August 13, 2011 Med - Mickey's Marauding Mates

[Anal Annie]

Well we are back from the sale and we managed to get rid of a lot of stuff - over half what we took in fact! lots of people got bargains and we got space (and a bit of money). the actual Disney presentations were much better than last year as well - the story behind Phantom Manor in particular was very well done being informative and entertaining.

Next target is Bermuda as we leave home a week tomorrow. A bit of sun practice but it should be much more pleasant temperatures there at this time of year (mid 70s) than the Med in August. Still I can try out some of the possible outfits/ swimming costumes

Good job on your sale! Bermuda sounds LOVELY right now!! I hope we can go there one day!! How long will you be there? Do you leave this weekend?

Hi Annie - Thanks for the welcome

Yes, our first cruise was out of Florida, four days on board the Wonder in a cat 4 so a cat 9 is going to feel pretty tight, but the price was sooo good we couldnt resist, plus we had been talking about taking another cruise, and in particular around the med for a couple of years so it was a no-brainer.

We are DVC members and our home resort is indeed the BCV - We have been members for quite a while and have been very lucky and have had some fantastic holidays in Orlando - We plan to visit again next year, although this time we will try and use our points to stay at another DVC resort instead of BCV just to liven things up a bit - looking at BLT (obviously!) and WLV

Glad you got a good deal on your cabin - this Med cruise is so port intensive you won't be in your room all that much. I had a hunch you were a DVC'er...we have been resort hopping since we bought (trying them all out) stayed at BCV for a week in 2009. It was definitely one of our favorites...we spent 1 whole day practically at SAB just taking it easy. DS loved it. And we loved the "back door" into Epcot! That was actually our first trip where we went so often to Epcot because of that and we spent more time there than ever & really enjoyed it. We also love VWL. It's a completely different feel from BCV but those 2 resorts are actually our most favorite ones so far. We'd like to try BLT but we took the model tour the last time we were at SSR and the studios are really small (that's all we use) and I didn't like the layout. I guess they're re-doing the studios now and are "fixing" that goofy bathroom sink & putting it into the bathroom rather than the kitchen. But we decided that whenever we stay there it will have to be on a short trip because it seemed so small. We didn't think we'd like it for a full week. Meanwhile, I don't know when we can get back down there but I gotta figure out a way. It's been over a year for us now & I'm having withdraw!!


OK, so JEFF!!?? Since you did this trip last year I want to pick your brain (please)!! I am trying to figure out how to estimate how many euros we will need to get - and I don't want to hit ATM machines while we're there because that means you actually have to have the money. I know everybody's spending habits are different BUT...I am hoping that we can use credit cards for ALMOST everything (we have 2 that do not charge conversion fees). Do you think that 50 euros / day (which right now is about $75 US) will be enough for misc. tips & expenses? Plus on top of that I need to budget for gratuities for our private tours. But do you think that 50 / day would leave us short? With the crappy conversion rate I hate to get TOOOOO much then need to convert it back - we'd really lose a lot of money on that one. But I'm just not sure how to plan / budget for expenses in Paris, Barcelona & off the ship on our excursions. We're just so inexperienced in international travel..... Could really use some experienced advice here!!

 

[jd99]

Good job on your sale! Bermuda sounds LOVELY right now!! I hope we can go there one day!! How long will you be there? Do you leave this weekend?



Glad you got a good deal on your cabin - this Med cruise is so port intensive you won't be in your room all that much. I had a hunch you were a DVC'er...we have been resort hopping since we bought (trying them all out) stayed at BCV for a week in 2009. It was definitely one of our favorites...we spent 1 whole day practically at SAB just taking it easy. DS loved it. And we loved the "back door" into Epcot! That was actually our first trip where we went so often to Epcot because of that and we spent more time there than ever & really enjoyed it. We also love VWL. It's a completely different feel from BCV but those 2 resorts are actually our most favorite ones so far. We'd like to try BLT but we took the model tour the last time we were at SSR and the studios are really small (that's all we use) and I didn't like the layout. I guess they're re-doing the studios now and are "fixing" that goofy bathroom sink & putting it into the bathroom rather than the kitchen. But we decided that whenever we stay there it will have to be on a short trip because it seemed so small. We didn't think we'd like it for a full week. Meanwhile, I don't know when we can get back down there but I gotta figure out a way. It's been over a year for us now & I'm having withdraw!!


