5/27/06 "Il pochi il fiero i blabbermouths" We *will* sail again Part 12

[kikipug]

Well, its back to reality.

We had quite a bit of rain in Jamaica, but it was still a very nice trip. We stayed at Sandals Dunn's River, which is an Italian-themed all-inclusive resort... only 238 rooms/suites, so not a huge crowded place. Hey... any all-inclusive where the bar is IN the pool can't be half-bad!

Breakfast on our balcony about 75 ft from the ocean, great Blue Mountain coffee... perfect way to start the day. Food was good... not phenomenal, but we still managed to gain a few pounds... well... maybe it was all the rum...

The wedding was absolutely beautiful... it had rained all morning, but was perfectly sunny (tho' very windy) in the afternoon. It looked just like the beach wedding cermonies that you see in the Sandals TV commercials... funniest thing though, was that the location they had chosen for the wedding was at the very edge of the property... just beyond the fence was a Jamaican 'pharmaceutical' supplier... who we were downwind from while he was obviously doing some R&D ... Don & Jen both agreed that their wedding 'aroma' was something they'll never forget.

We all had a good laugh over it... including the minister.

We did a catamaran/snorkeling/Dunn's River Falls trip on Ray's 40th birthday... unfortunately, the 12-18 ft seas didn't combine too well with Ray's tendency toward motion sickness on the return leg of the day... the other 3 of us rode the nets and had a GREAT ride... Ray... not so much. Snorkeling was rough, as it was a tough swim... didn't see anything extraordinary... tho' we were only a few hundred yards away from the NCL Pearl... looks like a nice ship... climbing the Falls was fun... a totally tourist-y thing to do, but quite challenging in spots (I'm not very coordinated)... and the only way to get to see the falls.

The kids survived 5 days with Ray's Dad (or maybe it was the other way around)... we came home to find the house pretty much in one piece, and Grampa & the kids still smiling...

Congrats to Lisa!! Way to go!!!! When are Nationals?? Must be pretty soon if you've got to miss school to go!

 

[MarkRG]

H E L P
does anyone have a pic of the polynesian resort OR several LAKE VIEW type ????????

school project and any other resorts ????????????????


PLEASE $ THANK YOU


gaRRy

Pics of the Poly: http://www.wdwinfo.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/553/page/1

And you'll find pics of every other resort there too

 

[scuba.mom]

Congrats to Lisa!! Way to go!!!! When are Nationals?? Must be pretty soon if you've got to miss school to go!

She competes on Friday May 11. We have to be over in Kississimmee on Thursday May 10 for a 2pm Equipment Warm-up and to pick up her new leo & warm-up. (There are 8 Regions and each Region provides matching leos and warm-ups to their competitors) There are 12 girls from Lisa's Region competing together.

Thursday night we go to a "Welcome" Dinner for the competiors at Arabian Nights. So, she will miss 1 1/2 days of school. All of her teachers know, so we are working thru the homework /tests that need to be completed before she leaves cycle. The days prior to her leaving should be lots of fun (HAHA) since she will have so much due at that time.

Jim and Matt will be competing in the MUDDY BUDDY on Saturday at Disney. So, it is a full weekend for the Scuba Family.

 

[kikipug]

She competes on Friday May 11. We have to be over in Kississimmee on Thursday May 10 for a 2pm Equipment Warm-up and to pick up her new leo & warm-up. (There are 8 Regions and each Region provides matching leos and warm-ups to their competitors) There are 12 girls from Lisa's Region competing together.

Hmm... if I wasn't already trying to figure out how to clone myself that day for a golf tournament AND the Sheriff's Dept. annual picnic, I'd sneak over there to watch for a few hours... but it looks like THAT won't happen!!! Busy time for us too... I'm in Tampa the first part of that week, Ray is doing the PGA tourney in Jax later that week (yeah... did you know 'golf' is a 'motorsport' ... hey, any business is good business), then I'm off to St. Louis for a meeting at the mothership for 4 days. I think I need to go back to being on vacation...

I'm sure Lisa will be FINE with school... she's got nothing to worry about!

