Random thoughts before our world cruise

It is now less than a month from our world cruise and Paradise Ken decided that I should submit an entry to our blog about my thoughts before the cruise. Up until now, I have been concentrating on finishing up the paper work for the college courses that I teach, getting ready for Christmas and planning the annual get together at our house for the bowl games on New Year's Day. I also have started to pack a suitcase for our trip, remembering that if we plan to take something only because we think we might need it, don't bother to pack it.



One of my favorite things is traveling to new places. My motto is "Have suitcase. Will travel." However the world cruise was Ken's idea. In August, he turned 62, and in September, he collected his first check from Social Security. Somewhere around that time, he decided he wanted to take a trip around the world. His mother and step-father took a three-month road trip across the United States and back when they retired. I thought a trip around the world may be the "impossible dream" but with my love of traveling, I decided to research it and found that many ways existed to do it. The world cruises seemed the best way so I contacted our travel agent. The next thing I knew, we were making a down payment and continuing to pay off the cost. So the world cruise will be a dream come true!



I am taking a leave of absence from my teaching and, with the economy the way it is, I am not sure that I will have a job when I return. The Florida legislature has cut back their funding of the state schools, and my college is looking for every way possible to save money. Maybe, I will discover a new career goal while on the trip and/or the economy will improve.



Ken does not think that I am excited enough about the trip but I really am. People ask which city or country we are most excited to see, and I want to see all the them! However, my biggest concern is that we will not get to take the trip. Even our travel agent shared this concern and highly recommended that, of all her clients, we should definitely purchase the Platinum Vacation Protection insurance plan.Last year, we had booked a trip to South Africa. However, Ken's mother was diagnosed with cancer in the fall, and we cancelled our trip, forfeiting our deposit. His mother is now fine with her doctor being amazed at her recovery. I am extremely excited about this cruise and am sure I will demonstrate my enthusiasm once we have sailed away!



Our travel agent introduced us to a couple who took Princess's World Cruise the beginning of 2009. The man told me that this trip would change our outlook on the world, and it would be for the better. I can't wait for the trip to begin and am sure it will be a life-changing experience.