I want so badly to be in vacation mode right now, but I've got a few more hours at work before I can officially say I am on vacation and today is the day before departure.
24 hours from right now, I will be on my way to Turkey, yes, with a few stops in between, but I will be traveling, I can am so excited I am almost bursting!
A much anticipated and much deserved break these next 3 weeks will be!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
2 Days Left....
Well, I'd like to really say one day, since I will only be at the office in the morning tomorrow and then spend the afternoon running around finishing up the few last minute things like packing and tidying up the house.
Then tomorrow night it's over to the Four Points Hotel at the Savannah airport, (so can't I count tomorrow night as the start of my vacation?) and EARLY Saturday morning CL and I will be boarding the plane for Istanbul!
I am eagerly anticipating my first glimpse of Istanbul. I know it's another big city, but I can't help but sense a bit of the exotic! :)
Merhaba Istanbul!
Then tomorrow night it's over to the Four Points Hotel at the Savannah airport, (so can't I count tomorrow night as the start of my vacation?) and EARLY Saturday morning CL and I will be boarding the plane for Istanbul!
I am eagerly anticipating my first glimpse of Istanbul. I know it's another big city, but I can't help but sense a bit of the exotic! :)
Merhaba Istanbul!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Scavi Tour Reservation!!!!
What a pleasant surprise this morning when I opened my email in box to find an email from the Scavi office saying I have been assigned the Friday, December 28th 9:15am English Scavi Tour! I am just thrilled...I have heard such great things about this tour!
Now to confirm the tour I have to send in payment and they will email back with a reservation confirmation that I present at the Scavi office 10 minutes before the tour starts! YIPPEE!
Yes, this means I will need to miss whatever the Rick Steves tour group has planned for that morning, but that's a small price to pay for having secured a Scavi ticket!
Vatican here I come!
Now to confirm the tour I have to send in payment and they will email back with a reservation confirmation that I present at the Scavi office 10 minutes before the tour starts! YIPPEE!
Yes, this means I will need to miss whatever the Rick Steves tour group has planned for that morning, but that's a small price to pay for having secured a Scavi ticket!
Vatican here I come!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
4 More Days....
And it can't get here soon enough!
Boy am I ready for this vacation! As calm, cool, and collected I was a few days ago, the last day or 2 I have started to get a bit stressed.
Maybe it was because I did most of my packing on Sunday night, but I just feel like I have a lump in the pit of my stomach right now. I can't exactly figure out where this stress is coming from. I'm going to chalk it up to work related stress. I've tied up as much as I can this week, but there are issues floating around one particular project and although I have cleared it up for now, when I get back I know I will have to "hit the ground running".
I really hope I can leave here Friday afternoon and walk out the door and completely forget about work for 3 weeks! Wish me luck with that, right?
Well, here's to wishing for a worry free vacation!
Boy am I ready for this vacation! As calm, cool, and collected I was a few days ago, the last day or 2 I have started to get a bit stressed.
Maybe it was because I did most of my packing on Sunday night, but I just feel like I have a lump in the pit of my stomach right now. I can't exactly figure out where this stress is coming from. I'm going to chalk it up to work related stress. I've tied up as much as I can this week, but there are issues floating around one particular project and although I have cleared it up for now, when I get back I know I will have to "hit the ground running".
I really hope I can leave here Friday afternoon and walk out the door and completely forget about work for 3 weeks! Wish me luck with that, right?
Well, here's to wishing for a worry free vacation!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
One Week From Today!!!
I will be flying over the Atlantic heading for Istanbul (not Constantinople!)
I will start the packing tomorrow. I have almost everything I will be packing stacked in piles on the guest room bed with the exception of a few things can't do without this coming week. I am ready to go at a moments notice.
Ahhh...the thrill of packing my bag, checking in at the airport and boarding the plane and boarding the second plane and then boarding the third plane and finally landing on Turkish soil...I can hardly contain my excitement!
I will start the packing tomorrow. I have almost everything I will be packing stacked in piles on the guest room bed with the exception of a few things can't do without this coming week. I am ready to go at a moments notice.
Ahhh...the thrill of packing my bag, checking in at the airport and boarding the plane and boarding the second plane and then boarding the third plane and finally landing on Turkish soil...I can hardly contain my excitement!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Rome Cabs...
Booked and confirmed!
Based on a tip from the Fodor's website/message boards. I booked a car pick-up and return for my trip to Rome in December. I'm using Rome Cabs which has been highly recommended by several "Fodorites" and the price is decent 45 Euro each way.
I know, I could do it cheaper if I take the train from FCO to Termini in Rome, but then I would have to walk or take a cab from the train station to the hotel. This way Rome Cabs will pick up right at the airport and drop off right at the hotel and after a long flight it's always nice to have any easy transition at the destination!
I haven't even been to Turkey yet, and I'm starting to dream of Roma! :)
Ahhhh....Bella Roma...Buon Natale...
Based on a tip from the Fodor's website/message boards. I booked a car pick-up and return for my trip to Rome in December. I'm using Rome Cabs which has been highly recommended by several "Fodorites" and the price is decent 45 Euro each way.
I know, I could do it cheaper if I take the train from FCO to Termini in Rome, but then I would have to walk or take a cab from the train station to the hotel. This way Rome Cabs will pick up right at the airport and drop off right at the hotel and after a long flight it's always nice to have any easy transition at the destination!
I haven't even been to Turkey yet, and I'm starting to dream of Roma! :)
Ahhhh....Bella Roma...Buon Natale...
