So excited I can't stand it!!!

What a week!! I'm so excited that I can't stand it! On Monday I offically registered for the Mediterranean Cruise that I earned through Close To My Heart. What a "once in a lifetime opportunity"!!! We had originally thought we'd fly out a day early to arrive in Barcelona with some extra sightseeing time, plus, to be on the safe side in case there was an unforseen airline delay. Well, we're doing that and more!!

CTMH has put together some fantastic excursions for us, and one was the extra day in Barcelona. No having to book our own room or anything. It's all planned out for us. And, the icing on the cake was, we could also book two days in London!! So, book we did!! Due to the time difference, I think we'll leave NY on the evening of the 1st of October. This way, we'll get in bright and early on the 2nd and have the whole day for sightseeing. Plus, with any luck at all, I'll sleep through a lot of the flight! LOL!! I'm not big on flying...I've only flown once. I hate giving up control of my life to somebody else...what if the guy in the 3rd row's number is up? You get the idea!

And, now I've been exploring going to Paris during one of those London days. After all, I never dreamed I'd be that close...how can I not go?? I've found a fabulous 3 hour walking tour that covers all of the best things in Paris.

So, this is what our trip is looking like at this point.

10/1 Leave NY
10/2 Arrive in London and spend the day sightseeing

10/3 I think we will then fly or take the Eurostar (haven't decided yet) into Paris then back to London for more sightseeing.

10/4 Fly to Barcelona and enjoy the day there

10/5 More sightseeing in Barcelona and then board the Norwegian Gem Cruise ship at 7pm

10/6 Out to Sea

10/7 Valleta which is the capital of the island of Malta

10/8 Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento & Capri
We depart from the port of Naples and head towards Pompeii . Here we will find the incredibly well preserved ruins of this ancient Roman town where in the year 79AD at the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius life came to a halt. The plaster cast figures of the fleeing inhabitants, the amphitheatre, the houses of the wealthy families and the red light district attract visitors from all over the world, making Pompeii one of the most frequented tourist attractions in the country. After our guided tour of the ruins our coach takes us to Sorrento where we can have lunch at one of the sidewalk cafes and time at leisure. We will then head towards the pier of Sorrento where we will travel on a hydrofoil to the island of Capri . Once there we will be taken to the town of Capri and will be allowed free time to explore this beautiful island and city that has been a resort for the wealthy and nobility since the time of the Caesars. We will then descend by cable car and board a ferry that will take us to the port of Naples .

10/9 Rome, Italy
After riding through the beautiful countryside into Rome , our tour begins at the Trevi Fountain, perhaps the most beautiful and famous fountain in Rome ! Our guide will then introduce us to the Roman Empire, walking through what was the heart of ancient Rome , the Forum. We will walk by the Senate House, where the destiny of the Western world was decided, and will see the very spot from which Marc Anthony delivered his famous - "Friends, Romans,Countrymen” speech, on the assassination of Julius Cesar. Then, we will continue on to the Coliseum, symbol of power and eternity of Ancient Rome. It is said, “If the Coliseum should fall, Rome and the world will follow”. It was the largest amphitheater in the ancient world, where heroic gladiators and fierce animals challenged each other to the death, all for the pleasure of the Emperor and the public. Then we will continue on to the Arch of Constantine, commemorating the conversion of pagan Rome to Christianity. To complete this tour, we will drive by the famous Circus Maximum, the site of Ben Hur's chariot race, the Theater of Marcello, a forerunner of the Coliseum and will finish off in modern times in Piazza Venezia, to admire the huge white “wedding cake” marble monument to King Victor Emmanuel II, built at the turn of the last century. We will then stop for lunch at a restaurant situated in the famous piazza Navona. After lunch we will be transported to St. Peter’s square, for our guided visit of the piazza and the largest church in the world. View one of Michelangelo’s masterpiece “La Pieta”. Upon exit of the basilica we will then board your coach for a transfer back to the Civitavecchia Pier.

10/10 Pisa and Florence
A very full day of touring…with a lot of walking, but we have two famous cities to visit and will come away with a wonderful introduction to both!
After a short drive, we will stop first in Pisa ; a historic medieval university town located on the Arno River , a few miles inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea . We will walk to the famous Square of Miracles , and view the unique and very famous leaning tower together with the 11th century Cathedral.
Back on board our deluxe motor coach, we will continue on to Florence , the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Without a doubt, this is one of the world’s great historic cities. Over 500 years ago Florence became the “ Golden City ”, with an incredible explosion of intellectual and artistic life. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Donatello top the list of artists who made their debut in Florence during the 16th century. Our guide will lead us through open-air markets to the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge that attracts so much curiosity because of its uniquely charming appearance and the fabulous jewelry shops lining this ancient landmark.We will visit the Academy Gallery, famous for its sculptures by Michelangelo: the Prisoners, the St. Matthew and, especially, the statue of David.

10/11 This half-day tour begins with a short orientation of Nice, capital of theFrench Riviera . Then we depart for the Principality of Monaco via the lowercoastal road. We stop in Monte-Carlo to see the casino gardens and casino/opera. Then we will enjoy a short drive to the Rock of Monaco for a walking guided tour of the old city. We will return to Nice via the middle coastal road.

10/12 Arrive back in Barcelona and board out plane for the US

Will October ever get here??

After seeing all of this, I just have to earn the next trip to New Zealand in 2010!!

Have a great day, everybody!! I know that I will!

Suz