TKers Take the Fifth!

[racetrack18kb]

So, Wendy, when are you going again? I just might have to stow away in your luggage. All the pics are great. That food looks so good. Well, except for the haggis.

 

[M&N]

I'm sooo full! What about that dessert you really liked? I thought it was some kind of caramel thing? Maybe I'm just confuzzed...you did such a good job of 'feeding' us!

 

[whgrn]

Sadly, I won't be going back for at least the next few years. Maybe in 2012. The kids really want to go, and DS wants to see the Beatles sites in London and Liverpool, and to kiss the Blarney Stone. DD wants to stay in a castle. Maybe I will take them to Tatoo--I think they would like that. We would do England, Ireland, and Scotland all in one trip, probably 2 weeks.

Time to start saving up my frequent flyer miles for those plane tix!!

 

[racetrack18kb]

I haven't made any vacation plans for 2012 yet. I really like to plan ahead. How about a nanny for your trip?

 

[MagiKitty]

Wendy, the pics are great! I loved going on vacation with you! While the food looked super duper yummy, I think you looked the best! Oh! And I saw my husband, he was part of the wedding party.

Racetrack, I supposedly used a TA. It was actually more of someone who didn't do very much. I'm doing it all myself next time. The selling point is that you get to work with the same person for your trip. But that can be a bad thing too if that person is an idiot.

 

[racetrack18kb]

I saw quite a few hotties in that wedding party too.

MK, is it is a local one that you used or one of the many recommended here? I'm working of pricing out the cruise and I can't decide if I should do it myself or use a TA.

 

[MagiKitty]

I used AAA for our trip last year, because the promo became available to TAs before the general public. While there, I booked bounceback, so my ressie was automatically linked to AAA again. She's a NY AAA agent, but on Long Island, so she's hardly local.

I've read great things about some of the Disney travel agents. I can't remember the names of any of them though. Didn't M&N do a Disney cruise? What did she use?

 

[racetrack18kb]

I've heard a lot of AAA agents are hit or miss. I've worked with AAA, Dreams Unlimited and The Mouse For Less on previous vacations. Each one had their high and low points.

M&N went with her friends from FL, I think. And I think they handled the travel arrangements.

 

[Bopsmom]

M&N, the piper thought the whole thing was hilarious!

Great Pictures! Thanks for taking me and DD along.

Looks like a wonderful trip.

 

[MagiKitty]

So far, both my AAA agents have been miss, miss, and that's being kind.

I've heard of Dreams Unlimited. I've read lots of good stuff about them, but not about their cruise agents. I would take a book out at the library about cruising and find out what you should look for, especially with kids.

 

[racetrack18kb]

Dreams is the official travel agent of the disboards. But you do most all your business over the web with them. Planning a vacation to somewhere new is so exciting but so stressful.

Hey Bopsmom!!! How are you doing?

 

[whgrn]

Racetrack, in 2012 my kids will be 15 and almost 17. Doubt I'll need a nanny! But you're welcome to come along!

I usually act as my own travel agent. I truly enjoy all the planning and arranging. But for our cruise I did use a TA, and she was able to get me discounts and freebies that i could not have gotten myself. So that's an advantage. i think if you get a GOOD TA, it can be a big help. I am very happy with mine so far. My DSis always says we should have been TAs--think of all the free trips!

Off to take the doggie to the groomers...

 

[Pikester]

Good morning!

It's a little cloudy here this morning but I have seen some peeks of sunshine out there. Very sticky out there too!

Magikitty: I saw you and you looked great! Fingers are crossed that they give you a call to be on the show again.

whgrn: Pictures are awesome! I don't know about anyone else but I knew there was a reason I was having hot flashes.....you have me sitting near the fire! All that food looks so yummy! (Well, maybe one thing doesn't look so yummy) Love Mel Gibson's twin! I had never heard of Braveheart until friends of mine rented the movie for us to watch. Boy was I peed off after having watched the movie for over 2 hrs and he dies at the end!

A great big Hello to everyone else!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today!

 

[Shmu]

Good morning TKers.

Been out of touch for a while. Trying to finish my first research paper. I am happy to say I finished this morning at 2 AM. I told my DH I was not going to bed until I was finished. I feel so good today knowing it is done. It ended up being a 22 page paper. Learning how to type it up in APA format was a time killer.

So this morning I actually have a few minutes to play a little catch up. Can't read everything back.

I missed MagiKitty on Millionaire.I had class and forgot to get family to tape it. Bummed about that.

Pikester---Extra big hugs coming your way.You have been through a lot.

YAY!!!!!! I was in a castle.
Wendy the pics look FANTASTIC. I was laughing so hard looking through them. You have taken my DH's dream vacation. He wants to go so bad. If I had thought of it I would have made a flat version of him to send. Oh, well.

Off to clean the house. I am actually looking forward to doing something different than writing...writing....writing....my research paper.

Have a great day everyone. I'll check in later next week. We are heading off to my Dad's for a visit this weekend. It'll be a nice break. He lives on the lake.