 

[chip&dale&fun]

She competes on Friday May 11. We have to be over in Kississimmee on Thursday May 10 for a 2pm Equipment Warm-up and to pick up her new leo & warm-up. (There are 8 Regions and each Region provides matching leos and warm-ups to their competitors) There are 12 girls from Lisa's Region competing together. .

I'm with Kiki - trying to find out how to clone myself for that day and amke it to Kissimmee and to the west coast and back to west palm to get ready for Mother's Day.

Lisa, soooo close and yet sooo far...

Sharon, do they offer streaming live video????

How about an even by event discription on the boards?

 

[armyfam]

Thanks everyone
My friend bugs did very well this meet. she came in 1 over all. she did great.

I got 12th over all. i was the last person to qulaify to nationals. guess what?

we get to drive all the way to kissimmie for nationals.

Only bad thing is that i don't get to travel.

well a good day had by all

Congratulations, Lisa! How very exciting for you and your family.
(I know I'm late, but you know what they say.....!)

We will be thinking of you as we will be getting ready to leave FL.... We look forward to hearing how you did when we get back.

 

[scuba diver]

I'm sure Lisa will be FINE with school... she's got nothing to worry about!

Lisa's not the issue. Matt will also be 1 1/2 days.

 

[scuba diver]

Well, its back to reality.

We had quite a bit of rain in Jamaica, but it was still a very nice trip. We stayed at Sandals Dunn's River, which is an Italian-themed all-inclusive resort... only 238 rooms/suites, so not a huge crowded place. Hey... any all-inclusive where the bar is IN the pool can't be half-bad!

Breakfast on our balcony about 75 ft from the ocean, great Blue Mountain coffee... perfect way to start the day. Food was good... not phenomenal, but we still managed to gain a few pounds... well... maybe it was all the rum...

The wedding was absolutely beautiful... it had rained all morning, but was perfectly sunny (tho' very windy) in the afternoon. It looked just like the beach wedding cermonies that you see in the Sandals TV commercials... funniest thing though, was that the location they had chosen for the wedding was at the very edge of the property... just beyond the fence was a Jamaican 'pharmaceutical' supplier... who we were downwind from while he was obviously doing some R&D ... Don & Jen both agreed that their wedding 'aroma' was something they'll never forget.

We all had a good laugh over it... including the minister.

We did a catamaran/snorkeling/Dunn's River Falls trip on Ray's 40th birthday... unfortunately, the 12-18 ft seas didn't combine too well with Ray's tendency toward motion sickness on the return leg of the day... the other 3 of us rode the nets and had a GREAT ride... Ray... not so much. Snorkeling was rough, as it was a tough swim... didn't see anything extraordinary... tho' we were only a few hundred yards away from the NCL Pearl... looks like a nice ship... climbing the Falls was fun... a totally tourist-y thing to do, but quite challenging in spots (I'm not very coordinated)... and the only way to get to see the falls.

The kids survived 5 days with Ray's Dad (or maybe it was the other way around)... we came home to find the house pretty much in one piece, and Grampa & the kids still smiling...

Congrats to Lisa!! Way to go!!!! When are Nationals?? Must be pretty soon if you've got to miss school to go!

Thanks for the report.....now for the big question.

What is the advantage of an all inclusive vs a cruise?

 

[kikipug]

Thanks for the report.....now for the big question.

What is the advantage of an all inclusive vs a cruise?

Definitely not any major advantage (except that Ray gets motion sickness)... just a different vacation. We probably never would have gone there if it weren't for the wedding... but now we'll probably definitely go back.

One good thing was that there isn't a set dinner time... whenever you're in the mood for dinner, its dinner time... (well... between 6:30 - 10)... only the Japanese restaurant required reservations, due to limited table seatings.

I also liked the small size of the resort (only 238 rooms), and the fact that it was adults only. I love my kids, but a kid-less vacation is better when there aren't anyone else's kids either. (Our friends that got married this week have 5 between them... so they felt the same way.)

