Booking for the future…Safari in four days!…

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Views from our upcoming hotel, Club Intrawest Condo Hotel in Vancouver. British Columbia.

Wouldn’t life be simple if we decided to travel to a popular destination and at the last minute we could book reasonable airfare and hotels?

Unfortunately, if one is determined to get “the best, for the least” we’ve found, after almost two years of planning, waiting until the last minute leaves fewer options from which to choose. Sure, there may be a few “bargain basement” or “last-minute” prices. But, when all is said and done, you get exactly what you pay for.

When it comes to hotels we prefer four-star customer ratings with free WiFi in convenient locations where we won’t need a car. We prefer flights, where we don’t have to go to the airport at 5:00 am or earlier. These simple choices cost more which we’re willing to pay. Other travelers have different preferences.

A sleek newer building has a certain appeal after staying in older properties.

Thus, we decided that we’d better get on the ball and begin the search for a hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from September 17 to September 23, 2014, less than a year away. Were we ever right to do this early! 

As we searched several of the major hotel booking resources online, many list how many rooms are left at a particularly lower price than would be posted on the hotel’s website. 

Upon entering the dates we’ll be in Vancouver, many hotels were completely booked and, many had listed only 2 or 3 rooms left at the best pricing. Vancouver must be a popular tourist spot in September.

Although not huge, the condo provides us with all the amenities we prefer when staying in hotels.  This is located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, convenient to restaurants and local attractions. 

Why are we going to Vancouver? As mentioned in prior posts of two weeks ago, we’ll be working our way across the Atlantic Ocean toward the US to spend Christmas with our kids in 2014. To maneuver in that direction, we’ll sail from London to Boston, spending a few days with family, and then fly from Boston to Vancouver to stay for the six nights, after which we’ll board another cruise heading to Hawaii.

We’ll arrive in Hawaii on October 5, 2014, for which we’re now looking for a place to stay until we take our pre-booked house in December on the Big Island until January 15, 2015, when we move to our pre-booked property in Kauai.

We realized that we must book the following over the next few months:
1.  Hotel for three nights in Boston
2.  Flight from Boston to Vancouver (oddly, under $300 each!)
3.  Hotel for six nights in Vancouver
4.  Condo in Hawaii from October 5, 2014, to December 1, 2014
5.  Flight from Honolulu to Big Island on December 1, 2014 (not necessary to book until we’re actually in Hawaii.

So far, after considerable searching, we’ve booked the Vancouver Hotel. However, our criteria was beefed up.  We’d just come across the ocean for 14 days, later spending three days in Boston. A reality we have to deal with is our laundry. 

There’s no way with our limited clothing supply that we can go 14 days without having laundry done. As in the past, it will be necessary to utilize the ship’s laundry service usually costing from $80 to $100 for a 15 to 18 item load. We’ll hand wash the smaller items as we’ve done in the past. 

(A few cruise lines have coin-operated washers and dryers, mostly Carnival, which overall doesn’t fulfill our expectations).

Thus, our goal for Vancouver, having accumulated many days of laundry, was to find a “suite hotel” with coin-operated laundry facilities either in our suite or available in the building. Mission accomplished.

Here’s the hotel we booked for 6 nights in Vancouver, Club Intrawest which is a condo-hotel with amenities that are perfect for us, including free WiFi, laundry facilities, added space, a kitchenette, walking distance to restaurants, and an easy bus ride to many of the renowned sites in the city. The price at US $188 a night plus taxes brought our total to $1300.44. 

We’ll most likely eat dinner out each night, adding approximately another $600 to our expenses, plus an approximate $300 in expenses for entertainment.  Our combined cost per day will be $366.74, comparable to our cost per day while cruising. 

Cruising every day is not economical for us but when added to the great rental rates we’ve been able to book when staying put for 2 to 3 months, it balances out to an acceptable monthly level. Again, it’s all about trade-offs.

This morning, cab driver Alfred drove us to Nakumatt Grocery Store for our weekly errands: grocery shopping, more SIM card date scratch-offs (Tom does this while I shop), and a trip across the street to the ATM for more Kenya Shillings. We don’t carry much cash for security reasons usually getting more every other week as needed. 

When Tom didn’t return to the grocery store as quickly as I’d expected I began to worry.  Usually, he finds me while I’m still shopping. Standing near the front entrance with my grocery cart, a million thoughts ran through my head. 

A little comforting was the fact that we saw numerous armed guards stationed at the intersection and at the entrance to the small strip mall. Our taxi is always inspected when we arrive. For Tom to get to the bank, he only had to cross twice at the intersection to get to the ATM. 

After waiting 15 minutes for him to return, I let out a sigh of relief when I saw him enter the door of the Nakumatt, sweat pouring off of him in today’s’ humid heat. Finding me quickly, he explained that the beefed-up security slowed his time at the Safaricom phone store to purchase more data and at the bank. Plus, the stores were more crowded than we’ve seen.

As we began the checkout grocery checkout process, we were further detained when their computer system was down, unable to read credit card transactions. We waited patiently while they manually processed our total bill of Kenya Shillings $20,568, US $235.39, a typical weekly amount including taxes. 

Today, its really hot and humid, raining off and on, beginning last night. If the rain continues through tomorrow, we’ll have to postpone our planned weekly trip to Madafoo’s for a day of sun, free WiFi, and an early dinner.

We’re excitedly counting the days until we leave for our photo safari in the Masai Mara.

Back at you soon!

Part 1…The surf, the sand, walking the beach along of the Indian Ocean…

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The sea, the clouds and the mystery of ominous clouds rolling in, left us in awe with our mouths agape.

Wherever we may travel, visiting the ocean has an appeal that leaves us breathless.  However, we’ve hesitated to take the mile long walk from our house to the ocean after we’d discovered upon arrival, that it’s much further than we’d anticipated.

As we approached the exit gate from our neighborhood, Nancy, the daytime guard greeted us both with a warm hug. At night the security is beefed up when more security risks are prevalent.

With numerous warnings about dangers for tourists walking the beaches in Kenya we’ve hesitated to explore these past three weeks.  Approximately, one third of a mile from the entrance gate to our community, is a beach access sign leading to a long rough walking path.  Off we went this morning.

Carrying only a camera, bottled water and a small amount of money, we began the long never-seeming-to-end walk toward the sea.

On the walk to the beach access, these two women were carrying what appeared to be heavy loads atop their heads, a common site in Kenya.

After no less than 15 minutes of carefully maneuvering over rocks, pots holes, tall grass and uneven ground, we suddenly felt a cooler breeze wash over us in the scorching heat while hearing the roaring sound of the sea.  It was 5 1/2 months ago that we walked the beach in Belize.

