Well people have been asking to post some pics of my recent USA trip up so here they are!!!! I'm no avid photographer geek so please no pish taking about my camera skills (or lack of them )........

We took 380 snaps in all so have cut them right down!!!! (I'm sure you dont want to see my fat sunburnt belly shots Sarah took ). Pics are in no real order as such!

Firstly New York.... Took us 2.5hours to get through immigration (they aint the fastest workers on the desks) and after a couple of finger prints, photo and the third degree as to why we were here we were allowed out to get a cab into Manhatten!!!!!

Pic of Times Square during the late afternoon (after a brief thunderstorm)....


Couple of Times Square on one of the evenings....




M&M World in Times Square had some fit green model in there...


Famous piano used in.. (cant remember film!!) in FAO Schwarz (sp) toy store..


My worst shop of the day, Sarah milked me for a Louis Vuitton handbag!! Looks no better than what the looky looky men were selling on the street except for the stupid price tag!! (although far cheaper than UK)


Couple of the hotel (for Cawood!)! Was recommended to stay here by someone off of PF and very pleased we took the advice!! Not the Ritz by any means but very comfortable, quiet, friendly people (as per norm) and only a few mins walk from Times Square! Rooms could have been a little bigger but ideal for a bed for the night.



Statten Island ferry trip past the statue of liberty... Would've been nicer if it were a clearer day but hey ho!




Bloomingdales store.... Stupidly big but pretty dear in comparison with other shops..


Couple of random buildings in and around the City... Hard to tell from the pics but some of em are so fookin high it makes London look flat!!!!





Random Apple shop!


Funny to see market prices scrolling around the edge of a building!!


Some random digital giraffe I found rather amusing in Times
Square


We went up the Empire State Building, surprised we only had a 5 minute wait to get up there (expected a couple of hours queue!). Got to the top VERY quick although not as stomach churning in the lift as I had expected.
Few pics from up there:
Statue of Liberty in the distance:


Central Park over the back:


Random shot



Tried me zoom skills on the camera


Sarah looking happy as ever!!!


Looking upwards to the top of the building


Couple of pics of Ground Zero, pretty eery really considering what it was, but lots of work going on there.



The memorial in Battery Park with the remains of the globe that sat between the two towers before they fell. Has the eternal flame there as well.



Grand Central Station - far nicer and cleaner than Liverpool Street / London Bridge etc!!


Central Park and here is the fountain used in the beginning of Friends (no interest but Sarah found it amazing to actually see it! )


Can't keep away from fookin Essex!


Tried to take a pic of there random steaming drains but it didn't come out too well!!


After 4 hectic days in New York we flew down to Tampa, Florida and drove over to the West coast to St Petersburg for a couple of days relaxing on the beach! Couldnt resist upgrading the room from pikey view to ground floor beach front apartment! Roll out of bed straight onto the sand!! We ddid Busch Gardens why we were over that side which was a laugh, some mental roller coasters!




After a few days there we drove 100miles east over to Orlando/Kissimmee and Disney and spent 8 days there. Some of the time in the various theme parks, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Wet n Wild, MGM etc etc and the rest of the time shopping, eating steaks etc!!!
Here is the car I hired for the period!!! Surprised how quick the thing was for a yank tank!!! Seemed pointless having such a big car for 2 of us but couldn't resist having it!!! Fuel wise we covered 700miles in 10 days and we reckon we spent about $100 (Ł50) on juice!!! Silly cheap!





The infamous Herbie at MGM!


I'm sure you recognise these! They were actual full size and running cars as well!



Spiderman!


The stunt show at MGM was fantastic.... The black Corsa's in the pics actually ran a 1300cc bike engine in the rear!!! Proper rapid little things and the guys knew how to handle them!!



The old fat whale Shamu still lives on at Seaworld!!





My Mum, Dad, Sis, her hubby and kids were out there already (and still are the buggers!!) so met up with them a couple of times. One of me and me Niece Hollie chilling! (or sweating )


Sarah and I stayed and me mates villa just at the top of Kissimmee. Bit big for the 2 of us but didnt cost us a lot!!! Few pics...




