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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Woulda Coulda Shoulda

If things had gone as planned with the 3-year cruise I signed up for in March, I would be on a flight to Istanbul CLICK HERE (ad) right now. I was one of the lucky ones, as it turns out. I cancelled my trip once I learned the management team had a falling out with the cruise line with which they had been in business. According to a recent CNN article I read, (link below), the cruise line hasn’t even completed their purchase of the ship that was to set out on November 1.

One-way flights are more expensive than round-trip tickets, but that is what I had planned to purchase. Those who decided to stick with the cruise, instead of cancelling as I did, and booked their flights will find themselves in a jam. That is, unless they purchased trip cancellation/interruption insurance. I always do so when flying. It has saved me lots in the past.

Once such case was my three-week trip to Key West, Florida CLICK HERE (ad) a few years before Covid struck. I booked my flight and paid well in advance. This way my purchase price was much lower than it would have been if I had waited. This could have been a disaster for me, as the airline decided to move my connecting flight to Key West to several hours earlier than my arrival in Atlanta. There was no way I would have been able to make the flight, as I would have been in the air.

Since my flight was cancelled by the airline, my money was refunded. However, the new flight I needed to book was at a much higher cost. Since I had purchased the right type of insurance, the company paid me the difference between my original flight and the new one I had to book. I really hope those passengers still planning on taking the Life at Sea cruise protected themselves in this way.

The other expense they may be on the hook for is their hotel reservation. I always check the cancellation policy. I had booked my room for this trip long before deciding not to go but made sure the hotel would allow me to pay when my stay was concluded, rather than in advance. There was also no penalty for cancelling the reservation up to one week in advance of the trip. Life Lesson. Never pay in advance for hotel stays. Always make sure you can cancel without penalty, if necessary. The farther out a trip is, the more important this becomes.

Years ago, when taking students to Europe over Spring Break and over Summer Vacation, I used a travel agent. She looked out for our interests. Once, she called me at the end of the school day. She told me, if I could bring back the airline tickets we had already purchased, she would be able to refund over $300 for each participant on the trip. All we had to do was to spend an extra two days in a five-star hotel in Amsterdam. Because we had used a travel agent, she saved us enough money to pay for the extra two days, in which we toured the city via canal boat, and visited the Anne Frank House CLICK HERE (ad). Priceless. 

The passengers still booked on the 3-year cruise won’t need their hotel reservations in Istanbul. From the CNN article, I learned the cruise won’t be leaving from Istanbul for some reason. The new port is in Amsterdam. The cruise line representative mentioned to the reporter that this is just a short flight from Istanbul. That’s absurd. It’s an added expense for the flight and another hotel to be booked.

It looks more and more like the original management team was correct. They warned us the cruise line may not have a ship ready for the cruise to start on time. They were also worried about what they perceived as a lack of transparency. Both issues are mentioned in the new article as well. You would think six or seven months would be enough time to make such a purchase, especially since a ship had already been located and the process had begun.

Perhaps my fellow travelers should have pulled back when I did. Some sold their homes, quit their jobs, retired early, and took money out of their retirement accounts. I’m saddened our dream was put in jeopardy. I hope they did the things mentioned above, bought trip cancellation insurance, and worked with a travel agent. This might help them recover some of their funds if the cruise doesn’t happen. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for them, as I know how important this trip is to them. It was to me too. At least, for me, there is no longer any risk to my finances or health. I wish them all a bon voyage.

CNN Article: CLICK HERE

 Photo Credit: Google Images

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

During the month of April, I started keeping a list of expenses. I put them in one of the lovely notebooks I ordered to use while cruising, CLICK HERE  (ad). I know that putting off recordkeeping makes it a brutal task. Keeping a running list and making entries once a week keeps it simple.

On April 10, I signed the contract for the cruise. I kept a copy online, of course, but also printed it out, so I would have a hardcopy. I kept all my cruise documents in a large plastic envelope,  CLICK HERE  (ad). Life lesson. This made it easy to locate anything I might need going forward.

