Today is the day! Our journey of a lifetime begins now! We are actually on the shuttle to the Port of Galveston, where we will begin embarkation on The Mariner of the Seas! Everyone is so excited! Why? Because this cruise will take us from Galveston to Singapore by way of Nassau, Portugal, Spain, Egypt, Jordan, Dubai, India, Malaysia — Incredible! Bon Voyage to us!
This is the tune I’ve been busily humming to myself the past few days!
The excitement level around here is sky-high and climbing. It will culminate on Sunday, when we are actually on the shuttle bus that will drop us at the Port of Galveston, where we will board The Mariner of the Seas!
Kudos to Kingwood Travel for arranging transportation to Galveston for approximately 30 travelers from my area that are embarking on this 41-day cruise to Singapore. Parking our car near the port for six weeks would not be an acceptable option
Not only is Kingwood Travel arranging our shuttle, they have also planned a Bon Voyage cocktail party for our group on board The Mariner of the Seas at 4:30 Sunday evening. Then we will truly know that this unbelievable journey of a lifetime is actually happening!
Royal Caribbean International Cruise Lines allows us to bring two bottles of wine per stateroom, per each leg of the cruise – or six bottles for the bon voyage celebrations! We’ve chosen a couple of bottles of celebratory wine — bringing just a little bit of southern comfort from Texas with us.
A favorite Texas wine!
Every day this week was spent either sorting and packing or shopping for the last minute have-to-haves. I’m certain we don’t need half of what we’re taking.
Another chunk of time was spent with AT&T customer service sorting out what we need for calls and texting on the other side of the world! Jodi did a good job helping us out. Let’s just hope we made the right choices!
Did I mention that we are excited? Our son and his family live nearby and will drive us to our shuttle bus. They will have fun using the pool and looking after our place while we’re gone. They have promised not to throw too many parties!
We’re looking forward to chatting with our family members via Skype from exotic ports of call such as Medeira, Portugal, Barcelona, Alexandria, Egypt, Dubai and Singapore to name a few.
I’m also excited that my newspaper publisher has linked my blog to http://www.ourtribune.com!
Just two nights and one day left!
Exactly one week from today, The Mariner of the Seas will embark on a 41-day repositioning journey from Galveston to Singapore. That leaves only six more days to finish packing and set our sights on the horizon.
As luck would have it, the Lyrid meteor showers will peak during the first and second nights on the ocean, and I’m really looking forward to that experience – far away from the lights of the coast. The Lyrid meteor showers come along this time every year, and it just so happens to coincide with the kickoff of this cruise. We lucked out!
With the countdown to the voyage speeding by, it seemed like a really good time to soak up as much Texas as possible today, while on a day trip to visit with family.
The first thing we did was chose a place to enjoy some real Texas BBQ. We chose the Chappell Hill Bakery and Cafe, where it doesn’t get any better. This eatery was recently mentioned in Southern Living magazine. We sampled all the BBQ meats on the menu, including brisket, ribs, sausage and chicken, which were all very delicioso. The sides were very yummy, also! Then, of course, we had to sample a piece of pie and take home some Kolaches! They are famous for pies and fruit and sausage Kolaches.
http://www.chappellhillbakeryanddeli.com/ordereze/default.aspx
Another “pure Texas” experience presented itself as we made our way back home. Just east of Chappell Hill, hundreds of Bluebonnet lovers had pulled over to take advantage of this perfect Sunday afternoon to snap their yearly “Bluebonnet Pics.” Non-Texans may not know about this very traditional spring activity in Texas. The larger Bluebonnet fields were so crowded that we decided to make do with a small patch beside the road…it was better than nothing!
Now back to my packing list…and dreaming about a Royal Caribbean cruise that will take me and my fellow travelers on this exciting adventure, thanks to our friends at http://www.kingwoodtravel.com. Next Sunday we leave the Port of Galveston and will dock in Nassau a few days later. After that, we sail across the Atlantic and on to the Mediterranean, finally ending up in Singapore after a total of 41 days. Pinch me to make sure I’m not dreaming!
http://www.ourtribune.com/section.php?c=3&sc=117
This 41-day, trans-Atlantic cruise has been booked for months and I can’t believe it’s now only 1 1/2 weeks away!
In just 11 days a group of 30 random people from my hometown in Texas will board The Mariner of the Seas in Galveston to begin an exciting voyage half way around the world — from Galveston to Singapore! Of course, thousands of other travelers will also board.
