Two Great Adventures: The Great Barrier Reef Dive and the Rainforest and Koalas

On March 19, 2014 By Traveling FullersLeave a comment

Well, the dynamic duo ( that would be Bill and me) split up today to enjoy two separate tours. I snorkeled the Reef about 50 years ago with my parents and had no real desire to do it again. I was all for seeing the Koalas and getting to hold one. Bill wanted to see the reef so he went out expecting to snorkel, but found out he could scuba dive with an instructor without a dive certificate. He had an absolutely amazing time as you will see in the photos below. There was an encounter with a Loggerhead turtle and a rather gentle giant of a blue fish (we’re unsure of its name).

The ride out on the catamaran was extremely rough and 80% of the 100+ passengers got seasick. Bill was not one of them! Thankfully! His wonderful scuba instructor was named Tang and she did a great job with her two novice divers.

While Bill was enjoying the deep blue, I was enjoying the deep green of the Tropical rainforest. I had a terrific guide named John who was wonderfully informative and I wish I could remember just a small portion of what he told me. We went to the top of the mountain where I was able to see some kangaroos and the piece de resistance, I was able to hold a Koala. I actually held a koala about 50 years ago when we came to Australia with my parents. Now, though, the koala is actually becoming an endangered species so I’m not sure how much longer you’ll be able to actually hold one for a photo op! And yes, they are just as soft as a stuffed animal, but beware those claws! The koalas actually have a hard carapace (like a turtle shell) on their back sides so they really feel nothing — allowing them to spend twenty hours in the branches of a tree without feeling anything! They are nocturnal, but it was nice for us that these guys have their day and nights mixed up! I also saw crocs, wombats, wallabies and kangaroos. After seeing all the animals, and a little bit of shopping 🙂 I took the Sky Way gondola back down the mountain. True to its name, Rain Forest, we had several brief showers on the way down..The area around Cairns gets about 80″ of rain a year. But as you work your way further along the coast, the rainfall amounts increase to over 400 inches a year. I was also informed that deadly jellyfish come into the waters at this time of the year! (Bill didn’t know this). There is something called a Box Jellyfish which has tentacles 3 meters long and one sting will kill you. There is also a much smaller jellyfish, called the Thumbnail, which can also kill you with one sting. Australia has more deadly species of plant and animal life (57 deadly species) then any other place in the world! It is also the oldest continent..

The name, Yorkies Knob, comes from a Yorkshire fisherman who settled in the area in 1882. He grew lots of vegetables and was a very generous man with the exisiting natives. He was so well thought of for his sharing of produce, that they decided to honor him upon his death by naming the settlement, Yorkies Knob, after his homestead..

Enjoy the brilliant underwater photos of Bill’s adventure and mine of the wildlife and rainforest!

Duffy and Arlene stayed on board, but went to lunch in the dining room and toured Deck 7! Duffy continues to get better each day. I did a little personal shopping for Arlene. Good thing we have similar taste! However, I was not able to bring her a Koala!:(

Tomorrow is another sea day with our next stop Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.. If we spot any airplanes, we’ll advise.

How cute is this guy?!

A tasty “tasting” of crocodile, kangaroo and emu. I liked the croc the best– sort of like chicken/fish..kangaroo was next favorite followed by emu.

A male and female Ulysses butterflies– the female is the larger and stronger one. After they mate, she injects the male with a chemical that knocks him out for the whole process for about 7-8 hours, she is larger and stronger so that if danger approaches she can fly away with her mate attached. Several hours later she will “detach” from her mate..

Our ship is seen in the background.

White water rafters..

My fantastic guide, John!

What else but a little rain in a rainforest?!

Shhhh… Wombat sleeping….

A Wonderful Sea Day As Mary Continues to Recover

On March 18, 2014 By Traveling FullersLeave a comment

Well, this is going to be a short blog since today was one of those lovely, lazy sea days as we cruise along on top of the Great Barrier Reef. The seas have no swells because of the reef below, so that makes for remarkably smooth sailing.

We had a nice evening that began with the Captains cocktail party. The theme for the formal night was St Patrick’s Day so green formal attire was required. Bill looked quite handsome with his green bow tie and cummerbund and check out the snazzy shamrock studs and cuff links!

