Lahaina Town, Maui

 

San Francisco, California

 

Avignon, France

 

Tuscany, Italy

 

Heidelberg, Germany

 

Change of Pace, Manaus, Brazil

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (no such luck), I would be in Manaus, Brazil right now. My luck with weather is holding. It’s partly sunny, high of 88 degrees today, humidity down to 66%, with rain forecast for tomorrow. Being in the center of a rainforest, rain is fairly common here.

Manaus is the seventh largest city in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, so my hope for a larger city has come true. It’s very built up, complete with highways, an airport, skyscrapers, and other modern buildings. It’s on the coast, of course. Surprisingly ships dock directly downtown, which is also on the banks of the river Negro. This river is much cleaner than the Amazon, which is mostly brown. It’s interesting to see where the two rivers meet. I would definitely schedule a tour boat excursion to see the fascinating Meeting of the Waters. I'd certainly take a hat for protection from the sun, CLICK HERE (ad). 

The zoo and orchid greenhouse are open to the public. Not sure I would visit the zoo, but the orchid greenhouse would be something I would certainly enjoy. I would also stroll through the Mercado Adolpho Lisboa, which is modeled after Les Halles in Paris, which I have visited in the past. If there’s a guided tour of the Adolpho Ducke Botanical Garden, I would sign up for that too.

There are lots of shopping areas in the city, complete with food courts and movie theaters. Seeing a movie in Brazil would be fun. I’m pretty sure many English-speaking movies would be dubbed into Portuguese, or maybe they would have subtitles. No matter, I would find it interesting, since I am a polyglot.

After stopping in one small town after another, this city would be a refreshing change of pace. I’m not usually into big cities, however, it would be nice to see how people live in a big city in Brazil, and to spend a few days there taking advantage of all it has to offer. to learn more about Manaus, Brazil, CLICK HERE (ad). 

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Parintins, Brazil: Better in June

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (The cruise was cancelled; I hear some people are stranded in Istanbul), I would be in Parintins, in the far eastern portion of Brazil. Since we would have traveled farther away from the Equator by now, the high temperature should be lower. It hit a high of 81 degrees today. That was lucky since the forecast for yesterday and tomorrow was for temperatures in the nineties. The humidity is still high, however, since this city lies in a tropical rainforest.

The city is on an island named Tupinambarana, which lies in the Amazon River. It’s known for a colorful folk festival held there each June, so it looks like we missed it by several months. It was hit hard by the recent pandemic. The festival went virtual for two years. It came back live in 2022. The city was given a facelift and street art was added. The festival is helping overcome the lack of infrastructure and isolation. Tourism is helping financially.

There isn’t much to do here, although it is rather pretty. I would have taken a pedi cab for a tour of the town. There’s a nearby Indian Village in Boca da Valeria. If I felt it was safe, and if there was time, I might go on a tour to visit it. Everything I read would make me want to take lots of dollar bills, to give as tips to those living there.

Overall, I’m not sure why our cruise had this port on our itinerary. Perhaps it was so passengers could participate in eco-tourism. I know that was a desire on the part of some passengers. My age and health conditions would keep me from participating in physical labor, especially in the heat and humidity. The humidity might even have kept me on the ship. Asthma cramps your style at times. This is why I made sure to pack my nebulizer and lots of medication. I even bought a portable nebulizer, CLICK HERE (ad) just in case. Life Lesson: Planning for all possibilities can stave off medical disasters.

Off to another small town on the Brazilian coast. Fingers crossed it's larger than Parintins. 

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Georgetown, Guyana, Virtual Cruise

If things had gone as planned with the cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (Sadly, the 3-year cruise was cancelled by the cruise line a few days ago), I would be in Georgetown, Guyana. It's hot and partly cloudy today, and may storm late in the day, but I can handle 81 degrees. 

Since the national language of Guyana is English, and during the last few stops I would have visited botanical gardens, my plan for this short stay would be shopping, or at least browsing the shops in the Stabroek Market.

