Cruise activities planned out

Well that's another thing ticked off.

We have decided what we are going to do in each port.

Haiti - we are just going to lounge around on the beach and do some snorkeling if there is any close by.

Jamaica -  we are splitting up and doing different things. Nando is going to do a historic walking tour and I will be climbing the Dunn's River falls, then taking a horse back ride to a beach and riding the horse in the ocean. Something that I can tick off my bucket list ( Which I will get around to putting together at some stage).
Mexico - 2 boat dives and a little walk around town if time permits.

Now to plan what we are doing in Vegas, Cancun, and the last few days of the drive back... I should really stop leaving things till the last minute, that way I can relax.

And I need to find what suitcase I put the bag scales in.... Raahh

32 days till flying out

Here we are 32 days to go until we fly out, 30 days till last day at work  but only 20 work days left. Not much has changed..

My business cards have arrived. we went with Vista print who were amazing. For under AUD$ we got:

• 500 business cards ( we went with matt finish and left the deck and room blank in case of upgrade, and we can use the rest on future trips and cruises)
• 25 business card magnets
• a small stamp with our names and email address on it ( cause it was only $3, so why not)
• metal card holder
• shipping

I have also picked up a magnetic white board for hanging on our cruise ship door, as there is no phone reception, so we can write down meeting points etc.

I got a new swiss suitcase its a fair bit larger than carry on, but it will nest in the large suitcase and weighs under 3kg and was marked down from $240 to $64, and comes with 10 years warranty. Gotta love Harris Scarf sales.

I also got a tip from someone at work to get some little Aussie gifts to hand out as the locals love them. So 24 little roo badges later. that is now sorted.

The money pouch from last trip is in tatters, the velcro came un-stitched. I went in search for a new one but different brand. No suck luck. So rumbling through the sales rack I found a little purse that will do just fine. It even fits the passports.

 

In true Ramirez family style the problems are starting to roll in. We booked our Grand Canyon tour with Best Las Vegas Tours, and they are a nightmare to deal with. They have taken out more than the specified USD$59.50 deposit that was required and more than what the total of the tour is supposed to be. I tried to work with them as we copped a lot of fees as they took all the money out of a card they were not supposed to. But after 3 weeks of chasing them I have handed it over to the bank to deal with and funnily enough they finally sent through the fax number that they wanted me to send stuff too. To late buddy, I gave you every opportunity, next on the list will be to leave them terrible feedback on every review site I can find.

Kicking myself for booking my internals with AA again... I clearly didn't learn from their crap customer service last time. I was hung up on 3 times ( by the same person) before getting 1/2 the information I needed on my baggage allowance.

good to see that the dollar is on it's way back up again.

I need to start deciding what I am going to take with me. Nando is going for two sets of clothes and buying new stuff in the states. I think I will take a few of my fave dresses and my cozzies, although in two minds about getting a second pair here in oz for $100 or risking them not being available when I'm in the states. Last trip one pair of cozzies was not enough.

I am going to take the two tablet PC's instead of a laptop as they are lighter, but I will take a few hard drives to back up pictures, and blog entries after my last two blogging fails, I am determined to make this time work.

I really need to finish plotting out the trip details and looking into what tours I want to do across the whole trip.... Next post..

Leaving next month - 50 days to go

How exciting.. I can finally say we are leaving next month. This holiday has been 7 months in planning.


It is getting closer to the time that we take off and there is still soo much to do. I still have not finished plotting out the plan for the driving component. There are still a few things that we need to squeeze in two days to be back in Vegas for Nando's bday.

I'm still trying to match up my spend sheet with USD v's actual AUD costs and transactions.

I still need to book our shore tours and dives for our Caribbean cruise, we have finally got our log in to see what's on the boat. I  don't think that drinks packages will be available yet as its still 2 months till sailing.


A friend of mine gave us the great idea of making up some business cards to hand out to friends we make along the way and also on the cruise, with our contact email and deck and room number, but the dillema is what if we score a room upgrade lol... I guess I could just print them on cardboard myself and leave that spot so I can write it in....


Still have not transferred any spending money hoping that the dollar will climb a little higher. This trip is becoming a bit more expensive with the drop in the AUD. But ohh well. I still have a few hundred left over from my cruise in April.

I am pleased with the hotel bookings that I have completed so far, although we pay upfront (the website has recently changed so some hotels you can pay on arrival) we are able to get refunds when the price drops anywhere so I have been able to save a few thousand across the accommodation.

We have had a few flight changes that I need to cross check with my trip advisor to ensure that they are all up to date and I don't need to call and have them moved.

In planning all our stops along the way I have found so many cool things along the way that are more geared towards the warmer weather, so will have to plan another trip lol.

I may have to give up on my dude ranch experience as they require 2-3 days and I don't have that to spare.