OK, so JEFF!!?? Since you did this trip last year I want to pick your brain (please)!! I am trying to figure out how to estimate how many euros we will need to get - and I don't want to hit ATM machines while we're there because that means you actually have to have the money. I know everybody's spending habits are different BUT...I am hoping that we can use credit cards for ALMOST everything (we have 2 that do not charge conversion fees). Do you think that 50 euros / day (which right now is about $75 US) will be enough for misc. tips & expenses? Plus on top of that I need to budget for gratuities for our private tours. But do you think that 50 / day would leave us short? With the crappy conversion rate I hate to get TOOOOO much then need to convert it back - we'd really lose a lot of money on that one. But I'm just not sure how to plan / budget for expenses in Paris, Barcelona & off the ship on our excursions. We're just so inexperienced in international travel..... Could really use some experienced advice here!!

I think that is enough per day. I don't think we took more than 300 Euros and we were in Barcelona for a total of two days and on the ship for 11. BUT we also took American Express Traveler's checks and cashed them in for Euros on the ship. They give you a good rate and you can change them back on the last night of sailing if you have too many at the same rate that you got when you bought them. You can do up to either $200 worth or 200 Euros per day -I don't remember which.

 

[Anal Annie]

I think that is enough per day. I don't think we took more than 300 Euros and we were in Barcelona for a total of two days and on the ship for 11. BUT we also took American Express Traveler's checks and cashed them in for Euros on the ship. They give you a good rate and you can change them back on the last night of sailing if you have too many at the same rate that you got when you bought them. You can do up to either $200 worth or 200 Euros per day -I don't remember which.

So you took Euro Travelers Checks & exchanged for Euros on the ship or you took regular USD Travelers checks?! You got them at home, before you left, right? Do you mean you took US checks & DCL gave you Euros for them? I had heard (read) that DCL gives one of the worst rates. I don't know by how much the rates really vary tho. I mean like by whole points?! So they (DCL) would only cash up to 200 per day but so who do you mean would take them back at the same rate? Your bank where you bought them? I was thinking about getting $1,500 USD in euros and another $500 in Euro Travelers checks. My fear is tho that we'll get TOO MUCH before we go and will get screwed on exchanging them back to USD. So is getting more in Travelers Checks than euros a better deal exhange wise?! I'm confused! SURPRISE!!

Hey, so for those of us who are CC members already we can start booking stuff like Palo in just 11 days!! Well, I guess Jeff is probably already able to book bcuz he's got so many cruises in. I don't think I am booking too much of anything thru DCL...Palo dinner on night 4 & I think I'll go ahead & book Palo brunch too but I'm not sure if we'll KEEP that. I have never done Palo brunch so I WANT TO BUT we only have the one sea day and I also enjoy a leisurely breakfast in Lumiere's too and that may be the only day we have time to do that. I also want to lounge by the pool that day & brunch doesn't start until 10:30 so that would sort of interfere with THAT plan because when I say I want to lounge by the pool ALL DAY I mean ALL DAY!! But so I don't know. Figured I could BOOK it then decide later for sure. Does anybody know if the Palo cancellation policy is subject to the 3 days before you sail rule like the excursions are?!