There's lots of British colonial architecture in the city, so taking a short excursion by bus would be fun for me. I'm not into visiting jungle and savannahs due to my asthma, but for those who enjoy such pursuits, there is plenty of both to explore. I wouldn't suggest solo women set out by themselves here, however, as I've read warnings about abusive language and harassment.

After wandering in the shopping area, I might explore the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology. I find this subject fascinating, and it would be less physically taxing, since it would be cool inside.  

The next few stops on our virtual 3-year cruise will be short like this one. I'll pick and choose what to do selectively, and not try to cram in lots of activities. I might just stay onboard, and read a good book. Speaking of books, if you want to learn more about Guyana, CLICK HERE (ad).

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Trinidad and Tobago, Lots of Sunshine

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (they still don’t have a ship), I would be arriving in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago today. As I mentioned when blogging about Puerto Rico, I’ve been to the southern Caribbean, but not the northern islands.

So, this is my first trip to Trinidad and Tobago. It rains a great deal in the tropics, and it’s usually rather hot for my taste. It rained on Thursday, and is forecast to rain again tomorrow, but we would be in luck. The temperature predicted for today is 89° and partly sunny.

I always take sun protection when I travel, especially when visiting the tropics. I have a few sun hats from which to choose. My favorites are wide brimmed hats made from ribbon, CLICK HERE (ad). The company I buy from the most is Coolibar, which makes sun protective gear. I also bring sunblock, but not just any brand. I use one that does not damage wildlife or coral reefs. It wasn’t easy to find, but this is what I bought, CLICK HERE (ad).

I looked over the large number of tours available. They range from about $50 - $100+, but most of them are far too long for a one-day stopover, which is what this was planned to be. There are plenty of excursions for athletic types, but that’s not me. I don’t have the level of fitness I once had, so I’m careful what I select. I decided I wouldn’t buy a tour or excursion but would go it alone.

I looked over Queens Park Savannah but ruled it out. It looks beautiful, which I enjoy, but may have far too many fine particles in the air for anyone with asthma. My lungs rarely limit what I do, but going where the humidity is already high means I must pick and choose wisely or pay the price.

The Royal Botanic Gardens ais a definite number one pick for me. I love seeing beautiful plants and flowers. I would take lots of photographs. Photography is a hobby of mine, and I bought the iPhone 14 Pro specifically for the camera.

If there was enough time and if I wasn't not too tired after visiting the gardens, I’d visit the Emperor Valley Zoo. I’m usually able to find a great deal of shade in zoos. They plant many trees to create the right ambiance for the animals, we humans benefit from them too. This is why I’d visit the gardens in the morning, and the zoo in the afternoon, even though I know I risk the animals napping. That’s why, weather permitting, visiting zoos in the morning is a far better idea. For me, however, weather trumps pretty much everything else. I admit it. I’m a weather wimp.

Back onboard the ship, there would be calypso music and tasty seafood. Great place to relax after a warm day exploring the island. 

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Puerto Rico, My Heart's Devotion

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (didn’t happen), I would be arriving in San Juan, Puerto Rico today. Every time I hear the name, Puerto Rico, I’m a child again listening to Rita Moreno sing in West Side Story. This is the album I had as a child, CLICK HERE (ad). So, I was really looking forward to visiting. Sadly, it’s another place I may never see, as my 3-year cruise didn’t go as planned.

I have visited the southern part of the Caribbean several times, always while on a cruise. I’ve never visited the northern part nearer the US. We were scheduled to dock in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico.

I would have spent most of my time in Old San Juan, where there are cobblestone streets and Spanish colonial buildings and landmarks. I would have taken a guided tour to see the Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a citadel built between the 16^th and 18^th centuries. It boggles my mind that such old buildings still exist. After all, I’m from Southern California, where anything old is usually torn down, and replaced with a new soulless building.