Once I decided not to go on the cruise, I added my cancellation documents to the pile of others in the envelope. I’ve used colorful, clear plastic envelopes like these for years. They come in handy, especially for planning trips.

The next thing to take care of was my car registration. Although I had not really decided what to do with my car, I knew it had to be registered. My three choices were to sell it, store it, or give it to my nieces. Eventually, I decided to sell it. Leaving a car in storage for three years just leads to problems. Giving it away, although generous, was not wise financially. It was fortuitous this was my decision, as I still had it when I decided to stay put in California.

During the month of April, the Management team at Life at Sea made a portal available to passengers, so we could communicate with them, and with each other. This proved to be quite valuable. Many of us were concerned about how to receive mail and packages while aboard ship. The Management team took care of this for us. They set up a once-a-month delivery system, but it wasn’t inexpensive. However, one of the other passengers contacted me with an idea. We would find two others to join us and sign up for the service. All our packages and mail would be sent to him, and we’d pick up our items once they were received. Brilliant. This would cost us a few hundred dollars each, instead of thousands.

The next thing to happen turned out to be great fun and resulted in my starting this blog. One of my Twitter followers sent me an article about two sisters who took a tour around the world. The article had been published by CNN Travel. I read the article and responded to the question at the end. They asked if we had ever had a unique experience while cruising. I responded to the article and told them my plan to take a 3-year cruise around the world. (Typing this makes me sad, as I was so looking forward to the trip.)

Briefly after sending off this reply, I received an email from a reporter with CNN Travel. She asked if I would participate in an interview about the trip. I agreed and the article was written. When it came out, I was surprised. It was more about me than the cruise itself. What happened next was an out of body experience. The article bounced around the world, was reprinted in several languages, and reporters and podcasters used it for the basis of articles and podcasts of their own.

My 15 minutes of fame lasted far longer than that and spread to several million people all over the world. (That was a shock.) It led to another interview, this one for a television station in Germany. People I knew saw one of the articles, as did people I met that spring. They were excited for me both about the adventure, but also about being “famous”, if only for a short while.

Sometime after the debacle that resulted in my pulling out of the trip, I was contacted again by CNN Travel. They wanted to do a follow up interview about the unpleasant situation that led to my decision. I was happy to participate. This is because I had learned several people signed up for the cruise because of my initial CNN interview. (This was very cool.) I didn’t want my initial enthusiasm to continue to convince people to sign up for the cruise, since the situation had changed. I was no longer sure it was safe and didn’t want their future happiness or safety on my conscience.

As you can see, when planning a long trip, or moving to another country, there’s lots to do. Some of it you can plan for, some things, however, pop up unexpectedly. Life lesson. This is why planning is so important. If you act in a spontaneous manner, and something unplanned happens, you may not be able to roll with it, or take advantage of the situation. 

The interview with CNN Travel, and the resulting international buzz online resulted in a message landing in my inbox. It was from someone I did not know, but he did me a big favor. He suggested I strike while the iron was hot and do something with the attention I had received. He’s the reason I started my journal, which led to this blog. Even though I’m no longer taking a 3-year cruise to 300+ destinations, the knowledge I have gained can encourage others to travel, whether as a family, couple, or even solo. This is a good thing. I’ve done all three types. I know the ropes and am happy to share them here.

Photo Credit: Google Images

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Moving Day Has Come and Gone

 

September 30, 2023

I know it must have seemed I fell off the face of the earth after my last blog post late in May. It felt that way to me too. Although I have moved several times in my life, this time was much more difficult for me than any other move i have experienced. Perhaps it was my injured vertebrae that slowed me down, or perhaps, gasp, my age.

No matter the reason, I was overwhelmed. I had already started decluttering for my 3-year cruise, so you would think that would have given me a head start, but there was still far more to do than any one person should do alone. Eventually, the day came, but I wasn’t ready.

I had yet to tackle my office. I saved it for last, knowing if push came to shove, the movers could pack up the room for me. They did. They also packed my kitchen, but I had planned all along for them to do it. I learned that lesson eons ago. Life lesson. Let the pros do the kitchen. They do a better job and can handle the boxes with ease.