Reaching the beginning of the beach access, it was impossible to see how far we’d have to walk to reach the sea. This lonely stretch would be dangerous to travel at night, which of course, we won’t do, always taking a cab to dine at any of the restaurants along the coast.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes beheld the beauty, pristine, uncluttered with debris, a vast landscape of pure beauty.  Thankfully, the tide was low. We’d forgotten to check online having heard that walking on the beach was impossible at high tide as the water rose to the walls protecting the various hotels, resorts and private properties.

In places, the path to the beach was filled with flowers.

Unfortunately, clouds rolled in minutes after our feet hit the sand. Neither of us concerned about being rained on, we trekked on, determined to take advantage of the time and effort it took to arrive.  We weren’t disappointed.

 Bougainvillea flourish with little water and no care.  They are everywhere including the narrow path to the beach.

Sensitive to the risks along the beach, we engaged in the friendly Swahili greeting, “jambo” with the local peddlers who approached us on several occasions. We politely declined their vigorous enticements to get us to purchase their locally crafted wares.  We have neither use nor inclination toward trinkets being added to our already heavy bags.

At points, the path felt like any walkway in any neighborhood in the US where flowers grow in abundance.

Most of the peddlers were members of the Maasi tribe, a friendly group of people, dressed in elaborate colorful garb that is appealing to the eye.  Of course, I’d have liked to take a photo of their tribal dress. But we knew that doing so would require payment, make us appear as more potential prey and give off a signal of “Hey, we’re tourists.”

The variations in color always catch our attention.

After walking on the beach for 15 minutes, we reached the area where the hotels and resorts are located with each of their own groups of guards, appropriately dressed in military-type uniforms, diligently guarding the beachfront access, protecting both inside and potential outside guests.

At long last, we reached the end of the path.  We were thrilled to have the sea in front of us once again.  We didn’t take time to take photos of each other.  Pouring sweat in the outrageous humidity and heat, neither of us were “photo ready.”

Recently, we’d read online about a restaurant and resort, Madafoo’s that has free wifi to anyone that makes a purchase at their outdoor restaurant and bar. Checking it out for future reference proved to be ideal. Welcomed heartily as we entered the guarded gates, we felt determined to make a weekly visit a part of our plans.

As we exited the path to the beach this was our first view to the right of us. Continuing on we chose to go to the left where we knew we’d find the numerous resorts and hotels.
Miles of sandy beach stretched in front of us.  The white sand was the softest sand we’d ever walked, our feet sinking in several inches with each step.  As a result, walking was laborious, especially in the heat and humidity.  This didn’t deter us.  We forged ahead.

We enthusiastically talked that starting next Wednesday and every Wednesday going forward, we could arrange for a taxi ride to Madafoo’s, carrying our laptops and plug ins in a bag in order to spend several hours dining for either breakfast or lunch, using the free Internet and partaking of their comfortable padded chaise lounges, positioned to face the sea. 

Numerous fisherman were attempting the “catch of the day” to later be sold to the resorts  and restaurants along the Diani Beach coastline.
It appeared that a few of the small boats were unattended with traps set.
Bigger than the largest dog’s footprint, we were baffled as to the origin of this massive print. Any ideas out there?

Upon inquiring, the staff explained that we are welcomed to use the chaise lounges, the plug ins and their free wifi should we dine in their restaurant at any time. For Kenya Shillings $3100, US $35.47, we can dine on any item on the menu, pay for cab fare both ways, including tax and tips. 

A young Maasi member walked in front of us on the beach, surely weighing  no more than 80-90 pounds left this huge indentations in the sand.

Increasing our outings away from our house adds greatly to the enjoyment of our remaining time in Kenya.  Thus, with dining out on Saturday nights experiencing a new restaurant each week, grocery shopping on Tuesdays mornings and now a trip to Madafoo’s each Wednesday (either morning or afternoon), we find ourselves with more planned activities to anticipate. This is good.

The first private residence we encountered on the walk along the beach.

With ample dollars factored into our budget for dining out, its unnecessary to make any changes to the overall budget. Plus, we’d budgeted US $1000 for cab rides during our three month stay which would translate into taking a cab six out of seven days a week, highly unnecessary and unlikely. 

The savings at three times a week more than pays for the cost of the food, tax and tips at Madafoo’s on all Wednesdays going forward.

As we sat at a comfortable table drinking a beverage, engaged in the pleasing views while perusing their various menus items, we were content that this place is ideal for us. Hopefully, while visiting Madafoo’s  in the future, we’ll be able to download a few of our data hogging shows, further reducing the cost of the scratch off SIM cards. 

This hut was located at The Sails Restaurant, part of the Almanara Resort where we dined almost four weeks ago, still #1 on our favorites list.

Walking back a few hours later, we stopped at the local produce stand purchasing four eggplants and a bag of carrots at a total cost of US $1.14. Sweaty but invigorated from our walk, we were both happy to return to remove our sand filled shoes, to make a fresh glass of something cold and to continue our daily power lounging in our outdoor living room.

The waves were generally this size but occasionally, we saw a surfing worthy wave.
Bathers tentatively wading out into the sea, appearing mindful of the undertow and possible jellyfish and stingrays, less common here than on the beaches of Belize.

That’s it for today folks. With more photos than we can post in one day, we’ll return tomorrow with Part 2.

