February 18, 2020 The Westerdam treated all of us to Happy Hour in the BB King Blues Lounge last night. I guess they figured that if we had to have 8-inch Q-Tips shoved deep up into our brain for testing and another one down our gullets, then we deserved to be a little shit-faced. So... Continue Reading →
February 17, 2020 I BOARDED THE HOLLAND AMERICA WESTERDAM 17 DAYS AGO. Sorry, my caps lock must have been stuck. SCUTTLEBUTT: My new ship-turned-hotel-refugee-BFF, Judy Barr, who has been in 'quarantine' in a Phnom Phen hotel for the last two days with her husband and a ton of other Westerdam guests, tells me that yesterday... Continue Reading →
February 16, 2020 If I even hear the word 'quarantine', I am very calmly placing my phone, passport, credit cards and cash in a gallon-sized ziplock bag and will jump overboard, swim to shore, hire a tuk tuk, and get out of here! After disembarking over 1,100 people yesterday, one tested positive for the coronavirus... Continue Reading →
February 15, 2020 Today is the second day since docking and I still do not have flights out of Cambodia. They 'should' have me flying out sometime tomorrow, February 16. I believe there are only 60 of us who will stay onboard one more night awaiting flights home. They are certainly not kicking me off... Continue Reading →
February 14, 2020 WELCOME TO CAMBODIA! What an eventful day! But first, anchor in the bay, have immigration and health officials come on board, 20 people swabbed for the virus, visas glued into passports, and we wait. And wait. We are professionals at waiting. Ok, done, now the ship can move to the dock. The... Continue Reading →
February 13, 2020 Ok, so I did NOT see this next part coming... Thailand refused us entry into their country after two days of negotiations at the 'highest levels' between the Thai government and the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands. Ok, now what? Where? Where can we possibly go next? We... Continue Reading →
February 12, 2020 This ship's hollandaise sauce is one of many reasons why I am perfectly fine with just one of my thighs being the size of ALL of Renée Zellweger. At the next Christmas party, or perhaps even next Tuesday, it may be hollandaise sauce in my mug, not egg nog. The gossip continues!... Continue Reading →
February 11, 2020 This entire experience is just like preparing for a high school prom. You have an idea of who you want to ask to the big dance, you get up the nerve and ask, and luckily, he says yes! You buy a dress and find fun shoes you can dance in that don't... Continue Reading →
February 10, 2020 Where did I leave off? Oh, yes... 7 knots in the Philippine Sea... The Captain had said to us that Holland America was working closely with the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Navy and all local authorities to find a solution. So, when the ship's course started heading into the Pacific Ocean... Continue Reading →
February 7, 2020 I was not planning on writing much about this 'event' but I really feel that I owe it to the phenomenal staff aboard this Holland America Westerdam ship to set the record straight. For those of you who have not followed the news, there is currently a massive outbreak of Coronavirus flu... Continue Reading →
Friday, November 29, 2019
Thursday, November 7, 2019 A rainy freezing day in Glasgow.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 Dumbarton Castle and Bothwell Castle, both outside Glasgow.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 Lancaster Castle, which was used as a jail until 2011, Lancaster Parish that had a massive blow-up of the moon, Lanercost Priory, and Hadrian's Wall, which was amazing!
Monday, November 4, 2019 Sir Winston Churchill's birthplace, the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace, and a whole bunch of other history...
Sunday, November 3, 2019 SO many little towns, castles and estates that we wandered through.... The Cotswolds is absolutely gorgeous! Burford, Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Broadway, Broadway Castle, Stanton, Hailes Abbey, Sudeley Castle, Snowshill Manor, and Chastleton House and Gardens Moreton-in-Marsh Hailes Abbey, Cotswolds Sudeley Castle Snowshill Manor
Saturday, November 2, 2019 An afternoon in Oxford.
Friday, November 1 Cleeve Abbey, Dunston Castle, Montacute House
Thursday, October 31, 2019 I thought I was going to kill us both at least 4 times today. These are NOT streets, lanes or anything other than something a man on a horse can drive down. Certainly NOT a sprinter van! A fucking mobile home was coming towards us so I had no choice but... Continue Reading →
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Ok, so sleeping in a Campervan, as wonderful as Bonny is, can be a little disconcerting. Strange noises outside: is someone going to steal the car with us inside snoozing? Today's adventures: Long Man of Wilmington, Arundel Castle and gardens (AMAZING!), Arundel Cathedral, and Petworth House and Park. Town of Arundel... Continue Reading →
On the Road in 2025 