Where Have I Been?
As it’s been over a year since my last post, some of you may be wondering, where have I been? Well, where I have been is right here. And nowhere. With my keen sense of timing, I chose to start a travel blog just before a world-wide pandemic and subsequent lockdown. With my “awesome” age of 60+, and a few underlying health conditions, travel was out of the question. In fact, I rarely left the house (and I have the extra pounds to show for it. 😊) But now the world is opening up again. I’m vaccinated, boosted and ready to go! So, the question isn’t really “where have I been”, but “where am I going”? We have several tips planned. Read on to learn more.
We’re Going on a Disney Cruise!
Our first trip is later in May. We’re taking a cruise!! Yes, a little dicey, I know, but I’m going for it. We had to cancel 4 cruises during the pandemic, and I’m ready for some sea air. We’re taking a Disney cruise to the Bahamas! Disney requires all passengers 5 and over to be vaccinated, and everyone must take a Covid test prior to boarding, so this gives me some reassurance. Plus, as I said earlier, we’re vaccinated, boosted, (and we still managed to catch Omicron back in January) so even if we do catch the virus, it shouldn’t be bad. And I am so ready for a vacation.
We’re sailing on a 4-night cruise on the Disney Dream out of Port Canaveral. Its one of the last cruises before the Dream moves to her new home in the Port of Miami. The new Disney Wish will be taking over for the Dream in Port Canaveral when she starts sailing in late July. We hope to sail on the new Disney Wish later this year or early next year.
A mid-ship veranda cabin awaits us. It’s the first time we’ll have a veranda. Usually we have an Oceanview cabin, mostly because I was afraid of a veranda with the kids. But now that they’re grown, we’re giving a veranda cabin a try. Actually, the veranda part is a surprise, – the kids don’t know that yet. It will be fun to watch their faces when they see it. We’ve been on all the Disney ships, but we haven’t been on the Dream since 2011, so it’s time to give her another try. I’ve developed some mobility issues during the pandemic, nothing serious but it does slow me down. I will be keenly interested in how easily (or not) I can navigate my way around the ship. As mobility issues can be a common concern for us awesome adults, I will be sure to report back on how it goes.
We’re going to Disney’s Boardwalk!
After the cruise we’re spending a few days at Disney’s Boardwalk hotel. Boardwalk is one of my favorite Disney hotels. I love its proximity to Epcot and Hollywood studios, and just the fun atmosphere of boardwalk itself. We lucked out and got a reservation for a late lunch across the lake at Beaches and Cream. I’ve been wanting to go there for 20 years! It is small so reservations are hard to come by, but we got one this time. Ice cream overload, here we come!
Plus, I’m excited to check out the new Disney Skyliner. The Skyliner is a new transportation option at Walt Disney World. It’s an aerial gondola system that goes from several of the Disney resort hotels to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. And its free! Since Boardwalk is a short walk (or boat ride) from Epcot, we’ll go there to board the Skyliner, and take it over to the new Riviera Resort. The Riviera was still being built the last time we were at Disney World, so it will be fun to check it out now that its complete.
A new twist is planned for this trip. I’m going to try a vlog. We plan to take many videos of all of our adventures, as well as of the Disney Dream and Disney Boardwalk hotel. I also plan to do a live Instagram from the ship shortly after boarding. Given that I am frequently challenged by apps and cellphones, things may not go as planned. 😊 But I will have my daughter with me, who after rolling her eyes a few times, should be able to get me on track. Links to the videos will be posted on the blog and my Instagram once they are uploaded to YouTube.
Future Trips Planned
Later in the summer we’re planning a trip to Philadelphia and the Poconos mountain, and one to Raleigh and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. So, it’s time to close the door on our pandemic-induced absence. No more wondering “where have I been?” The future is calling. Travel is calling. It’s time to focus now on where we will go!