 

[jd99]

So you took Euro Travelers Checks & exchanged for Euros on the ship or you took regular USD Travelers checks?! You got them at home, before you left, right? Do you mean you took US checks & DCL gave you Euros for them? I had heard (read) that DCL gives one of the worst rates. I don't know by how much the rates really vary tho. I mean like by whole points?! So they (DCL) would only cash up to 200 per day but so who do you mean would take them back at the same rate? Your bank where you bought them? I was thinking about getting $1,500 USD in euros and another $500 in Euro Travelers checks. My fear is tho that we'll get TOO MUCH before we go and will get screwed on exchanging them back to USD. So is getting more in Travelers Checks than euros a better deal exhange wise?! I'm confused! SURPRISE!!

Hey, so for those of us who are CC members already we can start booking stuff like Palo in just 11 days!! Well, I guess Jeff is probably already able to book bcuz he's got so many cruises in. I don't think I am booking too much of anything thru DCL...Palo dinner on night 4 & I think I'll go ahead & book Palo brunch too but I'm not sure if we'll KEEP that. I have never done Palo brunch so I WANT TO BUT we only have the one sea day and I also enjoy a leisurely breakfast in Lumiere's too and that may be the only day we have time to do that. I also want to lounge by the pool that day & brunch doesn't start until 10:30 so that would sort of interfere with THAT plan because when I say I want to lounge by the pool ALL DAY I mean ALL DAY!! But so I don't know. Figured I could BOOK it then decide later for sure. Does anybody know if the Palo cancellation policy is subject to the 3 days before you sail rule like the excursions are?!

We took US traveler's checks from home and DCL exchanged them and you know when you are only exchanging $200 per day, the rate isn't that relevant. And DCL would take them back at the end of the cruise at the same rate that you bought them at and give you dollars back. It was good for us because we forgot to do our research on our credit cards and every one we had included a foreign transaction fee. So this year I upgraded my Marriott card to make sure we got rid of that nuisance.

Re Palo etc. We haven't done anything yet. I guess I'd better sign in to the "my cruise" area and see if I can yet!

 

[mikki.young]

I am hoping to get Internet access in Bermuda so I can do these bookings - really want Palo! Beginning to have second thoughts about Florence but still have a few days to make up our minds. It's the 15th we can start booking isn't it?

Annie, we leave home Tuesday but don't actually fly out to Bermuda until Thursday.

 

[Joanne Hollyoak]

I am hoping to get Internet access in Bermuda so I can do these bookings - really want Palo! Beginning to have second thoughts about Florence but still have a few days to make up our minds. It's the 15th we can start booking isn't it?

Annie, we leave home Tuesday but don't actually fly out to Bermuda until Thursday.

Hi Have a great time in Bermuda, well done on your sales glad it went well

 

[jd99]

Thanks to Annie I got online and booked all our excursions and Palo. Not sure what all we are keeping but figured I ought to take advantage of the few days of advance booking opportunity we had. We had a very good experience with DCL excursions last year (with the notable exception in Florence) so we are going to book a number of them again this year. You can't beat the convenience of the DCL excursions even though they cost a few bucks more than doing it on your own. So here is what we booked:
Villefranche - Monaco, Monte Carlo & the Little Train (or some such thing)
La Spezia - Florence on your own (DCL transport to the city and then on our own)
Rome - We are not 100 percent sure but right now have the same thing we did last year booked - the Eternal Rome tour that uses the train. We loved loved loved it but we know we'd enjoy it more this year.
Naples - Pompeii. Sorrento and Capri
In Palma we plan to take a taxi to the beach.
Palo dinner on Villefranche night
Palo brunch on the sea day

Going to be a great cruise!

 

[Anal Annie]

I am hoping to get Internet access in Bermuda so I can do these bookings - really want Palo! Beginning to have second thoughts about Florence but still have a few days to make up our minds. It's the 15th we can start booking isn't it?

Annie, we leave home Tuesday but don't actually fly out to Bermuda until Thursday.

