Excellent idea Lori. I think that would help me feel better too.
So, when I had my hair trimmed this morning my haridresser asked me the same question I must have been asked at least a half dozen times in the past week. What was the ONE best thing about the trip? Yeegads, I can't even narrow it down to 10! I went into the cruise so excited and with so many hopes I had this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I would surely end up dissapointed as nothing could live up to such ridiculously high expectations. And yet this cruise not only met my expectations but exceeded them. There were big, overarching great things like all of the wonderfull friends I made through the DIS and found I truly connected with onboard and the crew that was superb even by Disny standards. And there are all the moments (short though they were) that just added up to make for one amazing journey: watching Rio getting to let his inner star out (over and over and . . .) and MARIKA my reserved kid letting loose and singing and dancing in HSM karoke with her brother; the best dinner I have ever had at Palos (not because of the food or service but because of the awesome group of people I shared it with); dancing night after night away with so many of you at Rockin' Bar D, hearing John Charles play some John Charles; finally being on board with Ducky (and winning two prints!); playing Pictioanry with people who "get" why we love it the way we do; dancing more nights away at the deck parties (especailly sail away and Pirates), the fireworks in Barcelona, "Fins" with friends, munching churros and wathcing the world go by in Cadiz, quiet moments (few thougth those were) with friends in the lounges or by the pools (and at the late night dessert buffet), etc. etc. So MUCH goes instantly through my mind when anyone asks about what made this trip great (forget life flashing before my eyes, the trip does
).
I do want to say, we have lived in a lot of places. We have gotten pretty good at making friends quickly. And we do make friends and meet people we like. However, I find many of our relationships are based more on geogrpahy and a common need to be somewhere (work friends, other parents also waiting on their kids at one activity or another, etc.). The result is many of these relationaships are somewhat superficial and do not have staying power once we relocate to another area. I know I only spent 2 weeks with this great group, but I feel many of us have deeper and truer conncections than the run of the mill acquaintenceses that often pass for friends. The sheer fact that we are all the types who not only to take a
Disney Cruise, but to take one for 2 solid weeks ups the odds that we have some true possiblity of connecting. I felt we really did do just that with many from this board and I want to thank you all for sharing your time and your lives with us and continuing to do so on this thread even now that the trip is over.
....plus I think it goes without saying that Jason and I consider ourselves very fortunate to have made such wonderful friends aboard the ship and on these boards....friends who we will look forward to seeing on many Disney Vacations in the future!
