Trip Report I ESCAPED!!! (part 2) - The BIG 2-0!

Part 2 of 2
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September 12, 2013 - The limbo before the next adventure.

When last I left y'all I had finished up the inaugural unOfficial WDWMagic Girls Dream cruise. Here's the link back to that report. (CLICK HERE)

Just a recap, I've been gone from home including my sons & my little furry girl since Saturday. But, hey! I'm rested!

I'm also pretty new to the whole shooting photos in raw format with my new camera and editing so heavily. I'm still developing my skills so if the photos you see here seem odd, it's just me still figuring this stuff out. Pardon my progress, please.

I was on the Disney Cruise Line transfer bus on my way with a couple of the other awesome gals from our cruise sitting on the other side of the aisle. Needless to say, it was a quick, easy ride back to Orlando.

We're here.


I have a knack for being the last stop on these bus transfers. Once the other gals hopped off at the Boardwalk Resort I had the bus all to myself. See? All by my lonesome.


Almost home for the next couple days.


Sorry about that pic. Bouncing along on a moving bus doesn't make photography easy.

I'm here!


My bus driver was really an interesting guy. He told me he remembered when all the area around us was just sand. He used to drive the trucks that delivered the concrete to the construction site when Kidani was being built. Very cool!

 

[iloverags2]

Happy 20th Anniversary! I'm so thrilled the do-over was a much, much better experience for you. What a way to cruise...total relaxation! We did that on Princess this past April...needed to get away after Klondike went to the bridge, so booked a cruise for the following week so we could get out of the house and far away from its sadness. Ended up not eating in the MDR once the entire cruise! Walk-up and buffet service all week long!

Your kayaking experience at CC looks amazing! I may have to give that a go one of these days.

As for lifeboats for tenders, Princess does that (at least at their private island). It was actually a cool experience. A few shots...

For perspective of seating...




On the way to Princess Cays, I could kind of sort of see what I was taking pictures of...




On the way back? Forget it! I just held up my camera, said a prayer, and pressed the shutter button!

This one came out remarkably well!


As did this one...


The others? Not so much! LOL But definitely a different experience, and really not a bad one!

I know you have RCI coming up soon...when's your next DCL cruise?

 

[Tidbit]

Not sure if someone has already noticed, but Tracey has made a "hidden Mickey" with his shadow! Since I just found all of these trip reports from the "Girls Cruise" I have been busy busy busy reading them!! I finished your 1st half, and all I have to say is I'm glad you had fun! AND boooooooo to Remy! I would have been the same way Now I can't wait to finish the rest of this one!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Loved this trip report. Congratulations on your anniversary, too. It takes a lot of hard work to make a good marriage but it's definitely worth it - we'll be celebrating our 35th in July (man, I am getting old!)

I loved the kayaking pics - think I might like to try that next time.

Looking forward to cruising with you again.

Thanks, Sherry! Wow! 35 years! Congrats! Totally looking up to you. Again.

Can't wait to cruise with you again! Wanna kayak together???? I'll go!

Didn't they used to say that young marriages wouldn't last? Seems to me we're proving "them" wrong, @sweetpee_1993 , @Tiggerfanatic , since by my math we married at 19, 21 and 22...

Oh did we ever hear how it wouldn't last. And we were laughed at by most everyone. We recently talked about how few people took us seriously and actually supported us. But that's okay. We've taken great pleasure in showing people how wrong they were. Made us stronger. Right?

My parents were married young, and they just celebrated 40 years in Aug

Yay! Married young isn't always wrong. It's harder. I firmly believe it makes things harder on some levels but it's not always wrong.

I truly love this report! Marvelous pictures!!!

I know it's been a while since you commented but thank you. I appreciate it.

Great report! You two sure know how to have a relaxing vacation! I thought our 7 day cruise had a lot of time for relaxation but we got nothing on you! Hahaha I'm glad to see you finally made it to Satellite Falls and dipped your toes in a pool. I love that area. We spent a lot of time there on our May cruise.

Congratulations on 20 years of marriage! That's a big deal! 20 years! Wow!! It sounds like you both had a wonderful time celebrating.