Part 2…The journey continues…Itinerary additions…

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Celebrity Solstice

Ship Rating:
The first ship to be a part of Celebrity’s Solstice class, the Celebrity Solstice features many of the personal amenities passengers have come to expect from Celebrity while carrying 2,850 passengers. Each of the ships in the Solstice class feature wireless Internet throughout, larger staterooms with flat screen televisions, spacious bathrooms, more storage space and plush European bedding. Balconies are available in 85% of the ship’s staterooms, and the Solstice-class ships include an exceptional range of guest-inspired services and amenities made possible due to the ships’ larger size. Spa-enthusiasts aboard the Celebrity Solstice can enjoy the 130 “AquaClass” veranda staterooms, with unlimited access to the Aqua Spa relaxation room and the Persian Garden, and exotic aromatherapy and steam room. AquaClass guests also receive exclusive complimentary dining in Blu, an intimate 130-seat specialty restaurant.
 Ship Statistics 
Year Built 2008
Tonnage 122,000 tons
Registry Malta
Length 1,033 feet
Beam 121 feet
Passenger Capacity 2,850
Crew Size 999
Total Inside Cabins 102
Total Outside Cabins 1,323
Cabins & Suites w/ verandas 1,177
Suites 56
Maximum Occupancy per room 5
Age Restrictions One person must be 21 or older
Dinner Seatings 2
Seating Assignments
in Main Dining Room		 Assigned
Dining Hours 6:15 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
Dining Room Dress Code Dining
Tipping Recommended? Yes
Tipping Guidelines Added to onboard account. $12.00 per person, per day in staterooms, $12.50 per person, per day for Concierge/Aqua class, $15.00 per person, per day for Suites. 15% tip included on beverage orders.
Onboard Currency US Dollar
Services & Amenities
Bars/Lounges 14
Beauty Salon/Barber Shop Yes
Casino Yes
Chapel No
Disco/Dancing Yes
Elevators Yes
Hot Tub 10
Cell Phone Service Yes
Internet Center Yes
Wireless Internet Access Yes
Note: Available in certain areas
Laundry/Dry Cleaning Yes
Library Yes
Movie Theatre Yes
Outdoor Movie Screen No
Onboard Weddings Yes
Self Serve Laundromats No
Shops Yes
Showroom Yes
Spa Yes
Video Arcade Yes
Fitness & Sports Facilities
Basketball Court Yes
Fitness Center Yes
Golf Driving Net No
Golf Simulator No
Ice Skating Rink No
Jogging Track Yes
Mini-Golf Course No
Rock Climbing Wall No
Swimming Pool 3
Tennis Court No
Water Sports Platform No
Cabin Features & Amenities
24-Hour Room Service Yes
Hair Dryer Yes
Safe Yes
Telephone Yes
Television Yes
Kids Facilities
Babysitting Yes
Children’s Playroom Yes
Kiddie Pool No
Supervised Youth Program Yes
Teen Center Yes
Special Needs & Requests
Adjoining Cabins
(private connecting doors)		 Yes
Kosher Meals Yes
Single Occupancy Cabins No
Single Share Program No
Wheelchair-Accessible Cabins 30

See below the text for more details about this ship and our booked cruise on September 23, 2014, one year from now.

First, an update on the recent terrorist attacks in Kenya:

Many of our friends have contacted us inquiring as to our safety after the horrific attacks on a shopping in Nairobi. We are saddened by the loss of life and the injuries sustained by many Kenyan residents and visitors. 

We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of those lost in the devastation and extend our wishes for healing and recovery for those injured. 

As for us, rest assured, we are far from the attacks, a 7-hour car ride, a one hour flight. Although we have no TV and can’t stream news due to data restrictions, we were abreast of the situation only hours after it commenced.

When we registered our travel itinerary with the US State Department many months ago, we couldn’t help but notice numerous warnings for travelers to stay out of discos and shopping malls, often targets for these heinous attacks. We have taken these warnings seriously with no intentions of visiting either a mall or disco.

Today, when once again we went grocery shopping, the gates to the small strip mall were closed, attended by armed guards, checking bags, packages, and trunks along with opening the door and looking at the passengers in the vehicles.  Alfred, our driver, made the transition relatively seamless, speaking in Swahili to the guards as we were waved on after the inspection of the vehicle.

The Nakumatt Grocery Store had several guards at the entrance but this has been the case each time we’ve shopped. As I entered to shop, I was “wanded” to ensure I had no concealed weapons.

When Tom walked upstairs in the strip mall to the SafariCom phone store to buy more SIM card scratch cards (to add more data to Hans’ Hotspot we’re using), armed guards stood in attendance at the door, wanding, checking ID and inspecting passports.

Well aware of the risks in Kenya before we booked our plans, it’s comforting to know, now that we’re here, that the Kenyan government takes these risks seriously. But, as we see, many scenarios are difficult to fully protect based on the carnage that occurred at the upscale mall this past weekend.

Tom and I also consider our safety with the utmost of concern, avoiding unguarded restaurants and points of interest. Yes, we are across the street from the Indian Ocean and had hoped to spend time walking the beach during the day. 

However, the risks on the secluded beaches are many and we choose to stay away. We’re able to see the beach when dining in resorts located on the ocean, all of which are guarded, none of which we will walk at night. 

In the realm of the recent events, our lives of travel seem so small and insignificant. Although we all carry on in our own lives, in light of the devastation around us, the memories lingering in our hearts and minds.

Now, on to the second leg of our newly booked travels. 

Yesterday, we left at the point whereby we traveled to Boston, MA, USA by cruise ship from London on our eventual path toward Hawaii where our kids and grandchildren will visit us on our rental house in Kona for Christmas.

1. September 17, 2014 to September 23, 2014:  Fly from Boston MA, USA to Vancouver,
British Columbia Canada (one way, under $250 each!),  where we’ll
stay for 6 nights touring this enchanting city.
2. September 23, 2014 to October 5, 2014 – Cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu, Hawaii
3. October 5, 2014 to December 1, 2014 – Rent a condo on the beach in Honolulu where we’ll stay until December 1, 2014
4.  December 1, 2014 – Fly from Honolulu to the Big Island of Hawaii where we’ll live in our rented house with our kids and grandchildren visiting for Christmas until January 15, 2015
5. January 15, 2015 – Fly to the island of Kauai, Hawaii where will live in a lovely oceanfront condo until May 15, 2015. 
By next May, we’ll begin booking beyond the above ending date, a full year in advance.
For now, we need to find a house to rent in England for a month, hotels for both Boston and Vancouver and a condo for Hawaii.  Once completed, we’ll
be fully booked through May 15, 2015, looking forward to planning the next
leg of our world journey.  At this point, we haven’t decided where we’d like
to go as we continue to discuss the endless exciting options.
Here are the details of the 2nd cruise we booked over the weekend from
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to Honolulu, Hawaii.  As usual, we
booked a balcony cabin on the starboard side to ensure the best views.

(Please excuse editing.  Each time we copy and paste cruse itineraries, they appear differently when pasted and are impossible to edit).

12 nights departing September 23, 2014 on
Celebrity’s Celebrity Solstice
Brochure Inside $2,799
Our Inside $1,324
You Save 53%
Brochure Oceanview $3,099
Our Oceanview $1,474
You Save 52%
Brochure Balcony $3,399
Our Balcony $1,699
You Save 50%
Brochure Suite $5,599
Our Suite $2,849
You Save 49%
$$$ Early booking bonus! Book now and receive a FREE US$100 per cabin onboard credit on select categories.
Promotions may not be combinable with all fares.
ITINERARY
DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE   DEPART
Tue Sep 23 Vancouver, BC, Canada 5:00pm
Wed Sep 24 At Sea
Thu Sep 25 At Sea
Fri Sep 26 At Sea
Sat Sep 27 At Sea
Sun Sep 28 At Sea
Mon Sep 29 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 1:00pm
Tue Sep 30 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 8:00pm
Wed Oct 1 Kilauea Volcano, HI (Cruising)
Wed Oct 1 Hilo, Hawaii, HI 11:00am 8:00pm
Thu Oct 2 Kona, Hawaii, HI 11:00am 8:00pm
Fri Oct 3 Lahaina, Maui, HI 8:00am
Sat Oct 4 Lahaina, Maui, HI 6:00pm
Sun Oct 5 Honolulu, Oahu, HI 7:00am
 

 


Charges







Cruise (includes port charges) 3,558.00
Government Taxes* 270.02
Pre-Paid Gratuities 288.00
 

 
Total Sale (US$) $ 4,116.02

*subject to change by the cruise line.


