Liars ......

They say getting there is half the fun .

Up at stupid o'clock to get the transport to the airport.

Met up with No1 son and daughter-in-law to be in the check in hall.
Also met the most sour faced check in operator in the world who tried telling us we were going to have to pay for excess baggage. She wasn't happy at being told that we were actually under by 20kgs and showed her the e-mail confirming it.
She is obviously doing her best to raise profits for the company.

Had the worst breakfast ever in Frankie & Bennies - the poorest service, coffee that was undrinkable (tea not much better apparently) and bacon that seems to have buggered up the digestive system on the 5 of us who had it.

The 'assisted embarkation' for those with kids and the infirm .................... non existant and resulted in said infants having to stand at the end of the line on the tarmac in the snow shower (thanks you incionsiderate sods - staff and passengers).

Sat on the plane for an hour without moving because they had forgotten to refuel.
The kids refused to sleep on the flight and cabin crew would not let us 'share' the kids ...... they had to sit in specific seats they had been allocated - once again, Thank You Monarch for you lack of compassion and help.

Picked up the hire cars at the airport - slightly smaller than anticipated but sufficient and with the required child seats.

The drive from airport to hotel had a couple of interesting moments - the pick-up truck driving the wrong way in the fast lane of the motorway towards us was the first and coming up behind some wally with no lights on and driving at about 20mph was the other.

However, we arrived safely at the hotel and the staff were brilliant.

After eating, bathing and putting the kids to bed SWMBO and Bags went out for a drink or two (Bags definitely needed it - she was so stressed from the kids, worry and lack of sleep). I went out to take a couple of shots in the dark before retiring.