We’ve Got Two Years!

     Right out of the gate, we started talking a lot about what it was going to be like to take a trip like this.  It was so hard to get our head around what living on a ship for 9 months was going to be like.  Then then the realization hit that we had an enormous task that would have to be accomplished.  We always enjoyed the task of booking excursions for a 7 day cruise.  But that pales to booking excursions for 165 ports and 65+ countries.  It’s a good thing we’ve got two years to plan all this, we thought!  After a couple of weeks our apprehension went away and the conversations got back to normal.  Besides our children, we didn’t tell friends and others, as it would just be a distraction with some of the events going on in our lives.

     That was when we started hearing about this trip on the internet as groups started forming on social media.  I don’t do Facebook anymore, so Gwen would read something and tell me about the topic.  Again, we had a lot going on with moving parents into new homes and Gwen’s parents health started failing.  We just weren’t that connected with, not only other passengers on social media, but as it turns out, also with the cruise line.

    After hearing nothing for either couple, we realized that we were not in the loop with the cruise line communication.   And with amazing speed it seemed like there were travel agents planning excursions and some of the ship excursions had already sold out.  The panic still did not set in for us, though, as we most often book excursions through independent guides and services found in the port we are choosing to explore.  But, I will say that as I write this, it is a week out, and though we have most of the first couple of legs of our journey planned, there is an awful lot we have left to accomplish.  

     I don’t think you will ever feel you are ready, especially when your process involves researching ports to find out what is there and determining what you really want to invest time and money to see.  We have been extremely fortunate over the years to not only save money based on what the cruise line offers, but to also participate in some unique adventures.  

     We did prioritize certain ports that were important for us and have most of that planned.  We will be having several off ship “trip interruptions” where we will go inland and explore.  We will meet up with the ship a few days later in another port.  Those type of plans require a great deal of research.

     So let’s just say we are as ready as we can be!  This is why it is called an adventure!