Jigsaw Travel Journal

January 3, 2011

2011-01-03T20:18:00.001-08:00

The sea swells are coming from the side today so the ship is rolling a bit more than the last two days. Skies are partly cloudy and I can see rains squalls in the distance. We’re about 500 miles west of Ensenada, traveling at 19 knots. My nose is plugged up more as the cold runs its course. Started reading Deception Point by Dan Brown. Hard to put down. Just kind of lounging around today. There’s a backstage tour this afternoon and I want to see the Orange Bowl. I’ll be rooting for Stanford. I’m not that interested in the evening show, so I’ll got to the theater and watch “The Expendables”. Finally, Happy Birthday Bobby!

January 2, 2011

2011-01-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

Another full day at sea – we’re about halfway between Hawaii and Ensenada with mostly sunny skies and fairly smooth seas. Former ambassador Mark Ginsberg’s talk about Wikileaks – very interesting stuff. In the evening we again were entertained by Jimmy Travis. He is a lot funnier than whe we first saw him in 2006. My cold still hasn’t changed much, but being plugged up at sea isn’t much fun. Finished off the book Jawbreaker by Gary Berntsen. Very good read about the whole Tora Bora situation in Afghanistan. Thank you Jon for getting it for me.

January 1, 2011

2011-01-01T17:21:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I awoke feeling a bit better than yesterday. Breakfast was very sparsely attended due to the New Year’s Eve party. I guess the night club went on until after 3am. My plan last night was to do laundry and I guessed right – we had the place to ourselves.


Claudia had a morning and afternoon music teaching session. Lunch was another big buffet – for me I had prime rib, lobster, salmon, snapper, beets, artichokes, a couple of cold salads, and a brownie to top it all off.
More activities aboard ship today and smooth sailing. Watched the Rose Bowl (TCU vs Wisconsin) on the big screen in the night club. I was one of three people rooting for TCU. Great game and a win. Now the Big-10 is 0-4 in bowl games. Remember I am a USC / PAC-10 fan, so that’s where my allegiance remains.


After dinner, there was Liar’s Club – two of the shipboard entertainers and the Rabii (one of three clergymen aboard the cruise) defined very obscure words and the audience teams had to guess who was lying. The entertainers were Jimmy Travis, a comedian/singer from Nashville, and Mark Merchant, the ventriloquist. Lots of laughs and the most guests I have seen at one time on the ship – standing room only.
The worst news is we have to set the clocks forward as we will be back on Pacific time tomorrow.

December 31, 2010

2010-12-31T17:20:00.000-08:00

Another day of pretty clear weather, and one of inactivity for me as I have started to come down with a cold. Lots of liquid, a nap in the morning, watched a movie in the stateroom, off to lunch (great roast beef sandwich!!), and had a chance to talk to the ventriloquist on board for some of the entertainment. We talked for probably 15 minutes, so it was interesting to understand how he’ll do a performance.

He uses an outline and he has a number of jokes from his life experiences that he can insert depending on the audience and how well things are going. He has a surprise character for tonight’s New Years Eve party. I wish I felt better because I would have liked to see it, but I have decided because of my cold, not to attend. Also, I am not in the mood for dressing up as tonight is one of the “formal” nights on the ship. Seeing in the new year has not been a high priority for me for as long as I can remember anyway. I’d just as soon go to bed early.

What I am planning is to do laundry when the others are celebrating – I’m hoping I am the only one with this brilliant idea… No pictures today.

December 30, 2010

2010-12-30T17:19:00.000-08:00

Last night, during our transit to the Big Island, our captain informed us that we were making a brief detour to Honolulu for a medical emergency, so I got to see the skyline at night. We had to anchor a few miles offshore – it was easier and quicker to off-load and transport the individual than it would have been to dock (there may not have been space or there may have been security issues preventing us from getting closer). Anyway, the view was pretty awesome.

Today is our last day on the islands, and we finally the clouds parted. We saw the sun all day long. We are on the Big Island and our excursion was to the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut factory and to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

This was probably our best tour of all the ones we were on. Our guide was funny yet very knowledgeable about the geology, history, culture, flora, and fauna. Kilauea was spectacular and with the clear skies, we could easily see into the crater as well as the peaks of Mauna Loa, and Mauna Kea.

We also walked through a lava tube (600-800 years old). Lava tubes are how most of Kilauea’s lava is carried to the sea. The one we walked through was about 100 yards of its several mile length. There are others much longer. The one we were in was about 10 feet in diameter. It was in the middle of what is now a rain forest – thick vegetation because it is on the rainy side of the island (400 inches rain each year).

Kilauea crater is on the dry side (10 inches a year), just few miles away. We also made a stop where the lava flow of the 1974 eruption covered the road. The lava rocks were very rough and sharp.

With days like today, I can see why Hawaii is so popular, especially when you are on Hawaiian time. So much to see; each island is different. The downside is how expensive it is to live here. Tonight we leave the islands and spend the next four days at sea. We’ll have a brief 3 hour stop in Ensenada before returning to LA where I hear it is raining again.

December 29, 2010

2010-12-29T09:02:00.000-08:00

Overcast skies again today. Our port is Nawiliwili, Kauai.

We actually saw a nawiliwili tree which the town is named after. Our excursion today was to Waimea Canyon which is supposedly a small version of Arizona’s Grand Canyon. We couldn’t really tell – when we got up there (3800’ above sea level) it was fogged in.

After about 15 minutes, the fog cleared up enough for about one good picture. Based on that picture, I am sure it is spectacular if it’s ever clear. I can believe why they call Kauai the Garden Island.

There is such an abundance of vegetation, it’s too much to describe. Our other stop was to Spouting Horn, a volcanic hole the becomes a geyser when the waves break on the shore. Thought I got some great video, but the camcorder didn’t show anything at all. Bummer…, but I did get some pictures.

Tonight is the Neptune Dinner aboard ship

– Filet Mignon & Lobster, drool, drool.
Tomorrow we head to our last port in Hawaii before heading back – Hilo on the Big Island.

December 28, 2010

2010-12-28T08:56:00.000-08:00

Honolulu was overcast and humid for the most part today and rain showers were expected (but again didn’t develop). We took the City Tour and USS Arizona Memorial.

The driver gave some insight to property ownership, and we saw the Iolani Palace from the outside only since this was a 15 minute stop. We also went up into the mountains to see the Punchbowl Cemetery, and Nuuanu Pali, before heading to the USS Arizona.