Mary (Duffy) continues to make enormous strides! She is 1000% better today. She spent a large part of the day relaxing on her balcony, drinking water, enjoying the balmy temperature and the beautiful blues of the ocean over the Barrier Reef. Kudos to her roommate and our dear friend, Arlene Feen, (who happens to also be our amazing travel agent from ProTravel in Miami)! She has managed to get more water in Mary in one morning then she has probably had in a week! I attribute a large part of Duffy’s “bounce back” to the water intake. She still has a cold and a crummy cough, but she’s doing great.

Tomorrow we tinder

in to Cairns, a place called Yorkey’s Knob. Mary and Arlene are going to enjoy the solitude of the ship as most will be gone on tours. Bill has decided to take the catamaran out and go snorkeling over the reef. I am meeting our scheduled car and driver to do a land tour. More to report tomorrow night!

Reading the book we checked out of the ship’s library..

You can see how calm the ocean is!

She finished the whole bottle of water before lunch!

Just finished FaceTime with Annette and my four year old granddaughter, Gaby ( who tells me she’s mad at me because she misses me!)

Stay tuned for Yorkey’s Knob! ( don’t you just love the name?). I’ll see if I can find out the origin of the name tomorrow..

Misadventures in Brisbane

On March 17, 2014 By Traveling FullersLeave a comment

Well, we started off the day with a wonderful guide/driver named Keith who drove us around the city of Brisbane. Duffy has come down with a cold and cough, but like the good sport that she is, she agreed to come with us. We thought it would be an easy day with almost no walking. We did park along one of the beaches and got out for a short walk. We then decided to go up into the mountains for lunch where it would be a bit cooler. We went to the Summit restaurant for a bit of lunch. While there, Mary, (Duffy) collapsed on us. She never went completely out but was non responsive for about 8 seconds. There was the nicest young couple in the restaurant and both of them were doctors. They came over right away to assist. After a lot of deliberation, it was decided to take her to one of the close private hospitals (St. Andrews) by ambulance. Arlene and Bill rushed back to the ship to pack some suitcases and get our passports. The thinking was we could catch up with the ship in 3 days in Cairns. I went with Mary to the hospital. After a thorough going over and several blood tests, EKG, etc. The Dr felt it was a combination of things catching up with her. The cold virus was draining her, she was still exhausted from the 20+ hour trip over and she was dehydrated and not getting enough fluids. The hospital rushed all the blood tests and the Dr. Gave us a discharge letter at 6:10 pm and we were in a taxi headed to the ship.

Meanwhile, back at the ship, Bill and Arlene had managed to get all our suitcases packed and were in the process of trying to get hotel rooms booked in Brisbane. The ship was supposed to have sailed at 6:00 pm and all aboard was 5:30 pm! Once they learned the Dr. had discharged Mary and we were on our way, they told us the ship would wait but only for a short while. We were supposed to be there by 6:30 pm. It turns out there are two ports in Brisbane and our taxi driver was headed to the wrong port. The Queen Mary 2 is so large she can’t get under the bridges to dock at the other port where most of the cruise ships dock. The taxi driver did ask if we were docked at Hamilton and I didn’t know so we called Bill and Arlene. There was nothing on any of the literture that said where we were docked so they went running off to find out where we were. Turns out the correct dock was quite a bit further away. In the meantime (thankfully for us there were two other crisis on the ship)! There were a group of five passengers in a rental car that got lost and couldn’t find their way back to the ship and there was another passenger who took ill and they were waiting for an ambulance to transport that person to a hospital. The ship told Bill and Arlene that when the other passenger was put on the ambulance they were leaving. They kept telling them they had to get off the ship. Now I call on the cell phone and tell them we are in the correct port, but that we are lost and the driver doesn’t know how to,get to the Queen Mary Dock. I asked for someone to give him directions and they did. They decided to wait since they knew we were in the port area ( it’s a huge shipping complex and at night there was no one to ask and no signs to say which way to go.). As they were telling Arlene they were leaving, she pitched a fit and started crying and telling them they couldn’t do this, etc. (She says she deserved an Oscar). They told her to calm down and that they would wait a few more minutes. By then, we’d found our way. They put Mary in a wheelchair and whisked her up,the ramp while I gave them the discharge letter from the Dr. ( We could not get on without the letter from the Dr. at the hospital.). Mary is in quarantine for 48 hours, but we are all safe and sound. She is still weak and gets light headed, but is eating well and the cough seems less today. She is absolutely drained and sleeping a lot. She was better this afternoon. We got her in the shower, but that wore her out so she went back to bed to sleep. She is better this afternoon than she was this morning so we are moving in the right direction. I think the cough syrup we are giving her makes her drowsy. We are pushing the fluids, but she just hates water! She does know she doesn’t have a choice and isn’t complaining.. I think she is going to be in her stateroom recovering for about a week, but we’ll see. I will keep you all posted. But rest assured, all the tests from the hospital were negative except for dehydration and the presence of a virus..it just takes a while to get it back together when you get sick and are already tired.. Everyone in Brisbane was spectacular– from the young married doctors, the ambulance drivers, the nurses and the Dr. at the hospital– all of whom could not have been more efficient or nicer. The hospital had us checked in in 3 minutes and we checked out and paid the bill in less then 5 minutes! A totally different experience then a US hospital I assure you! I was most impressed with the private hospital !!