I’m sure the crew on our ship would have arranged Salsa lessons for the passengers. Although I used to know how to dance the Salsa, I’ve forgotten. So, I would have taken advantage of the lessons, CLICK HERE (ad). It’s fun learning new dances and refreshing those long forgotten. It’s good exercise too and allows me not to feel guilty about sitting on deck while others do something physically challenging.

Cave and waterfall exploration are two such activities. I wouldn’t do either at my age, but when younger… nope. Wouldn’t do them then either. I know Murphy personally. You know, Murphy from Murphy’s Law fame? Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. I’m far too wise to risk a sprained or broken ankle when spending a fortune to go on a round-the-world cruise.

There are also private sailing excursions offered from San Juan. Depending upon price, I would have selected one to experience. I gave myself a budget for excursions. So far, my spending would be below my budget, so it’s likely I would have taken advantage of one of the lower cost sailing trips.

A free activity would be walking through the town, enjoying the art and culture. I find little shops are often full of artwork and jewelry. In the past, I brought back such items when on shorter trips. I wouldn’t have while on this trip. My plan was to collect experiences, memories and photographs, not souvenirs.

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Sea Days, the Atlantic

 

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March 2023 (they didn’t), I would be cruising the Atlantic, on my way to Miami, Florida right now. Sea days are my favorite part of cruising. I love the motion of the ocean and the smell of the salt air. It doesn’t take much to make me happy when it’s a sunny day, even better when that day is spent at sea.

Whenever I picked a cruise, I made sure there was an outside deck circumnavigating the ship. I love walking outside and feeling the breeze. One place that’s especially enjoyable is the bow. It’s great to see where we’re going (and to be King/Queen of the World). But I also love the stern. You can see the power of the engines churning up the wake. It’s less windy there, and peaceful.

There are times when wildlife is attracted to the ship. I’ve seen turtles up close. For more on sea turtles CLICK HERE (ad). They don’t seem to be afraid. Despite the obvious size and power of the ship, they come near, and we are able to get a good look. Birds also come along for the ride. I think perhaps there’s an air current created by the movement of the ship. I’ve seen birds glide along and skim the surface of the sea. Sometimes they do acrobatics for us. It’s thrilling.

If I tire, and the wind isn’t too cold, I find a deck chair or chaise longue, to relax and enjoy the scenery. I don’t need to do anything, or chat with anyone, although that’s fun too. Since I enjoy traveling to and from foreign countries, I have met lots of people who are not from the U.S. Since I speak several languages, I’m usually able to communicate with them.

Sometimes, however, it’s too cold or windy for me, so I go inside. There’s usually a comfortable spot with a view where I can read. This one was in a passage between two restaurants and a lounge/bar. Another convenient location is inside nightclubs. They’re usually unlocked when not in use during the day, and passengers often go there to read, play cards, or board games. For board games suitable for travel CLICK HERE (ad). It’s quiet and peaceful, often with a great view out picture windows.

I’m sure if my 3-year cruise had gone as planned, I would be doing all these things this week. While others onboard would be looking forward to land days, I’m happiest at sea. From what I’ve learned, the proposed ship hasn’t been purchased yet, despite November 1 having been our scheduled departure date. I’m sad for those passengers who didn’t cancel. Imagine having sold your house and most of your belongings, and the cruise company can’t even give you a date certain as to when you will be leaving.

My first inkling something was wrong was when I learned the company didn’t provide trip cancellation insurance, and no outside company would sign us up. My second bad feeling was when I discovered the cruise line didn’t make arrangements with a medical insurance carrier to sell us a 3-year policy at a reasonable price.

The coup d’état was the management group deciding not to collect our first large payment. They had lost faith. I trusted them, so that was it for me too. When they pulled out, so did I. It’s sad, as I said, sea days are my favorites, but the mountain view out my living room window isn’t half bad.