Due to the length of time waiting for the specific tour time at the Memorial, there was no time to see Waikiki, Diamond Head, or much of anything else

The Memorial had two interesting museums while waiting for your time to board the launch to the Memorial. One of the features is a scale model of the Arizona and the Memorial which was especially interesting since the water at the Memorial itself was murky.

There is still a sheen of oil and occasional bubbles of oil coming from the Arizona.

Hard to believe it was 69 years ago. The Memorial is simple and you are only allowed 15-20 minutes before heading back. Still it was very quiet and somber. Thanks to all our servicemen and women worldwide for their continued service.

Before returning to the ship, out tour bus drove through Chinatown, which appeared to me to be rather run down and dirty. The buildings are old and not well-kept. We got back to the ship too late to do anything else. Maybe next time we’ll see more…
The evening show was performed by a local hula dancing school for boys and girls, and was really enjoyable. Each dance was a story which was told first and you could follow the story through the movements. Very nice.
Tomorrow, we go to Kauai.

December 27, 2010

2010-12-27T10:06:00.000-08:00

Arrived in Lahaina, Maui this morning. While waiting for clearance to leave the ship, we saw several whales breeching and playing near the ship as well as call our family. Our excursion was to the Iao Valley and the Maui Ocean Center.The sky was hazy due to the lack of trade winds and the constant eruption of Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island, and the threat of rain showers (which never happened).

Temperature was about 80F and fairly humid. Much better than the 40F and rain back home in Portland, Oregon. We could only go so far into the Iao Valley. Roads just don’t exist beyond where we were – it was a tropical jungle of all sorts of trees and vegetation and the mountain peaks went almost straight up. Whereas Lahaina might get 10” rain each year, the Iao Valley gets 400” (ie four hundred inches).

Our next stop was the Maui Ocean Center - an aquarium showing off the local tropical fish that live in the reefs around Maui. We also went through their underwater tube among larger fish and a variety of sharks and rays. One ray had a wingspan of nearly four feet and a tail at least ten feet long. We were able to do a bit of shopping and most things we bought were on sale.Back at the ship for dinner, I had a shrimp cocktail appetizer, pea soup, and swordfish AND prime rib (I actually liked the swordfish better). For dessert there was Bananas Foster.

Tomorrow we arrive in Oahu and an excursion to the USS Arizona Memorial.

December 26, 2010

2010-12-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

Today is a Jekyll & Hyde day for my morning walk. The Promenade Deck is open finally. The seas are a little choppy, but the big swells have diminished, so the ride is actually smoother. One side of the ship seems to be overcast and you can see rain squalls a few miles away. The other side is sunny and warm, and I even see the first bird since leaving Los Angeles. Walking another lap, I see a fantastic rainbow and take some pictures. The rainbow at times was single and then double and I could see both ends, but alas, no pot of gold.

At 10am we listen to a speaker discussing the Middle East, focusing on Iran going nuclear, and the concerns of other middle eastern countries and of course Israel. It’s a very complex problem.
I eased up on lunch and had a Captain’s Seafood Basket (calamari, shrimp, cod, clams), butmade up for it with dessert – Chocolate Nemesis Cake.

Claudia had a Monte Cristo sandwich and the Hawaiian Sunset for dessert.Tonight is a French themed dinner (escargot – yes!).

December 25, 2010 Christmas Day

2010-12-25T18:24:00.000-08:00

Even with another time zone change and gaining another hour, I get up late this morning. Again the Promenade deck is closed due to high winds, and the seas are still a bit rough, so off to the gym for my 2 mile walk. Buffet style breakfast, then to Claudia’s piano class and reading. I finished the Gert Boyle (Chairman of Columbia Sportswear) book One Tough Mother and began reading Jawbreaker.

The highlight of the day is the Grand Buffet at lunch. Table after table of all varieties of foods – meats, appetizers, sushi, fish, and desserts are set up in the main atrium. We were thinking about just going up to the Lido Deck for a burger or something because of a late breakfast and bistro snack that filled us up – and then I saw the chef carving the prime rib. So for lunch I have a custom made Cobb salad, prime rib, an oyster and some shrimp and lobster. I skip the dessert despite the opportunities. After lunch, Claudia heads off to see a lecture by Scott Bornstein, a memory training specialist. I figure the room will be packed, and since I can watch the replay on TV later, I head up to the Sun Deck to catch some rays, since it is mostly sunny today and the seas have calmed. Later we watch a TV program detailing the available excursions we can take in Hawaii.

Plans for tonight include the movie “Salt”, followed by the late stage show.

December 24, 2010

2010-12-24T18:22:00.000-08:00

A smoother ride overnight so we slept well. Got up early to go for my morning walk around the Promenade Deck. As I opened the door, I was greeted by a soaking deck and a blast of 40mph drizzle in my face – I went to the gym and used a treadmill for the 2 miles. Would rather walk around the deck but was a little treacherous this morning. Later I noticed that the exits are roped off so the deck is closed. Wonder why…

Breakfast buffet on the Lido Deck – omelet, chicken sausage, hash browns, toast, grapefruit, salmon, papaya, mango (I like the mango!), and green tea.
Claudia’s piano class at 9am, so I did a couple of crosswords; afterward chatted with the golf pro (who played on the same course where my parents were members as I was growing up), and the pastor’s wife. We have a midnight Christmas service tonight.

Claudia has another class at 4:45pm today, but we’ll go to tea time at 3:30pm. We watched the rebroadcast of one of the speakers we missed yesterday (she was teaching), and we’ll watch again for this morning’s speaker.

Off to lunch. Artichoke & shrimp salad, Cioppini (shrimp, scallops, salmon, and white fish, in a stew). Outside the dining room is a display of Christmas desserts and a three foot high gingerbread house.

There’s not much going on outside as the seas are rough (20 foot?) and we are in and out of rain squalls. Next up – tea time, and then Claudia’s 4:45pm piano class.

Evening dinner (Caesar salad, roast duck, cherries jubilee) and show. Then rest for a bit before heading to the midnight Christmas church service. Then nighty-night time.

December 23, 2010

2010-12-23T18:20:00.000-08:00

The seas got lumpier throughout the night, so we were awakened a few times. It is still lumpy this morning (10-15 foot seas). I am up at 7am and do a 1 ½ mile walk around the ship (6 laps) before breakafast. The ship is still in lumpy seas so it is hard to walk a straight line, but the skies are mostly sunny and the sunrise is nearly as beautiful as I have seen. Breakfast in the buffet on the Lido Deck – scrambled eggs as I watch them cook in front of me, Canadian bacon, half a grapefruit (pre-sliced), salmon strip, and croissant.