I should start printing out all my important papers and swapping the papers out of the little pocket folder from the last trip.

I have booked our grand canyon tour for  the day after we arrive, but have not booked much else. I want to try and find all the hop on hop off buses and do those as a priority to get a good lay of the land no matter where we go.

Nando wants to do a hire a bike day and go riding in Vegas, we will have to do that as soon as we arrive as well as when we are back it will be well into winter so don't want to be riding around then

Re Work on the driving itinerary

I have been speaking to a few friends who are locals, who have given me some great ideas, so modifying the itinerary a bit. Still need to work out from the 24th onwards. Tis gettng soo much closer

Part 1. - Google Map Link

• 17th November - Get off boat 7am ish, Pick up the car about 9 am and start driving.                   (total of 1009 km of driving)
• First stop 
• Tallahassee, FL -  430 km  quick lunch stop and obligatory pictures
• Second Stop - 
• Pensacola FL - 316 km
• Flora-Bama Lounge and oysterbar.  (Local recommendation)  - early dinner   17401 Perdido Key Drive, Pensacola, FL, United States
• Visit the beaches of the Gulf Coast
•  5:45 pm catch last Ferry out of Florida  

Part 2 - Google Map Link

• Gulfport, MS -  134 km - Brief fuel and break and obligatory pictures for being in a different state
• New Orleans, LA -  129 km. arrive about 8 pm if we get the last ferry or 10 pm if we miss it and have to go via Mobile.

• 18th November - Explore New Orleans.                                                                                   
• 1/2 day tour of  City and Plantations 
• Ghost tour
• Cocktail tour
• Dinner and explore Burbon street and the main city
• 19th November - Explore New Orleans 
• Cemetery tour/ voodoo Tour
• Vampire tour
• Walking city/ food tour/ Coooking??
• 20th November - Driving day start at 7am
• Breakfast in Baton Rouge - 129km
• Lafeyette, LA - 96km - -Brief fuel and break and obligatory pictures
• Houston, TX - 350km  - Aiming to arrive around lunch time 
• National Museum of Funeral history
• Water wall
• Beer can house
• San Antonio, TX - 300km arrive about 6pm. (total 875km day)
• Majestic Theatre - Night time
• River walk & dinner - Night time
• Buckhorn Saloon - Night time
• Hemis Fair Urban Park (Tower of Americas) - Night time
• Ripleys Haunted adventure - Night time
• 21st November -  Explore San Antonio
• http://historictexastours.com/
• Mission San Jose
• Mission Conception
• The Alamo 
• Natural Bridge Caverns - Just north of SA on I-35 
• Natural Bridge wildlife park ( driving zoo)
• Cascade Caverns with an underground waterfall.
• El Mercardo
• Bill Miller Bar B Q
• 22nd November - 
• Hill Country - Between San Antonio and Austin.. ( Ranch Day/ Rodeo???)
• Austin TX, - 126km
• Whole Foods grocery store on Lamar and 5th
•   Saltlick BBQ joint (Driftwood)
• Barton Springs
• Bats at sunset (Ann Richards Congress Ave. Bridge which is over Lady Bird Lake)
• 23rd November - Driving day
• Waco, TX 166km
• Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
• Masonic Grand Lodge - Museum
• Dr Pepper museum
• Dallas, TX 153km
• Texas school book depository 
• Keller's Drive-in
  Northwest Hwy and Abrams Rd, Dallas, TX
• Swiss Avenue Historic District
• Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament (Free upgrade code "frweb")
• Pegasus Sign
401 Commerce St, atop the Magnolia Hotel, Dallas, TX 75201 (Downtown Dallas)
• 24th November
• Wichita Falls, TX 226km
• Amarillo, TX - 362km
• Roswell, NM 346km
• Albuquerque, NM - 318km
• Flagstaff, AZ - 522km
• 25th November????
• 26th November - Arrive Las Vegas - 409km
• 27th November -  Shopping in Vegas
• 28th November -  Shopping in Vegas
• 29th November -  Fly Home

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82 Days till departure on Kid free holiday

With my continual blogging fail, this may be my last attempt at trying to blog a holiday.

We are 82 days until we take off on our Bec and Nando kid free holiday. Now I have some of the weirdest children in the world, as they didn't want to come on this trip as they would miss too much school. Even with making the trip so they would only miss a week.

Alas, we are now going on a 5 week jaunt taking in the likes of Las Vegas, Cancun, Orlando, Haiti, Jamaica, Cozumel, New Orleans, Texas, Vegas and home again.

I have booked all our flights, all hotels except for those of our road trip from Orlando to Vegas via New Orleans and Texas.  I haven't figured out how long we will take to do the drive so will sound this out over the next couple of posts to see what works best.