Payments








Paid To Type Amount
 

 

  

 

  

 
Celebrity CC 900.00
 

 
Total Payments (US$) $ 900.00
Balance Due (US$) $ 3,216.02


Final payment due July 1, 2014.
Additional expenses are incurred while cruising including Internet fees, alcoholic and other beverages (ice and hot tea and coffee are free of charge), purchases in the shops (a rare occurrence) and for the specialty restaurants which we may try from time to time.  In most cases, our bill, above and beyond the cost of the cruise itself, usually runs about $1200 for a two week cruise.  This additional expense is factored into our budget.As we book the house for a month in England and the almost two months in Honolulu, we’ll share the photos and details with you.  For now, the search continues.

Less than 2 days and counting…A little fear…A lot of excitement…

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Everything I own, except six pairs of shoes in a smaller bag, to be sucked into the Space bags.
A pile of clothes I’m offering to Lisa, owner of the house.  If they don’t fit or she doesn’t want them, perhaps she’ll give them to someone else.  It no longer bothers me to get rid of my stuff.  Bye, stuff!

A flutter of excitement began to waft over me this morning, as I ran from room to room, gathering, sorting, and planning. We’re on the move. In less than two days we’ll be out the door on three travel days to Africa, in itself a daunting task.

As a young girl I dreamed of Africa and now as a grown woman in my “golden years” I finally have the opportunity to fulfill that dream. Yes, it is wrought with some degree of fear. It’s all a part of the excitement.

Without a doubt, the flies will be chasing me longing for a morsel of my flesh, the mosquitos will be dining on our blood and, a wide array of dangerous and not-so-dangerous insects at times will run past our feet or across the bed at night. I read somewhere to pull down the sheets at night to inspect the bottom sheet for crawling things before climbing into bed. I’ve done that every night here in Tuscany.

The heat will be unbearable (we’ll be in Africa during their spring and summer), especially with no air conditioning, the dripping humidity, and rampant storms at times unpredictable.

We have no delusions. We go with our eyes wide open. In reality, living in the bug-infested, hot, humid mountains of Tuscany without air conditioning, without screens, and without overhead fans in the midst of summer was good practice. Adapting with modifications. Coins hanging in plastic bags over doorways. A floor fan. Keeping doors closed when a flying thing is buzzing inside. We figured it out.

For now, our thoughts center around safely arriving at our new home in Diani Beach, Kenya, where the hardships may or may not be considerably less than when three months later we head to Marloth Park, Kruger Park, South Africa, far from civilization, among the wildlife we so much anticipate.

We’re no worse for the wear. In our old lives, we turned on the AC in late May, never turning it off until September.  We rationalized it as hay fever prevention, mosquito reduction, and better for health, to be comfortable, to be cool.   

Little did we realize how willing, we both were for a change! Sure, we whined, mostly here to our readers, but less to one another, determined to maintain an air of acceptance and contentment between us. It’s worked.

In only a few days, we’ll have a four-hour layover between flights in Istanbul, Turkey, next door to Syria. Watching the news by the hour, we’re hopeful, if there is US involvement, it will wait until we safely reach our new home in Kenya. 

A few days ago, when Tom mentioned that our flight path from Istanbul will be in the flight path of military planes and missiles, making their way to intervene, I immediately brought up Google Maps to see the proximity to Istanbul, cringing at the result.

It was only three months ago that we were concerned about going out and about in Istanbul, ending up safely taking an excursion to Ephesus to see the ruins.  And now, once again we feel a bit of angst heading onto a four-hour layover and subsequent six-hour flight that passes through Turkey, so close to the war zone.

Trying to put such thoughts out of our minds is not possible. It helps to keep us on our toes, staying observant for possible risks, holding close our belongings, hanging close together, checking most of our bags. Once we’re settled, we’ll be at ease.

The packing continues, bit by bit.  My piles of clothing are neatly arranged, the vitamins packed out of sight, and nothing that would raise inquiry is in our carry on bags. Tom will pack today. Learning lessons from past experiences, we travel lighter, with no items drawing any attention to us in any way.  How we’ve learned! 

Thanks to Lisa and Luca, a very special couple, who’ve worked so hard to ensure our stay in their 300-year-old stone house a memorable experience who both focused on making our comfort and convenience their utmost concern.

Sunday morning, September 1st,  we’ll leave early for the half-day drive to Venice.  Once we arrive, we’ll post our arrival and any photos we’ve managed to take along the way. 

Monday morning, September 2nd, we’ll board the plane for the first of three flights to Kenya, arriving at 3:00 am on Tuesday. You won’t hear from us again, other than Sunday from Venice, until after we’re settled at our new home, late in the day on Tuesday. Most likely we’ll try to sleep for a few hours upon arrival. 

The time difference from Kenya to Minnesota, USA is eight hours, to Los Angeles, ten hours, to Boston, seven hours. 

Thus, we’ll be back on Sunday, in your inbox, or available by our link before midday.  See you then!

P.S.  Tom watched the Viking game this morning at 7:00 am. Now, the commercials are back in with the black screen during the time slot. The last box of the prescriptions did not arrive and we’ll notify the online pharmacy later today. We were able to keep the rental car for the duration. Santina is here as I write this, for the last time. It will be sad to say goodbye to this lovely woman. We agreed upon a generous, well-deserved tip.  Grazie, Santina!

On high alert…Traveler’s warnings…What’s our plan?…In 30 days, off to Kenya…

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A kindly reader of our blog posted a comment that we received overnight, inquiring as to our concern over traveling to Kenya with the recent embassy and consulate closings in countries all over the weekend. For the full article, please click here.

Yes, we’re concerned. How could we not be? It’s this level of concern that prompts us to do all we can to ensure our safety to the best of our ability. There are always unknowns.

Looking up stats on various countries worldwide, we see that Belize had a higher homicide rate per capita than Kenya. After spending almost three months living in Belize, aware of the risks, we never let our guard down, never taking our safety for granted.

