7 More Days

I sort of warned you in the beginning that I was new to this blogging idea, but I just tried to place a map of our journey on the blog page. You can find it at the bottom of the journal entries. I could not figure out how to get it by the side! You can click and drag in the map to follow our journey if you want to. I could not figure out how to draw curved lines so my ship sails in straight lines and makes 45 degree turns or crosses land masses...LOL. So with a week to go I spent the afternoon figuring out how to do this instead of doing more important things like laundry or cleaning. Enjoy!

10 Days and Counting

Whoa!!! Did you feel the strong wind today? Well, it was just me breathing a sign of relief. Our passports came back home.

Remember I told you back in October we had to send our original passports to the visa/passport service in Florida? They in turn take the passports and all the documentation up to Atlanta to the Brazilian Consulate and get us visas so we can enter Brazil. I was beginning to worry because they were not back yet but they came today. All documentation is in place now and we can even go to Brazil anytime we want for the next 5 years…. Yeah that’s gonna happen!!!! Although it does sound intriguing…hmmm… I’ve heard Rio is interesting.

We are getting things settled here at home. Jack has 2 vats of wine “perking”, believe it or not, they are set in the bathtub of the guest bath because it has gotten so cold here for this time of year. They will be done and set into the “aging containers” before we leave. He has just a few of his handyman clients to get jobs done so he is on schedule.

I have gotten my beginner quilters either completely finished or far enough along that they can help each other to finish. All I need is 2 more days at work. The web business will be a challenge to get it up to par so it can be left alone except for some basic maintenance, which Geri will handle along with all the other things she has to do. So work is almost on schedule.

Thanks for "listening"

13 Days and Counting

I printed out our Travel Checklist today. Do you use one too? You know, water plants, turn off water, stop the mail etc. So I have added to the pre-packing items. It looks like it did when we travelled with the kids; bandaids, Tylenol, contact capsules, Barbara's "tens unit", and bug spray.

Since we are not travelling on a luxury cruise ship this time, but actually College at Sea, just as your kids are when they go off to college, we are responsible for personal care items like shampoo and bath soap so they have been added to the stack. Oceania Cruise Lines has really spoiled us in the past. Thank goodness for hotel soaps and shampoos so we can discard the little bottles as we use them up. Ahem, makes room for purchases LOL.

I made an appointment to have my nails done the day before we leave...very important.... and even though we are away the bills must be paid so arrangements are made for them too. I know we have free wireless Internet but I hate logging on to banking on wireless, I'm just a bit paranoid like that. Under 2 weeks, so the excitement is starting to build and I may not get back to you until we are on our way. See you later!

19 More days

Happy Thanksgiving to all. We have so much to be thankful for, as do most of our friends. Jack just came in and asked me to get our Christmas letter written, as he has to mail early for a change, because of the trip. We decided to just put up one Christmas decoration outside so he is doing that now, a wreath over the garage door.

I am actually sitting here in my sewing room and can see the surfaces. I made sure that I would have all my various projects finished before we left and am well on the way to fulfilling that promise to myself. This week I delivered 4 Quilts of Valor, which takes me up to my January goal. That is quilt number 40 for wounded military personnel. If you care to you can see them at this web site: http://community.webshots.com/user/pins4

We have started to lay out items for the trip, so far 2 tubes of Sunscreen #15 and #30 and 2 bottles of Malaria pills. I just can't think of "packing" yet.

Well, we are off to Thanksgiving dinner with the Kelly's who are also graciously driving us to the Myrtle Beach Airport on the 15th to start our adventure.

33 Days til we leave

Well, not planned but what a day. Barbara is having a minor surgical procedure on her toe today.... YUG In April she had an ingrown toe nail cut out. The toe has been a bit sore lately and low and behold it has grown back by growning in!!! So here we go again but at least it will be healed before we leave. This time Dr Keefeer is going to cauterize that part of the nail bed so the nail will not grow on that side. No sore feet on our adventure, Please!!!!

A preview of what is planned.

Well, got email from Ray and he wondered why no new posts yet. There is not too much to say. We are making lists... what to do before we leave, what we need to buy, what to take! Goofy me did not even think about the fact that we are going to be on or very near the equator so SUN SCREEN is very important. Got it!! #15 and #30. Jack already has the bug repellent for any jungle excursions. We haven't gotten the list of lectures while at sea yet.
The "field trips" on this cruise are so varied that we had trouble paring them down to manageable. Our first port after leaving the port in Nassau and being at sea 2 days is St Barts. We have been there and tried the topless beach, which was a hoot, and Jack really liked it last time. The island is not so big, and definitely caters to the wealthy, so we decided to just go ashore on our own or maybe even just stay on board, so don't expect of a post from there.
Next stop will be Barbados... we are into a Wildlife reserve and along the "untamed" East Coast. that's a quote from the description.

Next after entering the Amazon River on 12/24 we stop at Manaus, Brazil and will be all set for a river cruise in a "local riverboat". Jungle here we come!!! Oh, Jack is planning to go Alligator spotting that night. Barbara will find something a little less exciting to do.

Santarem, Brazil is next and here Barbara gets her wish to meet with the people and see how they live and survive in this HOT HOT climate and jungle environment. We exit the Amazon on 12/30 and head for Trinidad. Here Jack gets his wish to explore for the bird population and, of course the next day, steel drums are on the agenda along with a traditional "Trini" lunch. From here we head for Dominica and a chance to experience the Carib Indian Tribes.

St Kitts will find us once again "birding". St Croix, finally, just a day at the beach for snorkeling and being lazy. The last stop before heading back to USA is on the Dominican Republic and believe it or not they are offering a caving experience so you can guess where we will be headed.
So that is what we have planned so far.

Pre-adventure

58 days before we leave home:

Well, preparing for this adventure is an adventure in itself. Preparations began in September.

Since we are entering Brazil at 2 ports we need to have a Brazilian Visa. Not so easy to get, as you must go to the Brazilian Embassy, which for us is, in Atlanta, Ga. To make it a easier??? There is a Visa service out of Florida so we have to compile a list of documentation to send to them. First is go get a shot of Yellow Fever vaccine and send the proof along with our passports and some other paperwork.

The doctor does not give it so we had to find the Board of Health. As it turned out it is only about 45 minutes from home. OK, we are vaccinated! It is highly suggested to get your tetanus shots up to date. I am beginning to wonder about this "relaxing" cruise? OK, that got done, but the CDC recommends that you take Malaria pills. Now, I am worried!!! Do I really want to go to the jungle and up the Amazon River?

As it turns out the pills are a form of tetracycline, which I believe is for bacterial infection or in this case to prevent it. I learned more about Malaria than I ever thought I needed to know. hmmmm... one pill a day starting 1-2 days before leaving then 1 a day on trip and 1 a day 4 weeks after returning. Are we making the right decision????