Midday snack in the Bistro – bread, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, salmon strip (I love salmon). Lunch is leek soup, mixed grill (shrimp, scallops, salmon, red snapper). The seas have calmed, but the sky has a high overcast. Tea time is 3:30pm – tea, scones, cookies. Claudia’s first class is at 4:45pm – four students that are real beginners (one is a guitar player that wants to learn piano). Tonight is the first “ formal” night, so there are lots of tuxes, but my dark suit fits right in. Dinner companions have changed slightly. The one who was looking for a singles table found one with the priest, one of the Ambassador Hosts (single men who are solely dancing partners), and the one single gentleman who is 93 years old. We also lose the Protestant minister and his wife, but gain one of the computer instructors who we have sailed with before and a Finnish woman and her aunt. It’s a good table with lots of discussion – very interesting people. Since tonight is the first formal night, lobster is on the menu. I start off with an oyster appetizer, a salad, lobster with asparagus, and finishing with cookies and cream yogurt. Two of the others have caviar, and another two had steak. The rest of us went for the lobster. As you can see, we do not go hungry and we are never stuffed – always just the right amount.

After dinner entertainment was the stage show – Million Dollar Musicals, singers and dancers take you through a medley of music from famous musicals.
Earlier today we finally got set up with our account so we can have internet access.

My method of using the time wisely (since it is costly), is to do all my writing in Word, then copy and paste into the emails.
Anyway, we have our sea legs and are enjoying our time together. We cross a time zone tonight.

December 22, 2010

2010-12-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

Cruise Day has arrived. As we prepare to leave from our son’s house, we are in a torrential downpour that has hit southern California. All the way to San Pedro from Covina, it rains, just like it has for the last seven days we’ve been in LA. Then, as we approach the ship, the rain stops, and we see the sun and blue sky. We are so looking forward to getting underway. Our son and daughter-in-law joined us for lunch aboard the ship and we are able to give them a little tour before we depart. They leave as we approach the time for the life boat drill.

Such good food – my lunch today consisted of a seafood appetizer (shrimp, mussel, bay shrimp), filet mignon, and double Dutch chocolate yogurt. What a way to start! Dinner was a shrimp appetizer, iceberg lettuce salad with bacon bits and egg crumbles, rack of Wisconsin veal, and chocolate chip ice cream. Our dinner companions may change since this is only the first night and table assignments are not finalized. It was a ‘J;’ table – only two of the seven people at our table had a name that did NOT start with a ‘J’. Nice people including one of the clergy aboard the ship. His wife plays flute, so my wife and her are going to try to get together for a piano and flute duet for the Christmas Eve service.

So off we go with a slight rolling of the ship – even I do not quite have my full sea legs yet.

December 17, 2010

2010-12-17T23:12:00.000-08:00

Departing Portland with Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, and Mt Adams in the distance.

Mt Hood on our departure

This is Los Angeles???

On a bright sunny day in Portland (albeit 37 degrees), we fly to Los Angeles where it is 52 degrees and raining. What's with this? Portland's reputation for a winter forecast is high 45, low 35, and rain. On the other hand, Los Angeles seldom gets rain, and is usually 70-75 degrees.

Our departure was smooth with no body scans or pat downs. Flying out of Portland hasn't changed much with the exception that checked baggage does not need to be carried to a drop-off area (that $20/bag pays for the ticket agent to put it on a conveyor belt that they used to do for free). We got to the airport about three hours early since today is the beginning of the Christmas rush. We were ahead of the curve so no worries. Even the rain and traffic in LA didn't faze us (we weren't driving).

Now we get to visit with family for a few days before our cruise departs.

My next post will be on Wednesday the 22nd.

August 13 - back to reality

2008-08-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

Wednesday August 13 – Back to reality
Our Bed and Breakfast, the Ocean Hotel is a beautiful Victorian home turned into a B&B. We had a great night's sleep, and it's almost walking distance to the airport (I'd do it with carryon only, but not with 2 checked bags apiece and carryon). The hotel is called Ocean Hotel because it used to be right on the coast, until the little harbor and International Airport were built.
Our flight from Copenhagen to Washington DC – Dulles left at 12:28pm and the flight was smooth and comfortable, with adequate leg space and friendly flight attendants. We arrive on time, and head for Customs. We're toward the front of the line and it takes us an hour and fifteen minutes to clear Customs – jeez, what a pain. It takes 10 minutes when going into other countries. I'm thinking I should have taken a flight to Nogales and walked across the border; that might have been quicker. I go through security at airports quicker where I have to take off my shoes, belt, and pull a laptop out of its case, all the metal from my pockets, and get my carryon bag scanned. And that is done with far fewer lanes than Customs has, and all they have to do is swipe the passport, use a stamp, and say “Welcome back”. What's wrong with this picture?
Next is the Dulles to Portland leg. I won't mention the airline, but this is why I don't like to fly on United and vow again to never fly with them again. It's my second flight from hell with them.
The flight is delayed – twice. Lord knows why we we're delayed 20 minutes from leaving the gate. Maybe some last minute calls to passengers that are in the bar dreading the flight to come. Then we're 10th in line to take off. Then we're first in line but there are thunderstorms. After an hour we finally get off the ground. After an hour we're off.
There is NO legspace in Economy. I'm 5'10” and my knees are about ½ inch from the seat in front of me. The seats aren't particularly comfortable and the plane is the older Boeing 757. I'm naturally in the middle seat. The girl in the seat in front of me has inclined her seat ALL THE WAY BACK. No one else does because they don't want to start a riot of complaints. I can't even reach under the seat to pull out a book to read. I am occasionally able to get out to use the restroom – there's plenty of legspace there. I'd like to say I spent the entire flight there – it would have been better, but I'm a nice guy. I just stood in the back of the plane in the galley area talking to the flight attendants and to other passengers with similar horror stories. The flight attendant tells me I could upgrade to Economy Plus for just $49.50. My thought is just give everyone Economy Plus seating (if it's so much better) and raise the stupid ticket price. Everyone is so freaked about about fuel prices and they're taking away services or charging extra that I feel nickel and dimed to death. Just raise the stupid ticket prices – I understand why, and I'll pay.
We finally arrive – at the same time as four other United flights arrive. Our baggage claim is carousel #10. So is everyone elses. Every other carousel is empty and no flights. Is this dumb or what?
We do arrive home safely. I unpack and am in bed at 12:15am. I'll be up at 6:30am to go to work.
Such is the official end of our little excursion this year. It's been a blast.
I still have to go through my 700 or so photos and put up a slideshow. Give me a week or so.

