Since Flames has his own holiday thread, I thought I'd have mine. This summer is huge. It's a special birthday for my Dad and myself, so guess what we're getting? A Mediterranean cruise with the family!!!!! Click to view attachment

On Monday, July 14th, my husband and I are flying out of Orlando to England, and my parents are flying out of Toronto. We will meet in Manchester within 20 minutes of each other, where my sister and BIL will pick us up and take us back to their house in West Yorkshire for some visits with family and some sightseeing. On July 19th the six of us will fly to Venice, where we will meet my son and daughter Click to view attachment, and then board a ship for a 12 day Mediterranean romance cruise. Following the cruise, myself, my husband, and my kids will fly to London for a couple of days, and my parents and sister and BIL will head back to West Yorkshire. Then we'll all meet up again for a couple of days before flying home on August 4th.

I am beyond excited. In fact, I am so excited I am nauseated.

WOO HOO!!!
This is fantastic news!!!!!!!!!!
Have a brilliant time Krikit! I'm sure you'll have the time of your lives.

Sounds wonderful

Thanks guys! I am now in a mad rush to lose a ton of weight.

Oh! And we have arranged with the ship's captain to do a surprise renewal of wedding vows for my parents. It was their 50th wedding anniversary last year, but my Mom was a mess with all of her surgeries and her sister dying, and then her minister retired and she didn't want anyone else to do it so we shelved it. I am VERY excited we are going to get to do it now.

Sounds like an exciting trip!!

Ooooh! That's so exciting! Take lots of pictures so you can post them upon return!

First: I hate you ... you get to go on a European vacanza while I won't

Second: IT SOUNDS AMAZING SISTER!!!!

Yeah, sorry about that. I almost posted in the vent thread when we were trying to coordinate the thing. (Do you know how incredibly difficult it is to schedule and arrange flights and timing for 8 different people living in 3 different countries flying into and out of 6 different places? Lemme tell ya..... it's difficult.) Anyway, I didn't bother whining because I knew there'd be minimal sympathy.

Thanks Jun, Flames, and Len! I will definitely take pictures!

Yeah I like your vacation a hell of a lot better then going to Canada. Any room for me?

I feel the same way just reading it. That really does sound like a once-in-a-lifetime undertaking. Even Donald Trump is saying, "it's huge." Throw in a visit to the set of Corrie and a wedding at Old Trafford and you've done it all. Really like the surprise wedding vows on the ship, it truly is the piece de resistance. As for a lack of sympathy for your plight from the hoi polloi, don't worry about it, it's just a Minorca problem.

Wow!! What fun!! I can just imagine what a hassle all the planning was, but now that is done and you can just look forward to it!

Nooooooooooooooooooooo! I LOVE Canada! There are so many fabulous and interesting places to visit! Gosh. I haven't even begun!


Ooooooooh. Done the set of Corrie TWICE! My favourite picture is of my uncle (who just passed) lying on the sidewalk in front of the Rovers Return pretending to be drunk, and me trying to pick him up to take him home. It is priceless. I'll have to dig it out of the archives.

I'm so sorry about the passing of your uncle, I was hoping that you'd tell us that he'd improved enough to go on the cruise. You have my deepest sympathies and condolences. If it's not too upsetting, I'd love to see the picture.


Full tank of petrol for the Vauxhall Victor... £30.50

Family pass to Granada Studios Tour... £8.50

Having a photo of your late uncle in front of the Rovers Return.. PRICELESS.

Sounds like your trip is going to be amazing, and I know you will all have a ball. I also know how hard it is to schedule it as we are trying to get a family (3 big birthday's this year) trip sorted out for Christmas with 12 people out of 4 places and it is ugly, hopefully we will get it done before Christmas though lol. Do take lots of pictures while you are away and show us all.

Bon Voyage krikit!! I hope they have an internet connection waiting for you on the ship so you can keep us updated on your fabulous trip (or perhaps wifi at a road side rest stop ), I hope you have a wonderful time

Sounds fantastic! Relax and have fun!

Now, that's what I call a Holiday! Have a great time - as if there was any doubt (VBG!).

Oh wow Krikit! I am sure it'll be amazing. Hope the weather is as wonderful as the company you're traveling with!

Have an amazing time and take lots and lots of pictures!!
Miss you!!!!

Enjoy yourself. Take lots of pictures and make lots of memories.....ones that you'll be able to share with us on your return.

Awwwww. Thanks guys. You're the best.

