Wants2cruise

A few years ago, I was on a Hawaiian cruise that stopped at Fanning Isl. In the post office at Fanning, there were people who would stamp the passports for $5. I had intended to take my passport when I was going ashore, but had forgotten it. I felt it wasn't imiportant enough to warrant my going back to the ship just to get my passport, go back to the island, etc., etc.

 

My passport still doesn't have any stamps in it, and it expires next April. Oh Well!!

I sailed to Fanning in Nov 2006. During that time frame there was a kisok right near the tender pier that would stamp your passport. It only cost a dollar donation to get it stamped. I did buy the beautiful stamps at Johnny's store at Fanning. I am so sad that NCL no longer does the Fanning Island cruise. I wanted to do that cruise at least one more time.

Oh my, some of you have had some rough times in your lives. My heart goes out to you. Prayers for those that are still fighting the battles in their lives.

My life has two stories. My DH's family only went on one or two vacations, so he wasn't one to take vacations. Since I was raised with the concept of a yearly family vacations, that was a huge issue to us.

In 2000 we took our first cruise on the Dawn Princess. I knew that I would love it, but wasn't sure if DH would like it. He throughly enjoyed himself. In 2001 we decided that a cross country adventure to attend a wedding was the vacation. So,18 states and a Canadian province with 7,700 miles, we zigged and zagged our way around the U.S. with our two teenage sons. They still talk about that trip.

Nine months later he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I was so thankful that we had done both of those trips. He made it through the surgery, with minimal long term problems. In 2005 we cruised to Alaska on the Regal Princess for our 25th. We are now booked for a trip to Florida with a cruise.

In April 2006 my mother almost died of a heart condition. Her life long dream was to go to Hawaii. My dad wouldn't take her, so I had promised her that I would take her to Hawaii SOMEDAY. Well, during her 10 day hospital stay. I though that I had missed my chance and therefore broken my promise. I decided right then and there, that if she made it through all of this that I was booking a trip to Hawaii for her and I.

About a month later, her heart doctor released her to return to a normal routine. When asked, he confirmed that she was allowed to travel. That night, I booked a trip to Hawaii with a cruise. She cried when I gave her a special mother's day gift. We spent 18 days on our travel to Hawaii, then on the cruise. The cruise was the NCL Wind, which included Fanning Island. Once she learned that we would be going to the Big Island she informed me that she wanted to see the volcano. I knew that with her heart condition that she shouldn't be near the actual lava flow on the Big Island, so the only solution was to take her on a heli tour of the volcano.

For Christmas the following year, I gave her a scrapbook of our trip. She still talks about her trip. She has been on eight cruises, total, with two cruises since her Hawaii trip, but she still considers the Hawaii trip as the best.

I would rather have surgery than go camping.

FOTFLOL

I guess that I need help. I love any and every type of vacation. I love camping, cruising, and land based vacations. We own an RV and have driven cross county with a teenage and a preteen. :eek: I have tent camped with our BSA troop more time that I can count. I have stayed in various accommodations from youth hostels to some of the best, most expensive hotels in the U.S.. Also have been on 4 cruises with many more to go. I haven't flown to Europe as yet, but when I do, it won't be for just a one week trip.:rolleyes:

Perhaps I am just a vagabond or love adventure in my life. :D

I am traveling to Washington DC next week for sightseeing, then will go on to Baltimore for a conference. After I had already made my airline reservations, I started searching for a decent hotel in DC.

There wasn't a decent hotel to be found in the DC area for less than $250. Most of the economy hotels received either very poor ratings or were long distances from the Capital. I was freaked out thinking that I was going to be paying close to $600 for a decent hotel room for the DC portion of the trip.

Finally went onto Priceline and decide to try a bid of $100 for a 3 star hotel in downtown DC. It was accepted by the Phoenix Park Hotel, which is 2 blocks from the Capitol and 1/2 a block from Union Station. So my total cost for 2 nights is going to be $237 for a great hotel in a very good location. :p

I am now hooked on Priceline.