August 12 - Alingsas, Sweden

2008-08-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

Tuesday August 12 – Alingsas, Sweden
Alinsas at 9:00am is asleep. The shops are closed and there is no traffic. It's a weekday, it's not a holiday, and the whole town can't be on vacation... The town and surrounding suburbs, if that's what you would call them, amount to about 15,000 people. After that it's farmland, rolling hills, lakes, and little villages of five or six homes spaced apart by ¼ to 1 mile. It is quiet and peaceful in the country, and reminds us of Minnesota. That explains why a lot of Swedish immigrants settled in Minnesota.
At 10:00am the shops open, cars drive by, and people scurry around. Lots of bicycles. The town is awake.
I'm winding down and starting to think about returning home tomorrow. We already have our train tickets back to Copenhagen – we were able to get them on the internet – without a pin number.
The train we're on is probably an express. There are limited stops, and it is fast, smooth and quiet. We watch the countryside which looks similar to the Willamette Valley of Oregon zip by. It is overcast and drizzly today, and looks like it will continue until we get back to Copenhagen. I've been reading a book and dozing off. An announcement regarding the next station is made on the intercom. I don't understand a word, but her voice has the typical sing-song intonations. I tell Claudia it reminds me of the Swedish Chef on “The Muppet Show” - we both chuckle.

August 11 - our 35th wedding anniversary

2008-08-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 11 – It's our 35th wedding anniversary
Today is our 35th wedding anniversary. What could go wrong?
Let me count the ways...We're up at 6:45am. Checkout is between 6:45am and 9:45am. We haven't been able to dial out on our remaining cell phone. Claudia has a new inventory sheet to fill out for the music aboard the ship. Yep – it has new categories so she has to count those. We have breakfast and are able to say our goodbyes to our favorite waiters and our stewardess. They were so great. I think I have enough internet time to send out last minutes emails. While Claudia counts music, I send out the emails with 3 minutes 59 seconds to spare. Sounds like a lot, but it's easy to burn a minute just making an internet connection.
Oops! Our photographs – we haven't picked up our photographs yet (is the photo shop even open??). Fortunately they are. I get them and head off to the reception desk to verify how to dial our cell phone (We have an Oregon phone number dialing from Denmark to Sweden – 3 country codes involved). We need to dial 011 then the country code. Now to get off the ship – done with 5 minutes to spare. Into the taxi and off to store our bags at the hotel by the airport, then to the airport/train station to catch the train.
So far we're squeaking by.
It's 10:10am and we're trying to buy train tickets for the 10:36am train. They do accept credit cards as we do not have hardly any Danish money left – but wait, they need the pin number. In the US, a pin is only needed when getting a cash advance, not a purchase. We try four separate cards, even the emergency one where I set the pin before we left. Nothing works. Great. We're stuck at Copenhagen Airport, and probably can't even buy food. We head over to the Information booth and describe our plight. The attendant tells us “Oh, that will be a big problem for you here.” That's all I need to hear. She suggests we go to the bank around the corner (50 feet away). We do and after showing our passports, we are able to get enough Danish money to get to Sweden and hopefully back. Lord pnly know what the bank fee will be for this. Back to the ticket boot to buy our tickets. Down the escalator and onto the train. I get squeezed by the closing doors, but manage to get them open so we can both get on the train. We grab the closest seats, probably in steerage (we have 1st class seats). I don't even know if we're in the right car. After scurrying back and forth for a while, I find the seats and relax as the train pulls into Malmo. We're in Sweden. I wasn't even aware that we had gone through the tunnel under the strait between Denmark and Sweden. We laugh – another memory for our anniversary.
We still have a train change at Goteborg (and to buy tickets for Alingsas, our final destination). That is still a couple of hours away.
Finally, Goteborg and a change of train. We have 30 minutes until the train arrives. No sweat. We go to the ticket office. They have a “now serving machine” so we pull ticket #288. They're serving #253 and nothing seems to be moving. Apparently, Goteborg is a MAJOR transfer point. I ask Claudia about the train after the one we want – she says it's an hour later. Somehow, we finally get called and get our tickets with 5 minutes to spare.
A couple of hours later we're in Alingsas, and meeting her cousin and uncle. Off to their home in the country (another 30-45 minutes) and a nice Swedish dinner with another cousin and two nieces. After dinner, we do some limited sightseeing as it is getting dark – we see some family graves outside a little church that has existed since the 1200's. The pulpit dates to the 1500's and some writing on the walls goes back to the 1200's. There are even some runes (etched stones) dating back even further. Just amazing..

Sunday August 10 - Copenhagen and end of cruise

2008-08-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

Sunday August 10 – Copenhagen and end of cruise
Today was the last day of our cruise. The finality set in when we returned from our all-day castle tour ans saw our luggage on our bed ready to be packed. I hate packing.
Our tour today was an all-day tour covering a castle, a palace, and another castle up to the tip of land closest to Sweden (2 ½ miles across the channel). They were Fredriksborg, the Queen's summer residence except in August when she is staying at her vineyard in southern France, and Helsingor Castle (sometimes called Hamlet's castle). We had a terrific guide, some beautiful Danish countryside away from the city, and a Norwegian buffet lunch with herring, salmon, breads, a couple of hot dishes (beef, salmon, and chicken), and some beer.
At dinner tonight, there were balloons at our table, the trio played “The Anniversary Waltz” and “Let Me Call You Sweetheart”, accompanied by the singing of what appeared to be all the waiters. We were given a cake with a candle decorated with Happy Anniversary on it (it's our 35th tomorrow). We divided the cake with our table mates. It was a nice little celebration.
Tomorrow we leave the ship, drop our luggage off at our “last night in Copenhagen” hotel for storage, and then proceed to Sweden to visit Claudia's cousin and other relatives for a day.
This is probably my last blog for the this trip unless I can find a place for wi-fi access. I'll check emails tomorrow morning before we leave.
Hope you have had as much fun reading this as I have writing about it.

August 9 - at sea on our way to Copenhagen

2008-08-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

August 9 – at sea on our way to Copenhagen
Calm seas with a little wind, overcast but not raining. I am sore – not in my legs, but my arms, just like the guide said. I'm better after getting up and about and eating breakfast. I may not walk today – there are a lot of shipboard activities today. Claudia teaches two classes, there are a couple of speakers we really want to hear, a big buffet lunch, so time is at a premium...
Claudia and I have had a full day so far. She taught her piano class this morning, we went to the two lectures (one on Islamic Extremism, the other from a gold and bronze medal winner in women's swimming at the 1976 Montreal Olympics where the East German women looked like men because of their steroid use). The lunch, an art class, and for me a one and a half mile walk sqeezed in before Claudia's next class. In class I am able to start writing the blog. The skies have cleared, the wind has picked up to 20-25kn (add the ship speed of 15 kn and you're walking
against a 35-40kn wind – which made my 1 ½ mile walk seem like three). The seas have picked up to 6-10 feet now so you can feel the ship pitch a little.
After class, we have just enough time to eat dinner, shop for some souvenirs, and catch the evening stage show.
Just another day in paradise.