I'm just waiting to take the laundry out of the dryer and put the new load in, and then I'm running out to do some last minute stuff for my husband, who is at work (where else would he be?) and to pick up some stuff for my Mum. I haven't packed, yet, but I know what I'm taking and that's half the battle. House is clean, fridge is almost bare, plants are watered long enough till our neighbour pops over to water them again. Spending money has been transferred to my bank in England, paper and mail are on hold, bills are paid, get well and birthday cards are ready to be mailed. Oh. And so is the T4A for my tax return that I found in the closet. Will do that in the morning after I visit the tag office..... I forgot to renew the plates for our cars. I have our passports and my greencard and our marriage certificate. Oh, and our tickets. Have I forgotten anything?

Will definitely pop in and say Click to view attachment every once in a while. ( j/k )

HOnestly i really do try to bite my tounge when you post things like... i love the US SOOOOOO much better than my sucky life in Canada..

But is this REALLY necessary??????

*insert le really big sigh

Krikit.. i hope you have a beautiful time on your trip.. sounds like SUCH an amazing time and with your entire family - how wonderful!! I know you've waiting a LONNNNG time and hubby works so, so enjoy your time together!!! YEAH!!!

Thanks E.

Now this is what I call a holiday! Right on krikit! Make sure you take lots of pictures.

Wow I'm such a slacker, I just read this thread.

Have great time with you family, and for sure get lots of pics.

Have fun

lots of pictures please

Okay..... I received a couple of pics from my sister. Still waiting for the rest. (Her husband and my daughter took the majority of the pics.) Here is the ship in port in Venice. We had a taxi bring us from the airport and this was our first view of it. Our staterooms were near the bow (port side... which you can see in this pic) two decks up from the ship's tenders..... those small orange boats you see midway. Actually, they're not so small in real life...... they each seat about 100 people. We had verandah rooms beside each other, so that was nice. The room steward opened up the privacy barriers for us so we could visit back and forth without having to go out into the hall.




Gondolas in Venice:

Lovely pics krikit! Is this the first cruise you have taken?

That picture of the gondolas is outstanding!

Wow- what an amazing trip!!

I'd be happy to have a holiday from where you started from- Florida

Stunning pictures Krikit! Nice angle on the gondolas shot. The cruise sounds lovely.

I love that second photo Krikit!
Wow!

I love the gondola photo too! It really captures the atmosphere of Venice, I think.



It's the first big cruise, yes. I've been on one of those small cruises but that doesn't really count. For years my family has been trying to get me to go on one but I've always refused. (I'm the only one who hadn't been on one. lol) I get motion sickness and I really had no desire to be cooped up on a ship feeling nauseated, with no way out. But I'm happy to say it wasn't that bad. I took some Gravol when I really needed to (mostly when I lay down at night..... but that was only for the first 3 days after we left port) and the day we were in rough seas (18-24 ft waves). Once I adjusted I was fine. The worst part was adjusting to being back on land when the cruise was over. Things still felt like they were moving beneath me so I got a REALLY bad case of motion sickness then.

What a great ship !! But I must agree with the others, the gondolas are beautiful. I hope you took time for a ride in one.

Did you fall over in the shower back on land?
I hate it when that happens.
I have lost my sea-legs somewhat being I don't spend the same amount of time on the water as I used to.
Sorry to hear you got sick.
18-24 foot waves?!
Wow!!

Part of the Doge's Palace (built in 1309-1424) in Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square) in Venice. This is the Porta della Carta (Paper Gate), which leads to the palace's interior courtyard. The gate acquired its name because ordinary people were not allowed to pass beyond it and so handed their petitions to the gatekeepers. The palace was constructed in two phases between 1301 and 1450. It was broken into two phases because the original architect was executed for treason. He had supported an attempted coup by the Doge (the Duke) - who was also beheaded for conspiring to kill the Council of Ten.




From another perspective.... this view looks at the back of St Mark's Basilica (the domed building.... rebuilt ~ 1063 from the burned remains of the last church.... built in 832 and again in 976... however it wasn't completely finished until the 19th century) and its accompanying belltower.... the Campanile (kahm-pah-nee-le). Piazza San Marco is in front of the Basilica.

Oh wow, those are both absolutely gorgeous!! Just lovely krikit

Thanks so much for sharing the pics Krikit, they're truly amazing.

Oh good. I was wondering if I was boring everybody. I love different cultures and history and geography and architecture and stuff so, for me, it's fascinating. But for others..... maybe not so much.

Not boring at all - I like the stories too, keep them coming