Well the journey has begun. What to bring ?

How many bags to bring ?

What do I need ?

What shirts, do I need nice clothes, i don’t wear nice clothes all I wear is soccer clothes.

Ok bags are packed. Dang it glad I bought that luggage scale and 16 European electrical converters. Bag weighs 57 pounds. What to take out. How can I pack my Cpap without carrying it on. I have a travel CPAP but I’m not sure it works as well and really don’t want to be two weeks without it.

Ok the uggs are not coming on this trip.

Cut back on shirts. One less pair of jeans, and a definite carry on.

Success big bag weighs 47 pounds. Good to go. Carry on packed, and backpack packed.

Passport, Money American and British Pounds, credit cards with foreign travel plans.

Dang it just realized I left the travel neck thingy in my room. Anyone heading to Atlanta in the morning ?

Thanks to Dave Myers for graciously offering to take me to the airport tonight.

Donny actually offered as well, Donnie’s drive is shorter. It will be more convenient with Donny

Hotel reservation made at the Westin by the Atlanta Airport

All set time to hit the road.

Donny, Jake and I load up headed to the Westin.

Of course the weather is awful. Pouring Rain

2 and a half hours later we arrive at the Westin. Farewells given and they are on the way home.

Time to check in. Give them my name Id and credit card no reservation, oh oh.

Here is my confirmation number.

Oh we are sorry Mr Hammer your reservation is for tomorrow night and we are sold out. Ouch Really.

Hotels.com help me out.

Sweet there is a Marriott across the street about a half mile away. Good excercise carrying my two bags and a backpack

Check in complete a pre bed drink, and an early wake up call.

Good night to all

The day has arrived. So another day begins with excitement. I wake up early jacked and ready to go. Bags packed and i head downstairs to catch the shuttle to the airport. Oh my like 70 people 3 airline crews and no shuttles. The crews flight leaves about an hour before mine. Glad they aren’t flying my plane. Taxis on the way get on a taxi with 4 other people packed like sardines. Driver says it will be easier to drop off at departures. Cool curbside check in get to the counter and Delta says they can only check my bags to NY. He says if I go upstairs they can check all the way through. I scurry off to go upstairs and realized I left my passport with baggage man. Back to baggage guy downstairs to retrieve passport. Go upstairs same answer. But was smart checked bags at curbside and skipped the horrific lines to check in.

If you don’t have CLEAR and you travel get it immediately. Skipped all the TSA stuff was through security in less than 5 minutes. Nothing comes out of bag and shoes stay on

love the man who organized the trip, but anyone who knows me I’m not a stickler for details. The flights I have are not good. Delta from Atlanta to New York. 6 hour layover in JFK. Thought about renting a car and heading to Lynbrook where I get up and went to school. Unfortunately I don’t think I will have time. Geez a slice of pizza at Gino’s or a sandwich from Beckmann’s sounded appealing. A visit to Waverly Park Elementary School, Lynbrook South or the HS. All the pools I cleaned as a teen all those old friends and customers, just no time.

Maybe a visit to NY in the future.

So back to the flight. Have to get off the plane in NY get bags and check back in international. Then God forbid a direct flight to London, a stop in Zurich with no team me to sightsee either. I guess I’ll be in London Friday morning around 10.

Trying to get last minute tickets to Arsenal vs Liverpool Friday

Got a great aisle seat right behind first class boarded and ready for lift off

Have a great day will keep you informed

I know I’m a big fella but the lady sitting next to me is twice my size. I’m a squished passenger

This is one packed airplane. Just boarded heading to Zürich. Our ETA is 6:56AM Ouch gonna be a long flight

There is no way that you should have to fly 7 hours in a plane this small and this packed

This is insane

I’m so confused already with this time thing

My Apple Watch says it’s 12:26

My Fitbit says it’s 12:26

My phone says 1:27

What time zone am I in right now.

I think I’m in the Twilight Zone

Now my phone says 5:32

So finally landed in Zurich. Had to go through security two more times. Oh well no real issues other than the fact that I did not know what anyone was saying.

They did have lots of chocolate and watches in the gift shops.

Another 2 hour layover and finally on my way to London.

Yes I arrived in London 11:30AM London Time have not slept or showered in over 24 hours. A friend said he would pick me up At Heathrow show me London a bit then we would go to Arsenal vs Liverpool, humm when does sleep come in.

Got off the plane talked to the customs guy about football and breezes through customs.

