4/29/06 Eastern Magic...We're Going!!!!!

[carolina_yankee]

Oh Reverand one, so you haven't been lurking here all the time - if you had been you would have caught the enormously long winded discussion on this topic. I have a water tight pouch bag for the camera with a see through area. Aquapacs make them and I bought a cheaper one that I am slipping on the name of it. I got it at REI.

Your plan B is very, very bad! They watch for this and then steal them out of the trunks. Coki beach is also known for this.

Yep - I'm a very trusting person - having not ever really been taken advantage of. But I think there's something about not putting someone to the test . . . .

Thanks for the heads up - those were the words I needed to not take any chances. I've got water wallets for the passport, etc; but we may just tag-team our swimming. The camera will defnitely be needed for photos (though I might take small digi-cam and leave the RebelXT on board). Have to think that through a bit.

A friend warned to not let anyone see what we put into the trunk. What about the lockers at Megans Bay - wouldn't they be safe?

 

[carolina_yankee]

I have a water tight pouch bag for the camera with a see through area. Aquapacs make them and I bought a cheaper one that I am slipping on the name of it. I got it at REI.

OK - CG - I found an Aquapac at B&H Photo for 50 cents less than REI. What a deal! Fortunately, I also needed a table-top tripod so I was going to order from B&H anyway. That, plus some other things means I'm going to have UPS and Fed-Ex lining up at the door on Wednesday. I love the internet. Sadly, the cost of expedited shipping isn't much more than 100 miles of gas for a round trip to REI.

Anyway, camera will be safe and Jim and can swim together. A good thing since he scowled at me when I suggest tag team swimming on the islands. He has gils instead of lungs.

 

[mketting]

I'm in the final countdown hyper stage here. We leave Wed. at 6:00am and tomorrow is fully packed with things to do . I am heading out to Walmart in a few minutes to get the last of the last few things we need.

Thank you all for making this vacation enjoyable before it ever began for the past many, many months.

 

[Belle and Rella's Dad]

Michelle,

Travel safe and we will see you on board.

Tom

 

[GrumpyC.Hook]

Ok I am kinda freaking out at this point and not sure what to do and hoping someone here can help me!

My hotel just told me that the shuttle won't pick me up until almost 12 and then stops at 2 more hotels. How much do you think a taxi would cost me if its 7 miles to the Port?

I am not sure spending what i am for the hotel to stay and keep the car there is worth it now if i can't get a ride to the port in a timely fashion.

What should i do?

Help

 

[DesperateDisneyHW]

True story for you guys...(Tom and Pj will love this)

The other day I was at THEEGGMAN'S house for dinner.I reached over a candle to get some bread,when all of a sudden I smelt something burning(insert a one eye browed,banan hamock wearing, and this is the part that gave me trouble,LONG HAIRY ARMED Portuguese man)My arm hair was on fire .With all the years of my fire training I knew what I had to do.STOP, DROP AND ROLL The EGGMAN was quick to get to the kitchen sink and hose my arm down.All is good.






Tom, that was the result of a candle--can you imagine Steve cooking with a grill? Yeah...yeah...you guessed it! Steve once singed his eyebrows lighting the ****grill! After the smoke cleared and I realized that he could still see me...I laughed my head off. A little ironic that he's a fireman--and a good one at that!

Tatonka--don't give them too many stories before the cruise. What will we ever have to laugh about??

Suzie-enjoy yourself during your mani/pedicure! A girl has to spoil herself every now and again! Oh--and Mexican...girl what were you thinking? True story-I went into labor with my 2nd child after eating Mexican. Powerful stuff!

Kids are packed. Not me yet. Steve will wait until 2 hours before and have way less stress than me.

Good night all!
Shan

 

[Snoopyto]

Amy- When I unbooked at Radisson they had no availability. I just checked the Residence Inn website and they have rooms available, including Govt and Senior rooms.

Things are slowly coming together now. Had some face time for the boss and think he has realized I am burnin out. Even encouraged me to leave the Bberry at home. It lowered some of the guilt level. Then he reminded me that Administrative Assistant's day is Wednesday. My #2 is a Master Gardner so flowers are out, so thinking gift certificate to a day spa.

 

[castlegazer]

Call a cab - but I am only guessing it will be in the $12 range. But 7 miles is a lot longer than what I have to go so it may be really off. The Radisson is full that night so you may be stuck.