Yes, our booking window opens up on May 15th....you know, you can always BOOK the Florence thing and then cancel it...they don't charge you for it until you're on the ship. But it IS supposed to be cancelled at least 3 days before our sail date. So you could book it and then still think about it for awhile. I MAY do that with the Palma Beach thing but I'm sure taking a taxi to the beach would work just as well and on our own time...hummmm...if we do it THAT way then we could have Lumiere's leisurely breakfast on THAT morning AND still do the brunch on sea day! And I'm definitely doing that for the Palo brunch...I just don't know if Palo comes under the same cancellation rule or not? Hummmm... May have to call DCL again and ASK them! I hope we don't regret not planning for Capri on the Naples port...I would've liked to have gone there but had read that a lot of people get sick on that boat that goes to the island so I decided on Positano instead...anxious to hear just how that goes for everyone!!!

 

[mikki.young]

Yes, our booking window opens up on May 15th....you know, you can always BOOK the Florence thing and then cancel it...they don't charge you for it until you're on the ship. But it IS supposed to be cancelled at least 3 days before our sail date. So you could book it and then still think about it for awhile.

Thanks Annie - that makes things a lot easier! Will try for that.

Do you have to book through the website or can you ring up? What would the number be? Not sure how connection from Bermuda to US works but it may be an option.

 

[Anal Annie]

Thanks Annie - that makes things a lot easier! Will try for that.

Do you have to book through the website or can you ring up? What would the number be? Not sure how connection from Bermuda to US works but it may be an option.

I'm sure that you probably can call them up to book I don't see why not (but how expensive would that be?). But you wouldn't be able to do that until they open in the morning whereas if you book online you can book at midnight (Eastern time I think?!). Here's their toll free phone number in the US: (800) 951-3532. (That is the only DCL number I have seen and it's the one I've had stored in my cell phone since forever!)

Meanwhile I DID find an answer for my Palo question :
When Guests have not cancelled a dining reservation at Palo or Remy by 2:00 p.m. on the day of the reservation or do not show to the restaurant to honor their reservation, the reservation is considered confirmed and 100% of the Dining Option is applied to the Guests' folio.

I was just wondering if we'll have a character breakfast morning sometime during our cruise? Jeff?! (You are our resident DCL expert doncha know!)

 

[Kels Sem]

Thanks to Annie I got online and booked all our excursions and Palo. Not sure what all we are keeping but figured I ought to take advantage of the few days of advance booking opportunity we had. We had a very good experience with DCL excursions last year (with the notable exception in Florence) so we are going to book a number of them again this year. You can't beat the convenience of the DCL excursions even though they cost a few bucks more than doing it on your own. So here is what we booked:
Villefranche - Monaco, Monte Carlo & the Little Train (or some such thing)
La Spezia - Florence on your own (DCL transport to the city and then on our own)
Rome - We are not 100 percent sure but right now have the same thing we did last year booked - the Eternal Rome tour that uses the train. We loved loved loved it but we know we'd enjoy it more this year.
Naples - Pompeii. Sorrento and Capri
In Palma we plan to take a taxi to the beach.
Palo dinner on Villefranche night
Palo brunch on the sea day

Going to be a great cruise!

Loving the sound of all your excursions - we are planning on doing the same as you in Villefranche but on our own. A friend of my parents are currently in the Nice area and they are going to bring me home a train timetable. My parents have been a few times so they have been able to explain what do it.

I was talking to my Aunt on Saturday and she said that it's very easy to take a taxi from the port to a beach in Palma. She is going to write down the names of a few beaches for me to show the taxi driver were I want to go She told me the names but as they are in Spanish I can't remember. I will post when i get them. I'm not 100% sure if I'll even go to the beach as I live about a 2 minute walk away from a beach and they are not one of my favourite places but the kids love them.
I'm liking the sound of strolling round the old town of Palma stopping for a coffee and generally watching the world go by. I think I'm waffling now.

 

[jd99]

I'm sure that you probably can call them up to book I don't see why not (but how expensive would that be?). But you wouldn't be able to do that until they open in the morning whereas if you book online you can book at midnight (Eastern time I think?!). Here's their toll free phone number in the US: (800) 951-3532. (That is the only DCL number I have seen and it's the one I've had stored in my cell phone since forever!)