Such will be the case when living in Kenya for a few days short of three months from September 3, 2013, to November 30, 2013, when we depart for South Africa. We’ll be exercising extreme caution, none of which is a guaranty of our safety but reduces the risks.

Having registered for the Smart Traveler Program at the US Department of State we’ll be receiving any warnings via email that may require us to leave Kenya or later South Africa if the tension in our area escalates.

A few portions of our travel plans to Kenya give rise to added concern; our arrival at the Mombasa Airport in the middle of the night and, the subsequent over one hour ride to our vacation rental in the middle of the night.  Most crime occurs in the dark in these high-risk areas.  Yes, we’ll be nervous until firmly ensconced in our new location. 

Have we considered changing our plans?  Yes, we have. But we’ll continue to carefully watch the world news, reports from the State Department, online posts and comments. Should these next few weeks bring rise to added concerns in the areas we plan to travel with warnings from the State Department to cancel travel plans, we’ll do so. 

We realize that doing so will cost us around $6000 from loss of paid-in-advance rent and non-refundable airfare. This is a big loss to incur but our safety supersedes money, doesn’t it?

What plans do we have in place to ensure our safety, the reader inquired?  Here are what we have thus far:

1.  Destination contact:  We’ve established a plan with my sister that we will notify her by email when we depart any area and immediately when we arrive, having provided her with the address, contact person’s name, phone, and email plus travel arrangement information for our destination. If she doesn’t hear from us within 12 hours of our estimated arrival time, she is to begin the process of finding out what’s happened to us, contacting the embassy, state department, etc.  (if we have airport delays we will contact her as they occur).
2.  No rental car. We’ve been made well aware that driving in Kenya can be risky, even in the tourist area we’ll be living. Once arriving, we’ll make arrangements with a driver for weekly trips for shopping, daytime dining out and any touring.
3.  Deciding on safari trips based on safety in a specific area, airports, etc.  The property owner suggested we wait until we arrive to decide on safaris as he will assist us in making arrangements with people he knows and trusts.
4.  News updates: With no TV at the property (as we have here in Italy with a few English speaking news stations:  BBC, France 24, and CNBC, we’ll be watching news updates on our computers on a daily basis.
5.  No venturing out after dark. Period. 
6.  No wearing of jewelry, watches, any items that may attract attention. 
7.  Dressing “down” when out during the day, jeans, shorts, tee shirts, no clothing that attracts attention.
8.  Keeping money and documents secure at all times. We carry very little cash, mostly using credit cards.
9.  Staying together at all times when out and about.
10. Never, ever, loosening our guidelines for what appears to be “special circumstances.” Neither of us is naïve.  It is unlikely that we’d fall prey to some “scammer” attempting to divert our attention. Keep walking, don’t make eye contact, be guarded with confidence and astuteness.

There is nothing anyone can do to be exempt from danger. Where we lived in Minnesota it was only a 30-minute drive to an area where one wouldn’t dare get out of their car at night, let alone during the day.  Tom’s mother’s home in a less desirable area in North Minneapolis had bullet holes in it when it was finally taken by the city by eminent domain. 

Over the years, while she still lived in the house, he and the family worried that she could fall prey to drive-by shootings occurring all over the neighborhood. Luckily, she got out in time, living to be a healthy 98 years old. 

There are risks wherever one may be at any given moment; a movie theatre in Colorado, a train in France, or running a marathon in Boston, MA.  We can only hope and pray for safety, exercising caution to the best of our ability while allowing ourselves the privilege of reveling in every moment of our world travels

Ephesus Turkey ruins, history, and a very odd touch of modern day…What?…A fashion show!…

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Here we are, in front of more historic ruins, Ephesus.  This photo is rather similar to the photo of us in front of Petra in Aqaba, Jordan.
Note:  Today, our ship was scheduled to arrive in Piraeus, Greece with many tours scheduled to go to Athens. We had decided to travel on our own while there.  Last night during dinner, the captain announced that we werenot going to Greece after all. Apparently, as of yesterday, there was a massive strike in Greece resulting in a standstill of all public transportation and services including all port facilities. 
The view from our balcony as we entered the city of Izmir, Turkey.

Many passengers, bound and determined to see the Acropolis and other ruins are sorely disappointed. We chalk it up to all a part of the adventure, especially when tomorrow morning, we’ll be in Dubrovnik, Croatia, the historic walled city. Dubrovnik was not a part of the planned Ports of Call.

Time for cattle herding time to Ephesus. Moo.
Actually, we’re enthused for the opportunity to see Croatia after hearing so much about it from many passengers on our previous cruises, as a favored stop.
At sea today, we have no option but to use the ship’s WiFi to post the many photos today from our visit to Ephesus yesterday. 
Tom reminded me these are called “containers” not “cartons” as I erroneously referred to them.

Fact about Ephesus:

·    Ephesus is considered one of the greatest outdoor museums in Turkey.

Ephesus is the most well preserved classical city of the eastern Mediterranean, allowing visitors to soak in the atmosphere of Roman times.
Ephesus was once a seaport is now six miles from the sea.
The ancient city continues to be restored in a manner of fitting pieces of a massive puzzle in place.  It could take hundreds of years to complete it.
The Celsius Library in its day was the third largest library in the world with a capacity of 12,000 scrolls.  The facade of the library has two stories, but the interior has three stories due to its origi
The toilets in Ephesus were arranged side by side (photos below) with no privacy.  The toilet stones were heated by the slaves for their masters in the winter.
The Grand Theatre in Ephesus had a seating capacity of 24,000, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
There is an underground passage to the brothel on Marbel Street in Ephesus.
The  first church dedicated to the Virgin Mary is in Ephesus.  The 3rd Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus was held at the Church of the Virgin Mary and is known as one of the seven churches of the Apocalypse.  Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life in Turkey, in a small cottage near Ephesus, visited by Pope Paul, the 6th and Pope Jean-Paul
.
St. Paul, the Apostle gave lectures in the Tyrannus Hall and the synagogue in Ephesus for two years in his third missionary journey.
Seven Christians who fled Ephesus are believed to have slept in a cave nearby for 200 years.
Cleopatra spent her honeymoon with Antonius in Ephesus in the winter of the year 188. 
Izmir is an older city with its buildings less modern than other major cities we’ve seen.
The hillside on the drive to Ephesus could have been any hillside in any part of the world with no defining Turkish markers.
The vendors were ready for us as our bus pulled into the Ephesus parking area.

Our safety in Izmir, Turkey was of utmost concern. Apparently, Norwegian Cruise lines felt the same way, instructing all tour vehicles to avoid the dangerous areas of the city as they made their way to various points of interest, most of which was the one-hour bus ride to the ancient city of Ephesus.

