Western Mediterranean Cruise

I just received amazing news! In September, I'll be flying to Barcelona then cruising to France, and Italy. I couldn't have imagined that in a million years, I would have an opportunity like this. I have been to Rome in the past, but just like my last trip to Amsterdam, I will see the city in a whole new light. As I plan my trip, I'll post what excursions and other activities I hope to do. Until then!



8.2.12

I depart in less than two months and I have a lot to do.  I started with the small stuff today…

*I visited my local camera shop and priced new Nikons. I’m in need of a new camera, and this trip is the perfect reason to purchase one. I was thinking of getting a Nikon Cool Pix.

*I made a checklist of the things I will need to bring.  Some of my clothing must haves are walking shoes, light dresses, a white cardigan, simple jewelry, and of course my bathing suit. I want to make sure everything I bring coordinates (so I don’t have to pack much) and is light in color and fabric (due to the heat).

*I looked through my purses for one that would be easy to travel with. When traveling with a purse or bag (a satchel for instance) follow these rules…

-Make sure your bag has a zipper or closes completely. Purses or bags that don’t close all the way, are of course more prone to pick pocketed.

-Carry a bag you can wear over your shoulder. It makes you less susceptible to having your bag stolen.

-Don’t use a backpack for daily use. Pick pockets can steal your money or whatever else too easily. I see a lot of travelers carrying their backpack on their chest. I don’t recommend doing this. In my opinion, you don’t want to stand out as a tourist.

-And lastly, make sure you have enough room for an entire days worth of stuff. A water bottle, a map, souvenirs, your camera, and all the other stuff you accumulate throughout your adventures. 

*I called the airline and changed Greg’s seat. I wanted us to sit as close together as possible. Because our reservations were booked differently, this is something we wanted to do immediately. Regardless of the situation, never ever wait to change your seats on a plane. If you're unsure of what type of seats and amenities your flight offers, call your airline directly. Never assume your flight will come with all the bells and whistles. On our flight to Amsterdam, we did not have a personal TV (this was a transatlantic flight first for me). If I had done my research in advance, I would have known this and brought movies.

*And towards the end of my day, I forwarded my travel itineraries to my emergency contacts.  

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Now it's time for me to stay up way too late and research where I'm going online until I can't keep my eyes open.
I'm clearly excited about this trip...

8.8.12

Only 50 days until we sail off! This is what we’ve done so far…

*Greg and I spent the last few days researching excursions. It’s been tricky because we only have one day in each city. As you can imagine, we want to do everything. We’ve looked at what interests us, but most importantly what we can afford. We have agreed to spend no more than $100 US dollars per excursion.
*Booking excursions through the cruise seems to be our most reliable option. This is because we can meet our group at the port of call and they provide transportation to and from the city. 

*Purchasing excursions can be difficult. There are so many options. If you book your excursion from somewhere other than your ship, keep this in mind...

-Does the company provide transportation to and from your port of call? If so, make sure you return before the ship departs.

-If not, is public transportation easily accessible? Take into account how far your port of call is from the city. Give yourself enough time (for safe measure, add 15 minutes for traffic) to get back to your ship.

-If your tour group is meeting in the city, find out exactly when and where. Always carry                    your own list of emergency phone numbers, bottle of water, and a map. 

*Save Save Save!  This trip is very last minute.  We must scramble to save every last penny.  Our biggest expensive at the moment is food.  (We have a habit of dining out).  Cutting coupons and buying generic brands helped us save close to $90 in groceries last week.  We shopped for items that could be frozen or prepared to last a few days.  We also purchased a few Lemon Thyme plants to plant in our flower box.  This way, we wont have to spend more money when seasoning our favorite dishes.     

I have mentioned in the past that keeping a change jar is a simple way to save.  Every day or so, I have been trying to add a few dollar bills. 

I gave myself my own manicure and pedicure.  It was relaxing and free!

*Lastly, I found a cat sitter.  I wanted to give our friend enough notice so she can plan to be at our house morning and night.

8.10.12

I just received even more great news.  We have been able to extend our time in Barcelona by 3 1/2 days!  More to come soon...