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Barcelona, Spain

If things had gone as planned, I would be in Barcelona, Spain right now. I know this because my iPad told me so this morning. I remember, one of the tech savvy passengers on the 3-year round-the-world cruise I signed up for this past March took our itinerary and formatted it for our iPhones and iPads. I uploaded it to mine. 

So, when the location popped up on my calendar, I realized I can still take my blog readers on a 3-year cruise. I'll tell everyone what I have seen on previous trips to the places I have already visited, and explain where I was planning to go on my now cancelled 3-year cruise. 

I've visited Barcelona before, also ironically while on a cruise. I was taking a 3-week long cruise of the Mediterranean Sea out of South Hampton. We stopped for the day in Barcelona. It was nowhere near enough time. 

I wanted to visit the Park Guell, designed by Gaudi. It's covered with colorful tile work. I had seen photos of it, and realized this would be a worthwhile destination. the park is situated on a series of hills, and is full of steps. If you start from the bottom and walk up, you better be in great shape. My decision was to take a taxi to the top of the park, and walk down. I intended to pick up a taxi at the bottom, and return to my cruise ship. Want to learn more about the park? CLICK HERE (ad).

Sadly, I didn't go to see the park. Why? I noticed there were no handrails at all. Several of the steps were pretty steep too. In my physical condition, walking down those steps seemed too risky for me to try alone. Life lesson, when travelling alone, check out who else wants to visit attractions you are interested in, and see if you can go together, split the costs and maybe have a shoulder to hold onto while walking up or down precarious steps. Wish I had. 

If I was in Barcelona today, I would spend much of my day on La Rambla, the most iconic street in Barcelona. It stretches inland from the port. My plan would be to walk the length of the street until I tired. Then I'd pick an outdoor cafe, have some wine and tapas (yummy small bites famous all over Spain). Want to learn more about Tapas? CLICK HERE  (ad). After I rested, my plan was to walk back to the ship in time for dinner. 

Barcelona was planned to be a short stop  in order to pick up passengers who didn't want to fly to Istanbul, which was the intended starting point of the 3-year cruise. The next ten days were meant to be at sea. While some might find land days the most enjoyable, I love being at sea. In the past, I intentionally chose cruises that had many sea days. This was the main reason the 3-year cruise was so appealing to me in the first place. 

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Québec City, Canada

 

Decades of Destinations

While getting ready to write another article for this blog, I thought about how interesting it might be for readers to know all of the places I’ve traveled to so far. At first, I thought I’d create a list, but soon realized how boring that would be. Instead, I’ve decided to show you where I went and add a fact about the location, or perhaps an impression it left with me.

Sunday drives and summer road trips were common when I grew up. I learned to enjoy looking out the windows of our family station wagon as we traveled from place to place. In high school, I took a photography class, and added a camera to our family excursions. I expanded my travels internationally as an adult, even taking my language students to Europe repeatedly.

The first trip I took as an adult was to Avalon, on Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California, where I grew up. I visited once with my parents, but this time, they didn't come. Four high school girl friends and I (along with one of their mothers, to act as a chaperone) stayed for a week, one week after graduating high school. I was eighteen.

A few days into our carefree trip on the island, my friends and I decided to stroll along the boardwalk. It was late at night. As we were walking along, enjoying the vibe, chatting and having a snack, we were approached by two uniformed police officers. They informed us that it was past 10:00 p.m., and we had to go back to our hotel, since we were minors. We asked how old our chaperone had to be. After they told us the person must be at least eighteen years old, I volunteered that I was, in fact, eighteen and was "supervising" the minors. 

Then they asked for my I.D. Not realizing this might be a issue, I had left it in the hotel. That is exactly where we were ten minutes later. Life lesson. ID? Never leave home without it.  

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Getting Ready for a Lengthy Trip: Six Months Out, Part I

 

Years ago, I went to my travel agent and asked her to arrange a weeklong trip to Cape Town, South Africa for me. I told her I was going over Spring Break in order to figure out what I needed to do as I was planning on moving there in the summer. She was aghast since Spring Break was less than a month away. She told me she really needed more time to plan a big trip like this.