Meanwhile I DID find an answer for my Palo question :
When Guests have not cancelled a dining reservation at Palo or Remy by 2:00 p.m. on the day of the reservation or do not show to the restaurant to honor their reservation, the reservation is considered confirmed and 100% of the Dining Option is applied to the Guests' folio.

I was just wondering if we'll have a character breakfast morning sometime during our cruise? Jeff?! (You are our resident DCL expert doncha know!)

I would assume we would have a character breakfast as every 7 night Magic cruise we have been on has had one. On the 11 night Med last year, it was during one of the sea days and they staggered it so that not everyone had it the same day. Being as there is only one sea day on this sailing Im not sure what they would do.....

Loving the sound of all your excursions - we are planning on doing the same as you in Villefranche but on our own. A friend of my parents are currently in the Nice area and they are going to bring me home a train timetable. My parents have been a few times so they have been able to explain what do it.

I was talking to my Aunt on Saturday and she said that it's very easy to take a taxi from the port to a beach in Palma. She is going to write down the names of a few beaches for me to show the taxi driver were I want to go She told me the names but as they are in Spanish I can't remember. I will post when i get them. I'm not 100% sure if I'll even go to the beach as I live about a 2 minute walk away from a beach and they are not one of my favourite places but the kids love them.
I'm liking the sound of strolling round the old town of Palma stopping for a coffee and generally watching the world go by. I think I'm waffling now.

I hope you will post the names of the beaches for all to see! We don't want to waste the $$$ on the DCL bus to a beach in a place like Palma - they aren't including chairs or a drink or lunch or anything so it's basically an "on your own" kind of thing and since we would never be there all day, I'm not worried about getting back to the ship in time.

 

[Anal Annie]

Loving the sound of all your excursions - we are planning on doing the same as you in Villefranche but on our own. A friend of my parents are currently in the Nice area and they are going to bring me home a train timetable. My parents have been a few times so they have been able to explain what do it.

I was talking to my Aunt on Saturday and she said that it's very easy to take a taxi from the port to a beach in Palma. She is going to write down the names of a few beaches for me to show the taxi driver were I want to go She told me the names but as they are in Spanish I can't remember. I will post when i get them. I'm not 100% sure if I'll even go to the beach as I live about a 2 minute walk away from a beach and they are not one of my favourite places but the kids love them.
I'm liking the sound of strolling round the old town of Palma stopping for a coffee and generally watching the world go by. I think I'm waffling now.

Go Kelly! Go Kelly! Or should I say Go Kelly's Aunt! Go Kelly's Aunt!! That must be nice to live so close to a beach. Our closest beach is about 3 hours drive away.

Gosh I'm getting nervous about all this (the whole trip)!! I can't believe we're actually going to DO this - like get on that BIG 'OLE Airbus 380 and fly to foreign lands without a lick of sense about me!!! I'm still reading Rick Steve's Paris book...I really only read when I'm at the pool waiting on DS (when there are no other swim moms around to yak to)!! It's on my Kindle and I am bookmarking SOO many things!

OK, so for our little DIS meet so far we have yes's from Kelly, Karen, Jeff, Mikki, Cheryl and Joanne (and moi). Anybody else?! Shereen? Esther? Jon? (Did I miss writing anybody down? Did any of you respond to that?) I wonder if JP ever got booked?! He hasn't checked in lately.... Who else am I missing? Oh, Lisa...she's been MIA for awhile now... I have given up on NJ_Ohana...

 

[CastawayJP]

I wonder if JP ever got booked?! He hasn't checked in lately....

Not yet... But it is looking good! We are fully planning on being on the ship in 3 months and 1 week! We can't wait! This will be my parents first Disney Cruise, and my Mom is super excited! I think my Dad could care less... He just wants to see his grandkids!

