Beware of addons

This is why I prefer all inclusive cruises liks Regent Seven Seas

The Real Cost of Cruising - Cruises - Cruise Critic

New string to my bow

Genius Geniaus at work

I am always keen to try something new so when I was recently approached to write a genealogy software review for a magazine I jumped at the opportunity.

I was thrilled to hear back from the Editor today "fabulous, this is spot on. Thanks so much!".

Hopefully this will be the first of many reviews I am invited to write.

I'd better check these out.....

...  before my next trip.

Best free stuff, 2013 edition: The techno traveler | PCWorld

Retrospectives

I need to apologise to the few odd people who subscribe to this blog.  While I was travelling I just didn't have time to post as many items as  I wished - we were just having too much fun.

You may have noticed some posts from days gone by appearing here. There are some memories, people and places that we visited that I want to record for posterity and this blog is as good a place as any for that. Hence, as I have time and the inclination, I am putting up a few posts dated when they happened that will appear in their proper sequence in my list of posts.

Hope these retrospectives aren't too much of a bother to you.

At work in Costa Rica

I couldn't help myself

When I attended the Rootstech Conference in Salt Lake City in March I indulged in a spot of graffiti.

Whilst on a comfort break I found a handwritten note attached to the door of one of the cubicles. It stated "Out of service. Toilet leaks"

I just had to add a few extra words "So do I".

I may be Gummy but...

...I have a full set of teeth.

The eleven little people who are dearest to me call me Gummy. When I'm out and about with one or more of the grandkids and people hear me being called "Gummy" they give me a funny look.

The name Gummy came about when my eldest grandchild, who is now 12, was a toddler and just started calling me Gummy - a melding of Grandma and Mummy. All of the grandkids followed suit as they arrived and called me Gummy. Now even some of my kids spouses and the kids friends call me Gummy.

My mother was not impressed when I became known as Gummy, she thought it was a "silly name".

I love being called Gummy, it is a name that is unique to me.

The Final Snap

15 May 2013

On the last day of our magnificent journey we had a 6:00 pm checkout (for a fee - not free) from our airport hotel. We allowed ourselves a big sleepin to try to coax our personal timeclocks towards an Australian timezone so we missed the free hotel breakfast.

What should we so on our last day?  I did not want to travel too far lest our rental car break down and we miss our plane. I realised that I hadn't spent any time in a bookstore during the whole eight weeks of my holiday and I love the big bookshops in the US. Since the demise of Borders the only chain I know is Barnes and Noble.  I also realised that we hadn't visited one of the many Ross stores in Los Angeles - the well stocked one near Farmers Market; how convenient - I remembered that there is a Barnes and Noble store in the Grove Shopping Centre next to Farmers Market.

The Final Holiday Snap - a happy shopper at The Grove

I was quite restrained in my shopping at these venues because our six suitcases back at the hotel were bulging although underweight and the thought of having to squish more treasures into them wasn't too palatable. What I couldn't resist were a couple of DK Travel Guides for my next adventure at the end of June with my daughter.

At the end of a wonderful trip it is always good to have another journey to plan.

Auto Service

14 May 2013 - Los Angeles

If the rental car lets us down I won't be taking it here for service.

Getting to Getty

14 May 2013

Although Google Maps told us it would only take a little over 30 minutes to get to the Getty Villa from our airport hotel we left ourselves an hour and fifteen minutes to make the journey. Roadworks along the road caused us a great deal of consternation and we arrived at the Villa with only a minute to spare for our entry time of 11:30am.

In about 1993 Mr Geniaus had visited the Villa and was most impressed by this "little" site; he has always wanted me to see it. It has been on our list of places to visit in Los Angeles for quite some time and we finally made it today. I had thought that it was just a house in which Getty had resided; in fact he never even got to visit the Villa. It turned out to be not just a very impressive building but a museum full of antiquities housed in beautiful surroundings.

The Villa was not quite as Mr Geniaus had remembered as it had undergone a major overhaul and expansion in the intervening years. If I would have realised how much there was to see I would not have made bookings and paid for a tour of Warner Brothers later in the day. We managed to have a  look around and take the "Architecture Tour" which was fascinating and informative. I will definitely be revisiting this site on a future visit to Los Angeles, I want to take the "Garden Tour" and have time to chill in the awesome atmosphere of the Villa.

Some happy snaps follow.

First thing I spied were the elegant drinking fountains

and then this pool

The Central Peristyle (inner courtyard)

There was beauty everywhere - on floors

and on ceilings

That's all marble

Exquisite detail 

A bit over the top but still stunning

Blooms a plenty

Every villa needs a herb garden

The new ampitheatre

Definitely not a shag on a rock

Peristyle from above

A peaceful haven

Retail therapy

Stock levels in Macys, Marshalls and Ross Stores have been seriously depleted during our last two days in Los Angeles. Some of our grandchildren will be well shod. 

It's touristing tomorrow with both the Getty Villa and Warner Brothers Tours.

From Karaoke King to Ballroom Beau

7 May, 2013

Days at sea give travellers a variety of activities in which they can take part.  Our present cruise on Seven Seas Navigator has been a trip of firsts fro Mr Geniaus.

He has tried Karaoke, joined a Trivia Team, gone whitewater rafting and today at sea he tried his hand (and feet) at ballroom dancing.

Rumba star, Mr Geniaus, gets some private tuition from Ballroom Star, Alesia

It's taken 43 years and a trip to Mexico...

...for Mr Geniaus to realise this.

Mr Geniaus -Puerto Vallerta, Mexico - 4 May 2013

He is wearing my anniversary present to him.

Thirst Quencher

2 May 2013,

It was pleasing to see that icy cold drinks were available at the Izapa Archaelogical site in Mexico today where it was hot, hot, hot.

Izapa

Beer for sale

Great minds think alike

30 April 2013

While visiting a painted wagon workshop in Costa Rica Mr Geniaus and I both made the obligatory comfort stop. On returning to the ship I discovered that I we had both taken photos on a similar theme.

I took a picture of the mirror in the ladies loo

Mr Geniaus took a picture of the privacy screens in the gents