I found the movers I hired to be especially kind and helpful. They frequently sent me to sit on the couch while they moved things about. I put several bottles of cooled water on the kitchen counter for them, and when they broke midday, I handed each of them $20 and told them to enjoy their lunch. We met later at my new condo. 

It took hours to unpack. It helped that I had labeled all the boxes by room. I had also put sticky notes in the rooms to show where I wanted the boxes to be stacked. These guys weren’t happy until I was pleased with where rugs, lamps, furniture, and boxes were placed. Once they were finished, I paid my bill and gave each another $20.

After they left, I made my bed, and collapsed on it. I had stacked food in the fridge the day before my move-in, so I was able to eat after I rested. The next day, I went back to the house, and waited for Habitat for Humanity to come pickup items too large for me to take to Goodwill by myself. They were quite accommodating, taking everything I wanted to donate. Then 1-800-Got-Junk arrived and took the rest.

The bulk of the potted plants and flower boxes I had on my patio and in my courtyard were collected by neighbors. What was left was put in my driveway and labeled “FREE”. They disappeared quickly. I felt relieved. I didn’t want to put them in the trash. They were my friends,  and are now making other people happy.

It’s taken three months to arrange things in my condo. The local Internet and television people came and went. I also hired my own television experts to come make sense of the wires that had been left a mess. Several pieces of furniture, drapes and a huge area run were ordered, and arrived. I paid extra for “white glove” delivery for the massive area rug. Life lesson. So glad I did. The deliverymen were not only professional, but friendly as well. In fact, all the people involved with my move were great.

Eventually I hired a handyman recommended by a friend who lives nearby. He put up drapes and hung a heavy mirror and several large pictures. He’s good at what he does. I’m planning on calling him to do more work next month. I’m going to hire him to come every other month to replace the filters on my HVAC system, CLICK HERE (ad). The air intake is in the ceiling. I gave away my ladder, so I wouldn't use it. I’m no longer in the demographic that should be climbing ladders or lifting furniture.

Although most of my new home feels settled, my office does not. It still contains a mountain of big boxes filled with supplies, equipment and who knows what. Since I didn’t do the packing, unpacking is happening much slower than it did with the other boxes. However, I decided to give myself a break, and unpack one box at a time. I’ve already emptied three boxes using this method. The rest will happen eventually.

While doing all of this, I’ve been neglecting my blogs, Road to Free College and Enjoy the View Touring. I wasn’t doing much in my Etsy shop, Enjoy the View Totes either. Plus, I didn’t even look at my Instagram Account. I was still active on Twitter, @ElizaWallace27 though. My number of followers even grew during this time. That was a pleasant surprise.

Recently two friends sent me new articles about the 3-Year Cruise I was going to take this coming November. The first article bragged about the cruise becoming “forever” and not stopping after three years. I found that disturbing, as Maritime Law requires cruise ships to go into drydock for maintenance on a set schedule. They are not allowed to just cruise on without going into drydock, it’s unsafe.

The second article they forwarded had a few other bits of misinformation. One was about guests not needing health insurance, since there will be a doctor onboard. I can see how this might seem appealing, but unless medical care (major and minor) is written into the cruise contract, it would be foolish to go without insurance. 

I stumbled across a health insurance policy that could solve the problem of health insurance while traveling. It’s called Cigna Global. Since I’m no longer in communication with those who decided to go on the cruise despite the issues that led me to cancel my trip, I hope they read this blog, and see there is a company that will insure them while out of the U.S.

Next week, I’ll go back to giving tips on solo travel, including both short trips and long ones, like the 3-year cruise I signed up for last March. Thanks for being patient as I moved house. It wasn’t fun, but my current setting is much better for me.

 

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Options

 

Monday, May 29, 2023

The last few days have been busier than before, but less stressful. Getting ready for a 3-year cruise, and not having needed information was hard. Everything else seems far easier, even moving. My original plan was to cruise the world for three years, then move to Portugal. Having the rug pulled out from under my feet (although not literally, of course, it sure feels like it), made me reevaluate my timeline.