We have been dealing with some fun issues here! Our car was damaged in transit, and it isn't repaired yet. But then again we have only been here two months... Luckily we have been able to borrow friend's cars off and on... We have met some great people here! The shipping company has agreed to pay for a rental starting Tuesday, so we should be good to go until our car is done!

 

[MallenBeadle]

Jd99 & Kels Sem - we are also planning to go to Monte Carlo having had the pleasure of going there twice before and loving it, although we'll probably take the bus (think its the number 100) or the train as they leave fairly close to the port. The bus will probably win as it will give us more flexiblity when we get there so we can get off at Casino Square, walk to the castle (maybe catch changing of the guard) then via the harbour on to one of our favourite spots - Princess Grace's rose garden. After all that we should be able to get a bus back without having to retrace steps We managed to find the bus and train timetables online, which has helped with planning.

All - can't believe you are able to start booking things on 15th - we have to wait until 30th as it's our first time. Please leave a couple of spaces at Palo for me and my wife

Annie - we are up for the DIS meet on the first day.

 

[Anal Annie]

Not yet... But it is looking good! We are fully planning on being on the ship in 3 months and 1 week! We can't wait! This will be my parents first Disney Cruise, and my Mom is super excited! I think my Dad could care less... He just wants to see his grandkids!

We have been dealing with some fun issues here! Our car was damaged in transit, and it isn't repaired yet. But then again we have only been here two months... Luckily we have been able to borrow friend's cars off and on... We have met some great people here! The shipping company has agreed to pay for a rental starting Tuesday, so we should be good to go until our car is done!

We are counting on you being on the boat with us too!!!! I hope you get booked SOON - there are several categories in GTY status now. Sending you some That really sucks about your car being damaged. I would be so lost here without a car...but of course we're more suburban maybe so a car is necessary. Glad you are getting a rental. They should've done that for you from the get-go!!

Jd99 & Kels Sem - we are also planning to go to Monte Carlo having had the pleasure of going there twice before and loving it, although we'll probably take the bus (think its the number 100) or the train as they leave fairly close to the port. The bus will probably win as it will give us more flexiblity when we get there so we can get off at Casino Square, walk to the castle (maybe catch changing of the guard) then via the harbour on to one of our favourite spots - Princess Grace's rose garden. After all that we should be able to get a bus back without having to retrace steps We managed to find the bus and train timetables online, which has helped with planning.

All - can't believe you are able to start booking things on 15th - we have to wait until 30th as it's our first time. Please leave a couple of spaces at Palo for me and my wife

Annie - we are up for the DIS meet on the first day.

Glad you are IN for the DIS meet!! I suppose I (we) should plan to have something in the DIS Lime Green to designate our spot 'eh?! I have a couple of lime green shirts - one with Tinkerbelle on it - perhaps I will wear that?! Ya'll will be able to spot me a mile away!!

We have not settled on what we're doing in Villefranche yet. I really need DH to spend some time thinking about it too. I know we'll try to do it on our own...I had been thinking either Nice then Villefranche beach OR Monte Carlo & Monaco then Villefranche beach. I think Nice is closer but I don't know by how much?! Seems like I read somewhere that a quickie run over to Nice and back could be done in 3 hours. And that Monaco takes 4-5 hours maybe?! Does that sound right to anybody?! The more I think about La Spezia the more I don't want to mess with Pisa...I really just want to go to Cinque Terre and have a leisurely day. I keep hinting to DH that I'm pretty sure that Pisa is a one-trick circus act but he doesn't seem to be catching on. It would be helpful if it wasn't a tender port. Then I could plan what time we'll get off the ship a little better....I'm going to be ALL OVER those earlier Med cruises to see how they go there.

