Good Bye 2015!!

[Hydrokitty]

My wish list for all of you for 2016:

 

No flight delays;

No rain in May;

No snow in October;

Normal water levels on all rivers;

Free wine on all cruises;

Lots of tulips in April;

Great food;

Great company;

New friends and finally as in every year.....

Enough money to do it all!!!

 

Happy New Year Everybody. :D

[pacmom]

Dear Hkitty,

 

What wonderful wishes!!!!! Same to you and fellow VU alum hubsand--we just beat Xavier. We live outside of Cincy in Ohio, so we have bragging rights for awhile. Smooth sailing in 2016.

 

You forgot "just friendly" cobbles on trips. Pat

[nancyevans]

Great list, Hydrokitty. Happy New Year!

Pacmom, I live in Cincinnati!

Happy travels to everyone in 2016.

[rjscott]

Well said, Hydrokitty, and same to you!

 

Becki

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks Hydrokitty! Same to you and to all!

[Got2Cruise]

Happy New Year! The USD is strong, another thing to be grateful for. But most importantly good health in 2016!

[purduemom1]

Great post, Hydrokitty! Same to you and all and yes, the good health to enjoy it!

[id4elizabeth]

Wonderful cruising to everyone. I'd like to add "new itineraries to explore" to the list!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Wonderful cruising to everyone. I'd like to add "new itineraries to explore" to the list!

 

My experience is that I discover new interesting itineraries faster than we can take them (even at 3 big trips a year -- retirement is great!) :) But I would add: good health to enjoy traveling!

[Hydrokitty]

Dear Hkitty,

 

What wonderful wishes!!!!! Same to you and fellow VU alum hubsand--we just beat Xavier. We live outside of Cincy in Ohio, so we have bragging rights for awhile. Smooth sailing in 2016.

 

You forgot "just friendly" cobbles on trips. Pat

 

By all means, add them to the list!!!! :D

 

 

When did you graduate VU and from which school? DH was '60 school of engineering..have you been back?

Edited January 1, 2016 by Hydrokitty

[Hydrokitty]

My experience is that I discover new interesting itineraries faster than we can take them (even at 3 big trips a year -- retirement is great!) :) But I would add: good health to enjoy traveling!

 

Amen to that!!! :D

[Lois R]

Welcome 2016, the year of my first River Cruise:D

[Imasima752]

That was wonderful, Hydrokitty! Happy new year to you and everyone! 2016 definitely has great things in store for us [emoji3].

[bubbulz]

Happy New Year! I'm saying goodbye to a year that saw my first river cruise and hello to a year that will see my second.

 

Smooth sailing in 2016, everyone! :)

[caviargal]

Happy New Year to the nicest and most helpful group of posters on CC! May that continue :)

[pacmom]

Hkitty,

 

Am a graduate of the College of Nursing, 1964. DH is also a member of the class of '64. but being an engineer [civil] and on a ROTC scholarship made his time a bit longer. Back then those 2 elements meant an extra year at VU.

 

We actually travel with classmates annually. River cruise 21 coming up in the fall--hopefully the Loire with Road Scholar. Happy cruising. Pat

[Hydrokitty]

Hkitty,

 

Am a graduate of the College of Nursing, 1964. DH is also a member of the class of '64. but being an engineer [civil] and on a ROTC scholarship made his time a bit longer. Back then those 2 elements meant an extra year at VU.

 

We actually travel with classmates annually. River cruise 21 coming up in the fall--hopefully the Loire with Road Scholar. Happy cruising. Pat

 

DH is ME and Civil but upon graduation he was invited to join the Army corps of Engineers and of course that was an offer you couldn't refuse!!!

Edited January 1, 2016 by Hydrokitty

[bobpatj]

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all! We are taking a break from river cruising in 2016, but hope to book again in 2017. :)

[Hydrokitty]

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all! We are taking a break from river cruising in 2016, but hope to book again in 2017. :)

 

Hope that's a good thing!! :D

We're actually not planning any river cruises this year either....we have 2 ocean and 1 road trip booked for this year but are looking at some stuff for 2017 too.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I was looking forward to the AMA Port Wine and Flamenco cruise in 2017, but I have convinced DW to take a Safari instead so our next river cruise won't be before 2018 or 2019 ["And you call yourself a Host!!!"] – but there are lots of other ways to travel and we are keeping very busy. :) The rivers will always be there when we are no longer able to withstand the rigors of a safari or a walking tour of Tuscany...