I was confused. I was only going for a week, so it wasn’t a big trip. For her, the distance made it a “big trip” and not the length of time I would be gone. Okay. Life lesson. This past March, when I heard about a 3-year round the world cruise, I was pleased since that would give me eight months to get ready. I began by creating lists of what I would need to do in the interim. I dedicated one page to each month, CLICK HERE (ad).  Drew a line vertically down the center of the page, and labeled the pages by month.

Today I’m going to start by telling you some of what I decided to do in April. I completed each of these tasks within the time I had allotted, one month. There are far too many to include in one blog post, so I’ll continue in my next post, on Saturday. 

Some of what I did was related to research or planning. Most of the tasks, however, were more hands on. The first was money. I had to move the down payment from my savings to an account where I could wire it to the Life at Sea team when requested. This was a large chunk of money, so I moved smaller amounts weekly. By the end of the month, all the money I needed to send was ready. If you’re reading my blog to plan for a big trip yourself, thinking about your finances is the first and most important thing you should do. This was true when I moved to South Africa years ago too. 

The next most important chore was to find an international phone plan. I started online, but quickly realized for my purposes keeping my Verizon Plan and adding their International Plan on top of it would work best. This isn’t always the case. Depending upon where you intend to travel, and for how long, other plans may suit your purposes better. However, to keep yourself sane (always a plus), start with your current carrier. If they have a plan that works for you, it will simplify your life.   

The next two items were time sensitive. I needed to start the series of shots for Hepatitis A & B immediately. Since it takes time to arrange for these shots with my HMO, I ended up starting the series at my local CVS. This meant shelling out over $100 for the first vaccine. The next two at my HMO would cost me nothing. 

Here’s a scary thought. My passport would expire in March 2024, while I was cruising. Finding a place to have passport photos taken wasn’t as easy as it should have been. I ended up having two sets taken at two different places. The backdrop at the first place I went, was the same color as my hair. With the light directly overhead, the top of my head blurred into the light. When I was finally able to obtain a clear set of photos elsewhere, I paid extra for expedited passport service. I didn’t relax until my passport arrived in the mail, with plenty of time to spare. 

Each week I tackled hardcore decluttering by room. I began in my bedroom, handling one piece of furniture at a time. Depending upon how long you plan on traveling, you may not need to be as brutal as I was. Remember, my plan was to live on a cruise ship for three years, then either move to Lagos, Portugal, or Laguna Woods Village, California. I had no desire to pay to store my car, furniture or other household items and then ship them somewhere. 

During the month of April, I completed going through all the furniture in my bedroom, my closets and one area of my garage. I made multiple trips to my local Goodwill drop-off site. It helped that I had decided not to try to sell anything. I didn’t have the time or energy to deal with that. 

The last thing I want to cover today is making doctor appointments. I don’t know about you, but I see a long list of specialists (oh, the joys of getting older). I made appointments with all of them, trying to fit them within my busy schedule of other activities. I wanted to make sure everything was shipshape before boarding. 

I kept all these appointments even after deciding not to go on the cruise; some were completed in September, one just this week. Everything was indeed good to go, although I am no longer going. That’s a pity, but from everything I have heard lately, both about the cruise going forward and strife in many parts of the world, I’m happy to have decided to skip it and stay in California. 

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I Can't Believe My Luck

 

Saturday, April 1, 2023

Good news. Fell asleep right away, slept all night, and woke up refreshed. But there was a bonus. During the night my subconscious came up with something fun, and perhaps profitable, to do while on my 3-year cruise. I’m going to take painting lessons to learn how to paint pretty patterns, botanicals and abstracts. I’ll use the best ones on tote bags for my EnjoyTheViewTotes.com shop.