Once on the road, we felt safe except for the few minutes when we departed that our
bus driver couldn’t find his way out the parking lots at the port.  

The old rickety bus bounced along on the hour drive, stopping once for a pit stop at a shopping area where overly zealous vendors watched our eyes for interest in any of their wares.  We kept our sunglasses on as we waited in the line to use the facilities in an effort to avoid eye contact, which we were warned was a dead giveaway. 
Ephesus required a two-hour walk on extremely uneven stones, slippery chunks of granite
and marble and a mixture of odd-shaped rocks and surfaces.  Tourists everywhere added to the difficulty of the walk, some tripping, some falling and many lagging behind our well
informed but difficult to understand tour guide, Nadia.
As our long walk began with a series of similar ruins.
Never miss a photo op at the ruins.

Wearing two-way radios on strings around our necks with an earpiece, we were able to adjust the volume as we walked through the area, losing the connection if we were too far ahead or behind.  Tom and I preferred to work our way through the crowds and stay ahead most of the time, although we didn’t miss anything.

Ornate rock.

Having seen Petra in Aqaba, Jordan, in May, our expectations were high. Had we not seen Petra, we would have been enthralled with Ephesus. Interesting? Yes. Profoundly so?  Not as much.

No more than 20 minutes into the tour, we both acknowledged that touring in a bus-sized group was not our thing. In the future, we decided that we are willing to pay more to either tour in a
small group of six or less, with our own guide or on our own. This “group thing” is not for us,
missing so much of the personal experience in the process.  

Varying stones were used to avoid a slippery surface. 
The ridges on the marble were etched to reduce the slippery aspect to provide traction for the iron wheels on the chario
The original medical insignia.
Another well-preserved work.
Perhaps, the craftsmen spent their lifetime creating these works.
Its hard to imagine the lives of the citizens during this era.
This piece was one of the most appealing having survived for centuries.
Decorative archway.
Decorative pillars and structures.
Ornate design.
The crowd was so thick at times it was hard to walk.
It was hard to believe how many people were there.
Some ornate design remains.
Check out this handiwork!
Its amazing this is still here!
Work yet to be completed.
The trough at the toilets.
Yes, these are toilets but with not much privacy!
The Celsius Library.
The crowds.
More ruins to be restored.
More work yet to be completed.

  

It was hard to find a good spot for our photo.
Feeling well again, the long walk was easy.
It was difficult to take photos without including other unknown tourists.
Lots of people.
The Celsius Library bears some resemblance to the Treasury in Petra.  But it is not nearly as magnificent.
At the Celsius Library.
It could be centuries before they piece together these stones.
In a way, we’re becoming a little bored with ruins, having seen so many in our travels.
More impressive ruins.
What was the purpose of these narrow spaces?
It will take many years to complete the piecing together of the ruins.
This is the road Cleopatra traveled while on her honeymoon in 188.
 Steps from the Great Theatre to the road below.
These original roads led to the Great Theatre.
Another view of the Great Theatre.
The Great Theatre view.
 The Great Theatre.
Oddly, as we began the bus ride back to the ship, we stopped at a local leather purveyor, expecting a primitive factory with workers pounding away on leather products. Instead, we were herded into a newer fancy pillared Greek styled building to a darkened room to be seated in
comfy theatre seats surrounding a t-shaped stage. 
The tree lined walk back to the bus.
Alas, a grouping of professional good looking, well-dressed models began parading the neon
lighted “catwalk” in what proved to be a contemporary fashion show, as one would see in Paris or Milan, all wearing expensive leather jackets, fur coats, and other leather goods.  

We were given a checklist on which to mark our numbered items of interest. Loud popular music blared in the background as the models, both female and male pranced down the runway, one after another, to quickly change backstage to yet another enticing outfit. 
Models prancing the runway in leather jackets.

How ironic.  Here we were, our brains wrapped around a classic Roman lifestyle from over 2000 years ago only minutes ago to a pop fashion show.  After the show, two large wooden doors opened to a huge showroom where the leather goods were displayed in a manner one would expect in an exclusive store.

There was no way out!  All 40 of us were trapped in this showroom while the owner tried to convince us, extolling the quality of their handmade laser leather products, to purchase their expensive products many upwards of US $1200.

How odd, that we were sitting there!  We just left a historical site and now we’re at a mandatory fashion show.  We’ll surely be writing the cruise line about this!

We couldn’t get out of there quickly enough. The captive audience listened while Tom and I sought the most available exit to hurriedly make our way out the door, relieved to be outside at
last. I must admit I enjoyed the fashion show so out of place in our historical day, but the trip inside the showroom made me want to scream. 

Passengers were brought onto the stage “to perform.” Not us!

With no practical way in which to avoid the crowds in these historic spots, at least in the future, we can go at our own pace.  In Turkey, with the dangers surrounding the rioting, it seemed to make sense to travel in a large group. Returning back to the ship by 5:45, we were anxious to shower and head to dinner in the Windows Dining Room.

The leather showroom where we were herded to make purchased. Not one passenger on our bus made a purchase.

We dined with a fabulous couple last night, Deanna and Wally, having the time of our lives, finally clearing out the dining room after 10:00 pm. Tonight, we’ll meet up with them again for yet another expected evening of incessant laughter and endless storytelling.  What a social cruise this has been for us!

The sky began to cloud over on our return to the ship.

After a long and event-filled day, we languished in our cabin, blissfully tired and pleased with another great day. 

Older buildings lined the highway.
For the first time on this entire cruise, now on our 10th day, we had rough seas last night as winds howled in the 55-60 MPH range, the ship rolling to and fro. Now, as more experienced cruisers, especially after the 50 foot waves on the Norwegian Epic in late April, we gave it little
thought to allow the rocking to lull us to sleep.
It began to rain shortly before we arrive at the pier to board yet another shuttle to get us closer to the ship.
Today, a sea day on our way to Croatia, we look forward to our last few days on the Norwegian Spirit and then of course, in three days, beginning our half-day drive to our future home in Tuscany for the summer.  Ah, life is good.

Izmir, Turkey excursion today…Off to see Ephesus…Rioting in the area…

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For news on Izmir, Turkey, please click here.

Last evening, as our ship the Norwegian Spirit, pulled away from the pier in Istanbul, Turkey.
Turkey’s interesting architecture.

At 11:30 am this morning, Turkey time,  which is eight hours later than the US Midwest, ten hours later than the West Coast, our ship will dock in Izmir.