One possibility was to push up moving to Portugal. I could go sooner rather than later, but why? Sure, it’s safer there and gorgeous. The weather is about the same as SoCal, but the prices are much lower. Do I really want to be somewhere I don’t know, and where I know no one? I did that once before, when I moved to Cape Town, South Africa for two years. I loved every minute of it. But that was then. I was twenty-five years younger. I didn’t have osteoporosis, or the pain that comes with it.

So, this weekend I investigated another option. I could move somewhere closer to home. I opened my iPad and scrolled through rentals in Laguna Woods Village. It’s a huge retirement community not far from where I live now, in Laguna Niguel. I lived in the Village before moving here. It was very easy living there. But as a renter, you’re always subject to the whims of the owner. My landlords were a lovely couple, very thoughtful and kind. But when the husband died, the son pressured his mother to sell the condo. He had plans for her money.

I found a two bedroom, two bath condo that is clean and bright and flooded with light. Being smaller than where I live now means it will be easier to manage. My present home should have been undemanding and was before the pandemic. I had a handy man I trusted and a house cleaning company I had used for years. The owners had even become friends. But when everything shut down, it was all on me. This has become oppressive, which made the cruise seem like a great option. No housework, no shopping, no taking care of potted plants, just fun.

Of the three options, I decided to move forward with the lovely condo in Laguna Woods Village. I contacted the Realtor Friday, saw the condo Saturday, and filled out an application the same day. After sending heaps of documentation to the Realtor, the owners picked me from a group of applicants.

Sunday, I emailed my present landlord to notify him I will be moving out by the end of June. He called shortly thereafter. We had a pleasant conversation. He wished me well, and I wished the same for him. The rest of the day was spent tackling my bedroom closet. Finished early enough in the day to start on the master bathroom. There’s a closet there too. I piled up lots of clothing to take to Goodwill Tuesday. Life lesson. Get rid of stuff on a regular basis, so this won't happen to you. 

Today I filled out more legal documents online and will meet with the Realtor to give her checks tomorrow. I’m back to decluttering prior to packing. I was doing this anyway because of the cruise. It's less complicated now, however, because I don’t have to figure out what to take, what to store and what to donate. I just decide what I want to keep and what to give away. There are a also few things that should be sold. I’ll let the movers take them to my new home and sell them later.

My next blog post will be back to discussing how to get ready for a big trip. I still have my lists of monthly tasks. Although I’m no longer hopping on a ship for an around-the-world cruise, the information is still valid for anyone getting ready for a big trip. Little notebooks make this simple. I found these work well, CLICK HERE (ad).

Organization is really “my thing”. It started when I took language students to Europe to use the French or German they were learning. It was all on me then too. I did all the planning and organizing, with some input from my students. These trips prepared me for my big move to Cape Town, South Africa in 1997. That in turn made the decision to go on the lengthy cruise less daunting.

Remember to subscribe, to learn more about how to travel, even solo. I have. You can too.

 

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Allergic to Chaos

My normal routine since signing up for a three-year round-the-world cruise is to start my day by opening my iPad and reading any new posts in our resident portal. This past Sunday, May 20,2023, I saw a message from another passenger which read, “We’re still going to Istanbul”. Uh-ho. What does that mean?

It didn’t take long for someone to comment back, echoing my sense of dread. The response came quickly. We were directed to the cruise Facebook page, to read a letter from the Managing Director of our cruise.

The worst had happened. He announced he cancelled the cruise and gave his reasons for doing so. Rather than try to rehash the contents of the letter, and give the “other side” of the issue coming from the cruise company, which had been working in collaboration with the management team, here’s an article from CNN which explains what happened, CNN Article.

It took me all week to process this, but as stated in the article, deciding whether to continue with the cruise was an easy, although very sad, decision. I’m allergic to chaos. Life lesson. This felt far too risky for me. I’m out.

Now, what to do about my blog? My plan was to share my adventures on this three-year cruise with family, friends, my Twitter followers, and especially single people who have been reluctant to travel alone. About the middle of the week, I realized that I could achieve my goal, without going on this specific cruise.