Additionally, friends in real life, and dozens on Twitter have asked me to share my 3-year adventure with them. They want to see photographs and hear stories. So, I’m taking this journal I started nine days ago, and turning it into a blog.

I can’t believe my luck. A new friend on Twitter shared an article with me about two sisters who took around a world cruise 100 years ago. They kept a journal, like I’m doing. At the end of the article readers were asked by the publisher, CNN, to share one of their travel stories. Lightbulb moment. I gave them an elevator speech. If something comes of this, terrific. If not, it was fun, and very kind of my new friend to share the article with me.

I worked on starting this blog for the rest of the day. It was frustrating as the site I use has made many changes since I used it last. The biggest obstacle was linking my URL. Way too much techie stuff for me. I decided to leave it until tomorrow.

Sunday, April 2, 2023

Slept well again. I guess my overwhelming enthusiasm is leveling off. That would be delightful. Worked on this blog in the morning. I found a work around for linking my URL. It’s not yet the way I want it, but it works fine.

Then I took my first journal entry, polished it a bit, and put it up. I added a picture from my library of travel shots and posted it. Of course, nothing goes right the first time. The first paragraph was in one font, the rest in another. No idea how that happened. After fussing with it for a few minutes, I was able to fix it. I hope you like it.

I’m writing in my own voice. It’s how I talk, and much like I write my posts on social media. Although I’m usually a rather formal person, my writing is not. I guess it was influenced by teaching and communicating with teenagers for forty years.

After this, I received an email from a friend with a link to Travel Smith. I don’t need clothing, so I looked at their accessories and electronics. Bingo. I ordered a wonderful device that acts like a flash drive, but with a difference. It will scour my computer, find and save all my photos. The next time I use it, it will just save the new ones I’ve taken.

I ordered one that will hold up to 32,000 photos. Although that’s a big number, it gives me confidence I won’t run into a problem with storage. The first time I took students to France, for 15 days, I brought forty rolls of thirty-six exposure slide film, and used them all. This cruise will last three years.

I stopped looking at the catalogue. Although I might need to do more shopping just before the trip, I need to watch my spending. Any money I don’t spend now can go towards excursions in faraway places later.

Monday, April 3, 2023

This morning I received a message from a friend telling me passport renewals now take months instead of weeks. She suggested I start mine sooner than where I had it on my to-do list. Since it’s going to be warm and sunny this week, I’m going to have my passport photos taken Wednesday. I’ll buy extra sets to bring along, just in case they’re needed. The post office is nearby, and by taking the envelope and paperwork already prepared, I can drop it there, after I add the photos.

I had several chores to do around the house today, watering inside plants, taking out the trash, and vacuuming. After they were finished, I began the process of reducing the amount of “stuff” in one area of my house. I’m handling one space each month, and one area in the space each week. Going slowly acknowledges that I’m no longer in my 20s, 30s, or even 40s. You get the picture. Sheesh. 

April’s my main bedroom. This week I’m tackling the nightstands and dresser. I keep books in the nightstands. Most will be donated to my local library. I can drop them off after taking the passport pictures and mailing the renewal. This is a simple loop, down the hill, around the corner, and back up the hill home.

After lunch, I worked in my EnjoyTheViewTotes.com shop. I designed three tote bags for Taurus and listed one in my shop. I decided this series of bags will contain Zodiac symbols in their “power colors”. I’m making them in three languages. I’ll list the others tomorrow and Wednesday.

I took care of some banking today too. I’m moving money from my high interest online savings account to my local financial institution, so it will be there when the next (big) payment for my trip is due.

Finally, I cleaned up the clutter that trip planning has created in my living room. I laid down on the couch and took a nap. When I woke up, it was time to have dinner, close the drapes, and settle down to watch some mindless TV. Life lesson. By being organized, I’m still able to accomplish what needs to be done and enjoy simple pleasures while not stressing out.

