Travelling

Wonderful scenery good food Need I say more???

Toured Pompei today Had a great day ate awesome pizza YUM drank VINO YESSSSS

Me and Mel - she is a sweetie Another day at sea…. This morning I ran into Mel (Dyke is her last name) and we chatted over breakfast, lovely lady I met at dinner the other night from Yorkshire England. She loaned me a book to read about the lecturers on this cruise (that she wrote) and I am attending the lecture on Nefertiti today and she is travelling with the lecturers. At 10:30am I am heading to the trivial quiz to see if I have any wit at all :o) – okay quiz was lame, caught up with Mel again and we decided to have a glass of champagne um and the bar wasn’t open FAWK, so I went and fetched us some tea (almost the same), she and I had a great chat sitting in the champagne bar drinking tea, then it was time for lunch!!! - good company and she is a very interesting woman with an interesting life (in her 70’s). She and I met up again at the lecture on Nefertiti (she saved me a seat right up front) and I will meet her in the dining room for dinner as well. Why not? I quite like her...

Attended a seminar, the pool was CRAZY – so I stayed away. Had lunch with some folks from New Hampshire (she took a photo of me on the camel so I am going to send an email so that I have that photo as well). Walked about the ship; was going to watch the ice carving, I was mad on the pool deck so I came back to my room and actually watched a movie – then I shopped a bit, bought a watch and a bottle of liquor to take home, a bag (kind of like a purse), I went to the ice show at 5:00pm and then back to my room to change for dinner. Had dinner with some wonderful people, a couple from Portland (Lindsay & Dave), and fellow from Sydney (Brian I believe was his name). We chatted about travelling and couch surfing and places we had been and before I knew it over two hours had passed. Was back in the room by about 9:30pm, and by the time I washed up it was bed time.

Okay so the best part of today was the free wifi – touring around this city I felt sad, saw all of the garbage and it just makes me ill. Went to the library, and that is where they offered free wifi so I quickly updated facebook and read emails, felt a bit of a connection, it was nice. Yesterday was so exciting and I ought to have stopped there, I heard Alexandria was such a beautiful city and yes parts of it are, once you drive through the derelict part. Yet the people don’t seem to be bothered by it, they seem happy so who am I to say. For me; I felt sadness. Took some photos and this time I was happy to get back to the ship, I couldn’t wait for this tour to end. Had a wonderful dinner tonight, met a lovely lady from the UK (Mel), she is in her 70’s and really quite interesting, I am going to a lecture (that her friend is giving on Wednesday) and there were a couple of other ladies from the UK as well Chris and her daughter Helen, a couple from Sudbury Brice and Deb (I think) Scott...

I saw the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphynx AND I RODE A FREAKIN’ CAMEL!!! AFTER A JEEP SAFARI IN THE DESERT it was so cool STUPD EXPENSIVE, a once in a lifetime thing to do and I guess I’ll just have to come back and take a cruise on the river Nile, ‘cause I won’t get the chance to do that this trip. I am so very lucky to be able to take a trip like this and although it wasn’t my original plan to cruise, it has turned out okay – there are pros and cons to this type of travel, I will say that next time I definitely would get an outside cabin, I don’t like not having day light in the room, not knowing what time it is and hopefully the shower would be a bit bigger; okay ‘nuf complaining. I have a pool, a hot tub, food food and then if I’m hungry there is food :o) I am sad to see the state of Egypt, it is a very dirty place and yet it has its charms as well as beauty. I guess when you have 50 million people in such a small space (Egypt is HUGE – it’s just mostly desert) so there are a lot...

Today we docked in Turkey and I want to Ancient um Ephesus. It was awesome for pictures and a bit of history we left at 7:05am. Turkey is remarkably similar to Greece (go figure). The marble here is OHMYGAWD so amazing. I am sitting by the pool now writing this, I walked the bizarre (market) and there wasn’t much I wanted to buy so I opted for a Starbucks YUP all the way in Turkey a Starbucks! Guess we’ll see who I meet today at dinner, it’s a crap shoot, I have sat with different people each night. I ran into the ladies from BC (Barb and Jan) a couple of times since being on the ship and I met this nice couple (can’t remember where from) on my first tour in Messina, ran into them once since we got back, had breakfast with them in Athens before my tour to the Acropolis.

