BIG changes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have redone the itinerary. I am now going to do the 12 night Brilliance of the Seas Italy and Greece and then the 12 night Baltics with Disney. I had several reasons for making the change and the most important one was itinerary was better with Greece included. Of course, it helped that the price was about 45 percent lower. LOL. I got a fabulous balcony cabin on the Brilliance of the seas and another cabin for my son and our family friend, so we won't be crushed in like sardines!!!!! And, I think I am going to be able squeeze in a couple of days in Paris!!!!

What is next?

Now that I have airfare, hotels, cruises booked, transfers figured out, what is left? Well, arranged tours in St. Petersburg, Rome and Florence/Pisa. I have started investigating the companies that have been recommended on cruisecritic.com. They are very helpful over there. I have sent out a couple of emails and I am waiting for information. I can't believe that this trip is less than nine months away. I booked it over 11 months ago! What a trip it is going to be!

Ridiculous amount of time has passed!!!!!

I was going to be such a good blogger. But I really got lazy. However, maybe now I can get busy and try to catch this blog up with my plans.

Let's see...um....I have made reservations at the Casa Camper hotel in Barcelona, finally, and that is not a Disney sponsored hotel, but, it has been rated #2 on tripadvisor for hotels in Barcelona, and it has free breakfast and 24/7 drinks and snacks including beer and wine. Now, I don't really drink, but I do like soda and bottled water, especially when traveling. I also think it will be convenient to get snacks for the kids without have to pay a fortune to room service or leaving the hotel. It also has a two room setup with a bedroom and a lounge area, and two tv's. This is always handy on vacation with children.

I booked my airfare, British Airways, from Atlanta Georgia. My brother is going to take us and drop us off there and then pick us up on our return home. It was a chunk of money but it is paid and done, so there you go.

I did teach this summer so I could pay for the cruises, so I am glad that is over because I was really tired each day at the end of the day. But it was so worth it! I am taking the kids to Europe.

I have finally started medication for my rheumatoid arthritis and I am doing better though not cured by any means. I had an episode this summer where I couldn't walk for a couple of weeks or at least I hopped and hobbled for a couple of weeks. I had a leak of synovial fluid in my knee, a condition caused by the rheumatoid arthritis. I was on vacation at the time. I am planning on purchasing a travel scooter to take with me when I travel, in case I get in this position again, it won't ruin the trip and confine me to a wheelchair, which is tough on the old biceps. LOL. Check it out here: www.travelscoot.com. It appears to be really cool and easy to use.

My friend can only get time off work for one of the cruises so she is doing the Med with me and the kids. We have been friends since college and she didn't get to go to Europe with me in 1987 (Wow I am OLD) and has regretted it ever since. I am so glad she is coming.

I need to book transfers from the airport in Barcelona, to the hotel and then to the port two days later. Also, I need to book transfers from Dover to London, and then London to the airport three days later. So far, everything has cost a bit more than I expected but not too bad. Europe is expensive right now for Americans, due to the loss in value of the dollar.

I have decided that instead of booking private tours in the major sites, like Rome, Florence Naples, I am going to use the train and then the hop on hop off busses. They are most definitely the most economical and laid back way to get around. And, they are easy on the old shoe leather. However, I will book tours in St. Petersburg for sure, as you need a Russian visa to travel alone, and with a tour you don't. Other places are easily accessible from the port.

Well, enough for now, this is too long anyway. Classes start next week and I am working on research and having furniture delivered tomorrow. I am pulling my hair out! I will definitely do a better job on my blog in the future. Thanks for visiting.

Schizophrenia anyone?

I was laying in the bed last night thinking how I am spending a fortune on this grand tour. I really actually thought about canceling the entire thing. Then today, I thought I would be crazy to do that. And I was also thinking I should tack on a few days in Paris after London. LOL. Talk about flip flopping. Why am I torturing myself?

Interesting Discovery....

Today I was checking out the "Disney approved" hotels where they will be putting up the people that book directly through Disney in Barcelona. I just assumed that they were all out of my price range. I think the AC Barcelona may be reasonable. I would prefer to book at a hotel that Disney is using for the convenience of the transfers. I think a Disney person with a large mickey hand greeting me at the airport would give the warm fuzzies upon my arrival in Barcelona.

Perhaps it is time for an email campaign.

Now, back to planning in Barcelona.....

Where am I going to stay in Barcelona? I want to arrive at least two, maybe even three days prior to the first leg of the cruise in order to ensure that my baggage has time to catch up with me. I have read on some trip reports from prior Med cruisers that some people spent the entire cruise without their luggage. GASP!!

However....what will I do for three days in Barcelona? A day yes, but three? I have to admit that I am a bit scared of Barcelona. I hear so much about pickpockets and so forth. I have to think of how to mitigate the risk of being pick pocketed.

So I have been looking at hotels in Barcelona for the last six months and keep going back and forth over several hotels. I think I should try to stay at one of the hotels that Disney is using. They are pretty expensive though. Has anyone ever gone insane trying to plan a cruise?

Wonder of Wonders, Miracle of Miracles....

I feel like that singing lyrics from "Fiddler on the roof". LOL. I finally got the reservation desk at the Park Plaza County Hall in London to let me make a reservation for three nights after the cruise. They kept saying that they didn't have rates for 2010 and couldn't make the reservation. I just keep emailing them and today they said okay! Yah!

And I have upgraded to a Cat. 9, ocean view room. For all 29 nights.... It did cost me, but I can't think I will regret it. Having the natural light will be a blessing.

I don't have the room number yet because my travel agent is working on it at the moment. I just hope it is not a noisy room. I might internally combust if I don't get enough sleep. Or coffee for that matter.