OK, so who is it that is supposed to be watching me and my shopping again?! YES, I went again!! Darn that Koh'ls!! I had $20 in Kohl's Cash to spend (basically $20 off of something) and then I had another 15% off coupon and they were having night owl hours last night and early bird hours this morning. WELL, so I really went just to get something for $20. I thought another pair of shorts for DH or something. THEN I saw these white shirts...and I had a flashback to our last cruise. We saw pictures at $hutter$ of a a family that had their pictures done with the white background and they were wearing ALL WHITE...all of them. You might not think white clothes with the white background would look so good but let me tell you it was SHARP!! I loved how they turned out...so when I saw these white shirts I HAD to plan for another picture of us besides the ones we'll get done all dressed up in our dressy clothes. I was already planning to bring white capris for myself so I found a cheapy white top for myself that looks "beachy" and I somehow (between the boys dept. AND the men's dept.) found matching shorts for DH and DS - they are not solid white of course but sort of a plaid and with a good bit of white - but they're the SAME pattern / color. So I got them matching white shirts and I want to have a casual picture done with us (barefoot). I came home so excited with my bag of bargains & when I told them about it they just looked at me. DH will do it but I know he's thinking WHAT!? You want us to dress alike! It will be cute!! Nevermind that I just added a whole other outfit to pack! I am going to order a luggage scale this week and when I get it I'm going to do a REAL "test pack" to see how my weight is looking!!!

Mikki - speaking of packing....you ready for Bermuda yet!?

So tomorrow is Mother's Day here in the US - Happy Mother's Day to all the Cruisin' Mom's out there!! We're not planning much of anything...I told DH he'd better not spend any money - I am in total cruise mode now...put in the cruise fund jar!! I think we are going to take MIL out to lunch somewhere. DS has swimming as usual in the morning but our afternoon is free. I have some perennials that she'd mentioned she wanted some of sometime (some Columbine) so I dug up a little mix of them today (pink, purple & white) and stuck them in a pot for her. How's that for a homemade gift!?

 

[Anal Annie]

OK so it takes 24 hours with no new posts for us to slip back into the abyss of Page 3!!! What's going on peeps?! Everybody have a FINE weekend?! You will be relieved to hear that I did NOT go shopping again today! I did however contribute to my muffin top by eating a delicious meal when we took MIL out for Mother's Day! Made me anxious for our days that we will spend in Italy (I had linguine with spinach, lobster, scallops and calamari in a tomato basil sauce...YUMMMM...) Now I need to watch to make sure I don't outgrow all these new clothes between now & August!

 

[Joanne Hollyoak]

OK so it takes 24 hours with no new posts for us to slip back into the abyss of Page 3!!! What's going on peeps?! Everybody have a FINE weekend?! You will be relieved to hear that I did NOT go shopping again today! I did however contribute to my muffin top by eating a delicious meal when we took MIL out for Mother's Day! Made me anxious for our days that we will spend in Italy (I had linguine with spinach, lobster, scallops and calamari in a tomato basil sauce...YUMMMM...) Now I need to watch to make sure I don't outgrow all these new clothes between now & August!

Happy Mothers Day for yesterday, your lunch sounds lovely.
We went out with friends on Friday night and had a lovely steak, last night we had a takeaway. I don't feel like cooking when the sun is out
Im sure you will fit into your clothes, if not your have to start swimming with Jared.

 

[mikki.young]

This morning - no packing done. Tonight almost done. Which is just as well as we leave home tomorrow morning!

Booked our Barcelona excursions (Dali museum here we come) and then plan on the tourist bus for our two free days there.

Total cruise planning mode will commence on return from bermuda

 

[west&east]

My we have been slow here lately. I logged on thinking there would be pages to catch up on but not much chatter.
DH left for Brazil Saturday night so spent Mother's Day with the kiddos and my mom. Saw the movie Soul Surfer and then bought a whole bunch of yummy cheeses, meats, and salads at Dean and DeLuca. That is such a fun store to shop in. They were very generous with the samples even with the items that are like $30 a pound or whatever.

I am so excited: I just bought myself a new camera for the trip! I got a Nikon Coolpix S9100. It is more camera than I ever have had with a 18x zoom. It has great reviews from all the official reviewers although some every day people have had some issues. I am hoping to take some time to really learn how to use with before the trip so I can get some great shots.