Feeling a bit concerned about visiting Istanbul, Turkey we stayed behind yesterday planning to visit Izmir, Turkey today on a prepaid excursion, feeling an organized excursion would be safer than wandering around on our own.
We took these photos facing the sun as it set yesterday in Istanbul.
Our new friends, Nicole and Gerry had called yesterday, asking if Nicole could join Tom and I since Gerry sprained his ankle and won’t be able to go on the tour to Ephesus after all. Of course, we’d love for Nicole to join us. We planned to meet at the designated meeting area at 11:45 this morning. 
The excursion is scheduled to depart around 12:15 pm, returning to the ship at 5:30 pm. 
A haze obstructed the view as the sun was setting, a combination of heat and pollution, a result of the big city along the sea.

Last night, after attending yet another Latitudes members cocktail party in the Galaxy of the Stars venue at 7:00 pm, later dining in Windows Dining Room, another wonderful evening was behind us. Dining alone for a change we chattered on about our experiences thus far and our dreams for the future, albeit some of which is uncertain which much to our surprise, is fine with us.

The spires of the many mosques dotted the skyline in Istanbul.
Returning to our cabin around 10:00 pm, typical for us since we awaken quite early, we found these two items on the bed:
This adorable frog was sitting on our bed last night when we returned from dinner, made from one of our beach towels and a few washcloths!
This letter was on our bed last night when we returned from dinner.

Feeling committed to our non-refundable tickets and our plan to meet up with Nicole for the excursion, we decided to forge ahead. When in the future with so much “world” left to see when would we ever return to Turkey?

Most likely we’ll be safe. Wouldn’t it be great if our Uzi welding, security guard, Mohammad from Egypt, was riding on our bus and following us around! 
Ironically, there I was writing yesterday, providing all the reasons to avoid risk and here we are today, walking right into it.  So off we go today, camera in hand, ready to shoot what we hope will be better photos of our expedition as we explore the ancient city of Ephesus.

It’s a one hour drive each way to Ephesus, where we’ll spend approximately three hours.  I’m hoping it’s as exciting as Petra minus the difficult three-hour walk uphill half of the way.  In any case, if we prove to be safe, I’ll crawl through mud to return without incident (and take photos of that as well).

We’ll be back tomorrow with our story, hopefully safe and sound and grateful for yet another enriching experience as we continue on in our worldwide adventures.

Ancient buildings at every juncture.
Goodbye Istanbul.  May your citizens (and visitors) be safe from harm.

Istanbul, Turkey…Story and photos…

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Mosques and churches are abundant in Istanbul.
What a view of Istanbul!
The contrast between old and new is breathtaking in Istanbul.

It was not an easy decision, deciding not to visit Istanbul, Turkey today. Tomorrow, while our ship will have docked in Izmir, Turkey we are going on an excursion to Ephesus, not returning until late in the day, posting the story and photos on Thursday. 

As our ship overlooks this magnificent city, it is quite tempting, to simply walk off the ship and venture out on our own.  From the information provided to us by the excursion desk, it’s about a 30 minutes vigorous walk through the city to arrive at the mosques, the Grand Bazaar, the Underground Cistern, and many other renowned historical sites of interest.
We were able to zoom in on many historic sites from the deck of the ship.
Google Maps
Taksim Square wherein lies the political unrest in Istanbul, Turkey, is across the bridge from the Blue Mosque.  The far-left point of the blue line is the Port of Istanbul.  The end point of the blue line toward the right is the Blue Mosque and an area of most of the tourist attractions, a little too close for comfort by our commitment to safety.

Staying behind is not based on fear as much as on practicality and logical thinking. Most likely, if we did go out, we’d be safe. The odds are in our favor.
Honestly, it’s more my being cautious than Tom. 

Looming in my mind is all the bus bombings and terrorist attacks that have occurred whereby tourists have been killed, injured, and captured. In many ways, Turkey is safer than in many other countries.  But, in our own US, who would have thought the Boston Marathon would be a high-risk area, on that particular horrifying day?

When we planned this year’s long adventure, we made a commitment to each other: we will protect ourselves from the “things we do know” since we have no control over “the things we don’t know.”

Today, Istanbul falls into the category of “things we do know.” Thus, we stay behind, perhaps viewed as overly cautious and “chicken” by some and sensible by others.  Whichever the case, we’ve made peace with our decision.

Here again, old and new intertwined in Istanbul, Turkey.

We reminded ourselves that only four weeks ago, we traveled the Middle East, visiting many high-risk areas, reveling in the adventure of it all, grateful for the experience.  We’re not pushing our luck to see yet more mosques, shopping areas and historical buildings, however magnificent they may be.

We find this French style of architecture not only in parts of the US, but in other cities throughout the world.

We remind ourselves of our personal travel objectives: to focus our time, money, and energy experiencing amazing wildlife, vegetation, natural wonders. And most of all, living in and learning the culture of people all over the world.  This makes us happy.  Historical buildings?  Nice to see, but not as life-changing for us as it may be for others.

This simple church spire adds to the Istanbul skyline.

The Panama Canal, Petra, and Mykonos tell us a story that fills our hearts and minds with awe and joy.  Wearing the burka and thobe in Abu Dhabi visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque gave us a gift of cultural differences that will remain with us forever. 

Mingling with the Mayan people, eating their food from their shops and markets in Belize was so meaningful to us.  Tom getting a haircut from a Creole barber while sitting under a tree on a plastic chair atop cement blocks was a delightful experience for us both. 
Also, on our trip to the Monkey River in Belize, seeing the howler monkeys, the manatees, crocodiles, dolphins, the unusual birds and vegetation, the likes of which we’d never seen before, left us reeling with pure pleasure.  And, the lunch at Alice’s Restaurant will be etched in our minds forever, as Alice and her family ran circles around us to serve us their perfect version of local lunch.

Who’s to say what “trips one’s trigger?”  Luckily, both of us have similar expectations.  Five days from today, we’ll plant our feet in Italy for the summer, living for two and half months in a non-English speaking area, learning their ways of daily life, eating their locally grown foods, attending their summer festivities, enjoying their rolling hillside all the while and making friends along the way.

The Port of Istanbul, where we sit today, a 20-minute walk from the unrest in Taksim Square.

Yes, we are doing what we want, when we want, what feels safe to us while enriching our lives daily to the world around us. It’s not perfect.  It never will be.  But for us, this, our friends, is as good as it gets.

Sea day…On our way to Mykonos Greece, arriving in the morning…

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No photos today due to poor Internet connection on a sea day with many passengers on the ship using WiFi.

On our prior seven cruises since 1/3/2013, our captains were rather chatty, announcing destinations, weather condition, points of interest plus generally anything at all that may peak the curiosity of the passengers and crew. Not so much here on the Norwegian Spirit. 