Oh yeah... and the FREE (well... OK... not "FREE"... I paid dearly for them) drinks are a good thing too... rum, rum, and more rum. House wine (Berringer) is included, but higher end wines have a price attached... I stuck with rum and, my new favorite, rum cream (think Baileys, but RUM)

 

[wdwgoose]

THANK YOU


the pics and sights help


thanks again

BUSY WHO ME ??????????????????


YEAP

I need too be posting more


I'm hoping this is my last weekend of this


its N O T fun.



gaRRy

 

[wdwgoose]

Thanks for the report.....now for the big question.

What is the advantage of an all inclusive vs a cruise?

EVEN I KNOW THIS O N E



ALL BOOZE IS INCLUDED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and I don't even drink



gaRRy

 

[wdwgoose]

SCUBA'S
we will trade our DD for your DS for the summer?????????????????



gaRRy

 

[kikipug]

SCUBA'S
we will trade our DD for your DS for the summer?????????????????



gaRRy

TRADE????.... heck, I'll give you one outright... no strings attached!!!!!

 

[justmestace]

Is there some place I can send MY kids for the summer??? Oh wait, I guess I will be sending Jared to summer school. Funny, even though we speak it, he can't seem to master English!

Heading out again...back on Sunday.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!

 

[scuba.mom]

SCUBA'S
we will trade our DD for your DS for the summer?????????????????



gaRRy

Garry - Please give Vanessa our phone numbers (if you don't have them anymore, PM me and I will give them to you again). If she needs a break from Orlando, she can always come our way and visit. We have a pool house she can stay in. Or, if she wants to meet for dinner some night, have her call. It's not like I don't make the drive to the edge of Orlando 5 - 6 times per week.

 

[mickeymo]

TRADE????.... heck, I'll give you one outright... no strings attached!!!!!

camp goose? Sign Maggie up!!! Anything to do with horses and she's there! She would willingly and enthusiastically sign on as a stable hand for the summer if it meant she could ride horses...

Now, why is she more enthusiastic about shoveling horse poop than shoveling out her room?

 

[mickeymo]

We've got an extra long summer this year as the district aligns to conform to the legislature's decree - May 24-August 27...

The kids are in Chicago for about 3 weeks in July attending "Camp Grandma Grandpa" One week with each set of Grandparents (to be fair) and then a few days on either end - I'll be with them also visiting family and then a few days when John flies up to fetch them home...

Add in a week of band camp for Mike which coincides with Maggie's Girl Scout horseback riding camp and that still leaves 9 weeks to annoy mom...

We'll be spending lots of time at the beach and at the neighborhood pool...

Road trips, anyone???

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Hi folks - checking in.

Kiki - thanks for the great trip report...glad you had fun.

To all, sounds like our kids are shaping up to have a fun summer....I wannt play too.

Hum, any kids out there want to come and work in the jungle....??? send them our way....

Stacey - cross those fingers again, that drat bird is plucking herself...(and we lost one of our bluecrowned conures this week, who was 20+ An average live 25-30 for this species, but still sad. No warning with birds, one day they are fine, the next day, they have fallen off the perch.) (sad).

Still wish I could work a trip to Kissimmee on the 11th....(pout).

Hedgie says its time to go see Mickey....Hedgie just doesn't want to take the Necton cruise in May...

 

[ohiominnie]

camp goose? Sign Maggie up!!! Anything to do with horses and she's there! She would willingly and enthusiastically sign on as a stable hand for the summer if it meant she could ride horses...

Now, why is she more enthusiastic about shoveling horse poop than shoveling out her room?

Heck, KT would also go in a heartbeat!!! Only requirement....she needs a petite pitchfork!

Bonus for you....she eats like a bird, so she won't up your foodbill. Tell me when you want her there!

 

[kikipug]

The kids are in Chicago for about 3 weeks in July attending "Camp Grandma Grandpa" One week with each set of Grandparents (to be fair) and then a few days on either end

Now that you mention it, my parents & Ray's mom DO want the kids for a little while this summer... anyone know if Southwest's Ding fares can be used for an unaccompanied minor if I pay the $25??? Maybe I'll send them back up with my brother after his visit.... then they'd only be 'unaccompanied' one way. Now that Elizabeth is 13, I think she can travel alone anyway.