Live from the Land of Princess

[Celandine]

I want to thank you, I just started reading your Jewel April 29th review, and I will be reading all of your reviews for the immediate future. I love your writing style, I love your pictures, and I love Alaska. I am having a really tough week (lost someone close to me yesterday) and this is exactly what I need. I am a fellow Canadian (though I am just outside Toronto and could only dream of being steps away from a cruise port). You have a new fan! Looking forward to reading through all your adventures! 

[mking8288]

On 8/5/2024 at 5:51 PM, YVRteacher said:

I ... don’t know what I’m going to do when I wake up at home on July 8 and there is no honey lavender latte.

On 8/6/2024 at 12:46 PM, YVRteacher said:

I must have travel brain!

On 8/6/2024 at 6:24 PM, YVRteacher said:

... 

 

Thanks you, Yvonne ... and we are all sure that safe & happy travel getting home today; especially after this excellent, top notched, blockbuster month-long live journal & pictorial trip report (with the commentaries) just bravo !!!  When a picture alone is considered worth a thousand words, dear lordy - this journey book of yours that bring a smile, laugh, tears from laughing and plain reading enjoyment is worth a million plus, maybe inching toward half a billion (okay, am exaggerating a bit but you get my points)   Your true colors as a teacher & librarian come thru when you straightened out the ship's library collections ... educators everywhere are proud & happy to see and read about.  

 

Ignore the travel brain as you are clear flying across, westbound thru multiple time zones and you know this from being a season traveler, that you'll likely be wide awake at 4 AM wondering where you are, what time is it or why it is pitch-black outside - mankind hasn't figure out a way to better jetlag.  Just going thru all your pictures alone is "exhausting" but wow as in OMG and like just about everyone here on CC, we are just amazed and overwhelmed, knowing you easily put in 100 hours, more or less - definitely more than one can imagine to set aside, sort and catalog and put it together to share with us; really and truly, much obliged.  Then, there's your next cruise journey coming up with dad, Alaska bound - look forward to how the NCL experience and the report of the ship & crew, food & services, etc. etc.  

 

On a quick note @Mike A  thank you and yes, we are expanding beyond the NCL brand this year and going to be snooping into her "backyard" toward the end of this month to check out other side of North America, thanks to @www3traveler's heads up about wild fires burning & landslide (oh, no ... will just go with the flow).   Being "brave & fearless" as just about everyone is shocked that Cunard is next for us, could be one & done; or not.  Limited report should be coming up pretty soon on the appropriate forum with fellow NCL'ers heads up before on CC  😆 😳 😬 

 

Returning and directing back to @YVRteacher, apology for side tracking ... heads up about your Alaska journey will be greatly helpful & good for us and of course, everyone else.   As for London airport security, didn't sense LHR is any worst than LGW - security being serious and very, very strict about liquid & compliance with 3-1-1 once the alarm is set off, to pull one aside & do a hand/visual inspection on top of running bags thru their x-ray, and testing swabbed samples, just in case.  It was good time that we allowed extra time to get thru.  Sort of reminding me of the months from the gradual return to air travel with the early post-9/11 years.  

 

The big question this evening is are "you" home yet or almost ... cheers !  

What is the drink of choice this evening for you as a warm welcome home 😂 

[mimmy52]

I have enjoyed every word and every picture in your journal/trip report. I pretended I was with you as you poked around shops, saw historic places, and had interesting experiences. It gave me pleasure, and I thank you for sharing your trip.

[luvteaching]

@YVRteacher Yvonne - thank you so much for this blog! I've enjoyed following along on your travels. I hope you and Dad have a great trip to Alaska and I'd read another one of your epistles even if you have done the ship before. 

 

Karen

[fethiyeden]

@YVRteacherYvonne, Thank you so much for the fabulous write up & pictures. I hope you had a safe, unproblematic journey home.

I’m already missing the daily catch up of your adventures.

[tcmagnum]

17 hours ago, treesah said:

Better yet, she should organize a cruise and invite all of us along.  

Hope Yvonne had a non-turbulent flight home and that she's safe and sound. 

Teacher, I'll miss my daily fix.

Yes!!

[YVRteacher]

I went from The Love Boat to The Awful Plane with a ride from h-e-double-hockey-sticks (as we say in Canada.)

 

All was going well. 

We boarded. 

 

We did not leave the gate.

 

An elderly man traveling alone had a medical emergency and they paged for a doctor on board. The flight crew and the doctor used all the tests in the medical kit then they called the parademics. The paramedics had Heathrow on their uniforms so Heathrow must have their own medics. 

 

The man refused to get off the plane and the whole flight crew plus the paramedics and a ground crew that boarded kept telling him it wasn’t safe to fly. He was extremely confused, didn’t know his name, soiled himself and the seat and it turns out he took all of his medications from his trip in one day. 

