Look there is a brand-new S-Class parked next to you and a BMW M5 in front!"
Mother: "I will be getting on that plane even if you aren't on it!"
Louis: " Okay fine.... *twenty seconds later* *opens the door and runs to the gas station toilet*
*Bladder wins* *Game over* *Screams from Mother can be heard*
The toilet in itself was an experience: there was no lock on the door and there was condoms all over the floor :roll eyes:
Anyhow after attempting to urinate as quickly as possible I went out to the car and waited for dad to finish refuelling.
We were done and back on the road to MIA:
PLANES:
Planes EVERYWHERE:
Soon we had arrived exactly 4hrs 30 minutes later:
As I left the family in the car I went to find the manager that I spoke to on the phone about a ride to the airport. I went through three staff members who didn't speak English before I got to one that did and I then realised the dilemma. There are 4 seats. Four of us and one Alamo employee. This wasn't going to work. After informing the family of this I was quickly knifed in the back in a family vote and sent with my rucksack to take the Miami Mover :
*"Et Tu Mother Litt?*
As I walked off to the terminal with my head held down (mainly because of how heavy my rucksack was) I couldn't help but feeling betrayed, disappointed and hungry. Mainly hungry.
) Anyhow the sneaky 17yr old in me decided to call Alamo and ask them for a ride to MIA so that I didnt have to carry these bags over to the terminal on the train.
I spoke to Alamo and they said that it would be fine. YAY!
The night before, whilst I was packing, my mother and my sister blocked the exit for my bedroom and demanded that I make sure that they would not get an Asian Vegetarian meal on the fight home because the normal vegetarian meal sounds much nicer. Never grateful. Ever.
I thought that I had done this but during the online check-in phase on the Sunday night I found out that I had selected the Asian-Veg meal for the return journey and I couldn’t change it.
After let the expletives run from my mouth for about thirty seconds or so and I realised that there was only one thing I could do. Call Virgin. I couldn’t let these guys know about this or I would be in a fair bit of crap.
I snuck off to the study and the only option available to me was to call the Call Centre in Swansea and ask if they could change it for me. After three minutes on the phone and a quick identity check I was able to cancel the meal request. I would have the last laugh. More on that soon.
Our roll-out time was set to be 14:15 to give us plenty of time to get to Miami and face Monday Afternoon rush-hour.
Our only stop off was scheduled to be a petrol (gas) station near Miami Airport.
The drive was scheduled to be 3hr:55 minutes (give or take 20 minutes).
After loading all 8 bags and a pair of golf clubs into the car we hit the road.
You have served us acceptably lil 'T'hoe
Our route back to MIA was as shown:
I can't wait to get back in this!!
Soon we got on the Florida Turnpike and began roaring down to Miami
Um... I mean to the first toll:
Making the most of being allowed to be on Bluetooth:
And then it turned dull...
93mph Cruise applied:
Obligatory legroom shot:
Leather dash on this Tahoe:
One of the more apt songs to play for the journey home
One of 25 abortion posters that I saw...
Still going:
This poor chap is probably working from Super Max (if you don't get the joke then ask):
Little?!
I'd rather go to Jupiter than go home to be honest:
And then it began to rain. Which is conincidentally when this journey got interesting:
Oh Fe*k( in the words of Mrs Brown)
Never seen an E-Class chuck up that much water before:
Time check-still 2hrs out:
Its the EClass chap:
It turned into a carpark:
Ooh a Tesla
40 minutes later it cleared and we were back to 90
4th toll of the journey:
Near there:
I try and keep politics out of my trip reports but look at this ****** with his 'Trump 2016 sticker'
Each to their own I suppose.
I learn to drive next week maybe I should get one of these as a first car...
Oi O (This advert would not be allowed in England)i:
Miami:
The sun-life stadium, which reminds me of the new TV Show Ballers starring 'The Rock'
You have to 'register' to take the Carpool lane... ?!?!
You didn't have to do that in LA
Finals:
We slipped off early to find a petrol station.
Yup definitely near the airport:
First Chevron I have seen during this trip. The ones in Orlando have been replaced by 'Wawa' and 'Race Trac'
Refuelling:
The rain washed away all the bugs:
I was pretty desperate to get to the toilet and so I decided to use the one at the gas station. Butttt not before being stopped my MotherLitt.
Imagine the voice of Howard Wolowitz's mother in The Big Bang Theory:
Mother: "Louis this area is unsafe you will get stabbed"
Louis: " Mum it is just like Cranford next to Heathrow for god sakes! Look there is a brand-new S-Class parked next to you and a BMW M5 in front!"
Mother: "I will be getting on that plane even if you aren't on it!"
