July 6, 2010 - 7/6/2010 ~ Pounds to Rubles ~ Mickey invades the Baltic Sea

[babybear42]

Tina,
Who do I need to talk to about this?
Rich

If you could send me a PM with your room number I'll add you to my list so that I can get your gift ready before I leave, otherwise you need to PM goingsouth.

 

[bhayes]

DS packed, DD Packed, Kids FE gifts finished and packed, friend coming to help me pack my clothes (she's really good at mixing and matching, so that I can take the least amount of clothes) then I will be packed, passports copied, printed, packed, Adult FE gifts almost done .... working on door decorations tonight!

Started waking the kids up a little earlier each morning ... thought it might help with the jetlag ... DD not happy about having to get up early, but she will thank us later

Whew!!! Almost done and ready to set sail!!!

 

[mom_rules]

If you could send me a PM with your room number I'll add you to my list so that I can get your gift ready before I leave, otherwise you need to PM goingsouth.

Where do we get the up to date/current FE list?

 

[fabumouse]

Started waking the kids up a little earlier each morning ... thought it might help with the jetlag ... !

I am going the opposite direction. We are taking a red eye flight, which I know my older daughter will not sleep during b/c she is not a sleeper. So she will be a monster when we arrive at Heathrow. BUT if I can keep her up that day too, she'll have no choice but to sleep that first night in London.. at least, that's my theory.

 

[nzdisneymom]

My sincerest apologies to your daughter! At least it was a good learning experience?? Nzdisneymom's boys know that I'm all about learning things on your own!

You know, Mrs. Deb would say "That's a good question for Google." We've gotten a lot of use from that - and they have learned to look things up themselves.


Thanks for the currency conversion card thing. We have a currency conversion app on the iPod touch but not sure I want to carry it around with us. By having a card, that will help whoever is deciding to buy something figure it out. If you want it bad enough, you'll look it up and see if it's within our budget!

I pdf'ed our passports and am leaving them on a secure server that I can access from the internet. I made six copies - three for Russia, should we need them, one for me and one for Gary to carry and a spare to leave in the safe onboard.

I stopped the mail, stopped the paper, notified the neighbor with our contact information and travel dates, called the credit card companies and bank so I can use our card(s) overseas. I made a tear-off count-down pad for my boss so each day she can tear off a page to know how many work days I have left (she keeps asking me) - it's 6 1/2 right now!

Zachary wanted me to make him a schedule/planner so he can use the Navigator to map out what he wants to do each day. He's afraid he'll miss out on something he wants to do because something overlaps or whatever - so he wants to write it on his planner so he can see if he needs to leave an activity early to make it on time for a movie or if he wants to do activity a more than activity b. So I made him a sheet for each day with 1/2 hr increments, grayed out the times we have excursions booked (and the DIS meet!) so he will know those times are already mandatorily scheduled. He asked me what time the safety drill will be. I see it's all aboard by 4 p.m. so I'm guessing safety drill is around then, too??? Anyone know yet?

I bought the Bonine after reading reports of rough seas at times, so we'll be ready. Better to have it and not need it than wish I had it and us feel poorly. Tried clothes on the boys today - the jeans I was going to pack for Zachary don't fit any more - but they do fit Nathan, so yay! Guess I'll go get another pair for Zachary. I thought I was done shopping for clothes!

I'm planning to lay out all the non-clothes items on Saturday and put them in boxes. Then Monday we'll do the main clothes packing and fill in the spaces with the non-clothes items.

I know some of you are leaving real soon - who's first to head that way? (Jill and Shaun - you all are nearly there all the time!).

Oh, as for sleeping on the red-eye over, I am hoping the boys will sleep but being that we're on Delta with "in flight entertainment" I suspect they'll play Delta Trivia the whole way. I remember how exhausted we were arriving in Barcelona, but our flight was quite a bit later leaving than the one to London is. We're leaving at 5:15 Atlanta time and arriving 7 a.m. London time... figure we'll get to the hotel at 10 a.m. or so by the time we get bags, customs, find the DCL transport person, etc. Wishful thinking that our room might be ready so we can stow our stuff, have a quick wash, and head out for the day.

Packing snacks for the plane to keep the boys fortified (and us, too). Made the mistake going to Barcelona of not taking anything over besides a pack or two of crackers. Coming back, I had half a dozen pb/j uncrustables from room service

 

[CarolAnnC]

We ended up picking up some foreign currency locally at Travelex. They are strictly a currency exchange and had everything we needed - Rubles, Pounds, Euros and 3 kinds of Krona(er) Danish, Swedish and Norwegian.

We already have plenty of Pounds from John's UK visits, but DD did pickup some for herself.

I think they are a national chain if anyone wants to google them. They had everything on hand, and ordered in some additional Rubles for DD which came in a few days.

They gave us some printed London travel tips and it mentions that a cup of coffee at Starbucks runs about $6.50 to $8.00 U.S. I knew it was pricey but yikes..

 

[nzdisneymom]

Carol, thx for mentioning travelex. I think there is one at atl airport. I may see if we can get some rubles there.

 

[Deb T.]

You know, Mrs. Deb would say "That's a good question for Google." We've gotten a lot of use from that - and they have learned to look things up themselves.

Smart boys! 'Can't wait to see them again!

 

[RichC17]

If you could send me a PM with your room number I'll add you to my list so that I can get your gift ready before I leave, otherwise you need to PM goingsouth.