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Hectic Times

 

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Surprise. My swim gear has shipped! That was super-fast. Glad I ordered immediately and didn’t wait. Life lesson. Summer items always go fast. Speaking of which… did an online search for comfortable pants for travel. Found something I have been looking for years, loose fitting cargo pants. Nice big pockets that are functional, because the pants are not skintight. The green they had was lovely, but the black pair I wanted was sold out. So, I ordered a neutral golden khaki color as well as the green.

Did research on my health insurance. Turns out they cover emergency and urgent care treatment when we travel, even internationally. Super. Moved money from my online bank to my local bank today, so it will be there when my next (balloon) payment is due. Will move more in April, since the money isn’t due until late May. This will be a wire transfer from my bank.

The last few days have been hectic. I felt the need to do some household chores to catch up on what I have been skipping. Laundry was on the top of my list. Finished two loads in time for lunch, followed by another webinar. Irina, the director of sales welcomed us, and gave us some updated information. The most exciting, new renderings of our cabins are available to see online. There will also be an online portal for passengers. This will make asking questions and staying up to date a lot easier.

Mike, the Managing Director, came next. For those interested, about 40% of the cabins are still available. This is much lower than expected at the time. But hurry, prices are going up! Mike introduced the owner of Miray Cruises. He radiates experience, confidence, and excitement. Then they went to answer questions from the audience.

After hearing one of them, I realized I needed to investigate the cost of flying to Istanbul, to start the cruise on November 1, versus waiting to the board in Miami 16 days later.

Much to both my surprise and delight, I will come out a few thousand ahead by starting in Istanbul. Why? I pay rent where I live. Leaving early means I won’t have to pay for November. As a side benefit, it will be autumn in both L.A. and Istanbul, so packing will be easier. This simplifies things. Nice.

Thursday, March 30, 2023

I had hoped the excitement was waning, and I would have a good night’s sleep. No such luck. Fell asleep quickly but woke up only three hours later. Don’t think I slept after that. Up at 7:00 not rested at all.

Did my morning routine and was ready for my regular Friday Zoom meeting with two local friends. As a joke, I set Bob on a cushion by my iPad camera, so they could see him instead of me. We chatted about politics, health, family members, our Etsy stores, and my trip.

They made a very good suggestion. After we ended our call, I looked up walking canes with seats. I damaged two spinal vertebrae a few years ago and the pain hasn’t left. It’s not bad when I sit, and not even terrible when I walk. However, if I must stand in line, the pain increases. I ordered this, CLICK HERE (ad), so I’ll be able to sit when needed.

Friday, March 31, 2023

UPS arrived with the swimming gear I ordered from Coolibar. The swim shirt and swim pants fit great. The top, on the other hand, didn’t. A pleasant phone call with a very nice lady solved my problem. The correct size is on the way.

After lunch I worked in my Etsy shop, Enjoy the View Totes, (ad). I added a new French shoulder bag for Aries. Using one of the languages I taught for decades is always fun. Then my friends and I exchanged messages to discuss topics that need to be addressed before my trip. Their first question was about dental insurance. The ship provides a dentist on board for routine matters. They will also help with dental emergencies.

Went to bed early, hoping my excitement level will have dropped sufficiently to allow me sleep. The last few nights have been brutal. Too much planning going on in my mind to sleep well.

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Tuesday March 28, 2023

I called the Coolibar company and tried to order the swim gear I saw in their catalogue yesterday. The agent was great, knew exactly what I wanted. As it turned out, the catalogue being new was the issue. Life lesson. Their computers didn’t even show the swimsuit, etc. yet, but she could handle it live. So, she did. Very nice. Had a lovely chat about my upcoming trip while she resolved the issue.

Spent most of the day planning and thinking about all I need to do. Making a to-do list for each month is helping me move things out of my mind, and onto paper.

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Have K-12 kids? Then you'll want my book, Free College, to show you how to help your kids earn lots of college scholarships, CLICK HERE.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.