One of the bedrooms had door straight out to pool!!





Resident frog that lived on the wall all week!!


And thats it!! We both had a superb time and would go back again without a doubt!! I've probably missed loads out but need some breakfast now!!!!!

Chris

 

Cool pics mate

 

Fantastic pics Chris

 

The film was Big (had Tom Hanks in it).

Very jealous - looks a top holiday!

 

awesome pics looks lovely mate

that place looks fantastic

 

so jealous

looked like a wicked holiday

 

loving the pics of New York

 

 

Cool Photo's


I really want to go to New York next year

 

Great pics and write up

Really want to go there and do the same things...

 

looks mad, i am going back to new yrk in August for 6days, so well looking forward to itthat disney stunt show is my little girls fav, she loves it to bits, and in eurodisney watched it every day, she wears the tshirt to school on non uniform days to show her mates etc

where abouts is that house? florida? how much as it to rent?

 

Yeah the stunt show was superb!! Miles better than I expected it to be!

That villa is in Kissimmee, Florida off of Siesta Lago Drive, about 2 mins from the 192 so very near!!!! They don't rent that one out as its their own private one but they do rent their other one out 2 mins round the corner. Not sure on price but I think they charge most people Ł400 per week although they may discount that if I tell em who its for! It is smaller than this one but still has its own swimming pool etc!

Chris

 

cool pictures i really want to go now.

 

that looks like my kind of holiday

 

nice one! excellent pics

going to florida in september, makes me want to go to new york now

 

top report there

2looks like a dam good holiday

 

Fabulous looking holiday, and great pics.

 

nice pics chris
i was there in 91 (kissimmee) our villa was Ł400 a week back then,about the same size slept around 8

will deffo go back to take my 6 year old lad

 

great read, and great pics,,, wish to go myself one day

 

I AM DOING THE SAME TRIP FOR MY HONEYMOON SHORTLY.

ANY MORE TIPS FOR ME??

 

Ummm, take plenty of money!! We spent over Ł3000 (uk pounds!) on just clothes, goodies out there!!!! Would advise going to the theatre in NYK. We saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and was superb (bought tickets prior online). Also bought the Empire S.Building tickets online prior. Also allow time to get through immigration at NYK, it took us 2.5hours!!

If your flying Virgin your actually allowed 2 suitcases each weighin 23kgs each (only written in smallprint your allowed 2 each!). I took hardly anything with me and put one case inside the other on the outgoing journey!

Also when you come home, if by Virgin again yu can check your suitcases in at Downtown Disney in the morning and get your boarding passes there and then! Costs $5 per person but saves queueing up at the airport and having to lug your suitcases around all day, plus you only need to get there 1.5hrs before the flight and go straight to security!!!

Car hire wise we used www.uscarhire.com (or co.uk). Cheapest place by far and the prices include the CDW (crash damage waiver which you must have - normally $25 a day)

Could give loads of tips etc about everything so anything you want answering let me know!

Chris

 

Pucker Chris.. Looked like you had a wicked time

Just hoped my information helped you around the city!

Fookin villa looks

 

Glad you had a good trip and enjoyed the WJ hotel! I did the reccomendation

All hotel rooms in NYC are really small, you should of seen the single I was in !!!

 

Ah yeah I remember it being you now!! Cheers!!

Chris

 

When did you get back? i was in florida when the shuttle went up a few weeks ago.

 

ill love to go to new york

look's a cool time you had

 

I got back on Sunday am mate

Chris

 

 

lol wikid pics m8 i fuking love new york is such a gr8 place we only went for a week but there was sooo much more to do!!!!!! one of the films which that big piano is in is 'BIG' with tom hanks first eva major roll!!!!

 

Great pics, new york looks like mint!

Florida's great too, been around 13 times and going back for a few days next year before a cruise and cant wait, not been for 4years and im dyin to go back !!