Not sure what is on the agenda today; I believe we are docking in Rhodes, so I will most likely explore on my own from the ship. Had a great morning in Rhodes – walked around, bought some souvenirs and took a bunch of photos. It was way more relaxed than Athens and I actually enjoyed it much better, took a lot of photos and just walked the Plaka like a local (okay maybe not, it felt good though a place I could fit in for sure). When I got back to the ship I had a dip in the pool, sat in the hot tub and then lounged by the pool for a while before heading back to my hole on deck 8 :o) – no day light there :o( so I spend a lot of time on deck 11 where the pools are or on deck 12 where there is open air and sunshine. There was a 70’s disco party last night so I went and checked it out with my dinner mates. Met a couple from BC and a woman with her two daughters, they were from Scotland (Glasgow), the oldest daughter is in university in Edinburgh. Cheesy music was great, sure brought ba...

Took some photos from the ship and then breakfast. Ready to board the tour to the Acropolis. Okay so the Acropolis was kool, freakin’ crowded and it was hot. I didn’t make it to the Plakka because there is a strike on in Greece right now so there is no transportation (that was so disappointing), I was ready to walk in the plaka and then take the metro back to the ship – nope no go and apparently taxis were are a premium so…, all I got was the Acropolis. Bought a book on Greece and some post cards, so I will send some out today, I am pretty sure I can send them from the ship.

Woke up at 4am WTF – read for a bit, showered and dressed – headed up for breakfast at 6:00am to find out no beaky until 7:30am!!! Walked around the upper deck (deck 12) took a morning photo, found out deck 5 has coffee woot woot. Had an awesome breakfast and I am heading into Messina today! Will fill you in when I return. 10:15pm. Wonderful drive to Messina, scenery was outstanding, beautiful palm trees, cactus and lush greenery. Will post photos when I have a connection. Ate too much today, didn’t walk nearly enough and just came back from a manicure ahhhhh shiny nails and soft hands :0) I need to win the lotto because it is my turn and this is the life I need to continue living!!! Ciao for now

Had coffee in this little hole in the wall place with the ladies I met on the train from Rome to Civitavecchia (Barb and Joan), Corina was a wonderful lady that worked there and made me a wonderful latte which I enjoyed with a croissant. Checked out of the hotel – what a wonderful place to stay. The fellow running the place was so hospitable, VERY small room, comfortable and clean and that’s what is most important. Checked in for the cruise and then sorted out my excursions – this is a huge ship and it took me a while to find my cabin, once I did I was pleasantly surprised to find my KING SIZE BED whooooooaaaaahhhh dawwwwgy. You know although I am in an inside cabin it is pretty good, I was worried that it might be claustrophobic, not so, it is a good size, so it is okay and besides I am not in the cabin for the most part anyhow. Met a lovely couple from Ireland at lunch and they were celebrating 50 years of marriage, such a nice couple. Went to the spa and experienced a shoulder an...

Okay, flying is not my favourite thing to do, stuck on a plane for 8 1/2 hours and STILL NOT THERE!! Amsterdam airport was fun, it was very easy to spend two hours there just walking from one gate to the next, there was a lot of "stuff" I even stopped and bought myself a new pair of earrings (like I need those) hum mmm new BLING YAY!! c'mon I deserved it after being on a freakin' plane for eight hours right!? Okay so landed in ROME YAY - took a train to the city (that was coolio), they certainly weren't very helpful when I bought my ticket, I found a nice man that didn't speak any english (yet we managed to communicate, my italian is better than I thought) anyway, I found my way to ROME (photos to follow) The train ride was very much like a Toronto go-train ride with a very different destination as the city was AMAZING! AND Pizza woot woot I met some gals from Vancouver on the train from Rome to Civitavecchia (where I am now) and we are at the same hotel and...

Okay so some of you followed me through Europe last trip as I back packed and blogged. It was an AMAZING trip last time and this one I hope is as good or better. I have NEVER been on a cruise and I have gypsy blood I am sure as I like to explore, I like to walk and see where the locals live, well this time I am on a ship with day docks and excursions so ....., keep tuned in to share my experience. I am sitting at the airport with trepidation as I HATE flying, I am terrified of heights and of coure I just don't want to be on a plane for eight hours and then on another plane for five hours. The only thing that saves me is that I think of the destination and Bella Roma fuckin' eh! I am going to walk where some of my ancestors walked and I will be in awe no doubt. I have been boning up on my Italian meh we'll see how well I do. K - will let you know when I land! Ciao PS keep in mind if you are anonymous when you comment, I can only guess who it is ???