Louis: " Okay fine.... *twenty seconds later* *opens the door and runs to the gas station toilet*
*Bladder wins* *Game over* *Screams from Mother can be heard*
The toilet in itself was an experience: there was no lock on the door and there was condoms all over the floor :roll eyes:
Anyhow after attempting to urinate as quickly as possible I went out to the car and waited for dad to finish refuelling.
We were done and back on the road to MIA:
PLANES:
Planes EVERYWHERE:
Soon we had arrived exactly 4hrs 30 minutes later:
As I left the family in the car I went to find the manager that I spoke to on the phone about a ride to the airport. I went through three staff members who didn't speak English before I got to one that did and I then realised the dilemma. There are 4 seats. Four of us and one Alamo employee. This wasn't going to work. After informing the family of this I was quickly knifed in the back in a family vote and sent with my rucksack to take the Miami Mover :
*"Et Tu Mother Litt?*
As I walked off to the terminal with my head held down (mainly because of how heavy my rucksack was) I couldn't help but feeling betrayed, disappointed and hungry. Mainly hungry.
Aug 9, 2015, 3:48 am
#36
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: No more shiny cards -- former LH SEN, SPG Platinum, Flying Blue Platinum, BA Silver
Posts: 704
Fantastic trip report, I too have been guilty like your father of taking conference calls infar off lands whilst doling out strick "quiet !!!!!!!!!!" instructions to those in the car.
Quick question un-Flyertalk related -- whats the new XC90 like ? They seem to be getting excellent reviews
Quick question un-Flyertalk related -- whats the new XC90 like ? They seem to be getting excellent reviews
Aug 9, 2015, 5:04 am
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: Amex Centurion, B.A. Silver, Virgin Atlantic Gold, C.X. Diamond
Posts: 205
Fantastic trip report, I too have been guilty like your father of taking conference calls infar off lands whilst doling out strick "quiet !!!!!!!!!!" instructions to those in the car.
Quick question un-Flyertalk related -- whats the new XC90 like ? They seem to be getting excellent reviews
Quick question un-Flyertalk related -- whats the new XC90 like ? They seem to be getting excellent reviews
Glad you enjoyed it pdsuk! I wasn't expecting him to be the only one to have to do this to be honest. Ah well such is life- you have to pay the bills somehow.
Re. the XC90- Incredible...except for the fact that our 2 week old 1st edition has has some form of power failure. I don't know how much you know about the new range but the 1st edition is pretty cool, is there anything in particular that you want to know? At the moment it has a whole bunch of Swedish technicians from Volvo working on it in a hanger in Bedford.
It will be the feature of my trip report to Geneva when we take it for a 'real' test drive that isn't on a British Motorway next week (providing that these chaps have fixed it)!
It is a teething problem on a high-tech car and if you consider how badly the new shape Range Rover failed for the first year and a half I can live with this. I have experienced both and I feel much more informed.
Hope you enjoy the rest and I hope I can answer any more questions you may have.
Kind Regards LL
Last edited by louislitt; Aug 9, 2015 at 8:16 am
Aug 9, 2015, 5:10 am
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: Amex Centurion, B.A. Silver, Virgin Atlantic Gold, C.X. Diamond
Posts: 205
Hope you enjoy the rest and speak soon
Safe travels!
Aug 9, 2015, 5:12 am
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: Amex Centurion, B.A. Silver, Virgin Atlantic Gold, C.X. Diamond
Posts: 205
Aug 9, 2015, 6:32 am
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: Amex Centurion, B.A. Silver, Virgin Atlantic Gold, C.X. Diamond
Posts: 205
Check-in VS6 UpperClass
As I walked to the Miami mover I wasn't impressed that I had been thrown under the bus by the parents but appreciated the time to reflect on the journey that lay ahead.
As I got onto the mover I was treated to a view of a Swiss A330 on short finals
Passing the road to the drop-offs:
I didn't sign up for the 'behind the scenes' tour of Miami International?!
As I got off the Miami Mover I came across this departure board and because check-in hadn't opened it was of absolutely no use.
There was a lot of walkways involved:
I took a lift and eventually arrived outside to the opposite side of the view from the stain glass window.
Gulfstream have an airline?!
Where I was quickly reunited with the parents and the sister:
They informed me of how the lady that give them a lift to the airport couldn't speak english and so they sat in awkward silence for the five minutes of their journey.
They don't do light travel...
I convinced the parents to get their bags wrapped purely due to the excessive amounts of Yankee Candles that my mother had purchased which I didn't want destroyed.
After a quick ten minute bag wrap we arrived to be the first passengers at the Upper Class Check In
Louis:Excuse me madam, would it be possible to have a fragile sticker placed on the bags?
Check-in lady:May I ask what is fragile?
Louis: My heart when I arrive at Heathrow and realise that my luggage has been pillaged by your baggage handlers...