August 8 - Helsinki

2008-08-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

August 8 – Helsinki
We arrive in the morning to overcast skies and rain. And I'm supposed to go on a 7 mile nordic walk this afternoon. I'm ready to chicken out, but I meet a friend who convinces me to try it. She says “It's not a competition; what's the worst that can happen – you'll get wet.” True, true, and I call Oregon home. It's not like I've never seen or walked in the rain before. By the time 2pm rolls around, the rain has stopped and it's down to an occasional sprinkle. Temperature is above 60 degrees. Everybody but me shows up in long pants and layers of shirts and jackets. Me, I'm in a very lightweight water-wicking shirt, lightweight shorts, a hat, and a light jacket. It's not that cold out so I stow the jacket in my backpack (more of a light rucksack). Do they know something I don't?
We are taught the technique for using the nordic walking poles. They are very lightweight but strong because they are made of carbon fiber. Their use definitely makes a big difference – the whole upper body, shoulders, triceps, abs are all affected. Your breathing changes and your stride gets longer but you don't feel the change in stride.
Seven miles is a long way, but we stop several times during the walk to talk about the area of the city we are in, the buildings, the history, future community plans, and even discuss the economics of the country. We have a great guide.
About halfway through the walk I comment “Am I the only person in all of Helsinki wearing shorts?” Everyone, I mean everyone that I have see is wearing long pants and sweatshirt or jacket. I am not cold at all. About half our group answered saying they wish they had worn shorts as well. We're caught in a light shower, and while everyone else is wet, my clothes have pretty much self dried. Thank you REI!
I was worried that I might have trouble doing seven miles. I was actually the one who was the most capable. I was up front most of the time and only dropped back so someone could stay next to the instructor. They would just as soon have me up front. I didn't mind; it gave me more time to chat with the guide about all sorts of topics – Finland, economics, power (wind in the west, water in the north, coal in the south, and their movement toward nuclear), urban renewal, nordic walking history and popularity. When we finished I wasn't even winded and felt I could have done another seven miles without needing to stop. It was great exercise.
After the walk, I had a hot shower, and were pleasantly surprised to get a call from one of the ship's specialty restaurants that had been fully booked (we were on a wait list). They had a cancellation, so we were able to have dinner there with our friends after all.
A perfect end to a perfect day.

August 7 - St Petersburg

2008-08-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

August 7 – St Petersburg
St. Petersburg is a very busy port. I'm doing a three mile walk around the ship this morning at 6:45am and already there are four container ships coming into port. This is our last day in St. Petersburg and we are taking an afternoon tour of the Peterhof Palace. Another beautiful weather day.
The Peterhof Palace is one of 600 palaces in St. Petersburg. It is situated an hour's bus ride out of the city facing the Gulf of Finland. The outdoor area is not as big as Versailles, but the fountains with the gold covered bronze statues surpass it. The inside has been mostly restored since the German occupation in the siege of Leningrad pretty well destroyed it. What remains and what has been rebuilt is just fantastic. A very memorable visit.
Our tour ended with a hydrofoil ride back to the city. The ride was scenic and as smooth as glass.
Dinner tonight was a Russian theme with the waiters dressed in colorful Russian tunics. I had the borscht soup, heart of iceberg lettuce over tomatoes and mushrooms with a balsamic dressing, arctic black cod over lobster stroganoff, with broccoli and potato croquettes, wine to drink, and cherries jubilee for dessert. This is fairly typical of the kind of food we get every night. That's why I walk in the morning...
We're on our way to Helsinki, and I am going on a nordic walking tour, since I didn't do it the last time I was here. I heard it's 7 miles.
We were sitting with some friends tonight for the evening show which featured a comedian pianist. After the show we were still sitting and talking and the entertainer came out and sat with us for a few minutes and chatted. That made the evening really special (and funny too).

August 6 - St Petersburg

2008-08-06T23:15:00.000-07:00

August 6 – St Petersburg
Clear skies in the morning. We just hung around the ship all day. Our tour is tonight to see a performance of Swan Lake at the Alexandrinsky Theater. It's just as well we weren't on one of the day tours – there are three other cruise ships (bigger than ours) docked nearby, so any sights would be extremely crowded. Staying on board had some advantages – no crowds, a chance to talk to some of the few remaining on board, I had the outdoor jacuzzi all to myself (104 F – nice!) as well as sunbathe. We also took the opportunity to eat lunch at one of the buffets on the Lido deck without a crowd.
I've also worked on organizing and backing up all the pictures I've taken. Looks like I took 489 on the last cruise alone. Not so many this time, as I didn't have much time to myself since I was escorting a tour, and haven't gotten of the ship in St Pete's yet. So now, the pictures are on the camera chip, the laptop hard drive, and a pen drive.
I'm still trying to figure out why I am unable to upload pictures to the blog, and really can't spend a lot of time trying to figure it out, since internet time costs me about 43 cents a minute. Maybe I'll just email my daughter-in-law the pictures and have her post them for me.
...I have seen the Nutcracker Suite in Portland. Swan Lake is the second ballet I have seen and seeing it in the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg was extremely special. The dancers glided, floated, spun, and lifted like it was effortless. I can't describe it any other way. A great performance and a memorable night.
The ballet ended about 10:45pm and it was still light until about 11:15pm.

