One week from today we actually leave our house and start
heading west. First to San Diego to see my aunt Margie and cousin Daniel,
although I think of them more as friends than relatives. Then we’ll go on to
Aptos (go find THAT on a map!) to visit Marian & Alex, old friends of ours
from when we lived in San Mateo. Then to San Francisco to be tourists and visit
my sister and brother, Victoria and Lance. I am the oldest and they are next to
youngest of the 9 children my mother had.
I am starting to panic. Especially when I discovered I had
misplaced my immunization record. I don’t think I’ll need it, but it’s nice to
have documented that my yellow fever immunization is still current.
Randy did a practice pack of one large suitcase but I’m
going to have to have him unpack it. I am not happy unless I know exactly what
is in my suitcase. And I don’t. Of course we still have stuff to pack and even
to get. I have put off until today ordering an international phone from Go-Sim, as suggested by some Cruise Critic
members. What would I do without CC?
Naturally I still have a few clothes to purchase. And I’m
getting my haircut by my daughter’s hairdresser. You know, it’s really boring
getting ready for even the most exotic trip! But all this stuff (mostly) has to
be done.
I’m getting the three tours I’ve organized, organized. I’m
in the process of sending out emails to make sure everybody still wants to go
on the Mumbai Tour, the Papeete tour, and the Le Havre tour.
Meanwhile, Randy and I are up at our cabin on Mt. Lemmon
(yes, it has two “m”s, named for the first woman to climb it) getting it ready
for our friends who have rented it for the summer. We’re packing up all OUR
clothes so our friends will have space for THEIR clothes. And cleaning the
place. THAT is an exercise in futility as the windows are so leaky that dust is
a constant presence. I can dust in the morning and by lunchtime there is a fine
layer of grit on everything. Grrrrrrrrrr.
There is still fun stuff to do, such as still thinking about
organizing a few tours. We only have tours organized for about 15–20 of
the cities we will be docking at. And what souvenirs we are interested in. We
have so much STUFF in our lives that I don’t want to get much, but it’s such
fun to look at the souvenirs we have brought home that we’ll surely get more
than we are planning right now.
And finally, I so enjoy reading others’ blogs about their
travels. Whether it is by RV in http://warnerrvnews.blogspot.com/
(by another Pam & Randy) or by ship in http://curtandcindyworld2012.blogspot.com/
(the HAL Amsterdam’s world cruise), or quite possibly one of my favorite blogs,
http://torontotoranana.blogspot.com/,
which is not really a travel blog, but as he says, “Articles and information
from a Torontonian living in Ra'anana, Israel.” And my daughter would not
forgive me if I didn’t mention her blog http://thehorseandhound.blogspot.com/
about her fun, frivolity, and travails of owning a horse. Hers isn’t a travel
blog, either, but an eclectic mix of stuff happening in her, her husband’s, and
her dogs’ and horse’s life.
Still haven’t gotten around to doing anything with my video
of the airshow. Bummer.
Lastly, today (in the US) is ANZAC day, an extremely
important day for Australians. We remember our men and women who served in the
military on Memorial Day. They remember theirs on ANZAC day, April 25. Lest we
forget.
As soon as we start traveling I will do my best to post at
least every other day, if not daily. Hasta la vista, baby!