I am posting some photos of the morning drive around Brisbane — a lovely city… Today is St. Patrick’s on our side of the world! We are dressed in our green and headed to the Captain’s St Patricks day cocktail party..

With our driver, Keith, a wonderful guy who was a great help!

Queen Mary 2 — sailed from Sydney enroute to Brisbane, Australia

On March 15, 2014 By Traveling FullersLeave a comment

Our trip started out from Miami on Tuesday, the 11th and we landed in Sydney on Thursday, the 14th at 7 am. It was a bit of a dicey start, because the plane out of Miami was delayed 2 hours! When we landed in LA, we had 25 minutes to get to the next terminal an board our flight to Sydney. I didn’t think we had a prayer of making it, but they held the plane for us. Kudos to American/Quantas personnel who met us as we stepped off the plane. They put Mary in a wheel chair and whisked us off to an awaiting shuttle which drove us across the Tarmac to the new terminal. Once inside, there was an awaiting cart that sped us down the hall to the next gate! We were the last three passengers to board but we made it and so did our luggage. The plane left about 30 minutes late, but we still arrived about 20 minutes early into Sydney. ( Must have had a great tail wind)!

Once in Sydney we cleared Customs and immigration quickly and easily. There was a driver waiting to take us to the hotel where our friend, Arlene, was waiting to meet us in the lobby. We decided to have a second breakfast while waiting for our room to be ready. At breakfast, Bill and Arlene decided they would go do the climb to the top of the Sydney Bridge. Mary and I decided to watch and photo this event from our suite which had magnificent views of the Sydney Harbor and the bridge!

Bill and Arlene climbed the 1400 steps to the top of the bridge. You can climb the bridge 24/7. The only time you are not allowed up is the 2 days before New Years when they are setting the fireworks and during lighting storms.. Congrats to our intrepid bridge climbers!

After catching up on our sleep, we boarded the Queen Mary 2 yesterday. We have a lovely suite and find ourselves hanging out here a lot. There have been a few internet hiccups which we hope to have resolved soon. I am working on my blog. Duffy is napping. Bill is reviewing the instructions on his camera and Arlene is back with the computer tech hoping to resolve email issues!

So far the food has been excellent. Tonight is our first formal night — the Black and White Ball. Tomorrow we dock in Brisbane and have a full day tour scheduled. Internet can be a hit slow and it isn’t very good while we are in port I’m told so I’m posting today! Back when I have more photos and information!

Just arrived at hotel Sydney!

Our bridge climbers at the top!!

The group they went up with..

The Queen Mary 2 as seen from our hotel room.

“Felix and Oscar”. I’m not saying who is who! 🙂

In the lobby of Deck 2 on the ship.

Our first evening at dinner.

Life boat drill!

The returning victorious climbers!

One view of our shipboard suite.

Night view from our hotel room.

Opera House.

Note group of climbers on top of bridge under the flag on the right!

View as we set sail..

What a fine looking group headed to our first exploration of the ship! Found the shops, computer room and library. What else is there? :).

The GREAT canoe race by a bunch of crazy athletes !

On February 9, 2014 By Traveling Fullers1 Comment

Today was a lazy day for us. However, this was the day of the GREAT Canoe race across the icy St Lawrence! I think these guys and gals are crazy, but they all competed in 9 degree windy conditions to cross the icy, mostly frozen, St. Lawrence River! This is the most important event of Carnival Week! This has to be the most grueling and dangerous sport I have ever witnessed! One canoe did get in trouble and an ice breaker went out to help clear the way. The crew seemed disoriented and was kind of steering all over the place! They did get back safely. When they are in the canoes, they cannot see where there is water and where there is an ice flow. They are not allowed spotters to help them choose an ice free route across the river and back. We are not sure who actual won because we think it is time trials. There were several groups of about 12 canoes that made it across and back! Note how they get one foot out of the canoe when they get stuck on the ice! They all push to get the canoe off the ice. If they are stuck in a smooth patch of ice it didn’t look too bad, but when they got stuck in an area that had “rough” ice it was a whole different story ! I can’t imagine how they can endure these conditions. There was a very brisk wind, as you can see by the flags! Some of the photos are blurry, but I’m posting them anyway so you can get an idea of what they were doing! We were able to watch most of the race from our hotel room window since we overlook the St. Lawrence ! Wherever you were today, I guarantee these guys were colder then you were!! I admire them, but not sure how much I credit their common sense! And, you will notice, there were women racing too! The race originated years ago amongst local families. The winner was to get the postal contract for delivering mail to the other side of the river!