[Hydrokitty]

 

The rivers will always be there when we are no longer able to withstand the rigors of a safari or a walking tour of Tuscany...

 

This is the most important advice I have ever been given! Take the trips that require physical stamina FIRST...you can see the Louvre in a wheelchair!! I am so glad I took that advice and have done Greece, Egypt and Russia because today I wouldn't be physically able to without missing a lot of things I'm so glad I got to see up close. I regret not having done China and Africa when I was younger but they were not to be and there's still a lot of world left!!

[Lois R]

This is the most important advice I have ever been given! Take the trips that require physical stamina FIRST...you can see the Louvre in a wheelchair!! I am so glad I took that advice and have done Greece, Egypt and Russia because today I wouldn't be physically able to without missing a lot of things I'm so glad I got to see up close. I regret not having done China and Africa when I was younger but they were not to be and there's still a lot of world left!!

 

Hi:)....it is interesting advice. I guess it really depends on the person

and that person's priorities.

I travel on my own and after cruising for many years now, I have no desire

to do a land trip solo. As fo regrets? I have never been to China or

Africa and don't have regrets about them. I travel when I am able and

will be working for quite a few more years:rolleyes:.....I will be 58

in March so retirement is not even close. The 2 places I want to

visit before my time is up would Australia and New Zealand.......I have

no clue if that will ever happen though.

 

Different strokes for different folks:)

[caviargal]

...it really depends on the person and that person's priorities...

 

I agree with you, Lois. We all have different wish lists depending on our interests, budgets, and abilities. And these days, the world situation influences our decisions as well. I would love to return to Turkey and Greece, and to visit Russia and Israel, but DH won't go so those areas are off the list for the time being.

 

DH really would love to do a safari in Africa. Me, not so much. We have looked into this a few times but flights to Africa are just too long in coach and business class to this destination is out of our financial comfort zone. If that were different, I would go along for the ride but it is not on my personal bucket list.

 

Same for Australia and New Zealand. As much I would love to visit this part of the world, I would not do so without having at least 3 weeks and a seat in the front of the plane.:)

 

I have been to Asia once (20 years ago) and have no interest in returning; same goes for Hawaii (about 18 years ago).

 

The south Pacific is on my personal bucket list but the flight duration just keeps pushing it down on my list.

 

We choose our destinations based on our interests and how much time and money we have to invest. Europe has many areas we have not yet made it to as well as many we would like to return to. It is our favorite destination. For the foreseeable future, I see us exploring more of Europe as well as traveling to the Caribbean for shorter trips, which is easy to do from where we live in FL.

Edited January 2, 2016 by caviargal

[Hydrokitty]

Hi:)....it is interesting advice. I guess it really depends on the person

and that person's priorities.

I travel on my own and after cruising for many years now, I have no desire

to do a land trip solo. As fo regrets? I have never been to China or

Africa and don't have regrets about them. I travel when I am able and

will be working for quite a few more years:rolleyes:.....I will be 58

in March so retirement is not even close. The 2 places I want to

visit before my time is up would Australia and New Zealand.......I have

no clue if that will ever happen though.

 

Different strokes for different folks:)

 

Hey Lois.....it's true we all have different priorities....the problem arises when you no longer have control over what you choose. I'm quite a bit older than you and (don't hate me for this) when I was your age,:D I was physically able to do pretty much whatever I wanted to....then fate stepped in and I find I no longer have the freedom to choose because I have to take my limitations into consideration. I would have loved to do Australia and NZ, but the thought of the plane ride makes DH turn green even when I tried to bribe him with a stop over in South Pacific.....but neither of us ever tires of Europe...although it looks like we have a land trip in our future for Switzerland.....mostly by train...not bus!!!!

[Got2Cruise]

This is the most important advice I have ever been given! Take the trips that require physical stamina FIRST...you can see the Louvre in a wheelchair!! I am so glad I took that advice and have done Greece, Egypt and Russia because today I wouldn't be physically able to without missing a lot of things I'm so glad I got to see up close. I regret not having done China and Africa when I was younger but they were not to be and there's still a lot of world left!!

 

The beauty with River Cruises is that you can determine the level of physical participation. We use the ship as our floating our hotel, but once we are in the towns and cities we are walking for miles, even in the pouring rain, climbing to the top of steeples to get a birdsye view, climbing down the stairs of the Eiffel Tower to avoid elevator waits. We are thrilled to be able to secure a cabin on AMA because they carry bicycles on board and if Dh wants, he can bike ride the 25 so miles to the next stop, while I lounge on the sun deck.:)