Poorya was at the airport waiting. One bit of business first had to meet with Jemm our tour guide who had all my stuff. Tix transportation info maps and the like. Jemm was waiting with open arms and a sign lol

12/23/2017 Well the time change is getting the best of me today, woke up at 12:30PM. Why do the shower doors only cover half the shower here? You also better be tall or it’s going to be tough getting in and out of the shower. Faucets are a bit different as well. Good soap, body wash and shampoo though.

Feeling great heading to Man City hit up an Uber ask him to drop me off about 5-10 minutes away so i can walk with the fans and the crowd. Already have my ticket so should be good to go. Get to game as the Man City Coach is pulling in, they do a big announcement as the players get off the coach, it’s pretty cool. Great atmosphere and great environment.

I get into the stadium early, awesome seats in some sort of club section as there is a bar and restaurant in our section. Meet a European Golf Pro and his wife and daughter, his wife works for Man City. His wife actually interviewed with IMG and knew some of the same people. Super amazing guy and family we exchanged numbers, and emails, and invited him to the states and Masters. Game ended City clobbered Bournemouth, Saw Sergio Aguero’s 100 goal, he added another and an assist. City 4 Bournemouth 0. I’ve seen 10 Premier league goals in two days, Woot Woot. After the game had no real plans so was lingering around the big shot entrance and made friends with some people that were waiting for someone, I was thinking the players came back out that way but never saw any, but did see a man come out who looked Important as I eve dropped on his conversation I heard him tell the group that they could walk to the training ground and then go to their cars, of course i tagged along like I belonged, with my new friends. We walk about 5 minutes to the most unbelievable training complex I’ve ever seen. He unlocks the gate with his key card and we all walk inside. Omg that was amazing, what a campus at Etihad. Insane facility. We leave the training area I say goodbye and I see some sort of store across the street. ASDA, ok this is a bigger better version of Walmart, and I’ve been told Walmart owns them now. It doesn’t have the merchandise but the food section is really cool. Buy some groceries and snacks for the room, as I have been told not much will be open after 3:00pm on Christmas Eve.

There is another store attached to ASDA called Decathalon Sports, really reminded me of Academy and wouldn’t be surprised if they were related somehow.

An Uber back to the hotel, and a quick shower and trip to city center for a little sightseeing and dinner. More public transportation, this time the tram. Got Information as to what stop to get off in, at center city. Bought my weekend ticket and headed into the city. Got off the tram and started exploring, lots of shops, stores, restaurants and sights to see. Decided to check out Chinatown as well. Lots of Thai Massage and Hair Salons, lots of Chinese Restaurants and other businesses. Not as much scenery as I remember from NY but was still fun. A fair number of homeless people gave a few pounds to the homeless people and went on my way. Found a Chinese restaurant to pop into for a quick dinner, walked around some more, and headed to the tram for the ride back to the hotel.

Btw the front desk staff at this hotel are awesome. A guy from Serbia, a girl from Spain, and another tatted up girl but not sure where she is from, but they are all super cool.

12/24/2017. Early morning trip to Old Trafford. I kind of slept later than I wanted to again, so jumped out of bed showered and grabbed an Uber to OT. The stadium is actually about a 10 minute walk from hotel, so on Boxing Day I will be walking to the game. Got to OT around 11:20 and headed to the tour. Tour was amazing OT has so much history. Didn’t realize how old it was, that it was bombed during the war, there is a time capsul buried there, just very cool. Going in the Directors box, vip lounge, players dressing room, players benches and seats etc..... All in all very cool. A tour of the museum followed and lunch at the Red Cafe. A very fun day.

Left Old Trafford and needed to go to the Apple store, luckily there is a giant mall the Trafford Center pretty close. Christmas Eve at the mall. Very cool mall got what I needed left around 5 and headed to hotel.

Dinner in hotel a walk around the neighborhood and in bed by midnight, Merry Christmas to all.

12/25/17 Happy Christmas to All. Again I slept in really late knowing there was not going to be much to do today, after rolling out of bed around 12:30 I headed down to the hotel fitness center. As I opened my hotel room door I saw that Santa left my present at the door. Thanks Santa I knew you wouldn’t forget me.