What are the rules of engagement? Like how many gifts per room, etc....

Thanks,

Team McNeese

 

[Deb T.]

What are the rules of engagement? Like how many gifts per room, etc....

Thanks,

Team McNeese

Our little gift exchange on this cruise is easy: whatever you want to do! It's totally up to you. Some people will give one gift per family, some people will give a little gift to each person. It's totally up to the giver to decide what to give and when to give it during the cruise. We personally have a goody bag for each cabin, plus a goody bag for each girl and a goody bag for each boy. We will deliver them all at once, hopefully on embarkation day because one of our gifts is very clever and will come in handy during the entire cruise! Hear that, everyone??? Get your Fish Extenders out ASAP! (I can't wait to pass my goodies out!!!)

There are several threads on the main cruise boards that discuss ideas for FE gifts. Some gifts are from Dollar Stores, some are handmade, and some are bought in bulk from websites that sell trinkets like the Oriental Trading Company. Often, they are stickers, candy, glow sticks, lanyards, etc., with themes such as pirates, beach, cruise, tropical, hometown, holiday, etc. The main idea is just to have fun finding little goodies in your FE throughout the cruise. Kids LOVE running back to their cabin to see if anything's been left in their FE. As an adult, I have to admit that I love it, too!!!

If you'd like to join in on the fun on our cruise, please let "goingsouth" know ASAP. Some of the participants are leaving very soon! We need to know your cabin number, names of everyone, and the ages of your kids. You can either post your information here in this thread or send "goingsouth" a private message. Then, she will send a private message to you and the rest of the participants with the updated and final version of everyone's names and cabin numbers. The list was actually closed on 6-1-10 in order to give everyone time to purchase/prepare gifts and pack them, but almost everyone has already responded on this thread that they have plenty of gifts to include your family. (I just love DISBoarders!!!)

One last note - be sure to print the list of participants and pack it with your gifts so you'll know where to deliver them once you're onboard the ship.

 

[mom_rules]

Events in Warnemunde-

http://www.warnemuender-woche.com/media/custom/1765_571_1.PDF

 

[babybear42]

Where do we get the up to date/current FE list?

goingsouth sent me a PM a couple of weeks ago with everyone's details on it. I'd contact her and see if she can send you one. However if you're not already on it, it maybe that it's too late to be added as some people have already shipped their items over.

 

[babybear42]

I know some of you are leaving real soon - who's first to head that way? (Jill and Shaun - you all are nearly there all the time!).

Yes we're already over, however we do have a five hour coach trip ahead of us top get down to Dover. We'll be there sometime on the Monday evening before the cruise. We're staying at the Premier Inn Dover Central, so if anyone else is staying there we may see you at breakfast on the Tuesday.

 

[DW2DH&DS]

We're staying at the Premier Inn Dover Central, so if anyone else is staying there we may see you at breakfast on the Tuesday.

see ya at breakfast!!!!!

 

[mom_rules]

goingsouth sent me a PM a couple of weeks ago with everyone's details on it. I'd contact her and see if she can send you one. However if you're not already on it, it maybe that it's too late to be added as some people have already shipped their items over.

Thanks just PM'd her. On the list already just need an updated with the new additions.

 

[denise]

I know some of you are leaving real soon - who's first to head that way? (Jill and Shaun - you all are nearly there all the time!).

Yes we're already over, however we do have a five hour coach trip ahead of us top get down to Dover. We'll be there sometime on the Monday evening before the cruise. We're staying at the Premier Inn Dover Central, so if anyone else is staying there we may see you at breakfast on the Tuesday.

We leave this SAT!!!!
Today we pack...maybe shop....and pack some more.

My Mom's memorial service was very nice yesterday. Very long day. Her close friends were there as well as my close friends too. The drive was 6 hours total RT from Sacramento to Carson City. (heavy road construction) One woman came who was 82. Her mother was the maid of honor in my Grandmothers wedding!!!! And she drove the 6 hours in the mountains to get there. So nice. My mom's best friend, who has Alzheimer, was there. It was a great day for her, she knew everyone. Wonderful music was played and the stories that were told were perfect.

Threw my back out on Monday but today it is better. It has to get better before Sat or the plane ride will be horrible....

Have a great day....

 

[aurorafan65]

Denise - glad to hear the service was nice. Hope you have a safe trip over

 

[aurorafan65]

Now that I'm finally done with school - I started getting everything together.

I have a bag together with all my incidentals like, stain sticks, travel size room spray, laundry detergent, ear plugs, etc.

Tim & Bryce went over to Citizen's bank to get some GBP & Euros, several branches carry &/or will order it - we don't get charged since we have an acct with them. Then they're going to Verizon for a lender phone.

Tonight I'm going to work on my Mickey viking head for our door & copy some pages from the Rick Steve's London book.

Monday the luggage comes down & we start to pack, then we're off on Wed night.

 

[Deb T.]

Day 4 video of Copenhagen is up!

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1128

 

[goingsouth]

Love the cruise critic videos! Just wish they were longer.

Let me know if you have any cabin changes for FE.

I was planning to resend updated list in 2-3 days unless asked for earlier (sent to you today, Momrules!) Also- will bring hard copies to distribute at meets.

We leave in 6 days! Still not packed.

We cancelled our Disney excursions in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. We plan to buy transit passes and see specific sights (depends on weather, too!)

We're keeping the Helsinki Porvoo one. So happy to read good reviews on that.

joanne