August 5 - Crossing the Baltic Sea to Tallinn, Estonia

2008-08-05T23:37:00.001-07:00

August 5 – Crossing the Baltic to Tallinn, Estonia
This is what I think of when I hear the Baltic Sea mentioned. Cold, overcast, 10-12ft waves with whitecaps from the wind. I awoke today to 38kn winds, 12 ft seas, and low gray skies with visibility of 5 to 6 miles. The prior cruise was full of sun and calm seas. Perhaps this is a sign that this cruise will gives us a taste of more typical weather. We should arrive in Tallinn in about an hour. We will be escorting tours in the morning – Claudia, a bus tour; me a walking tour. It helps that we were just here a few days ago.
I didn't get my usual morning walk today. The doors were roped off because of the high wind and rough seas. Not that I am really interested in walking during a gale on a pitching deck.
August 5 afternoon – Tallinn
We escorted separate tours, the first time we have ever done escort duty. And with evaluaqtion forms to fill out after we returned. Imagine walking in cold, driving rain with 20mph winds for a couple of hours, trying to make sure all 27 people in the tour stay somewhat close by, and converging on the sights at the same time as four other groups from three other ships. This is not my idea of fun, and I didn't get to see too much as I worried about those people that went into that store and haven't come out, or the ones that were tired of this and just wanted a taxi back to the ship. I just went with the flow, reminded of early November weather back home in Oregon. Claudia's tour was mostly by bus, and as a group voted to just return to the ship early. Gosh, we were here just a few days ago and it was beautiful, and not nearly as crowded. My guide said there were five cruise ships in at the same time. On our previous cruise, there were only two.
August 5 evening – back at sea
After our short stay, it's on to St Petersburg and another time zone change (lose an hour). We'll now be 11 hours ahead of home in Oregon. The rain is gone, but we still have 12 ft seas. Rock a bye baby...

August 4 - Lifeboat drill

2008-08-04T08:03:00.001-07:00

August 4 – Stockholm (Lifeboat drill)
Lifeboat drill gives everyone a chance to practice dressing in stylish orange, and for some of us (like me), a time to practice chest-bumping skills. I got a good laugh from two of the stewardesses and the trombone player. Sorry to say, many just don't take this drill seriously. Many came to the drill unprepared – either no life vest or just carrying it. Others just gabbed away and took their time, blocking the doorway to get to and from the lifeboat station. Just hope we never have a real emergency. As we were dismissed, it started raining, so some people got wet. We barely avoided it. The captain came on the intercom and confirmed it was indeed raining and we could expect choppy seas (5-6 feet), and 50 mph winds this evening. Fun, fun, fun...

August 4 - Stockholm (Ending and Beginning)

2008-08-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

August 4 – Stockholm (Ending and Beginning)
Today is the end of our first cruise and the beginning of the second. Rather than go back into town, we decided just to kick back and relax - am I seriously saying this? We're on a cruise. Since most everyone has left the ship (other than crew), it's been like having our own private yacht for a few hours. We have a chance to talk to the staff a little more than usual.
We strolled around on the sun deck this morning and just talked about the places we've been, the people we've met, and made plans for this cruise. I've even had time to walk 5 miles to work off some of this never-ending rich food that has elevated my blood sugar levels a bit.
We both have escort duty tomorrow (we volunteered) and are trying to do a lot more of that this time around since we're kind of familiar with the cities we'll see (we were just there).
Lifeboat drill is in about 45 minutes, then we depart for Estonia.
By the way, I made a mistake in my previous post regarding the size of our ship versus the “mother ship” Carnival Splendor. I miscounted the number of lifeboats WE have on each size. The correct number is 4 regular and 1 small on each side. Don't want to make it sound bigger than we really are.
Silverware – I am used to using one fork, one knife, and one spoon. Here, every time we turn around it seems the waiters and replacing multiple versions of the above with every course. Seems like a waste. Why not just omit any silverware until the course is ordered? Would be much more efficient, but then again, it's the programmer in me talking – we ARE in a very nice dining room. It's different here; get used to it. I am but it is still a bit comical. And yes I have tried rearranging things, but they catch on to that real quick.

August 2 - Tallinn, Estonia

2008-08-02T13:24:00.001-07:00

August 2 – Tallinn, Estonia
We are a dinghy. This morning as I opened the curtains to look at the sights of Tallinn, all I see is what I called “The Mother Ship” - the Carnival Splendor (see picture upper left). This huge, gaudy mother of all cruise ships is docked right next to us, and I have no view of the city. If I go to the other side of the ship I see the former Soviet Union prison – some view... Our ship, the Crystal Symphony can hold about 900 guests. To give an idea of size difference, I use lifeboats as a guideline. The Crystal Symphony has 6 regular sized and 1 smaller sized lifeboats on each side. The Celebrity Splendor has 13 on each side. The upper right view shows to two vessels, side by side (we're on the left, obviously).
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, and the people make no bones about their distaste of life under Communism. Much of the old town is preserved from the Middle Ages – 2/3 of the original outer wall remains intact. See the picture lower right.
We took a tour that combined a walkthrough of the old Soviet prison and a walking tour of the old town. The prison was in complete disrepair, but was unbelievably still in use in 2002. It currently has parts reopened for tours. I can't imagine that six years of abandonment would cause it to look as bad as it did. It makes any U.S. prison look like high-end condos. You did not ever want to be in a Soviet prison – bad, bad, bad.
There was a festival going on in the town square (picture lower left). Lots of tourists, lots of little shops and medieval buildings with quite a history. I'm glad our next cruise will take us back there so we can explore on our own.
Now it's on to Stockholm where the first cruise ends and the second cruise begins.

August 1 - St Petersburg

2008-08-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

August 1 – St Petersburg, Russia
Our last day before heading for Estonia. We booked a morning tour to Konstantine Palace, sometimes called Putin's Palace because it was built during his presidency. The original palace was in ruins after World War II, so it had to be rebuilt pretty much from scratch. I saw only one artifact that looked to be original. The cost of reconstruction was $168 million. It is a current working residence for the Russian president; the recent G8 summit was held here. We had to wear plastic booties to protect the wood parquet and marble floors. A prior tour guide said it was actually worse on the floors because of the slight abrasion from the plastic – rubber soles would be easier on things. Oh, well, they'll eventually get it.

At the end of the tour, we were shown to the wine cellar for a private wine-tasting. We were shown one of only 100 bottles of a wine that exist in the world (1940 something or other). I asked if they were going to serve that to us – a big laugh from everyone, especially the guide. We were told it was worth about 12,000 to 14,000 euros ($25,000). In the picture, the bottle is on the middle shelf on the right-hand side (shiny case). The wine cellar holds about 12,000 bottles of wine.

After we returned to the ship we were treated to a partial eclipse of the sun.

Later on, some local entertainment put on a show of local dancing and folk tunes. Very athletic.
Next stop – Tallinn, Estonia.