At first the mere thought of packing for such an ambitious undertaking seemed insurmountable. After brainstorming with a few friends and doing some online research, the lightbulb finally came on.
It suddenly occurred to me that packing for 41 days with the idea of flying back was truly impossible. However, my eyes suddenly opened with the realization that this voyage is literally three, two-week cruises combined to make one voyage.
So, all I need to do is pack for one, two-week cruise, then recycle everything for the next leg and, finally, the last leg of the cruise. Ta-Da! Now I’m ready to put this packing dilemma down.
Now, to take this idea of “packing light” one step further. One of my friends suggested that I consult an online list for packing light on http://www.rIcksteves.com, so I did. This list is not specifically for cruises, so I’ve had to modify somewhat, but it’s very helpful. Rick Steves suggests that you pack for 4-5 days no matter how long your trip. It’s a little different when you’re on a cruise because of the variety of activities calling for both casual and dressy attire.
A big sigh of relief! Packing for two weeks is the plan — including medications and toiletries for six weeks is manageable. And, we’ll be packing a hand-held scale to weigh the packed luggage before heading to the airport in Singapore.
Can’t wait!
Here is a look at a few spots that I consider the cream of the crop!
Tuscaloosa! Dreamland BBQ — now that’s what I’m talking about.
Read the story here! http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=12951
Daytona! Not just for NASCAR lovers! The sights, the sounds, the aromas — Love Dayton and nearby spots, too!
Daytona Beach
Read more here! http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=12918
Civil War Trail in West Tennessee! Follow the Civil War Trails in Tennessee and learn why both sides had their stories to tell. Memphis is a great place to start on this journey…
Read more here: http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=11010
Sailing in the Gulf of Mexico from Kemeh – Galveston!
Read about it here: http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=7846
Beaumont! The little city with a big heart — visit Spindletop, home of the big gusher!
Full story link: http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=12914
La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa – Golfing, boating, swimming, and more — all on Lake Conroe, TX!
La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa [/caption]
Read more: http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=12929
Mountain Lakes in N. AL! Surprises around every bend makes this one of my favorite locations in the south for soaking in all the south has to offer!
Get the scoop here: http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=13001
Shreveport-Bossier! Shopping, casinos, movie stars (yes, they make movies here!) and much more!
Read more here: http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=14084
Mobile, AL! This is the ultimate location for southern hospitality and charm!
http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=14255
Navarre Beach! Located in the Florida panhandle, this is one of the lesser known white sand beaches…one of Florida’s best kept secrets!
http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=11840
Houston, we have a Fun Park – But you have to drive to Galveston! The Pleasure Pier on Galveston Island was a pleasant surprise encounter! On a recent Sunday afternoon, while taking a leisurely drive and enjoying a day of sunshine, we were drawn to the ocean (well, in this case it’s the Gulf) like a duck to water.
We knew the Pleasure Pier was up and running but we had not found the opportunity to check it out — until now! At this point, we looked around us and wondered why we didn’t have our grandkids with us. Next time, we said, and we can’t wait!
We bought a walk-on pass and continued on our fact-finding mission. This is a full-blown amusement park constructed on a pier over the waves. We were amazed!
We looked at the brochure and it said. “Calling all Thrill Seekers!” Can you imagine 16 amusement park rides all on one pier? It is amazing to see!
There’s a kiddie big top area, pier party zone, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., gift shoppes, photos, live music & entertainment, food, midway games and more!
Hope you get the chance to check out The Pleasure Pier soon!
Another excuse to visit Galveston!
Golfing, water sports, swimmers’ paradise, spa envy and good food — it’s all here!
There are many journeys that start in our own back yards!In a few weeks I’ll be off on an extended travel experience…to places I’ve never seen. A journey of a lifetime! Thinking about the long journey reminded me that there are so many options to experience the reality of an escape without the hassle of a long trip. This is one example of a great get-away destination in East Texas.
http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=12929
Southern comfort…destinations to soothe your soul.
Since the spring of 2010, I have traveled to several southern cities and locations that were rife with wonderous, amazing sites. If you want to learn about a place where you can dine in a cave; a church built around a giant bolder; the civil war trail and many, many other interesting destinations — then please come back to Trilla’s Travels often!
Trilla
Trilla's Travels 