 

[mariezp]

Morning all! Just dropping in to say Hi to everyone and make a quick post.

Kitty, I caught a little of you on Millionaire but didn't get to watch the whole thing. You looked great.

Wendy, loved the photos! I feel like a real world traveler myself now. So, did you really do all the planning yourself? That is pretty amazing! How do you know where to stay? I would be so lost in a foreign country.

Good news on the dog. The vet called DH yesterday and said they got all the cancer. I take her back Friday to get her staples removed. She has chipped just about every corner on the walls and furniture with that blasted collar. It doesn't even slow her down when she hits something. She just keeps plowing through. It ain't been none too easy on the shins either! Hopefully, she won't go to licking after the staples are out. Got to get some bitters just in case because she has a nervous habit of chewing on herself. The vet said intelligent dogs often do that. Doesn't seem very intelligent to me.


This week one of my friends found out her mother has a brain tumor. She is scheduled for surgery on the 20th. She has been having all kinds of memory problems so it is great that they found what was the cause. Now we just have to pray that they are able to remove it and that it is not malignant.

I started a pre-trip report. We will see if I keep up with it between now and then.

 

[DL55]

whgrn I just loved the pictures! Thank you for taking me to High Tea. I have never gone to High Tea, I hope I behaved myself.

racetrack18kb If you want to use a TA make sure they are CLIA approved. CLIA makes sure they know something about cruising. It also helps if the TA has actually gone on a cruise. After the first cruise it's not to hard to do it yourself. Oh by the way did I mention..if flying, arrive the day before?! Can't trust the airlines.

mariezp Glad to hear about the dog.. Sad to hear about your friend's mom.

 

[whgrn]

Good morning TKers.

Been out of touch for a while. Trying to finish my first research paper. I am happy to say I finished this morning at 2 AM. I told my DH I was not going to bed until I was finished. I feel so good today knowing it is done. It ended up being a 22 page paper. Learning how to type it up in APA format was a time killer.

YAY!!!!!! I was in a castle.
Wendy the pics look FANTASTIC. I was laughing so hard looking through them. You have taken my DH's dream vacation. He wants to go so bad. If I had thought of it I would have made a flat version of him to send. Oh, well.

Glad that paper is done! I remember how good that feels!

You had a great time in the castle, and enjoyed looking at all the guys in kilts. Glad you enjoyed the pictures. I would have gladly brought Flat DH along. Next time...

Wendy, loved the photos! I feel like a real world traveler myself now. So, did you really do all the planning yourself? That is pretty amazing! How do you know where to stay? I would be so lost in a foreign country.

Yes, I really do all the planning myself. The internet is an invaluable tool! I found all the hotels online, checked them out on tripadvisor.com and made reservations via email. It's not as hard as you might think!

Great news about the doggie!

Praying for your friend's mom.

whgrn I just loved the pictures! Thank you for taking me to High Tea. I have never gone to High Tea, I hope I behaved myself.

racetrack18kb If you want to use a TA make sure they are CLIA approved. CLIA makes sure they know something about cruising. It also helps if the TA has actually gone on a cruise. After the first cruise it's not to hard to do it yourself. Oh by the way did I mention..if flying, arrive the day before?! Can't trust the airlines.

DL, you behaved very nicely. You even raised your pinkie at the appropriate times!

Racetrack, she is absolutely right. Once you've done a cruise, it's easy to plan another. And the CLIA approval makes a big difference. As far as flying, there are lots of cruises that go out of NYC and Bayonne, or even Baltimore. That eliminates the need to fly. Our cruise in April goes out of NY. But if you do fly, do arrive a day early, just in case!

Took doggie to the groomer today. He looks and smells SO much better! They had to shave his tail due to matting, and he really looks like a little meercat now!

Thunderstorm rolling in. Hope we get some rain--my flowers are drooping!

 

[racetrack18kb]

Ugghh, the dis is slow lately. It's been driving me crazy. Ok, crazier than I usually am.

DL55 and Wendy, thanks for the advice. The TA that I am leaning towards using is CLIA approved. Went back and checked. Nothing is booked yet but as of right now, we are settled on a 4 night Disney cruise. More expensive but after I looked at the various options with the kids, they were most excited about Disney.

Wendy, have you cruised with your kids before? If you did, how did they like it?

 

[LivinInTheCastle]

Hey everyone--I see I have a few pages to catch up on! Don't think I will make it through them today. I am going to go lay down in a few, my back is aching and I fee like I can't breath!! Just over 7 weeks to go here!!!

 

[whgrn]

Ugghh, the dis is slow lately. It's been driving me crazy. Ok, crazier than I usually am.

DL55 and Wendy, thanks for the advice. The TA that I am leaning towards using is CLIA approved. Went back and checked. Nothing is booked yet but as of right now, we are settled on a 4 night Disney cruise. More expensive but after I looked at the various options with the kids, they were most excited about Disney.

Wendy, have you cruised with your kids before? If you did, how did they like it?

Slow as molasses lately--makes me nuts too!

Yes, I have cruised with my kids (several times actually). They love it! We are cruising in April.