Thanks for sharing your trips with us!

Love Satellite Falls!

20 years seems like so long but then I look to others who have so many more years than us and realize we're just getting started. And new dimensions of this marriage thing surface from time to time. One of my uncles passed away last week while we were gone. My aunt and uncle got married when she was 16 yrs old and spent almost 55 years married. She cared for him right up to the end in every way. She was with him when he took his last breath. When I said my goodbyes a few days prior she got emotional with me and we both cried. She said she had no idea how she was going to go on without him. What do you say to that??? He's all she's ever known. I know I can't imagine it. I firmly believe that even when your other half passes on they're not gone from you. They live on within you and as part of you until you are together again. I told her to close her eyes and feel him and he'll always be right there. I told her not to be afraid of the moment that he leaves. I've thought about that one a lot. If someone is going to be with Tracey when he goes, if I had that choice, I don't want it to be anyone but me. I want that gift. And I told her that.

Thanks for sharing our adventures with us over the years. It's sharing the joys of our adventures but it's also some amount of sharing our lives. I love that. My WDWMagic friends are so dear to me! Wouldn't you agree???

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Happy 20th Anniversary! I'm so thrilled the do-over was a much, much better experience for you. What a way to cruise...total relaxation! We did that on Princess this past April...needed to get away after Klondike went to the bridge, so booked a cruise for the following week so we could get out of the house and far away from its sadness. Ended up not eating in the MDR once the entire cruise! Walk-up and buffet service all week long!

Your kayaking experience at CC looks amazing! I may have to give that a go one of these days.

As for lifeboats for tenders, Princess does that (at least at their private island). It was actually a cool experience. A few shots...

For perspective of seating...




On the way to Princess Cays, I could kind of sort of see what I was taking pictures of...




On the way back? Forget it! I just held up my camera, said a prayer, and pressed the shutter button!

This one came out remarkably well!


As did this one...


The others? Not so much! LOL But definitely a different experience, and really not a bad one!

I know you have RCI coming up soon...when's your next DCL cruise?

Thanks, Cindy! And again, I'm so sorry about Klondike. Hopefully he'll be waiting for Riley someday when it's time.

So interesting about the lifeboats for tenders! Thanks for sharing all that with me! I think it looks like fun. I really do. I'd like to try it sometime. Weird, I know. Just so interesting!

RCI/Allure is done. That was last week. I want to sail them again, just not a mega-ship. Size does not impress us. <---that could go sooooo wrong, I know!

Next DCL cruise??? Currently that would be the girls cruise for me next September. Hoping to rebook the Panama Canal for 2015 for Chandler's graduation hoorah. Got several dummies floating out there but not sure what if anything will become of them. May just cash out the deposits if it doesn't look like we'll use them before the drop-dead date.

We're thinking we'd like to try for Disneyland in the spring. I'm torn. I'm ready to go spend a week in St. Maarten.

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

Thanks, Sherry! Wow! 35 years! Congrats! Totally looking up to you. Again.

Can't wait to cruise with you again! Wanna kayak together???? I'll go!

Absolutely! It looked like so much fun. So, next September, we're on for a kayaking adventure!

 

[kasey1988]

Great report!! We are staying at akl in September before our cruise, just wondering what time you got picked up by the disney bus?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Great report!! We are staying at akl in September before our cruise, just wondering what time you got picked up by the disney bus?

It was like 11:30, we think.

 

[GatorAsh]

The layout was unfamiliar to us. As we made our way back towards the building (and a/c) we found ourselves in the parking area under the hotel building. Tracey was in his element here. Pipes and fittings. He pointed out what all sorts of things were. Different pipe grades, what the pipes were, the fittings, some valves, etc. So, this is what funds the fun, people.

What does your hubby do that he knows pipe? My fiance is in sales for a national pipe fabrication company- betcha they've done business together!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

What does your hubby do that he knows pipe? My fiance is in sales for a national pipe fabrication company- betcha they've done business together!