Helsinki and St Petersburg

2008-08-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

July 29 – Helsinki
We visited the two main sites to see – the Rock Church, and the National Museum. They were fascinating, and we really enjoyed them, but there's plenty more to talk about in St Petersburg.
July 30 – St Petersburg, Russia
We were greeted by a weather change (Oregon in March), and a brass band. Nice touch.
We took an afternoon tour, since we cannot go ashore any other way. If we wanted to be on our own we would have needed a visa which takes several weeks and several hundred dollars. Our tour was a cathedral tour. Next to the Alexander Nevisky Monastery, we visited the gravesites of two famous composers – Stravinski and Tchaikovsky. We also received a private concert by the male choir who sang some hymns and Russian folk tunes. Pretty amazing music a capella from the octet. We bought their CD.
July 31 – St Petersburg, Russia
Back to beautiful sunny weather. We booked two tours today. We probably won't do that again; we were really tired when we got back to the ship. The morning tour was to the Hermitage, the second largest museum in the world, next to the Louvre. It is in the old Winter Palace of the Czars. Having been to the Louvre twice, I believe they have a lot more paintings – they have 15,000 (too many to display at once). The museum actually does not have room to show the three million artifacts that they have. There are five different tours of the museum; we went on just one. The place is big. Our afternoon tour was the famous Church on the Spilled Blood, kind of a gross name for a church, but it was built on the site where Czar Alexander II was murdered. The inside was unique in that the wall paintings are all mosaic tile, very much like St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, Italy.
After this church we were given a canal cruise which wound its way along the small canals out to the Neva River. One enterprising young man (Dmitri – a 14 year old), followed our cruise and was always smiling and waving to us from each canal bridge we went under (there were seven or eight). Sometimes he jogged, sometimes he ran, but he was there at every bridge. I'm sure he collected a sizable donation from the passengers.

July 27 - Copenhagen

2008-07-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday July 27 – Copenhagen
Up at 5:15am for a morning walk culminating on being the only person on the sundeck watching us cruise among the many islands as we approach Copenhagen. I wonder what today will bring.
Our ship has docked a few hundred yards from the famous “Little Mermaid” statue on the water, so I take a picture of her to show everyone.

OK, just as I was about to take the picture four or five busloads of passengers from the other four cruise ships unloaded all at once. She's there – trust me.
We decided to get on the hop-on hop-off bus tour of the city, but after waiting through two fully loaded buses, we walked back to our ship and caught our free shuttle to the middle of the city. I think much of the crowd was from that “other ship” berthed next to us (that ship had 3500 passengers which made our ship and its 700 guests looks like a dinghy – seriously). Anyway, we were able to catch a hop-on hop-off tour from city center which took us around, stopping at the “Little Mermaid” statue again.

(real picture of the mermaid supposed to be here but having difficulty uploading - satellite connection issue?)

Then on to the Rosenborg palace to see the royal treasure and residence. The Treasury was in the basement, and the residence the main and upper two floors. The highlight of the day brought giggles to all who ventured into the room. It looked so formal, with beautiful floor to ceiling tile.

(picture of the loo is supposed to be here but having difficulty uploading - satellite connection issue?)

Tomorrow is another sea day and another time zone change as we sail to Helsinki. Claudia teaches her classes again and there will be speakers, movies, and shows throughout the day, with the Grand Buffet and formal wear in the evening. We'll be busy...

Oslo sunrise

2008-07-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

The sunrise picture is not included above but will get it up as soon as I am able to.

July 26 - I am a morning person

2008-07-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday July 26 11:00pm – I am a morning person
I am a morning person. I haven't always been that way, but now I can't imagine sleeping through a sunrise. Last night our captain said that we shouldn't miss the approach into Oslo harbor, and so I prepared to get up at 6am, walk my two miles around the ship and see the show. I woke up at 4:00am as it was light outside. I decided to get up and get in my daily walk then rather than later. I'm sure that the crew monitoring the promenade deck cameras thought I was nuts, as I was the only one out and about. I took my first picture at 4:15am as it looked like the sun was already up but hidden behind a hazy cloud, but it was only the reflection. The second picture (see top of blog) was taken at 4:30am – sunrise on a sea as smooth as glass and the temperature already in the mid-60s. So quiet and peaceful – only a small sailboat nearby heading for Oslo like us. It was a great way to reflect on the all the things I've been able to do and see. So I am a morning person and don't want to change.
After a breakfast of scrambled eggs and Swedish pancakes with Lingonberries, we went into downtown Oslo (the people in Oslo apparently sleep in – it was pretty vacant), and took the harbor ferry closer to where the Viking Museum and Volksmuseum are located. The Viking Museum contains three well-preserved Viking ships that were used as burial tombs for nobility around 1200AD. Pretty amazing stuff. The Volksmuseum (an outdoor village with pieces brought in from all over Norway). We went to the Stave Church, the oldest Christian church in Norway, dating to about 1200AD. The outside was restored in the late 1800's but the inside is pretty well intact.
The temperature today was 84 degrees – the hottest day of the year for Oslo, and uncomfortable by their standards. For me, it was a nice day for shorts and a cool polo shirt. Tonight a dinner and live show and watch another gorgeous sunset. Tomorrow we'll be in Copenhagen.

