Thelma & Louise planning

Yes, I did make it back from the city and survive (barely) Friday at work. It's (another) rainy weekend so time to catch up on my domestic chores and I spent some time today working on the destination speaking presentations and then headed up to the travel partner's place as THEY have highspeed internet to do some travel planning. Her husband refers to the much anticipated cruise as when Thelma & Louise go on their trip. We managed to do quite well, if I do say so myself, as we figured out that the Sea Princess will be docking at the Red Hook Cruise Terminal:

http://www.cruisingfromnewyork.com/web/ny/Ports/Brooklyn.html

found and booked a reasonably priced, conveniently located hotel in midtown Manhattan, not as easy as it sounds :

http://www.riversidetowerhotel.com/

Weather will decide our during the day plans but we're right beside Central Park (fine) and several museums (wet) so no worries. We have a handle on transportation (cab and limo costs) as well as a plan to pick up last minute tickets for a show - we will definitely find something we both like and neither have seen as the list is long of what's playing - and pre-show supper at The Russian Tea Room:

http://www.russiantearoomnyc.com/

Now I'M starting to get excited....the New York windup will be a blast.

Couldn't resist including a joke forwarded by a friend. Was thinking of the mother of the groom of last weekend when I pasted this one in :



Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her
excitement -- not even her parent's nasty divorce. Her mother had found
the PERFECT dress to wear and would be the best-dressedmother-of-the-bride ever!

A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new young wife
had bought the exact same dress! Jennifer asked her to exchange it, but she
refused. 'Absolutely not, I look like a million bucks in this dress and I'm wearing
it,' she replied.

Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, 'Never mind sweetheart. I'llget another dress. After all, it's your special day.' A few days later, theywent shopping and did find another gorgeous dress. When they stopped forlunch, Jennifer asked her mother, 'Aren't you going to return the otherdress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wearit.
Her mother just smiled and replied, 'Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing it to
the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.'

Had some emails from the baby daughter who listed some possibilities for study abroad options next year as Thailand, Norway, Kenya, Sweden, Korea etc. These exotic locales would sure rate writing an essay on why you want to go. No Australia listed, which is where she dreams of heading after graduation. Speaking of which here is a news story which makes you want to cheer for the roo:

A rogue kangaroo boxed its way out of its enclosure in a small German town and set off a chase with baffled emergency responders, the local fire brigade said Tuesday.

"I must be dreaming," fire chief Thomas Glatz said when he was alerted by a local resident that a young kangaroo was on the loose in Siegburg town, authorities said in a statement.

The hopping fugitive, whose origin was initially unclear, evaded attempts by the police and the fire brigade Monday to trap it, encircle it or lure it with dog food.

Firefighters were finally able to net the 70-centimetre (28-inch) tall kangaroo unharmed and bring it to a nearby shelter.

It emerged Tuesday that the animal and a second kangaroo were kept as housepets, named Tequila and Sunrise by their owners.

Siegburg is 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Cologne, in the west of Germany.

Speaking of travel, I learned in the travel section of the paper today that a new term for tourists who like to help out in areas they visit are being called 'voluntourists' as they give back to communities. What a great term, and even greater thing to do.