Less than two weeks! (Trip outline)

This is my first, actual BLOG here, so I will try and give an overview of the coming trip for those of you who have been so curious as to ask me to write this thing. ;) So! Here we go!

The morning of November 22nd, I will likely get no sleep as I rush around frantically trying to entirely repack all my already packed luggage because I didn't pack something I really needed (honestly, just wanted) to take with me. I'm sure it will be something stupid like an extra purse I don't need, or a book I'll not be able to find time to read... or perhaps summer clothes when winter (and of course Christmas) is just ahead... I never did say I was smart, only that I'm (Aubrey close your eyes) JUST A GIRL!

Ok. So I'll get in trouble for that one... but I'm still thousands of miles away.

Here in Norway, at this time of year, it is absolutely dark outside until about 9:30 am. I have to be down at the train station around 5:30 am though, which means I'll be bringing some nasty caffeine drink along or I just won't make it to Trondheim, where I have to switch trains.

No night train this time, since the train is running during day hours, which means I won't have the luxury of stretching out my legs much while sitting. Yes, I will be hiking up and down the aisles of the train throughout the overall 8 hour stretch between Steinkjer and Oslo.

Arriving in Oslo at just before 3pm in the afternoon, I'll get off at the airport and make my way through security and then to the gate where I'll be waiting for my 6:10pm flight to Gatwick. Thank god it's only a couple hours in the air... I hate flying anymore. Upon arriving in Gatwick (around 7:30p local time), I'll sleep over at the Airport hotel for the night. A hotel which, by the way, goes by the name of "Sofitel Gatwick".... yeah... the price wasn't so soft. I'm sure it will be just lovely, though!

Waking up the morning of Nov. 23rd, I'll have breakfast, checkout, and then head down to

the airport train station and catch an 11:30am train to Southampton. This train ride is about a couple of hours, and should find me in Southampton just after 1:30pm. Upon arriving in Southampton, I shall promptly call a taxi service to pick me up (along with my sorry luggage), and transport me to the dock where the boat will be towering above us like a floating city. I've only seen pictures thus far, such as the one I'm including here... so I imagine I'll be overwhelmed seeing the actual size of this thing in person.

The ship is a part of the Royal Caribbean fleet, and is called Independence of the Seas. It has room for some 4000 passengers, and is said to be 3 times the size of the Titanic. For those of you that don't know, Titanic also left out of Southampton port before making a stop in Ireland and moving on to its fatal end shortly thereafter. It's probably a good thing that RC's Independence is taking us on a more southerly journey... ;)

I will be aboard the ship for 13 nights, and this will truly be my first real cruise experience. I hear there are alot of silly rules like dressing up in fine formal attire a few nights for dinner, while other nights there's an

all-out masquerade party in the "streets" where shops and taverns line the promenade. I'll be sure to post some interesting pictures as the time comes. I think the fun part will be attending the napkin folding and towel folding workshops... I wonder how many people my age will be there... (I bet you'd be interested in this, Mom!)

There's certainly other things to do, such as rock climbing, boxing, ice skating, kareoke, attending art auctions, swimming (bit chilly, though...), dancing, attending a murder mystery dinner theatre, painting, jewelry making, and I'm sure an infinite number more that. Eventually, though, after 13 nights of fantastical fun, the Independence should arrive in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on the 6th of December, at 6:00am. Ft. Lauderdale is the end stop for the Independence, and as such, everyone disembarks here. The boat journey has ended, and this will begin the last and final segments of my journey to St. Louis... via AMTRAK!! (Yes, all those of you in shock, you have EVERY reason to be. I hear about the delays, and I'm scared too.)

I actually have ROOMETTES booked the whole trip (3 segments) with Amtrak, and it will be over 3 days and 2 nights, so it's a good thing I can stretch out or I'd be an avid sleep walker. The first segment has me on the train for nearly 24 hours, as we move north from Ft. Lauderdale to Washington D.C. The 2nd segment goes over another night, from DC to Chicago, and the last and final segment is a 5 hour stint from Chicago to St. Louis, arriving the same day at 7:30pm Dec. 8th.

Less than two weeks! (Trip outline)

Steinkjer, Norway