Dirk - congrats on the spending spree! Those Aquapacs are very cool. Mine is not so cool, but at least I know it won't get sand in it or water splashes.

I didn't use the lockers at Megan's Bay so I can't say, but they must be OK. My husband and I stayed very close to our stuff and we didn't really bring a camera last time we went. An error I will fix this time around.

Shan, my kids are packed too. But sadly, it's me who is kinda half or maybe more like 3/4 packed. I am a lot less stressed tonight about it, though. I just was bill paying on-line (a first for me and something I should have been doing LONG ago).

 

[tiggersister2]

Castlegazer : Thank you ever so much for the wonderful birthday greetings - it really put a big smile on my face !!!!!!!!!

GrumpyCHook: I have arranged to contact Snoopy2 when we get settled at our hotel - if we are feeling great and up to going out we'd love to stop by and say hi Thanks for the invite!

 

[GrumpyC.Hook]

Thanks for the quick response, we have so many bags and two of us that we will never fit it in a cab, we found an Annual Pass Discount at Coronado Springs so we are going to stay there on Friday and drive to the Port Saturday Morning early.

Tiggersisters. I had to back out due to the change in hotel and location so i hope you meet up with Snoopyto! I'll see you on board!

I can't believe we will be staying at CS we wanted to stay there so many times and now we can even just 1 night is cool!

Ok i need to go to bed, i have to call the General Manager at the original Hotel and discuss with them how customer service should work. and why I am not happy with how i was treated this evening. This is why i travel only to disney and prefer their hotels. I LOVE the service!

To all those leaving tomorrow and wednesday Safe Travels and have a wonderful time!

 

[The Roses]

True story for you guys...(Tom and Pj will love this)

The other day I was at THEEGGMAN'S house for dinner.I reached over a candle to get some bread,when all of a sudden I smelt something burning(insert a one eye browed,banan hamock wearing, and this is the part that gave me trouble,LONG HAIRY ARMED Portuguese man)My arm hair was on fire .With all the years of my fire training I knew what I had to do.STOP, DROP AND ROLL The EGGMAN was quick to get to the kitchen sink and hose my arm down.All is good.

We're jammin' out to Jimmy Buffet and Harry Belfonte while we're packing. Gets us in the cruise mood! We may have to go pick up a few JB CDs for verandah tunes!

The Pirate is burning books on tape for the all-day flight across the country. I'm planning on drinking and reading trashy magazines. Every once in a while I cringe thinking of the pile of professional reading that I vowed to get thru, but oooohhh nooooo, I'll be the one reading "Woman Gives Birth to Live Baby Elephant" from the Star.

The Roses

 

[hccb]

Yikie Poo! You all are already packed or packing!! I still have laundry to do, small shopping to do and all the packing! I guess I'd better stop pretending I actually have time....

I feel kinda guilty for not getting involved up here in the HUGE thread of friends, but I must be completely honest(and thanks to Castlegazer for welcoming me up here twice, so thoughtful of you)...my husband and I are on complete burnout. We, I, are barely hanging on and we don't have a particular desire to be out and about and social. You know what I mean? We need so very much the time we are looking forward to be granted on the ship. That's why we booked the Cat. 3 to begin with-we are crossing our fingers that the kiddos disappear into the clubs and we can sit on our verandah and watch the ocean pass by. We've lost touch, we've become exhausted, and we need a weeks worth of dates to recharge.

So with that, I wish each and every single one of you a fabulous trip. I know you'll have plenty of laughs and memories shared and created together. You all are obviously a wonderful bunch, if you catch me wandering out of our nest(8532), say hello! I'll be glad to walk with you to the elevator and share some time on the ride to wherever

See you at the terminal y'all!

Oh, by the by, did you see that we are forcasted 40-60% chance of rain on St. Maarten and St. Thomas?!! Can you stand it? I can't....but then again, not much surprises me anymore

Last by the by, thank you for letting me lurk and ask a few boring questions down below in the questions forum. I've learned so much. So much that I actually feel prepared for this wonderful adventure.

Now, if I can just get the toosh in gear and get those bags packed. HEY! I know! I won't worry about the ironing before hand and just send the whole lot out to be pressed. TA DA!

LYMI!

