OT: Hello from the Med, NARP in Spain Options

[Howard]

You know you really care about this... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drunk.gif)

Our trip to Europe.

10/27-10/28

Flight from LAX to Heathrow left an hour and a half later than planned since British Airways misplaced some of their flight crew in Los Angeles. Those Brits know how to party! Plane had a little problem with ground power, too, so interior was a balmy 103 until they got the engines started (we had been seated for about 45 minutes). Sitting next to us was Leslie, a rather hysterical refrigeration engineer from Newcastle, near the Scottish/English border. He was returning home from Auckland, and was pretty pissed about the delay and cabin temperature. I only bring this up because he sounded just like our one L, Alison, so I knew what he was saying about fixing the bloody A/C or opening the fookin' window.

BA, much to their credit, declared open bar, so Leslie and I had a great time with Sir John Walker, the nobel Scot. Marianne just had a glazed look as I learned that he was in a club that was restoring a WWII Catalina flying boat. I mentioned 914's, so we definately had a common language. The word fookin' came up often, and I now know to check the hellhole in a Pratt and Whitney radial.

Seating was interesting. So close you couldn't quite get your tray table down, and when the guy in front of you reclined his seat his head ended up right on your spotted dick. Leslie liked that, saying it's better than all those fookin' sheep in New Zealand.

Anyay, we did proceed with great haste from there, hitting 711mph according to Jill. and Made up almost all the lost time, but still had to go like stink at HTR to make our connection. We made the flight and zipped to Barcelona. Our luggage wasn't quite as zippy, so I spent an hour or two trying to find it. Love Barcelona, BTW. Really nice people, and since I'm from LA, there's no language barrier. Everyone speaks Spanish!!. Filled out the lost luggage forms and grabbed a taxi to the ship.

Driving thru Barcelona was a treat. Good roads, maniac (but courteous) drivers. Very familiar looking and acting for SoCal folks. Will spend more time here someday, but 15 hectic hours of flying and losing things was enough fun for one day. We arrived at the ship with no real luggage, but our carry ons had the laptop, camera, lots of little bottles of Sir John's finest, passports, a few $$, and the AMEX card. Good to go.

Voyager of the Seas

One big fargin' boat! Ice skating rink??? Royal Carib provided some odds and ends for us to use. Tooth brushes, deodorant, T-Shirts, razors, and joy to the world, clean undies. Of course they're bikini's, size 4. OK for Marianne, but I'm feeling a bit kinky as I write this. Kind of fun with the little bow, but pics will have to follow since the camera cable is in the luggage. On the up side, dinner was great last night, the cabin is very nice, and the wine flows freely. Phone service is very expensive, but they have Wi-Fi. Tomorrow we hit Marseilles. Wait till they see my lacy panties.

Love to all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) How was the swap meet and A/X?