I'm Remarkably Calm...
I hardly believe I am going to say this, but after fretting over work issues that have popped up in the last couple weeks I am happy to say that everything is under control (at the moment) and it looks like it will be smooth sailing while I am on vacation.
Yes, there have been several work related SNAFUs but I have found solutions to them and although it means I will have to "hit the ground running" when I return from vacation I can at least leave for my trip knowing that I am not dumping a bunch of work on my co-workers who aren't familiar with some of the intricacies of the grant work.
So, this has eased my worries and is allowing me to remain calm, cool, and collected in regards to my 3 week absence at work.
And the other reason for my calmness...and there is never an easy way to say this...but since dad passed away last week, I am not fretting that it will happen while I am traveling. Yes, mom had said that if dad passed away while I was on my trip I was not expected to come home immediately, but I know me, and I would have come home. And now this will not be weighing on my mind.
Here's looking forward to calm traveling conditions! :)
Yes, there have been several work related SNAFUs but I have found solutions to them and although it means I will have to "hit the ground running" when I return from vacation I can at least leave for my trip knowing that I am not dumping a bunch of work on my co-workers who aren't familiar with some of the intricacies of the grant work.
So, this has eased my worries and is allowing me to remain calm, cool, and collected in regards to my 3 week absence at work.
And the other reason for my calmness...and there is never an easy way to say this...but since dad passed away last week, I am not fretting that it will happen while I am traveling. Yes, mom had said that if dad passed away while I was on my trip I was not expected to come home immediately, but I know me, and I would have come home. And now this will not be weighing on my mind.
Here's looking forward to calm traveling conditions! :)
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
10 More Days!
YAY! Turkey take off is only 10 days away! :)
CL and I had dinner last night with her Turkish friend and it was great to get some of his recommendations and he graciously gave us his brother's phone number and told us to contact him while we are there. And if we want anything at the Grand Bazaar to talk to his brother first before buying anything! Sounds like we may have the "inside track" on this.
And to add another level of excitement the Turkish Lire I ordered through the bank arrived yesterday too! So now CL and I have some local currency when we arrive and not have to search out an ATM, which isn't usually a problem, but it's nice to have some local cash when first arriving! :)
I haven't started the actual packing yet, that will come this weekend. But I have started making piles on the guest room bed and pulled out all my ziplock bags! :)
Happy Travels!
CL and I had dinner last night with her Turkish friend and it was great to get some of his recommendations and he graciously gave us his brother's phone number and told us to contact him while we are there. And if we want anything at the Grand Bazaar to talk to his brother first before buying anything! Sounds like we may have the "inside track" on this.
And to add another level of excitement the Turkish Lire I ordered through the bank arrived yesterday too! So now CL and I have some local currency when we arrive and not have to search out an ATM, which isn't usually a problem, but it's nice to have some local cash when first arriving! :)
I haven't started the actual packing yet, that will come this weekend. But I have started making piles on the guest room bed and pulled out all my ziplock bags! :)
Happy Travels!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Istanbul Hotels Re-Confirmed!
Last night I sent re-confirmation emails to both hotels we will be staying at in Istanbul. We are staying at 1 hotel when we arrive the day before the tour starts and we are staying at a different hotel when we go back to Istanbul for 4 days after the tour ends.
I'm happy to say when I checked my email this morning both hotels replied confirming the reservations and the pick up times at the airport! I think it's a good sign I got such quick replies! Let's keep our fingers crossed the hotels meet the expectations! :)
So, now everything is coordinated and the only things left to do is order Turkish Lire and pack my bags. I will be doing both in the next week or so.
I am sooooooo ready for this vacation...lots going on at work but I am optimistic that I will have most everything under control or covered while I'm away, and after all, I'm only going to be away for 3 weeks...if all else fails, things can wait until then to get taken care of! :)
Sweet travel dreams!
I'm happy to say when I checked my email this morning both hotels replied confirming the reservations and the pick up times at the airport! I think it's a good sign I got such quick replies! Let's keep our fingers crossed the hotels meet the expectations! :)
So, now everything is coordinated and the only things left to do is order Turkish Lire and pack my bags. I will be doing both in the next week or so.
I am sooooooo ready for this vacation...lots going on at work but I am optimistic that I will have most everything under control or covered while I'm away, and after all, I'm only going to be away for 3 weeks...if all else fails, things can wait until then to get taken care of! :)
Sweet travel dreams!
Monday, September 03, 2007
19 More days!
It's the end of the Labor Day weekend and only 19 more days until I leave for Turkey!
Last week I received the tour member list in the mail. There are 28 on the tour, which is normal for a Rick Steves Tour. The tour guide is the co-author of the new Rick Steves Istanbul guidebook and I've read some good feedback comments about him from previous tour members on the RS website.
The next couple weeks at work will be busy but I also need to do some follow-up work for the trip, like confirming hotel and flight reservations, ordering Turkish currency and getting any last minute items before packing.
It looks like everything is coming together...less then 3 weeks now!
Last week I received the tour member list in the mail. There are 28 on the tour, which is normal for a Rick Steves Tour. The tour guide is the co-author of the new Rick Steves Istanbul guidebook and I've read some good feedback comments about him from previous tour members on the RS website.
The next couple weeks at work will be busy but I also need to do some follow-up work for the trip, like confirming hotel and flight reservations, ordering Turkish currency and getting any last minute items before packing.
It looks like everything is coming together...less then 3 weeks now!
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