Chapter 22-Getting There
August 22, 2002
Ty and Alex awoke to the sound of the alarm clock. It was 6:00am. They had to be at the airport for their 9:00am flight. Everything was packed, they just had to get themselves ready and out. The cab arrived about ten after seven. Ty helped the driver load everything into the trunk. It was about a 30-minute drive from their apartment to the airport. They arrived at the airport and checked in. The flight was on time so they continued to the gate. After about 15 minutes they began calling rows to board the plane. Alex and Ty were near the front.
"All passengers seated in rows 10 and back please proceed to the gate entrance to board the plane," the attendant finally said.
"This is it," Ty said.
"Let's get ourselves to Florida so we can start this vacation."
They boarded the plane and got themselves comfortable in their seats. Shortly after that the flight attendant began the speech you get every time you fly.
"Welcome aboard Continental flight number 553 non-stop from New York to Miami.."
The flight was fairly calm. A little turbulence here and there, but nothing too bad. Alex fell asleep shortly after they took off. They didn't get much sleep the night before. Ty watched Alex sleep for a little while then he fell asleep himself. He woke up when the captain announced that they would be beginning their initial dissent in about 10 minutes. Ty woke up Alex.
"We are going to start our dissent in about 10 minutes," Ty said as she woke up.
"Wow. How long have I been asleep?"
"Pretty much the whole flight."
"Damn, I didn't think I was that tired."
"I guess you were."
The flight was able to come right into the airport. They landed and began taxiing to the gate. They had to wait about 15 minutes for another plane to leave their gate.
"On behalf of the pilot and crew I would like to welcome you to Miami. The local time is 11:45. The temperature is 67 degrees and sunny. Enjoy your stay in Miami or wherever your final destination may be," the flight attendant said as they taxied into the gate.
"That has always bothered me about flights. How can the flight attendant welcome you to a place they just got to themselves? It doesn't make any sense," Alex said.
"I've never really thought about it."
"Those are the crazy things I think about sometimes."
"Well, let's get you and those crazy thoughts to the baggage claim."
They got off the plane and went to get their luggage. Luckily, there's was first off the plane. They gathered the suitcases and headed for the bus that would take them to the Port of Miami so they could board the cruise ship. The bus ride lasted about 20 minutes.
"There it is. Carnival Paradise." Alex said as the port came into view.
"Yup, our home for the next week."
"We'll have a lot of fun."
"Oh I know we will," Ty said pulling Alex closer to him and kissing the top of her head.
"Control yourself Davis," Alex said laughing.
They gave the porter their bags when they got off the bus. Then it was inside the terminal to check in and get their cabin number. They were fairly early so the line wasn't too long. After about a half hour they were checked in and on their way upstairs for room keys. Just before the entrance to the ship the staff had set up a cardboard background for a picture.
"See, I told you they take pictures everywhere," Alex said to Ty as they walked up.
"I think it's cute. I think we should get all the pictures we can."
Alex and Ty posed for the picture and boarded the ship. The atrium was absolutely amazing. You could see all the floors above them. The elevator shafts were see-through. It was just an amazing site to see.
"What do you want to do first?" Ty asked.
"How about we find our cabin?"
"That sounds like a good idea."
"M156, let's see," Alex said looking at a map.
"Right there," Ty pointed. "The fifth deck."
"Let's go."
They walked to the elevators. They waited for almost five minutes and then decided it would be quicker just to go down the two flights of stairs. Their room was in the middle of the ship. Alex walked to the door and put the key in. She opened the door and walked in. The room was bigger than she had pictured. They also had a balcony.
"This is beautiful," Alex said.
"Yeah, we can watch sunsets from the balcony."
"Romantic."
"Very."
"Let's go up on deck so we can wave as we set sail."
"Yeah, I always thought that was cool."
They walked up to the Verandah deck as they set sail. When they were far enough away from the deck, Alex and Ty headed back to their cabin. They had to get ready for dinner, they had the 5:45pm seating in the Destiny Dining Room. The got changed and headed to the dining room.