We return to warm Florida tomorrow so no more blogs until we leave for Australia and China on March 11. Check back in March!! Until then, everyone stay healthy and happy!

The “Race Course”!

The ice breaker helping the group back that got in a little bit of trouble. They cleared a path..

Wow! You get the idea!!!

Snow mobiling and Carnival Parade

On February 9, 2014 By Traveling Fullers1 Comment

The day started off with a snow mobile ride! And you know what, it’s just like riding a bike! Neither Bill nor I had any trouble keeping up with the guide! This, in spite of the fact that the last time we did this was close to 30 years ago in Wisconsin at a place called Eagle River! I was keeping my eyes on the guy in front of me, but the one time I checked the speedometer when we were on the flats, we were doing 74 mph! We had to stop frequently because we had several people who were VERY cautious and kept getting very far behind! The guide was a little frustrated because he had to keep circling back to be sure they were ok! It was a beautiful sunny day and the trails were well groomed with great snow trails! We went through woods and had plenty of time on open flatlands to “let it rip”! They were doing dogsled rides out of the same establishment so you will see the dog sled camp in some of the pictures!

The afternoon was spent doing a little shopping on a very famous street in old town. We made two VERY wise purchases. The first was a pair of very warm mittens- so much warmer then my sheepskin lined gloves — and the second was a “Sochi” style hat with fur ear flaps! We were concerned about being warm enough sitting outside for a couple of hours tonight to watch the Carnival parade! As I said– wise purchases! It was REALLY cold (-2 degrees F.). We used hand and foot warmers and we did very well. It was entertaining just waiting for the parade to start watching the “ton” of little kids in their snow suits being pulled on sleds by their parents. There was a small hill next to our bleachers which seemed just high enough for the kids to climb to the top and just slide down! They were having a blast and could have cared less about the parade . ( There were a lot of tall adults in front of them blocking the view.) The carnival parade is a big deal here and there were lots of people lining the sidewalks for this fun filled event! There were Chariot races earlier this week ( we missed them) but tomorrow is the big Canoe race on the semi frozen St. Lawrence ! Our Hotel has a team entered so good luck to The Auberge Saint Antoine tomorrow!

On the balcony of our hotel! That’s the River behind Bill where they will hold the canoe races tomorrow!

I know, I know, it’s hard to tell, but that’s Bill on his red Yamaha!

And I’m the funny looking one in the front with my sheepskin hat ( but hey, it was warm!)

Photo op stop!

The dog sleds.

So much fun!

My shopping trip!

Hot chocolate, hot tea, fudge and toffee— could it get any better? :)))

The wise purchase…..we’re at the Carnival Parade! Cold benches ! A blanket would have been nice, but not a single person had a blanket! Hardy people these Canadians!

Parade floats…

Mary Poppins.

The Snowman is the “King” of Carnival!

This is the image you see everywhere in Quebec during Carnival!

Tour of Quebec City and visit to Ice Hotel

On February 8, 2014 By Traveling Fullers2 Comments

Well, today was breathtakingly beautiful, but very cold! Bundled though we were, after 3 hours of a walking tour of the old city, my toes were numb! Basically, our hands and feet got cold, but it was so worth it! We had a wonderful guide, Francois Vidal, who explained in thumbnail sketches, the centuries of history that surround this French Canadian city. It is really a tale of three cultures–French, British, and the eventual merging of the French who lived here to Canadians! The architecture is French and British and sometimes, a combination of the two . I wish I could remember all of the fascinating details. Suffice it to say, if you ever come to Quebec, do the historic walking tour!!