 

Eventually they got him off the plane through an emergency exit (no, the chute did not deploy) then the co-pilot came on and said we would be leaving in 20 minutes. An hour later the co-pilot informed us we had another medical emergency.  

 

We boarded at 4:30. We were supposed to leave at 5:15. We were still at the gate at 7:40pm. 

 

I had two whiskeys and no dinner because it looked like dog food with white sauce. There was some yoghurt on the tray so I ate that but it was lemon flavour and I don’t eat lemon-flavoured anything. Actual lemons in drinks are fine. 

 

I stood for quite awhile, being an anxious bunny who doesn’t do well in cramped quarters with strangers, and when I walked back to the galley I found the snack station. Hello chocolate covered digestive biscuits!

 

The crew seemed off and I empathize with them. 

 

What matters is we got from point A to point B safely. Nonetheless it was an awful 12 hours on board that Airbus A350 and it will take a lot for me to ever fly British Airways again. The seats are so cramped and the air alternates from freezing to steaming. 
 

 

The overhead luggage bins were designed by someone who does not need a step ladder to reach the seldom used punch bowl on the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet.

 

 

I fell asleep 10 hours in only to be awoken by a flight attendant handing me a roasted red pepper and sundried tomato hot pocket in a hot box. If you are waking me up to give me hot food in a cardboard box it better be a McDonald’s hot apple pie, and not the modern baked kind but the real ones from the 1970s that burned your mouth no matter how how much you blew on it.

 

We landed at a speed of 102 km/hour. You know how some pilots glide the plane down light as a feather? This was nothing like that. We hit the ground with such a thunk that all the tvs turned back on.

 

For the first time in 35 days I took my phone out of airplane mode

 

Writing this as we are offloading, I’m numb as though I’ve been dunked in a big ol tub of lidocaine and my teeth have no memory of ever being  brushed.

 

The pilot needs improvement in landings yet excels in hitting the mark for gate parking.

 

Good job, Vancouver sunset!

 

 

 

 

 

[YVRteacher]

16 hours ago, mking8288 said:

 

Thanks you, Yvonne ... and we are all sure that safe & happy travel getting home today; especially after this excellent, top notched, blockbuster month-long live journal & pictorial trip report (with the commentaries) just bravo !!!  When a picture alone is considered worth a thousand words, dear lordy - this journey book of yours that bring a smile, laugh, tears from laughing and plain reading enjoyment is worth a million plus, maybe inching toward half a billion (okay, am exaggerating a bit but you get my points)   Your true colors as a teacher & librarian come thru when you straightened out the ship's library collections ... educators everywhere are proud & happy to see and read about.  

 

Ignore the travel brain as you are clear flying across, westbound thru multiple time zones and you know this from being a season traveler, that you'll likely be wide awake at 4 AM wondering where you are, what time is it or why it is pitch-black outside - mankind hasn't figure out a way to better jetlag.  Just going thru all your pictures alone is "exhausting" but wow as in OMG and like just about everyone here on CC, we are just amazed and overwhelmed, knowing you easily put in 100 hours, more or less - definitely more than one can imagine to set aside, sort and catalog and put it together to share with us; really and truly, much obliged.  Then, there's your next cruise journey coming up with dad, Alaska bound - look forward to how the NCL experience and the report of the ship & crew, food & services, etc. etc.  

 

On a quick note @Mike A  thank you and yes, we are expanding beyond the NCL brand this year and going to be snooping into her "backyard" toward the end of this month to check out other side of North America, thanks to @www3traveler's heads up about wild fires burning & landslide (oh, no ... will just go with the flow).   Being "brave & fearless" as just about everyone is shocked that Cunard is next for us, could be one & done; or not.  Limited report should be coming up pretty soon on the appropriate forum with fellow NCL'ers heads up before on CC  😆 😳 😬 

 

Returning and directing back to @YVRteacher, apology for side tracking ... heads up about your Alaska journey will be greatly helpful & good for us and of course, everyone else.   As for London airport security, didn't sense LHR is any worst than LGW - security being serious and very, very strict about liquid & compliance with 3-1-1 once the alarm is set off, to pull one aside & do a hand/visual inspection on top of running bags thru their x-ray, and testing swabbed samples, just in case.  It was good time that we allowed extra time to get thru.  Sort of reminding me of the months from the gradual return to air travel with the early post-9/11 years.  

 

The big question this evening is are "you" home yet or almost ... cheers !  

What is the drink of choice this evening for you as a warm welcome home 😂 

I’m home.

Drink of choice upon arrival? Water!

 

There is no smoke from wildfires and earthquakes are not a threat. No need to worry!

 

Thank you for your kind words about this thread! I would love to read about your experiences on Cunard.