August 22, 2002
Ty and Alex awoke to the sound of the alarm clock. It was 6:00am. They had to be at the airport for their 9:00am flight. Everything was packed, they just had to get themselves ready and out. The cab arrived about ten after seven. Ty helped the driver load everything into the trunk. It was about a 30-minute drive from their apartment to the airport. They arrived at the airport and checked in. The flight was on time so they continued to the gate. After about 15 minutes they began calling rows to board the plane. Alex and Ty were near the front.
"All passengers seated in rows 10 and back please proceed to the gate entrance to board the plane," the attendant finally said.
"This is it," Ty said.
"Let's get ourselves to Florida so we can start this vacation."
They boarded the plane and got themselves comfortable in their seats. Shortly after that the flight attendant began the speech you get every time you fly.
"Welcome aboard Continental flight number 553 non-stop from New York to Miami.."
The flight was fairly calm. A little turbulence here and there, but nothing too bad. Alex fell asleep shortly after they took off. They didn't get much sleep the night before. Ty watched Alex sleep for a little while then he fell asleep himself. He woke up when the captain announced that they would be beginning their initial dissent in about 10 minutes. Ty woke up Alex.
"We are going to start our dissent in about 10 minutes," Ty said as she woke up.
"Wow. How long have I been asleep?"
"Pretty much the whole flight."
"Damn, I didn't think I was that tired."
"I guess you were."
The flight was able to come right into the airport. They landed and began taxiing to the gate. They had to wait about 15 minutes for another plane to leave their gate.
"On behalf of the pilot and crew I would like to welcome you to Miami. The local time is 11:45. The temperature is 67 degrees and sunny. Enjoy your stay in Miami or wherever your final destination may be," the flight attendant said as they taxied into the gate.
"That has always bothered me about flights. How can the flight attendant welcome you to a place they just got to themselves? It doesn't make any sense," Alex said.
"I've never really thought about it."
"Those are the crazy things I think about sometimes."
"Well, let's get you and those crazy thoughts to the baggage claim."
They got off the plane and went to get their luggage. Luckily, there's was first off the plane. They gathered the suitcases and headed for the bus that would take them to the Port of Miami so they could board the cruise ship. The bus ride lasted about 20 minutes.
"There it is. Carnival Paradise." Alex said as the port came into view.
"Yup, our home for the next week."
"We'll have a lot of fun."
"Oh I know we will," Ty said pulling Alex closer to him and kissing the top of her head.
"Control yourself Davis," Alex said laughing.
They gave the porter their bags when they got off the bus. Then it was inside the terminal to check in and get their cabin number. They were fairly early so the line wasn't too long. After about a half hour they were checked in and on their way upstairs for room keys. Just before the entrance to the ship the staff had set up a cardboard background for a picture.
"See, I told you they take pictures everywhere," Alex said to Ty as they walked up.
"I think it's cute. I think we should get all the pictures we can."
Alex and Ty posed for the picture and boarded the ship. The atrium was absolutely amazing. You could see all the floors above them. The elevator shafts were see-through. It was just an amazing site to see.
"What do you want to do first?" Ty asked.
"How about we find our cabin?"
"That sounds like a good idea."
"M156, let's see," Alex said looking at a map.
"Right there," Ty pointed. "The fifth deck."
"Let's go."
They walked to the elevators. They waited for almost five minutes and then decided it would be quicker just to go down the two flights of stairs. Their room was in the middle of the ship. Alex walked to the door and put the key in. She opened the door and walked in. The room was bigger than she had pictured. They also had a balcony.
"This is beautiful," Alex said.
"Yeah, we can watch sunsets from the balcony."
"Romantic."
"Very."
"Let's go up on deck so we can wave as we set sail."
"Yeah, I always thought that was cool."
They walked up to the Verandah deck as they set sail. When they were far enough away from the deck, Alex and Ty headed back to their cabin. They had to get ready for dinner, they had the 5:45pm seating in the Destiny Dining Room. The got changed and headed to the dining room.