After a lovely lunch at our “jewel” of a hotel, Auberge St. Antoine , we ventured out once again to the Hotel Glacé — the Ice Hotel!! Our friend, Arlene Feen, treated us to an amazing “behind the scenes” tour of this fabulously interesting hotel – only open from Jan. 3rd until sometime in March when the warm winds come. They tear down the hotel, they do not let it “melt”! The ice is pristine and made from very pure water so that it is totally see through. This is accomplished by taking all the air out of the ice. They use a snow machine to make snow and put it over forms to make the hotel. They “churn” the snow to remove air so it is very dense. Last year they experimented in taking the hotel down by trying to use a 16 ton bulldozer on top of the hotel- to no avail… It was a disastrous experiment and not successful because the ice and snow are so strong and substantial!

There is a new theme chosen each year– the first opening was 2001. This year the theme was “Myths and Legends”. Students compete designing the suites for a prize. The suites are quite amazing! There are fireplaces in some of the suites, but not for heat. All the heat goes out the top of the hotel and it is only for light in the room. Guests are given a training session in the evening on what to do when you spend the night. You are given a “mummy type” sleeping bag (large at the top and narrower at the bottom). And you are given specific instructions on how to get in, roll up your clothes for the morning and put them in the bottom of the sleeping bag. The bags are good to 36 degrees below zero. He tried to convince me that sometimes people are so warm they have to unzip the “vents” that are on the sides of the sleeping bag! The ice beds have a sheet of plywood on them topped with a foam mattress that resists freezing and doesn’t transmit heat to the ice.. There is a “spa” of sorts — an outside hot tub and a sauna! When you are in the hot tub, the steam rises to a certain height and then produces ice crystals that fall. They are quite small, but there are special lights installed next to the hot tubs so you can see the crystals. Our wonderful guide, Pierre Houle, told us it is quite amazing to see!

We went “behind the scenes” to make our own “ice glasses” with a drill press. We took our ice glasses into the bar where a lovely bartender fills your glass with orange or cranberry juice (and vodka if you choose)! There is an ice discotheque that rocks with music! The hotel has 44 rooms, many of them totally different because of the carved themes by the students. There was even a room from the new Disney Movie, Frozen! We saw the Queen’s bed, snow sculptures in the walls of some of the characters and the adorable snowman, Olaf, built next to an ice slide that children and adults were going down! Disney came with their cameras to do publicity shots for the upcoming release of the DVD. It was an amazing adventure and I encourage all who come to Quebec between Jan and March to go do the tour, or if you’re brave enough, spend the night! It will be the adventure of a lifetime!! But wear at least two pairs of wool socks!

Tomorrow we go snowmobiling and tomorrow evening is the winter Carnival parade which we are told is quite amazing!

Our wonderful walking tour guide, Francois. Note ice sculpture of ship behind us!

The mural depicts the history of the city.

Riding up the funicular .

Hotel Frontenac currently under major renovation .

Entrance to the Hotel Glacé !

The Lobby!

Thor!

The wedding chapel. They average 25 weddings a season. The record was 43 one year!

Easter Island theme.

Egyptian themed suite.

The Flying Dutchman suite!

This is an “ice box” used to hold the rings for the weddings!

Making our “ice glasses” with the drill press!

Felt just like you were in the Disney movie, Frozen, with Olaf! Waiting for him to say hello!

The scary snow monster from the movie, Frozen!

The bar in the disco!

Filling my ice glass!

One of the sponsors has this bottle encased in ice!

View out the window of our hotel! Amazing adventure!! So cool! Literally!! :)))

PS. I have been informed that “the Bottle” (refer to the Catch Up Blog from last evening) has arrived and will soon be on its way to Florida!

The "Catch Up Blog ". – Las Vegas and A Surprise Party in California

On February 6, 2014 By Traveling Fullers2 Comments

Well, as the title states, this is a “catch up” blog from last week’s adventures in Las Vegas (a Christmas gift from Bill) and a very good friend’s surprise birthday party in Laguna Beach!

First, our fabulous time in Las Vegas ( and we never bet a dime!). We had a magnificent suite in the Bellagio Hotel and you will see photos of the famous fountain that goes off frequently with different “computer shows timed to music”!

We did lots of walking on the strip the first couple of days because the weather was great. It did turn quite windy and chilly the final two days. We had a great trip and a 2 hour walking tour of Hoover Dam —VERY impressive! It could never be duplicated today because it would cost billions ( and you’d probably be tied up in so much red tape the project would take 50 years to finish! :)) It is a “floating structure” not permanently attached to the ground or the sides. That helps make it “quake proof” to 8.5. They say they have frequent small quakes and they have never had damage. The dam was built in 1921 in 4 years time and they say it will last for another hundred years! That in itself is an amazing accomplishment!