An hour on the treadmill, a 20 minute weight training workout, then 20 minute you tube cycle workout. Was a pretty good Christmas Day workout, after the workout I wanted to just go for a walk and see if anything was open. Walked around the area checked out some other hotels, found a convenience store that also served food that was staying open till 11 and found an Indian restaurant. After about an hour walk headed back to the hotel to relax and get ready for the Christmas Feast. I watched the queens message to the people, I watched the royal family head to their Christmas Service, including Prince Harry and his American fiancé

I am writing this as I sit in some Indian restaurant enjoying Christmas Dinner. So I will recap the last 3 days in this post and get to tonight’s dinner at the end.

Boxing Day in the U.K.

a national holiday or a soccer fans dream day. Today is game day at Old Trafford kickoff is at 3:00. I was trying to go to the national Football Museum but they are closed today. So I set the alarm for 9 and decided I would take the 10 minute walk to the stadium, collect my ticket and check out the scenery.

Showered in the shower with only half a door, still don’t get it. Almost need a step stool to get in and out. Got dressed in my best Man U garb, well that’s not really true, more like my usual Bulls Garb, and headed towards Old Trafford. It’s about 11:00. There are plenty of people around, souvenir stands and food trucks all gearing up for the big gsme.i get there in about 10 minutes and head to the ticket booth. I see my friend who sells scarfs again and we exchange pleasantries. He’s been selling scarfs at Man U and Man City for 30 years he said. Pick up my ticket and decide to just wonder around and suck up the atmosphere. I walk along all the hustling and bustling side streets. Shops pubs souvenirs food trucks rinky dink little take out burger hot dog and Chippies. Yes today is the day I try my first authentic English Fish and Chips. I order just the basic and get a huge tub of chips and two pretty big fried fish fillets. I have no idea what type of fish it is or what to put on it so I go plain. Was really good just way too many chips. Had to throw 3/4 of them away.

Well it’s moving day. Leaving the great city of Manchester seeing two great games. Two amazing stadiums lots of sights and lots of fun. Today started with an early 8:00am wake up call to finish packing and head back to Man City for the stadium tour.

Headed down to the street and booked an uber to Etihad, super nice uber driver and good chat with him. He drops me off st the stadium and I make my way to the team store where the tour starts. I go to grab my phone to check in and a bit of panic sets in. No phone oh oh I must have left it in Chris’s Uber oh well I’ll figure it out later I’m not missing this tour. I check into the tour give them my name and they cannot find my reservation on the 10:30 tour. No phone, No Reservation what to do now lol. Well after a bit more searching they realize I was on the 10:00am tour not the 10:30 which I thought I was on. The city staff was awesome and cought me up with Graham my tour guide who was great. Was only about 10 minutes in when I caught up to them and didn’t really miss much. I’m a bit upset that I have no camera to take pics but oh well. Tour is fantastic stadium is beautiful visit the visitors changing room and then the grand entrance into the Man City Changing Room. At this time Graham my buddy gets a call on the Radio from security that Chris the uber driver is at the stadium with my phone and wants to hand deliver it. So I get escorted out and meet chris. He is super nice and I am super grateful, I hand him 5 pounds for his troubles, he doesn’t want to take it but I insist. Phone back in my possession and I can take pics.

We continue the tour of the stadium and the Man City Training Campus. That’s a whole another story. 16 Fields, offices Dining living training full size indoor field a second stadium that seats 7000 insane facilities. I’ve never seen anything like it. The first team has a whole side to themselves and were actually in the building the tour guide pointed out the players cars. Unfortunately you can not take any pictures on the Academy Complex. We did get to go inside the indoor facility as well. There was a high level rugby team Training but I know nothing about rugby. The tour guide also told us that the 16 fields have turf similar to the turf at other premier league stadiums so they can train for away games, really ????

Tour ends taxi to hotel, phone in hand

Got late checkout 2:30

So I can catch the train to London at 3:40

Cheers till later

mazing getting me to my group and the tour.

Made my way back to the hotel finished packing and headed to the lobby to check out.

Said my goodbyes to the amazing staff at the AC Marriott and decided to take the tram to the station and heard back to London on the train. It was a long train ride back almost 4 hours.

Made it to Reading where I was greeted by our main man and guide Jemm. Jemm is an ex football that played for Fulham back in the day. He’s in his 50s now and a super great guy. He met me at the station and we drove to the hotel. Was pretty tired and knew I had to meet him again at 6:30 AM to go to Heathrow and pick up the rest of the group. They are landing tomm morning at 7:00AM

Off to shower and bed

Of course while flipping the Tele I came across a show called Tina and Bobby it’s a documentary about Bobby Moore and his wife Tina. Bobby was the England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Captain of the 1966 World Cup Championship Team and died of cancer at 51.