He’d hardly said “boo” until today when we attended a “Latitudes” members only, cocktail party at 1:00 pm for the 419 passengers on board who have attained a certain number of points starting at Bronze, then to Silver, Gold and ultimately to Platinum. 

Currently, we are Silver members, but when this cruise ends, we’ll be Gold members, allowing certain privileges, none of which are relevant to us at this point, other than the 15 minutes of free Internet time and invitations to a few cocktail parties with free drinks and appetizers.

Thus, today at the party, the captain finally spoke at the party as many of us eagerly await the cruise line’s decision to as to whether or not we’ll be allowed to get off the ship safely in Istanbul with the news of ongoing
civil unrest. He didn’t provide us with a definitive answer at this point. From there, we’ll have to make of our own decision, should they give us the “go ahead,” as to whether or not we’ll choose to get off the ship to tour
Istanbul.  With all the amazing comments we’ve heard, we’d love to see Istanbul.

However, if we can’t get off the ship in Istanbul in a few days, we’ll hopefully be able to venture out in Izmir, Turkey in order to take advantage of the tour to Ephesus, supposedly comparable in its wonders to Petra, Jordan, my favorite all time places to visit since we began our travels over seven months ago.

We’ve made it through the Middle East without incident (aside from illness), one would think an eastern Mediterranean cruise would be relatively safe. But, as we continue to watch the BBC world news daily (only news we can get on the TV), violence continues to rage everywhere in the world, including in the US (based on the latest shootings in Los Angeles county a few days ago). 

Tom and I have a theory that perhaps some share with us: that the terror throughout the world has been going on for years and its only the media’s constant announcements of these events that bring it forefront in our minds.  “World at War” then and “World at War” now, generation after generation, leaving each civilization suffering the ravages of political, religious and social unrest. 

When will it ever end? Never. As long as humans have the ability to think, to be coerced and manipulated and to strongly uphold their  beliefs, right or wrong in society’s view, this state of terrifying expression will continue, leaving those in its wake at dangerous risk. 

Drive-by shootings occurred only 1/2 hour from us in our “old lives.”  We chose to avoid these areas as much as we possibly could. Tom’s mother, a dear woman, passed away in 2008, having spent many years living in that kind neighborhood. In many cases, it’s poverty that increased the risks in certain areas. Perhaps, in many of these worldwide high risk areas, it’s not only the criminals, but where you happen to be at any given time.

Tom and I don’t know any “high risk” people (that we’re aware of) but we’ve increased our exposure as to where we will happen to be at any given moment.  We proceed with caution…possessing a desire not to diminish our experiences while we continue to grow our range of experiences.

After all, in the past month we’ve been to Egypt, Jordan, the Suez Canal, the Gulf of Aden, Strait of Hormuz, United Arab Emirates plus we’ve traveled past Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iran, Yemen and Oman, albeit with a bit of adventure, coming out safely on the other side, having loved every moment while feeling safe most of the time.

Soon, we’ll know how as to the safety of visiting Istanbul, Turkey deciding from there our course of action and sharing it all with you here.

Tonight, a dress-up night on a sea day, we’ve been invited to join a party of four from the US for dinner in the Windows dining room. With our dressy clothing long gone to lighten our load, we’ll make the best of it, me in a casual long dress, spruced up with accessories and Tom, in black long sleeved dress shirt and dress pants.
With this as our last cruise for the next 17 or more months, we’re at ease to no longer hauling dress up clothing. 

Updates: Xcom Global responded to our frantic inquiries, explaining they have reset the MiFi and it should be working by tomorrow morning. Secondly, the property owners of the house in Tuscany have graciously agreed to accept our credit card payment for the two and a half month rental, making paying the balance much easier for us. Plus on the 16th, they’ll meet us at the property at 3:00 pm to let us in and familiarize us as to how everything works. 
Moving right along, photos coming after tomorrow’s visit to Mykonos, Greece!

Scary news in Egypt and Istanbul…Preparations to leave Dubai…

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This morning when we both logged in to our computers, we each had received emails and Facebook entries about a warning from US Department of State about travelers intending on visiting the Pyramids.

Please click on this link for the news story about Egypt. Please click on this link for the news story on Istanbul, Turkey.

Thankfully, Egypt is behind us now with no plans to return. As for Istanbul, our upcoming cruise beginning next Tuesday, June 4th has listed Istanbul as a port of call along the way. 

With many cruise passengers raving as to how much they loved visiting Istanbul we’ve been excited for a day trip on our own, hiring our own driver rather than going on an excursion. We shall see how this rolls out.

With the cruise industry on pins and needles with the many recent incidences, we doubt they’ll risk any lives, stopping at this port if there is danger to their passengers and ship. Of course, regardless of their decision we will exercise the utmost caution, deciding not to get off the ship if the unrest has continued.

People have asked us if we are able to get news. We are. We watch the English speaking news each day, especially noting the news for areas we’re yet to visit.

As we wind down our last two nights in Dubai, finally feeling better, the laundry and packing begins today.  Yesterday afternoon, we made our final trip to the grocery store for breakfast and dinner food for these last two days spending US $54. 

Of our total 13 nights in Dubai our total grocery bill was $245, eating two meals a day, nuts and veggie snacks.  Our dining out bill was $89 for the three  breakfasts at the Tamani Hotel. 

We’d budgeted $800 for groceries and dining out during this period. Had we not been sick, we’d probably would have gone out to dinner a few times. We’ll roll the $466 credit into this next cruise, as we realized we hadn’t budgeted enough for the stops at many ports of call. 

Plus, on this upcoming cruise on the Norwegian Spirit, there is an automatic $24 per day charge added daily to our bill for tips. Some of our previous cruises had included the tips in the purchase price. We pay it one way or another with no objection on our part. The hard working staff on cruises are paid very little and dependent upon the tips to send money home to their families.

We’ve noticed dozens of people in line at the customer service desk on most of our cruises to have the tips removed from their bill if they’re dissatisfied with the service. 

We wondered if so many passengers had bad service when overall service was excellent on most of our seven cruises or, are passengers feeling they shouldn’t have to pay tips? Our philosophy is simple: if one can afford to go on a cruise, tipping is a part of the experience. 

We’ve tipped the bartenders as we order drinks, finding themselves “loading” Tom’s cocktails more generously when they know a tip is imminent and we tip cabin attendants the day before disembarking. We aren’t unique in doing so. This is common practice. 

So, off I go to the bedroom to make the piles of my clothing to be “sucked” with our portable vacuum into the Space Bags. In a determined effort to be rid of two duffel bags, I’ve made a pile of clothing I’ll say goodbye to, some I’ll miss, others I won’t. 

At this point, Tom doesn’t have to dispose of anything unless, of course, he wants to give me a little of his space. Ha!