This adventure was followed by a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. How could anyone NOT be impressed by its size and great beauty. Stunning and breathtaking. I highly recommend doing this trip if you ever get to Vegas and have the time…

Now for the phenomenal shows we saw! Great seats for everyone of them. Bill and I discussed it and we have a hard time choosing our favorite because ALL were amazing. But, right at the top of the list was the Cirque de Solei version of the Beatles, titled LOVE. It is my favorite of all the Cirque shows we’ve seen — and a little bit different then the others.

Terry Fator, the singing ventriloquist , was wonderful!! What an amazing talent he is! You would swear those little wooden characters were real people! It was terrific fun! Highly recommend his show!

Next we saw Absinthe. It is a very “blue/racy” show, but if you can get past all the F-bombs, the acts are excellent. They are mostly acrobatic along a Cirque theme, but still different. We enjoyed it very much.

We saved Larry the Cable Guy for last! He has one funny act! He was only there for one night and we are SO glad we got to see him! Catch his routine if you ever get a chance! You won’t stop laughing!!

We saw one last amazing magic matinee act by Mat King who is at Harrah’s. It is a totally clean show, cute and excellent magic! Don’t know how in the world he spits out two live goldfish into a glass filled with water! Amazing! His show seldom sells out we’re told, but it’s definitely fun! As my granddaughter would say, “Try it. You’ll like it!”

Next we flew to Orange County for a dear friends surprise birthday party organized by her beautiful daughter with the help of her dad’s credit card!!! It was a small, but intimate affair in a gorgeous room overlooking the beach. It was like attending a small, formal,wedding! AND, the best part is, our friend, Barb, was totally flabbergasted! We were able to stay over Sunday for the Super Bowl and got to hang out with the family as we watched the game. So sorry all my Bronco fans! We were really rooting hard for you! And big time congrats to a GREAT defense for Seattle. They earned That trophy this year!

We got home late Monday night, and now, here we are Thursday on our way to Quebec for their Winter Carnival! Why, you may ask , if you live in the north and have been suffering the onslaught of winter storms, would we do this? Well, when I thought it up for Bill’s Christmas present last fall, it seemed like a GREAT idea! Actually, it’s been unseasonably warm in Florida this winter, so we don’t mind a few days of snow and cold! We will get to see the Ice Hotel ( I was smart enough not to have us stay there) and we’re going snow mobiling. We will get to see all the beautiful snow and ice sculptures !

One last story I have to post about. Last week, friends that we travel with were contacted by a woman in Boston. Why you may ask, is that significant? Well, here’s the “rest of the story”.

Back in 2006 we were doing a trans Atlantic crossing with our friends. I told the story one evening of how, many years ago while traveling with my parents, we tossed a champagne bottle overboard with a note in it saying there was a reward of $10.00 if anyone found the bottle and sent us proof. We sealed the bottle with candle wax and actually tossed it over in sight of Gibraltar! Low and behold, several years later, my parents got that note back! It was found in the Bahamas on Little Abaco! A few years later, Bill and I were in the Bahamas and actually got to meet the young woman who found our bottle! Turns out she was a receptionist at the resort where we were staying.

This story inspired us to try and duplicate the experiment (we did up the reward to $50.00) and last week we heard our bottle was found! It was found on the beach, again in the Bahamas, where a couple had gone back to visit for their 3rd wedding anniversary. She was taking a last walk on the beach before flying home to snowy and cold Boston, when she spotted our bottle — thrown overboard on Dec 6, 2006! What stories that bottle could tell! She has mailed us the note and the bottle! I’ll post photos when it arrives with our friends to Florida!

That’s all the “catching up stuff”. Back tomorrow when I hope to have great photos of our first day in Quebec!

Overlooking Hoover Dam.

The Dam.

Inside the dam..

Marks deep inside the dam that engineers make as they check for cracks. They monitor and trace all cracks discovered and date when they were found.

Night view from our room at the Bellagio! Spectacular!

On our way to the Grand Canyon!

No caption needed.

Flying back after seeing the Canyon.

The guest of honor, Barb, with her daughters, Elisa and Kristin!

Our friends, Tom ( dad with credit card) and his beautiful wife, Barb!

The gal who planned the whole thing down to the smallest detail, Elisa!

Justin and his gorgeous wife, Melissa. Justin is Barb’s son and we were pregnant together! Justin was born 2 weeks later then Grant!

That’s it for today guys!!