Conservatively we have 10 days to do the driving and see all the sites. And it is looking to be about 40ish hours of driving. Actual dates are 17th November and Fly out of Vegas on 29th November in the AM. But I want to get all my shopping done so have allocated 2 shopping days at the end (27th - 28th).

Plan A. - Google Map Link

• 17th November - We get off our cruise and pick up the car. We figure that we will just stay in Orlando for that day and night and start driving first thing on the Monday Morning 
• 18th November - Driving Day -  Start early (4 am) head out. End goal is to make it to New Orleans. Stopping in:
• Tallahassee, FL -  413km -Breakfast and obligatory pictures 
• Flora-Bama Lounge and oysterbar. 353km  (Local recomendation)  http://www.florabama.com 17401 Perdido Key Drive, Pensacola, FL, United States
• Mobile, AL -  392km - Lunch and obligatory pictures for being in a different state
• Gulfport, MS -  121km - Brief fuel and break and obligatory pictures for being in a different state
• New Orleans, LA -  129km. - Aiming to arrive around 2 pm
• Total of 1055km. A big day of driving
• Ghost tour
• Cocktail tour
• Dinner and explore Burbon street and the main city
• 19th November - Explore New Orleans - http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attractions-g60864-Activities-c25-New_Orleans_Louisiana.html
• 1/2 day tour of  City and Plantations  http://www.toursbyisabelle.com/city-tour.html
• Cemetery tour/ voodoo Tour
• Vampire tour
• Walking city/ food tour
• Riverwalk Market place - Closed until 2014 so scratched from the list
• 20th November - Driving day start at 7am
• Breakfast in Baton Rouge - 129km
• Lafeyette, LA - 96km - -Brief fuel and break and obligatory pictures
• Houston, TX - 350km  - Aiming to arrive around lunch time 
• National Museum of Funeral history
• Water wall
• Beer can house
• San Antonio, TX - 300km arrive about 6pm. (total 875km day)
• Majestic Theatre
• River walk & dinner
• Buckhorn Saloon
• Hemis Fair Urban Park (Tower of Americas)
• Ripleys Haunted adventure?
• 21st November -  Explore San Antonio
• http://historictexastours.com/
• Mission San Jose
• Mission Conception
• The Alamo - http://www.thealamo.org
• Natural Bridge Caverns - Just north of SA on I-35 http://www.naturalbridgecaverns.com/
• Natural Bridge wildlife park ( driving zoo)
Cascade Caverns http://www.cascadecaverns.com/with an underground waterfall.
• El Mercardo
• Bill Miller Bar B Q
• 22nd November - 
• Hill Country - Between San Antonio and Austin.. ( Ranch Day/ Rodeo???)
• Austin TX, - 126km
• Whole Foods grocery store on Lamar and 5th
• Something cowboyish???
•  BBQ joint (Driftwood)- http://www.saltlickbbq.com/
• Barton Springs


• Bats at sunset (Ann Richards Congress Ave. Bridge which is over Lady Bird Lake)


• Waco, TX 166km
• Dallas, TX 153km
• Oaklahoma, OK 330km
• Amarillo, TX - 418km
• Roswell, NM 346km
• Albuquerque, NM - 318km
• Flagstaff, AZ - 522km
• Las Vegas, NV - 409km
• 23rd November????
• 24th November????
• 25th November????
• 26th November - Arrive Las Vegas
• 27th November -  Shopping in Vegas
• 28th November -  Shopping in Vegas
• 29th November -  Fly Home

.

Blogging fail

I don't think I am really meant to be a blogger.

With so many problems with loosing all my blogs and data from the USA and South American trip, I thought I would be smart and just write everything up in work on my  tablet and upload it all when I got home. How wrong was I. I was diligently writing my blog every day until my tablet decided to  fail at encryption and require a factory reset,  no worries it will restore when I get back into internet range at home.

Nope... All gone. So I will have to upload my pics and do my best to remember everything.

But in a nutshell, I got sick and needed the maxalon. got sunburnt but had a ball and left the cruise in a wheel chair and plaster.

More details to come

Sail day T-1

So we sail out tomorrow.

I have packed most things my suitcase is at about 25kg then I have my little tote bag full of shoes and my backpack. Tammy and I will be taking a medium suitcase empty to bring back goodies...

I have to be up at 6 am to get to Tammy by 6:45 and to the bus by 7:30.

Internet is a funny at 35c per minute, so wil be brief check ins to let friends and family know we are still alive.

• Hair done
• Waxing and tinting done
• I pod has tunes
• transformer has books loaded
• Brought new undies
• moved Tammy's changed over cash into my bag from the glove box as I kept forgetting to give it to her.
• Put credit cards in my wallet as nearly left without them
• Have chickos for the bus ride up although think I will be sleeping as it's now midnight. I will take lots of pics.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something.. but doesn't matter cause I'm going on a boat....... A big BOAT....

Now I should really be going to bed

Night all and see you on the other side