After all, I’ve been single for over three decades, and I haven’t stayed home much. I can still encourage people to hang up their hats, get in a car, plane or ship and go somewhere. I will show how to do it by blogging about trips I have taken in the past, and those I take in the future. Yes. I made a list. So far, it has twenty places I intend to visit.

As I stated at the top of my blog, I encourage you to join me on my adventures. Just subscribe to this blog so you will be notified when I post something new.

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Information Overload

 Saturday, April 8, 2023

Something exciting happened this morning. Life at Sea Cruising put up their resident portal. We’re able to get information and communicate with each other easily. I’ve already been in contact with others going on the trip. This is not only a helpful time saver, but also fun.

Saturdays are usually delegated to housework, and I did some, but I also worked on my blog. I’ve been journaling on my iPad each evening, keeping track of what I’m doing to prepare for my trip. It can act as a road map for those who want to do something similar themselves. It’s also a way to let those who know me, either in real life or on social media (@elizawallace27, #enjoytheviewtouring), come along with me vicariously.

I did, in fact, do housework today, but I also planned some more. I’ve decided to add tote bags to my EnjoyTheViewTotes.com (ad) shop Mondays through Wednesdays and add wall art Thursdays and Fridays. Saturday, I’ll set up social media including my blog, and Sunday design bags or wall art for the week and post on my blog again. Since I do these things before lunch, it gives me the afternoons to work on clearing out my house, room by room.

The contract came for my cruise. Life lesson. I need to print it, study it and sign. I’m sure this will take quite some time. It’s very long, and detailed. I guess Sunday will be busy.

Sunday, April 9, 2023 – Sunday, April 16, 2022

This week has been far more hectic than anticipated. The contract and posts about it on our resident portal have taken up far too much time to journal in the evening. I haven’t even been able to concentrate on deciding what else, if anything, I need to order for my cruise.

I found it best to work on clearing the house of unwanted clothing and other objects. None of this involved using my mind, so my lack of focus was not a problem. Once things settle down on the portal, I’ll get back to journaling for this blog.

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Lots of Deliveries

 Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Today was about deliveries. Several packages arrived from orders I placed in the last few days. One is a small “backpack” on wheels. I needed something convenient to carry my laptop for me whenever I want to work somewhere on the ship. I ordered the smallest I could find. It’s intended or kids in school, very fitting considering I was in school in one role or another for most of my life. It’s very cute, with lots of soft pastel colors. CLICK HERE (ad) Just right for a cruise.

I attacked several household chores at midday, watered potted plants on my patio and in my courtyard. All my plants will be sold or given away before my trip. I scheduled doctor appointments and negotiated with DirecTV. I also finished sorting out my nightstands. I’ll drop off the books I’m donating next week.

Another delivery was a cane with a seat attached. It’ll come in handy on excursions. In the past, I found there isn’t always a place to sit down when you need one. With my injured spinal vertebrae, I sometimes need to sit. CLICK HERE (ad) I bought a blue one. Now I can, pretty much anywhere.

Finally, I did some research to find an appropriate price of medical treatments I know I will need while cruising. The exact amount won’t be known until details of my cruise are finalized. However, I found a site that gave approximate costs for both the medication I need, and the infusion to deliver it. Fingers crossed my costs will be this low, medication was under $15.00 and the infusion just over $100.00.

It doesn’t seem like much to have accomplished, but there were also things to do in my EnjoytheViewTotes.com shop, and on social media. I again took a little nap in the late afternoon. I could get used to those! 

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

I took it easy today just I worked in my shop. I designed and listed a French zodiac symbol bag with the symbol in green, the power color for Taurus. Otherwise, just did a few things around the house, engaged in social media and watched some television. I needed this break, as the last twelve days have been intense. EnjoytheViewTotes (ad)

Thursday, April 6, 2023

I spent some of the morning enjoying our glorious weather. It’s been rare lately. In addition, I did household chores, including cleaning out the top shelf of my kitchen pantry. I intend to continue attacking one shelf every trash day. Both the recycling and regular trash bins will fill up as I prepare for my cruise. No food items will go into storage. Three years is just too long.