Christmas Magic is in the Air!

On December 9, 2013 By Traveling Fullers2 Comments

What a wonderful last day we’ve had! We’ve been blessed with very warm weather but not too hot! We met Elly and “our girls” at 9:30 am at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We were quickly off to great rides. There was Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast show, Star Tours and The Great Movie Ride as well as Stars Wars Encounter. Grant went to ride the big Roller Coaster Ride before taking off for ESPN at Disney Boardwalk to watch the Dolphin’s FANTASTIC win!!!! Trey stayed with us through the character lunch where Gaby could see some of her favorites—Jake from Neverland Pirates and June from Little Einsteins! She danced with June and hugged everyone! We ended up with great seats at the Beauty and the Beast show and Gaby loved every second of it — as did we! Trey bailed after lunch to go catch some of the game, but alas when he got to ESPN zone they were at capacity and wouldn’t let any more people inside. It took him an hour and a half to get back to our hotel. There just wasn’t a quick way back to the Grand Floridian. He did make it back to the room in time to see the 4th quarter! As soon as the game was over he and Grant rushed to meet us at Germany. They will not seat your group until you are all there! Everyone made it, but it was a bit like herding goldfish!

We had dinner at Germany tonight and had to check in for our resevation at 5:00 pm. Then it was about a 45 minute wait. In all the years Bill and I have been to Epcot, we had never been to Germany. It was great. It was super crowded because they do a dinner package there that includes a reserved seat at the Candlelight Processional in the amphitheater and a reserved viewing section for the spectacular Illuminations and Fireworks show. The Candlelight Performance is just AMAZING! We were told it’s mostly cast members in the orchestra and in the choir. They have Sigourney Weaver as the official narrator on stage this year reading the Christmas Story. After she reads a few verses, the choir sings the most beautiful Christmas Carols! When they were singing the Hallelujah Chorus, Gaby made us all hold hands! It was the MOST precious moment! Duffy had tears in her eyes…if you EVER get to Disney at Christmas time, the Candlelight Processional is a MUST see! One of the best Christmas shows ever!!!

We were sad to leave Elly and our new friends behind, but I know they are following the blog and they know we WILL be back to see them again! They are very special ladies! Merry Christmas to everyone! The Fuller Family has started off this Christmas season in a spectacular fashion! Thank you to everyone who made this such a special memory!

This is the Gingerbread house in the lobby of our hotel!

Tree outside Hollywood Studios.

She LOVED Princess Sophia!

Dancing with June from Little Einsteins at lunch!

These two liked Manny..

Gaby did a “twirl” for June! (June twirls a lot on the TV show!)

Gaby with her new friend Elly!!

Jake of Neverland Pirates is a favorite.

Dinner in Germany!

Gaby LOVES to play with her new elephant “family”! She’s putting a bandage on one because he fell on the floor!

The trumpeters at the Candlelight Procession were awesome!

The choir….

Sigourney Weaver as the narrator….

Merry Christmas everyone! Enjoy this joyous season with your family and friends…

FUN-TASTIC Day at Animal Kingdom!

On December 8, 2013 By Traveling FullersLeave a comment

With weather that feels more like summer than winter, we ventured to animal kingdom today (86*)! We met our wonderful guide Elly and our two new concierge friends, Jenn and Jennifer as we started off the morning with an animal safari! We all enjoyed it— seeing lions, hippos, rhinos, crocodiles, Topi, Warthogs, elephants and giraffes.

There was something for everyone today. The guys did the Mt Everest roller coaster ride while Gaby did the flying dinosaurs! The BEST show of the day was The LIon King show. We all loved it! Gaby especially was entranced (with Duffy not far behind) by the show! She was chosen to go out with a musical shaker and be in the parade ! She did a great job! Since her Uncle Grant was ALWAYS picked to be in a show at Disney, we’ve decided it’s in her genes! We had lunch at Tuskers and we met Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and even Mickey showed up in his Safari outfit! Gaby loved meeting all of them!

After a quick rest back at our hotel, we took off for Epcot and dinner at Morocco. Dinner was very good.. They even had a PG 5 belly dancer! (Couldn’t see her navel)! It was a day of joy for all of us! Tomorrow is Hollywood Studios! We made it back in time to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from our room balcony!

Gaby liked Daisy!

Mickey stopped by…

Duffy has her new favorite character! He was enchanted with Duffy!

Note the Tree of Life behind us!

After a big roller coaster ride!

Gaby was chosen to be in the LIon King Show finale! She did an awesome job!