[YVRteacher]

15 hours ago, mimmy52 said:

I have enjoyed every word and every picture in your journal/trip report. I pretended I was with you as you poked around shops, saw historic places, and had interesting experiences. It gave me pleasure, and I thank you for sharing your trip.

This makes me happy! Thank you so much.

[YVRteacher]

17 hours ago, Celandine said:

I want to thank you, I just started reading your Jewel April 29th review, and I will be reading all of your reviews for the immediate future. I love your writing style, I love your pictures, and I love Alaska. I am having a really tough week (lost someone close to me yesterday) and this is exactly what I need. I am a fellow Canadian (though I am just outside Toronto and could only dream of being steps away from a cruise port). You have a new fan! Looking forward to reading through all your adventures! 

Thank you for reading! I’m so sorry you have experienced a loss and I know how deep the grief burrows. Take care of yourself.

[YVRteacher]

On 8/6/2024 at 5:30 PM, azbirdmom said:

I'll add my thanks to you for sharing so much of your journey(s) with us.  You really captured every moment of your travels and your appreciation of all that was around you was apparent.  I do hope you will give Princess another try - you can't let those FCCs go to waste, right?  Safe travels home and I hope to follow along with your future cruises.

Already booked on two more Princess cruises.

[YVRteacher]

On 8/7/2024 at 8:31 AM, NikiPinkston said:

Yvonne, DH and I have been dealing with illness and you have been the sunshine in my every day for the past few weeks. You are incredibly talented and I’m so grateful to have been brought along on your journey. Your narrative and photos of Honfleur are magnificent. I love that you bounced back from the bad patches and shared them with us, as well. Warm wishes for a safe journey home and a wonderful cruise spending time with your dad. Niki

Dear Niki-I’m so sorry you and your husband have been so sick. Are you starting to feel better?

 

Thank you for reading and for sharing in the journey. One day we will cruise together!

[Eleanor Rigby 14]

8 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

We landed at a speed of 102 km/hour. You know how some pilots glide the plane down light as a feather? This was nothing like that. We hit the ground with such a thunk that all the tvs turned back on.

Someone I know had a flight landing like that recently. It apparently was quite frightening. You know how the pilot says goodbye as you exit the plane? He said to the pilot, “Was that a landing or were we shot down?”

 

Glad you got home safe and sound, Yvonne. 😊

[DUCHESSRN]

20 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Already booked on two more Princess cruises.

Which ones ,we all want to go ...loved your adventures .Thank you for sharing.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Thank you again for taking us on another wild and wonderful journey through the Lands of Princess. Enjoy your downtime before embarking on the Jewel with your dad. ❤️ Hope your home renovations are going well.

 

Looking forward to meeting on a cruise or at Lee's Donuts one day. Still regretting the missed opportunity last June.

 

[www3traveler]

Hi Sweetie,

Welcome Home

Have you had a chance to check in with Dad yet?

As always, love and prayers

[phabric]

Which 2 Princess cruises did you choose?

[BabySarge]

The number one airport that I avoid like the plague - Heathrow.

 

My least favorite airline that I work hard not to fly - BA

 

Sorry, you ended up with that twofer but glad you made it home safely.

[SenatorsFan]

Thank you so much for another wonderful review, @YVRteacher. Your pictures were so beautiful and you really gave us a sense of all the amazing places you visited. Hope you enjoy NCL with your Dad. 🥰

[JGmf]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

I fell asleep 10 hours in only to be awoken by a flight attendant handing me a roasted red pepper and sundried tomato hot pocket in a hot box. If you are waking me up to give me hot food in a cardboard box it better be a McDonald’s hot apple pie, and not the modern baked kind but the real ones from the 1970s that burned your mouth no matter how how much you blew on it.

 

Could this be the best piece of writing in the entire trip report?  I say 'yes'. 

 

Bravo @YVRteacher, even sleep-deprived, you really impress!!!

 

Thanks again for fun ride.  I'll miss reading your daily exploits.

[YVRteacher]

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Thank you again for taking us on another wild and wonderful journey through the Lands of Princess. Enjoy your downtime before embarking on the Jewel with your dad. ❤️ Hope your home renovations are going well.

 

Looking forward to meeting on a cruise or at Lee's Donuts one day. Still regretting the missed opportunity last June.

 

A Lee’s doughnut meet up sounds terrific!!!

[YVRteacher]

Look what arrived!

My medallion for the Regal Princess!

[YVRteacher]

2 hours ago, DUCHESSRN said:

Which ones ,we all want to go ...loved your adventures .Thank you for sharing.

One of them is next summer where I am going to get back all the lost hours from the forward time changes this trip! So, a transatlantic going the other way.

 

Does anyone else have the song “Found a Peanut” in their head when you hear about the other way?

 

[YVRteacher]

Look what else arrived

 

[DUCHESSRN]

We are doing TA on Regal next fall cannot remember the date.