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Image023.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 33.8 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And here is Willard, off again on his travels! Here we check in at the BusunessFirst Check-In at Manchester Terminal 2, for our flight to New York Newark. Elite check-in was quick (after the obligatory 3rd degree from security over our foolish plans to visit "the land of the free"), only complicated as we'd saved up a little surprise for one of our travelling companions, and that caused some commotion at check-in!
Dscn2490.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 427 x 640 Size: 30.4 kB Date: 04/26/2006	Interestingly, though part of SkyTeam, Continental has chosen to use the new "Escape" lounge at Manchester T2, rather than the AF/KLM SkyTeam lounge. This lounge is run by the airport management, but is definitely a cut above the shared lounges we're used to seeing. Large and airy, and not at all crowded (as we sometimes expect from shared lounges). Willard sat himself down, and was soon being fussed over by the lounge staff, who took one look at his impeccable demeanour, and assumed he was a celebrity (which, of course, he is!)
Dscn2492.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 37.7 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And, since we have bear uber-officionado Otto travelling with us, Willard has a fellow bear to keep him company. Let us introduce Otto's travelling companion, Little Dave!
DSCN2493.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 640 x 480 Size: 37.4 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And, elsewhere in the Escape lounge, we even have somewhere to lie back and, well, lounge! And the decor would drive Cruella DeVille wild!
Dscn2496.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 25.2 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And, after one of the least enjoyable boarding experiences we've had for some time (Busses and Wide-body planes do not go together, priority boarding was non-existent, and, perhaps not suprisingly, due to all this, the famed Continental Concierges had made themselves scarce at this point!). We find ourselves on a full flight in Business Class today. We try to placate Willard with a glass of Champagne, but he's not happy, and is wondering where his customary ottoman has gone! Meanwhile, we later on found that we should have made the best of the Champagne whilst we could, since Continental introduced a new phrase into our premium travel vocabulary - "No more champagne for you". Yes, this is the first Airline that any of us have ever been on that restricts drink availability in premium cabins. If I'd we'd paid the $5000+ full fare for this flight we'd have been pretty annoyed, as it is, it just helped to underline the huge gulf between US airlines and the rest of the world, oh how the mighty have fallen.
Dscn2503.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 30.2 kB Date: 04/26/2006	...And speaking of Otto-man! Our conflab at check-in was due to the fact that we had sneakily upgraded Otto many, many weeks before, but not told him - Willard practices what he preaches, and "Friends don't let Friends Fly Coach!". Even though this is Otto's first time in Business Class (in fact, his first time on a long-haul flight full stop), as you can see, he has quickly understood the tao of premium travel, and is fully enjoying his first premium experience....
Dscn2504.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 46.6 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And, after a day of recovering from jet-lag (i.e. sleep!) we find ourselves, scarily, on the morning of the wedding. Willard has found the car he wants to be in today, sadly, the Bride and Groom have first dibs on this one!
DSCN2520.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 640 x 480 Size: 39.2 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And so, after a wonderful ceremony, Willard mingles with the other guests outside the church. He's just glad that, being male, and a bear, he didn't have to wear a hat!
Dscn2526.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 459 x 640 Size: 28.3 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And so we make our way (thanks to the assistance of some of our fellow American guests) to the drinks reception at the Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island. Willard refused point blank to be placed on any of the huge ice sculptures ("this fur isn't that thick!"), but was happy to sit and relax with a glass of sparkling wine.
DSCN2538.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 640 x 480 Size: 45.7 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And on into the reception proper (or, as us Brits would call it, the "Wedding Breakfast". Willard takes pride of place on the table as we enjoy the festivities.
Dscn2543.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 567 x 640 Size: 60.0 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And as I get dragged onto the dance floor, Willard keeps my glass company! Otto has sensibly chosen to sit this one out, as you can see!
DSCN2544.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 640 x 480 Size: 30.1 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And so, since the formal reception finished at 6PM (a bit of a surprise to the British guests, since the traditonal British wedding reception usually ends at around 3AM, normally with the intervention of Hotel security and/or the riot squad). However, we had been given a suite, and had prepared for this eventuality by stocking up on drinks and taking the assembled guests up to our room. Willard gets into the traditional British Wedding spirit by finding himself intimately intertwined with a previously unknown female of a slightly different species. And, proving his laddish credentials, he claims not to know her name to this day.....
Dscn2549.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 640 x 453 Size: 26.3 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And after we had recovered from the wedding celebrations (i.e. much MUCH later!) Willard takes the Staten Island ferry over to Manhattan Island for a little sightseeing.
Dscn2559.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 38.3 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And we find ourselves taking it easy outside the Pier 17 shopping arcade, whilst the more adventurous are inside spending money.
Dscn2560.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 27.6 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And, after this (literally) flying visit to the states, Willard finds himself back at Newark Liberty Airport, hanging out in the Continental Presidents Club. I'd love to say the plane in the background was ours, but it wasn't, our 777 turned up somewhat later, on the other side of the terminal.
DSCN2561.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 640 x 480 Size: 41.5 kB Date: 04/26/2006	But the size and quality of the President's Club at this, one of Continental's main international gateways almost makes up for the shouting secuity staff, compulsory shoe removal and a lounge guardian that had obviously seen so few people with actual Business Class tickets (as opposed to upgrades, day passes and the like) that she initially refused our party access to the lounge. Almost, but not quite, sadly.
Dscn2563.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 40.5 kB Date: 04/26/2006	Meanwhile, Otto's family of bears has grown yet again, courtesy of the gift shop at the airport.
Dscn2565.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 28.7 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And so, having made reservations with the BusinessFIrst Concierge for the arrivals package at Manchester (they hadn't gone and hid this time!) Willard settles down on this somewhat less packed flight back.
DSCN2566.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 640 x 480 Size: 37.0 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And Otto is now a seasoned premium traveller, and so keeps Willard company, and, even more amazingly, keeps awake!
Dscn2567.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 480 x 640 Size: 32.2 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And, after our slightly too short flight back, Willard relaxes in a day room at the Bewleys Hotel. This would have been a perfect relaxing end to the trip were it not for the fact that it took over half an hour to get the hotel to pick us up, and over an hour wait at the hotel before they would admit that the rooms had, in fact, been booked for us. Continental? NEVER AGAIN!!
DSCN2570.jpg View Now Wedding Bells - Willard goes off to New Jersey on Continental	Dimensions: 640 x 480 Size: 54.1 kB Date: 04/26/2006	And, after our refreshing nap at the Airport, we are picked up by our driver and find ourselves back at home. Willard looks after our handbaggage whilst we unpack and open up the house. Another interesting trip comes to an end, and another set of lessons learned!