Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Vacation Plans

Wow, this morning I read all your comments and felt buoyed up. Thanks everyone for cheering me on!  Your comments have always been helpful, but this week they helped more than ever. I was really bummed on Monday. Now I am reminding myself to focus on the positive and keep fighting as hard as I can.

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Starting on Monday night, Lou and I cancelled all my travel plans for the year, which included trips to Tallahassee FL, San Antonio TX, Sun City West AZ, and a cruise to Greece. They were all hard to cancel, especially the trip to my parents' house and the trip with my old friend Kathy from Seattle.

But Lou is always thinking a few steps ahead, like life is a chess game, and he suggested that we try to do something BEFORE the chemo starts on June 2. We have just under a month, and I will be feeling wonderful. We could go anywhere, do anything... as long as my boss agreed to let me go (which she did).

There is no denying that we love a cruise more than anything. It's so easy to unpack once in what is essentially a luxury hotel, and then wake up every morning in a fabulous new place because the hotel floated there overnight. Plus, there is a chocolate on your pillow every night, and now that I am not longer taking the clinical trial drug, I can have that chocolate!

We looked at Northern Europe and Greece, and Greece won. (I have been trying to go on a Greek Isles cruise for years, but something always seems to get in the way. I started thinking that the universe does not want me to go to Greece, but this cruise fell into place so beautifully that the universe must want me there.)

We leave next Thursda!! We fly to Rome, hop on a bus, and board the Celebrity Cruises new ship, Celebrity Equinox.  It's a 10 Night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise, and here is the itinerary:

Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
Sicily (Messina), Italy
Athens (Piraeus), Greece
Mykonos, Greece
Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey
Rhodes, Greece
Santorini, Greece
Naples/Capri, Italy,
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Last night, we chose shore excursions. Oooh, we are going to have fun. The fact that this cruise stopped in Naples was a big deciding factor because, ever since we saw Pompeii, we have wanted to go back to see Herculaneum. (Pompeii was a commercial town, and Herculaneum was a resort town. Plus Herculaneum is supposed to be much better preserved.)
 
Anyway, the plan is to go and have loads of fun before the chemo starts.

And here is a diagram of our cabin:

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Good for you!! (I kinda figured the universe had a trip to Greece in the plan for you and Lou!) Have a great time!! Eddie and I will be in Miami May 22 to May 29th. May drive up to see you if you're around.

Love ya, Gail

Great Stone Face said...

We're taking this same cruise in July and would love to hear your thoughts on it as you go along or after you return home.

I think it's a wonderful idea for you to go on it. Attitude is so important and it sounds like you have an excellent one! Have a great time!

Unknown said...

I hope you have a wonderful time. My wife and I went on a trip to Izmir & Ephesus and it was one of the best trips ever as Turkey is one of the best places ever. I know you are pumped up for such a great trip.

Unknown said...

Watch out for the rug dealers in Kusadasi. I bought two and lugged them home. Go look but don't buy. They are nice but I could have bought them cheaper at home. Oh well ! You will like Ephesus. A short ride from the port.
Watch out for the gypsy pick pockets in Rome. Very sharp and work in groups with street directors.

veventoangel said...

Good so enjoyed Trip. I also like Greece very beautiful city . We easily get good athens greece hotels. Enjoying lot in that trip.

Anonymous said...

I pray for you regularly Karen. Alan

Anonymous said...

Hello,
Wow, you guys are good and a good team too...you make choices quicker and with more rationale than I do in choosing a supper item!!!! Take care...enjoy a cruise and bon voyage!!! Love, Mrs. S. xxoo

Anonymous said...

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

Love and Hugs, Sharon

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