 

[PhillyJen2006]

 

[PhillyJen2006]

hccb-Don't worry-I am not even close to being packed yet. That will not occur until I get my house cleaned. Probably sometime on Thursday morning.....or Friday morning for that matter(it has been known to happen!)

Please do not feel guilty about wanted to be alone with hubby! The fact that you recognize that is the most important thing! Sometimes I just can't believe how long we can go between date nights and time alone and still claim that we know each other!! We do have date nights quite often, even if it is watching a movie after the kids go to bed, and it really improves the relationship and the overall mood around the house! Have a ball!

PS-we know that is just your really nice way of saying...."Hang out with you freaks? No WAY!!!" What you will find on the cruise-since we have been thru this before, is that this thread provides an opportunity for you to meet people on the cruise that you will inevitably run into either on excursions or at a lounge. We hit it off last time with a few people, a few people we didn't but thankfully there was no pressure to hang as one giant unit all week!(that just sounds bad)....Perhaps that should be the tag line for SteveMed's new movie!!!

Hannah is having some dental work(need to big glass of wine for the whole story and it is 7:am...) this morning, of course this dentist is very hard to get into-otherwise I wouldn't have planned this for today.

Safe travels to all of you leaving today or early tommorow. Think of us slackers who haven't even rounded up all the suitcases yet!

Oh-and the weather- Caribbean weather reports are different than ours. I don't remember where you are from hccb but if it is somewhere like CNY or that type of place-40-60% rain means it will probably rain all day. In the caribbean-truly partly cloudy means there might be a cloud in the sky, there may be a drop of rain that falls.....I wouldn't worry about the rain! Have fun! I am not a weather girl-I just wish I played one on tv...except at the Weather Channel-have you noticed they are ALWAYS pregnant?

PJ

 

[carolina_yankee]

Good morning everyone.

Where's the Big 4 countdown? I've got two long days and need to know they're coming to an end!!

HCCB - I wouldn't worry about the weather forecast too much, yet. St. Thomas looks like scattered showers (10 day Weather Channel forecast), so that's likely to change several times until we get there. I'm also wondering if it's like summer in Florida. Everything's fine until 4, and then the sky falls. IF so, we should be close to getting back on board since we have a 4:30 departure.

I can't find a long range forecast for St. Martin. Do you have a good source? It's hidden on the Weather Channel's website, and Weather Underground only does 5 days. Even so, it still looks like 30-40% is the norm. Perhaps it's the same as St. T - either rain in aorund some mountains, or the afternoon daily dump of humidity. Fingers crossed!

 

[Belle&RellasMom]

 

[carolina_yankee]

Julie - thanks! Now I know I can survive the day.

 

[PhillyJen2006]

I forgot to mention this yesterday....Look what we had in our yard! Aren't they cute....I was trying to sush them along to the pond down the street before they became puppy chow! My dog was going nuts from the kitchen, it was his time to go out and we wouldn't let him until the ducklings made their way across the electric fence!

Please disregard the ghetto grass....It rained all weekend and HGP hadn't put down weed/feed yet!

PJ

 

[OHJulie]

Shyla - Thanks for posting the pictures yesterday. I printed some of them off, wrote some fun comments on them and taped them up around the house. When the kids got home they were greeted by those wonderful sights. I put them on the doors, mirrors and of course the refrigerator. My DD had a friend over and they had a good time looking around the house for them. My DS of course rolled his eyes and said that I was obsessed, but I know he liked it.

I am going to post a few more each day this week. By the time Friday rolls around we should have them all over the place.

OHJulie

 

[Belle and Rella's Dad]

Alright, the meeting starts at 9 so I figured that I will check in before, then of course excuse myself for a bathroom break mid-morning to check the thread, then for lunch, then in the afternoon, of course after the meeting, and finally tonight. Why would someone schedule a meeting when I am getting ready for a Disney Cruise with all ya all??? The only good part is that after it is over we usually have a drink at the University Club over at Michigan State with just the President and the CEO, that where sales really happen.

Two more days then we are flying to the Big O and going to the Ron Jon, does anyone know even though I probably should, if I should double check my ressie with Happy Limo????

Rock On my fellow Cruisers, and as the Queen would say (by the way great pictures) "CAN I GET A RHODIE"!!! I think that could be the new saying.

Tom