I’m just sitting here in Miami Airport on my return from the Caribbean Poker Classic while I waiting for the check in to open. Already done the online check in with BA so I picked the seats infront of the toilets so I don’t feel bad about putting my seat right the way back.
First of all I have to say how good the flights were on the way here with quick check in from Newcastle and comfortable flight to Heathrow. It was an early flight so had an all nighter and looking forward to try and get some kip but was not worth it on the short flight and got a nice ham and cheese panini on the way there and in no time we were arriving in the new terminal 5 just for British Airways flights. I was very impressed with the new building despite the bad press it has already received. Absolutely massive building and everything seems easy going (yes it’s Heathrow) after we got through the very quick transfer ready for the flight to Miami. There is this metro thing which zips you between buildings so everything is really quick. Had about an hour before the flight so had a seat, loaded up the internet with my work’s free BT Openzone minutes and teamdobb on my dongle so had a go at two double or nothings. 2/2 Cashes so i’m back on track for my 65% ITM. I tried to get some sleep early on but the food was early so got that out the way then I think I got about half an hour before getting a sore wrist, yes you know the feeling when you’re leaning on it. Loaded up the entertainment system and i’m quite wowzad at the choice of films, tv shows and albums to listen I actually just spend half an hour scrolling through the stuff but eventually decided on watching ‘Wanted’ which was very good. Went for more kip after I discovered you could pull these things down next to your head so you don’t roll over onto the person next to you. Arrived in Miami with a full battery on my laptop on and iPod thanks to BA.
Shortish taxi to the Alexander Hotel at the top end of Miami Beach and i’m very impressed to find a massive 2 bedroom apartment with a 40″ LCD TV, kitchen, en suite, massive balcony, jacuzzi bath and massive walk in shower. We dump the bags and have a wander out and about, I already know we’re miles away from the action in South Beach but we head off walking in that direction anyway. First night after 12 hours travelling, you don’t really want to walk 3 miles but that’s what we did anyway and find ourselves at Lincoln Road which is an outside mall full of restaurants, shops and bars. Hit McDonalds and refresh with McFlurrys and Coke and I can’t remember what else we did. I’m up first the next day which never happens and we hit the pool for a nice relaxing day and head back down to Collins Ave, this time on the $2 bus. That is one good thing about Miami is that the buses are $2 per person, any distance with no change and are very quick. I think if this was done in the UK, then people might use public transport more.
We did not really do much in Miami Beach except for wander about looking at shops but overall it is a nice place to see and would probably go back. Miami is expensive even if the £ rate was 2.0 so the rate at the minute did not help things at all. Some things I learned:
- Do exchange money before you go there. Dropped a bollock and couldn’t get any better than 1.38 as there’s hardly any exchange places.
- Next time I would stay more in South Beach and sacrifice the massive room for smaller room, more expensive and closer to the action. It was a bit of a pain in the arse to keep getting buses to get some food or look at shops.
- Don’t overrate the beautiful people there. Dunno if I was just in the wrong places but there were very few nines and tens just lots of eights and sevens.
- If you like cars, walk down Ocean Drive and you’ll see plenty. Ferraris, Porsches, Corvettes, loads of mustangs and just about every flash sports car you can think of.
- I regret not walking down actual South Beach.
That’s about it. I’ll follow up with my Cruise review in a bit.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Wanted is a pile of crap!
That is all