My hubby is a Sr. Piping Designer. It's like being an engineer without the degree. And he makes more $$ than most engineers. LOL! See all the bits of pipe?

To me it might as well be spider web. But he can tell you what every little thing is, what it's for, where it's going, etc. etc. He goes out there, climbs around that stuff, and routes it. When a particular unit is being taken out they have to draw every inch of everything that will be removed. All in computers. If a new unit is going to be added he goes out and decides where to route all the pipe & fittings. Then he draws it. He also follows construction which means when construction goes on in refineries he stays out on-site and makes sure the construction guys are puting things in right. He also has to make sure all the pipe being constructed or removed is exactly represented in the drawings. Lots of revisions and things. Lots of work. Very frustrating because often construction crews don't want to follow drawings. If they route things wrong or change anything (happens a lot) then he has to change the drawings. Then there's the laser scans and all the 3D modeling and things. It's crazy!

He started out a pipefitter helper working construction as a teenager. Then he made pipefitter. He learned a lot about pipe and fittings by working with it on construction sites. He has floating disks in his back so it didn't take long before he had to get out of the construction work because of the physical demands. His dad and most of his family do the same type of work. All in engineering, project management, and stuff. I've worked with it some in the administrative side. It was natural for him to follow his dad into the engineering side. He completed a year or so of college but worked his way where he is. Can't really do that anymore. Our oldest, Chandler, wants to follow the hubsters into the same work but we'll make sure the kiddo has the piece of paper before he goes. Nowadays that piece of paper keeps doors from closing. That's important!

I know that was way more than you wanted to know. It's hard to explain. And Sr. Piping Designer doesn't say much. ((He's also been a "Lead", ran groups of designers on big projects but he doesn't like being the bossman so he avoids that position whenever he can!))

 

[GatorAsh]

My hubby is a Sr. Piping Designer. It's like being an engineer without the degree. And he makes more $$ than most engineers. LOL! See all the bits of pipe?

To me it might as well be spider web. But he can tell you what every little thing is, what it's for, where it's going, etc. etc. He goes out there, climbs around that stuff, and routes it. When a particular unit is being taken out they have to draw every inch of everything that will be removed. All in computers. If a new unit is going to be added he goes out and decides where to route all the pipe & fittings. Then he draws it. He also follows construction which means when construction goes on in refineries he stays out on-site and makes sure the construction guys are puting things in right. He also has to make sure all the pipe being constructed or removed is exactly represented in the drawings. Lots of revisions and things. Lots of work. Very frustrating because often construction crews don't want to follow drawings. If they route things wrong or change anything (happens a lot) then he has to change the drawings. Then there's the laser scans and all the 3D modeling and things. It's crazy!

He started out a pipefitter helper working construction as a teenager. Then he made pipefitter. He learned a lot about pipe and fittings by working with it on construction sites. He has floating disks in his back so it didn't take long before he had to get out of the construction work because of the physical demands. His dad and most of his family do the same type of work. All in engineering, project management, and stuff. I've worked with it some in the administrative side. It was natural for him to follow his dad into the engineering side. He completed a year or so of college but worked his way where he is. Can't really do that anymore. Our oldest, Chandler, wants to follow the hubsters into the same work but we'll make sure the kiddo has the piece of paper before he goes. Nowadays that piece of paper keeps doors from closing. That's important!

I know that was way more than you wanted to know. It's hard to explain. And Sr. Piping Designer doesn't say much. ((He's also been a "Lead", ran groups of designers on big projects but he doesn't like being the bossman so he avoids that position whenever he can!))

Ah, ok. Sounds very interesting- like a fun and rewarding career. No wonder Chandler wants to go it. As far as the college degree- I agree, it is important now, almost necessary. Although John went to 3 years of Clemson then got into his career without his degree, and he's on a good path, so it's definitely possible. You just have to work hard(er). John makes more than most engineers too- his company is called Custom Fab, in case they ever cross paths. John's title as Plant Sales Division Manager doesn't really explain too much about all the ins and outs of his position, either. Our fellas really know what they're doing, huh? Makes us proud (and keeps us in Lilly )

Can't wait to see you in September!