Mesmerized !

Donald made the Animal Kingdom Parade!

Art work at dinner. Gaby is roaring like a lion and wanted me to draw one!

Somebody got the giggles !!!

The ride home on the Monorail.

Good night all!!!

First Full Fantastic Day in the Magic Kingdom

On December 7, 2013 By Traveling Fullers2 Comments

First a word about the three wonderful young women who are making sure our Disney experience can’t get any better. They are Jenn, Jennifer and Elly. Elly we know from our last visit and we fell in love with her last February! The three of them are working very hard to make sure our visit is an exceptional one. They know just which rides to take us to and when to get us there!

They run ahead and get fast passes so we hardly ever have to wait in line!!! We just get to walk right in! There are several new rides since the last time we were here and they were all wonderful. Since we have three lovely concierge ladies, one may be escorting the boys to Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain while the rest of us are headed to Dumbo or Winnie the Pooh rides!

Duffy didn’t feel well this morning and Trey wasn’t far behind her. We think the Burger with Lobster they ate at dinner last night got to both of them. We left Duffy sleeping with a lot of Pepto Bismol in her. Trey toughed it out. Both were feeling better as the day went on. Duffy made it to dinner with us in Cinderella’s Castle at the Royal Table. And, since we were sitting at the Royal Table, you know Gaby had to be beautifully dressed. We had an appointment late this afternoon at the Bippity, Boppity Boutique where they turn you into the Princess of your choice — complete with hair, gown and nail polish! Gaby chose a Christmas dress, but she was so tired she actually fell asleep in the chair while she was being made up! She was the talk of the Boutique! She tried SO HARD to stay awake. But, alas, she definitely turned into Sleeping Beauty! Boy was she surprised when she woke up and hour and a half later ! A makeover in her sleep! The nap resulted in a FABULOUS dinner inside the Castle where all the Princesses came by and Gaby loved and hugged everyone of them! It was another “magical” evening/day at the Kingdom!

We also saw the newest American Idol winner here today — Candace. I am posting a photo of her.

If any of you ever want to do Disney with little ones, the Concierge service is amazing. They run ahead and check you in for all your meals. They know where you can get anything! And they always know how to find the closest bathroom! They know all the “back roads” and tips and tricks to make everything just SO EASY! Kudos to our ladies who work for Orlando Park Tours in Windermere, Fl. (407-704-9679)! Tomorrow is Animal Kingdom!

Peter Pan ride.

Making sure Woody and Jess get to enjoy all the rides too!

No explanation needed!

Dumbo was one of her favorites!

Gaby was picked to play the beast in the play in the Beauty and the Beast castle and Uncle Grant was picked to be one of the Knights. She did an awesome job!

Getting ready to perform as the beast !

Uncle Grant was a great Knight!

And there was lunch with Pooh and friends!

American Idol Winner.

Galactic adventures with Buzz Lightyear!

Loving the Magic Carpet ride!

Working on staying awake!

Out like a light!

Getting her nails polished!

Sleeping Beauty awakes to arrive in the Castle where she gets to meet Snow White!

And Ariel….

And Princess Jasmine…

She was saying “HO! HO! HO!”

And a happy “THE END” for today!!!

Fuller Family at The Grand Floridian at Disney World

On December 6, 2013 By Traveling Fullers3 Comments

Well, we have just finished attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in the Magic Kingdom. It’s a very special Christmas party. It was snowing on Main Street. Cinderella’s castle is draped in icicles and they are handing

out free hot chocolate and other goodies at several locations.. But the best part was the Christmas Parade! WOW! It’s a definite Disney Spectacular! And, of course, Santa manages to come by at the end of the parade in his wonderful sleigh. Gaby was enchanted with everything! But, I think her favorite was the Toy Story Float with Woody and Jess. She had brought her very own Woody from home to watch the parade. She got so excited! I was busy trying it take photos of her and she said, “Gigi ! Take a picture of that please!”

After the parade, we hustled back to our magnificently decorated hotel just in time to view the fireworks from the balcony of our room!

I must say Disney does the Christmas season justice! Everything everywhere you look is gorgeously decorated! The lobby of our hotel has a life size gingerbread house!!! But the most special thing of all is seeing how thrilled, excited and enchanted Gaby is by everything she sees! I’m getting a whole new view of Disney through her eyes!!

More tomorrow after our full day in the Magic Kingdom, the Bippity, Boppity Boo experience (they dress her as a Princess), and dinner inside Cinderella’s Castle!!!!