Later I picked up prescription medication at my HMO’s pharmacy and drove to the Toyota service center in the same area. I had them do the usual routine maintenance, but also check everything. I was pleased to hear the car is in great shape, including the tires. After I have it detailed this fall, it will sell for high Kelly Blue Book value. Super. This will mean I can take more excursions on my cruise.

When I returned, I enjoyed a late lunch and designed another Zodiac tote bag for my EnjoyTheViewTotes.Etsy.com shop. My goal is to design and list three tote bags each week, and use my original photography to create wall art, also for my shop. Used my Flowbee to give myself a haircut. Took out the trash bins and gave social media a little attention. Then I had dinner and watched some television.

Friday, April 7, 2023

If it’s Friday, it’s time for Zooming with my friends, Debbie and Connie. We discussed what’s going on with each of us, and in our country. We solved many political and social problems. Too bad no one in a position of power was listening in on us.

We also discussed my upcoming cruise, of course. I brought up an issue I had yet to resolve. Since I’m giving up my rental, I will stay in a hotel when the cruise ends, three years from now. I’ll look for a place to rent, probably in Laguna Woods Village. I’ve lived there before. It’s an easier life than living in a single-family home elsewhere. I don’t know how long it will take for the pod with my belongings to arrive in California from Istanbul. I’m hoping to have it shipped to my new address. If it comes too soon, I didn’t know where to send it.

Life lesson. Three heads are better than one. I’ll either have it sent to my storage unit, if there’s room, or to the hotel where I will be staying. They can store it for me, until I find a place to live. Movers can move it when they pick up my things from storage. However, all of this will change if I decide to move to Nevada or Lagos, Portugal. It’s looking more and more likely that Portugal will be my final retirement destination.

We also discussed whether I should open a TicTok account. I’m going to make short videos to post on Twitter and Instagram during my cruise. They both agreed, I should add TicTok. Debbie also reminded me these videos need to be funny or quirky. Using my travel companion, Bob, should make this easy to do. He has a goofy face, and if I put him in awkward positions, it should do the trick.

We discussed getting props for Bob, small objects he can handle while posing. CLICK HERE (ad) Any suggestions would be appreciated. Just post them on Twitter, @elizawallace27. Thanks.  

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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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Details Details Details

 

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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Good Friends Help with Planning

Sunday, March 26, 2023

I woke up this morning having made an executive decision about my car. I’m not going to leave it with my nieces for three years and let them drive it like I had planned. Instead, I’m going to find a place close to where I live now and store it. I looked online and found all sorts of options, but unfortunately my car is 1 inch too long to fit the 10 x 15‘storage units. That extra 1 inch means I must rent a 10‘x 20‘unit which is, of course, way more money. I looked online and found several options. I checked to see what they had, and actually found 10‘x 20‘storage units. but most of them are upstairs. No help.

I called Public Storage and talked to a nice young man named Tyler. He explained their 15’ storage units are exactly that, 15’ precisely. Bummer. So now I know I need a 10’ x 20’ unit, more money. He also told me he can only see availability for 2 weeks going forward. My options are getting narrower. It looks like I may have to wait until the last minute to find a storage solution for my car or sell it.

Just had a series of phone calls with my friend, Connie. We brainstormed solutions to logistical problems. The number one is, of course, my car. She convinced me the easiest solution would be to sell it. There would be no ongoing automotive costs incurred. It would also mean I could rent the smallest storage unit for the few pieces of furniture I want to keep. 

That’s another positive. When I get back, who knows what life will be like? When I returned from living in South Africa for two years, 1997-1999, much had shifted, and I had to adjust. After all, I might want to use Uber instead of driving. It would certainly cost less each month than operating a car.

This afternoon I ordered earphones, CLICK HERE (ad) for my cruise, and a cute little stuffed critter I named Bob. Bob will sit in the seat next to me if I am ever sitting with new friends at a table with an empty seat. Been there. Done that. Was once asked to go sit with strangers so a married couple could sit together at a wine tasting in Bordeaux, France. Life lesson. Nope. Never again. Ruined the excursion for me.

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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.

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