Portland to Chicago to London to Dover to sea

2008-07-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

July23 3:45pm – Life in the fast lane (500pmh+ at 40,000ft)
The flight attendants have made their rounds, five times so far. (1) Do you want to buy a snack pack - $5; (2) pretzel and soft drink service – free; (3) pick up the trash; (4) Do you want coffee – free; (5) Do you want water. Makes it hard to get up and use the restroom because of the carts going back and forth. With the limited space in Economy class, I've learned to be flexible - after all it's my vacation and for every problem there's a silver lining. I'm also running on fumes after 4 ½ hours sleep. I am tempted to ask for a catheter, but wisely stay quiet. I eventually am able to safely use the facilities. I was pretty wiped out when we got our pretzels – I opened the package and started to pour them into my glass of ice. Then as I'm wearing my Bose noise-cancelling headphone, I barely hear the flight attendant apologizing for reaching while she is pouring coffee to the gentleman in the row behind me, saying something about “Purple Tunnel Syndrome.” I'm wide awake now because I certainly don't want to catch that. I glance out the window and take a picture of the Rocky Mountains.
July 23 9:30pm – Chicago O'Hare Airport
We arrive about 20 minutes late, so our pilot took us on a grand tour of the airport (on the ground) by making two loops around the terminal while we wait for our gate to open up. We did not set any speed records and still made our connection to London. So the next flight will also be about 20 minutes late. They are trying to catch up, but a lot of economy passengers do not have seat assignments and the computers are down. Isn't this fun? Flight time to London ~7hr25min.
July 24 11:30am – London and Dover
Since we were late taking off from Chicago, we're naturally late arriving at London Heathrow and that means we're out of sync with landing priority. So, like Chicago, we take some scenic loops – this time at 15,000 feet. On one loop, I glanced out the window to see an A320 passingVERY close underneath us. How exciting to be nearly hit mid-air by an another plane. An obvious error somewhere. Upon leaving the plane I asked the captain how close we were. He answered matter-of-factly about 1000 feet. Do you really want to know how big Heathrow is? The highest gate number I saw was #209. And they're building a fifth terminal!
After a quiet trip through customs, we find our cruise representative, but we're not on her list. After a couple of minutes, she determines that we were expected on a Northwest flight arriving in Terminal 4 (we were on a United flight arriving in Terminal 1). So the driver came from Terminal 4, picked us up and took us back to Terminal 4 to collect the other four. The off to Dover. About 40 miles from Dover the main freeway (Motorway 40) is stop and go. The driver talks to a trucker and is informed that an accident 1/2 hour earlier has completely blocked the road. We all have a good laugh at the sign telling us to slow down because of an accident. A turtle is going faster than us at this time. Finally after about 30 minutes of stop and go, we find an exit leading to the alternate route (scenic route). Here's one of those memorable silver linings – we passed through this tiny village with buildings dating from the 15th century (half timber construction). The countryside was so quiet and peaceful and so very British. And we finally get to Dover. Clear and about 75 degrees.
All we want to do now is shower and change clothes. We're both feeling pretty skanky, but it was time for the lifeboat drill. When that concluded, our luggage had been delivered to our stateroom and we hurried to shower and change for a great relaxing dinner. We knew the Maitr'd from our previous cruises and well as the head waiter and one of the table waiters. We even had a few minutes to talk to the head waiter.
Dinner tonight was: mushroom tort, crab soup, sea bass with spinach and mashed potatoes, a glass of wine, and an assortment of chocolate thingies for dessert. Maybe that doesn't sound too special, but it was a far cry better than anything else I've eaten since our last cruise. It was impeccably prepared and presented – absolutely perfect.
It's now 11:00pm local time and we go into another time zone tomorrow. We're looking forward to a great night's sleep and we cruise the North Sea. We'll be at sea all day tomorrow.

July 23 - 3am...

2008-07-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

July 23 – 3:00am
It's 3am. Do you know where your kids are? Or your parents for that matter? I've been waiting for that 3am phone call and it hasn't come to me, so I guess I'm not Presidential material. Anyway, packing is done and it's time to get a little rack. I would have finished earlier, but I was packing into our largest suitcase. After finishing, it weighed 65 lbs. Oops – limit is 50lb. So had to repack into two smaller bags; the good news is there will be less carryon.
Wide awake at 7:30am to finish taking care of last minute chores (like washing dishes, watching the Tour de France, eating breakfast, taking out the trash). Our ride to the airport arrives promptly at 10am. The first leg of our flight (to O'Hare in Chicago) leaves at 1:49PM so we have plenty of time to burn. Over a nice lunch we realize that we left a tomato and sliced avocado on the kitchen counter – ugh! That would be nasty to come home to. I visualize a giant anthill in the kitchen or worse yet this giant pulsating black mold when we get back, so I make a phone call to the neighbor to have him go in the house and take care of things. We head to the boarding gate – our flight is delayed 20 minutes. What can I say – it's O'Hare.

Overwhelmed

2008-07-20T23:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday July 20
This weekend Claudia and I each went through a period of being overwhelmed – so much to do and so little time, although I know we have set aside enough time to be able to relax the last night before we leave. Today we did our last grocery shopping and some little last-minute clothes shopping, so that’s all out of the way. I spent yesterday getting bills ready to pay that will be due while we are gone. A hold on mail delivery was turned in, and our itinerary and emergency numbers were printed for the neighbor who will be watching the house.
On Monday, I’ll pay the bills, arrange a vacation stop for the newspaper, and change some dollars into foreign currency. So with that, a lot of the burden has been lifted.
We have everything we need; now we just have to pack (as light as possible).
Typically when we travel, we try to use Rick Steves as a guide for packing light. For overseas, I’ve never quite been able to get everything into a single carryon, but I get real close. Domestically, I can do just a carryon, which is really nice.
Tonight I spent a few hours going through all the travel toiletries and put together two small bags (one for carryon that has just the minimum – shaving, brushing teeth, and freshening up (small bar of soap, small washcloth and towel, deoderant), and the rest for checked luggage).
I also separated out and organized all the electronics we’ll be bringing – small cameras, chargers, camcorder, tapes, batteries, mp3 players, headphones. I keep things in small separate bags, as they can fit pretty much anywhere where there is a little space.
As for clothes, there’s a ways to go. I don’t want to bring too much, but I also don’t want to wash every night either. It’s the big travel dilemma. The cruise presents some unique problems. Since Claudia is teaching aboard ship, we need to be perhaps a bit more presentable than a regular customer. The cruise also has special evenings with a dress code: on formal nights, tux or dark suit is required (unless you want to stay in your stateroom); on informal nights, suit or sportcoat with slacks and tie are required (same caveat as formal night); on casual nights, casual pants like Dockers and golf shirt are the typical code. Sorry, no Levis or shorts in the evening. Also, the weather will most likely be different – I’ve been following the weather. While we enjoy sunny 80-85 days, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland have been having off and on rain with highs just reaching 70 and lows around 55. Plus we’ll be on the water, so I’ll need sweater, rain jacket, and fleece zip-up just in case. So how many knit shirts, longsleeve shirts, etc to bring. I’ll start with 5 days worth and see how it goes…

counting days...

2008-07-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

Three more work days. So much to do both at work and preparing for the cruise. For those who have not traveled before, here is a list of some of the things that need to be done:
passports (and photocopy of same in case it gets lost or stolen)
itinerary for us (so we know where the heck we're supposed to go)
itinerary for friends & family (in case of emergency)
addresses & phone numbers (for postcards we'll send)
emergency phone numbers (banks, credit cards, family)
cell phones - international roaming turned on
clothes (how am I supposed to pack light for a cruise with formal, informal, and casual nights?)
toiletries - just enough to last for the trip
electronics - camcorder or not (yes); big camera (no); small point & shoot camera (yes); mp3 player & tunes (yes); spare batteries, rechargers, laptop (so I can update the blog, and do email); headphones (noise cancelling)
eyeshades, extra socks to wear on the plane
books to read (as if I'll be bored)
do the yardwork, make sure all plants have temporary homes, and the garden gets watered daily (the tomato plants are already at the top of their cages)
arrange for newspaper pickup and mail delivery
make sure upcoming bills are paid in advance
and the beat goes on... (sorry, that dates me)