Check-in lady: Okay...
Check-in lady: "Sir the lounge is the Club America lounge, I do apologise in advance..."
What the hell is she apologising for? It can't be that bad can it?
*End of Conversation*
Quite weirdly the bags didn't go onto the carousel but were placed on this cart:
It was probably to do with the fragile stickers.
We cleared security which took 25 minutes due to the fact that Brazilian school girls didn't grasp the concept of not being able to wear shoes through the checkpoint.
We made it through and into the bleak corridors of MIA Concourse F.
And then it hit me... this place is a complete sh*thole. This is probably what TBIT was like before the refurb.
I asked about and Mr SFO and his contacts informed me that if I wanted to get to Concourse D to get to 'The Counter' and the Amex Lounge I would have to exit security and come back through again twice.
With all the hand luggage the parents had I decided that it wasn't worth the hassle and we left it.
Outside TSA there were smaller airlines that were waiting for boarding:
I feel disorientated...
Our VS 747-4 can be seen in the background
We soon arrived at the Club America lounge...
I entered, not sure what to expect but hoping that it had food!
Next up: The Club America Lounge and the flight home.
As I got onto the mover I was treated to a view of a Swiss A330 on short finals
Passing the road to the drop-offs:
I didn't sign up for the 'behind the scenes' tour of Miami International?!
As I got off the Miami Mover I came across this departure board and because check-in hadn't opened it was of absolutely no use.
There was a lot of walkways involved:
I took a lift and eventually arrived outside to the opposite side of the view from the stain glass window.
Gulfstream have an airline?!
Where I was quickly reunited with the parents and the sister:
They informed me of how the lady that give them a lift to the airport couldn't speak english and so they sat in awkward silence for the five minutes of their journey.
They don't do light travel...
I convinced the parents to get their bags wrapped purely due to the excessive amounts of Yankee Candles that my mother had purchased which I didn't want destroyed.
After a quick ten minute bag wrap we arrived to be the first passengers at the Upper Class Check In
Louis:Excuse me madam, would it be possible to have a fragile sticker placed on the bags?
Check-in lady:May I ask what is fragile?
Louis: My heart when I arrive at Heathrow and realise that my luggage has been pillaged by your baggage handlers...
Check-in lady: Okay...
Check-in lady: "Sir the lounge is the Club America lounge, I do apologise in advance..."
What the hell is she apologising for? It can't be that bad can it?
*End of Conversation*
Quite weirdly the bags didn't go onto the carousel but were placed on this cart:
It was probably to do with the fragile stickers.
We cleared security which took 25 minutes due to the fact that Brazilian school girls didn't grasp the concept of not being able to wear shoes through the checkpoint.
We made it through and into the bleak corridors of MIA Concourse F.
And then it hit me... this place is a complete sh*thole. This is probably what TBIT was like before the refurb.
I asked about and Mr SFO and his contacts informed me that if I wanted to get to Concourse D to get to 'The Counter' and the Amex Lounge I would have to exit security and come back through again twice.
With all the hand luggage the parents had I decided that it wasn't worth the hassle and we left it.
Outside TSA there were smaller airlines that were waiting for boarding:
I feel disorientated...
Our VS 747-4 can be seen in the background
We soon arrived at the Club America lounge...
I entered, not sure what to expect but hoping that it had food!
Next up: The Club America Lounge and the flight home.
Aug 9, 2015, 4:25 pm
#43
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Arlington, VA USA
Posts: 133
Thanks very much! You write brilliantly: One of the best trip reports I've read since I discovered this site a good number of years ago.
I'm sorry that your family doesn't recognize your skills in making the most of travel. That sounds like my family's reaction to my efforts till they learned that FF programs could lead to first class upgrades for those who know how to make it happen.
I'm sorry that your family doesn't recognize your skills in making the most of travel. That sounds like my family's reaction to my efforts till they learned that FF programs could lead to first class upgrades for those who know how to make it happen.
Aug 10, 2015, 4:24 am
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: Amex Centurion, B.A. Silver, Virgin Atlantic Gold, C.X. Diamond
Posts: 205
Thanks very much! You write brilliantly: One of the best trip reports I've read since I discovered this site a good number of years ago.
I'm sorry that your family doesn't recognize your skills in making the most of travel. That sounds like my family's reaction to my efforts till they learned that FF programs could lead to first class upgrades for those who know how to make it happen.
I'm sorry that your family doesn't recognize your skills in making the most of travel. That sounds like my family's reaction to my efforts till they learned that FF programs could lead to first class upgrades for those who know how to make it happen.
They have begun to recognise it but prefer to pay for a full price ticket because it works out to be 'simpler' than transferring miles across and waiting on availability etc.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of this TR
Kind Regards LL.