Day 3: Zurich

 

Our third day (Sept. 27) started with a beautiful breakfast buffet---very impressive---but then we got on the bus for our day's activity:  driving and walking tour followed by a boat ride on Zurich See (lake). Sadly, I took my night time medicine instead of day time:  sedatives!  

I started out walking with Rebecca in my group.  Honestly, I just wanted to take a nap---triple whammy of jet lag and sedatives and 80 years old.  I managed but when the guide took us up winding, cobble stone steep hills---I chose the steps with the building to hold onto.

Pause in the story:  I had great shoes for this (Kiziks) and planned on having a trekking pole to help me.  BUT, I'd left my trekking pole on the plane in Atlanta and my 2nd one was still packed in my big suitcase that I had not want to fool with.  So, I'm holding onto buildings because I lost my trekking pole and was too lazy to unpack the spare.

Story resumes:  I had to sit down---I was out of breath, my heart was beating quickly:  I was sweating.  One of the women in our group offered her trekking pole.  That saved the day.  I was able to at least go back down that huge hill to where the bus was waiting for us but having left a money belt and a trekking pole behind my confidence level at being able to  not lose her trekking pole hightened my anxiety level.

But, the worst of our planned day was over---time for a scenic relaxing boat ride.  It was beautiful---we sailed out to a dock where people got off and then turned around to come back.  Rebecca had heard someone say that people were getting off to walk to the Lindt Chocolate factory and museum.  Although going back to the hotel for a nap is what I wanted, I knew the chocolate factory was on her bucket list.

So, we bought a return ticket---bade farewell to our Viking travellers and headed back across the lake not giving much thought to how we would get back. The path to the chocoate factory is well marked across a path in several parks past a playground.  I was very happy to still have Pat's walking stick since the terrain was rough at times.

A hike up the hill got us to the chocolate museum where there was a cafeteria to pick up some lunch.  After resting, drinking some water (water bottle was also packed), and having lunch I was ready to tour the chocolate factory.  DELICIOUS with at least 5 spots where we could sample chocolate of all kinds.  We saw the history of chocolate how Switzerland became known for their chocolate.  It was really a wonderful museum---a tad more elegant than the 1970s tour in Hershey, PA.  It ended in the gift shop where I bought some chocolate for Pat to thank her for the walking stick.

Now came the tough part---getting back.  We'd asked people all afternoon how we'd get back and had many conflicting ideas.  So, as we were saying a prayer for guidance, a taxi pulled up and asked if we needed a ride.  I've come to accept all sorts of angels answering my prayers even those that charge 90 Swiss Francs to take us back to the hotel.  We both hopped in the taxi without giving it a second thought and arrived back at the hotel with candy, the walking stick and renewed confidence that we could make good decisions!

Day Two: Zurich

When we got to the Renaissance Hotel in Zurich, our room wasn't ready so we headed to a cafe nearby for a roast beef sandwich.  Our hotel was in more of a suburban area with not much to see. So, we decided we should try to explore Zurich.  We went to Simon, our tour leader, and asked him how to get to the heart of Zurich.  "It's easy, "he said. "Take Tram 51 to the Hauptbahnhof and you will find "Hop on Hop off" buses."

Full of confidence we headed out ----I knew "hop on hop off" from previous trips to Europe and I know German. After 500 days of Duolingo to brush up my ancient German, I felt confident we could manage. Besides Rebecca had technology on her side with maps and Uber.

We got off at the Hauptbahnhof (main train station), looked around for any sign of "Hop on, hop off".  None. So we decided to go into a local market and ask people there. ... .most people shrugged, but one of the employees thought he could help.  He pointed to the train station and said triumphantly, "Hauptbahnhof!"  Noooo, not Hauptbahnhof but Hop on Hop off!  We left to try someplace else.  There was a Bus Depot nearby---we went over there and saw lots of Zurich tour buses but none that said "Hop on, hop off"

Meanwhile Rebecca discovered she had no cell service so we had no maps and no Uber.  I was getting tired, and sat on a bench while she went off to the bus depot office, where she asked the same question.  No one knew what we were talking about.  But meanwhile I discovered a port in the storm---Starbucks!

We had coffee, tried to use the wifi but finally gave up and returned on Tram 51 to the Technopark Station where our hotel was.  We felt bruised, battered and not very confident having failed at seeing very much of Zurich on our first day (other that what was on Tram 51 line).  My Duolingo was failing me, Rebecca had no cell service.  Oh, well we had another day to conquer Zurich.

PS:  the photo at the top of the page is a "hop on hop off" bus----we probably saw them at the Depot but had no idea that's what they were.  

Day One---heading to Zurich

 

Being more of a story teller, I want to record my thoughts on the trip Rebecca and I took. Although the trip was my idea, I started having anxiety just thinking of travelling to Zurich---my knees, my sciatica, germs. . . .Finally I decided, what's a few dollars vs. my anxiety so I upgraded us to first class for the first time.

I was blown away by first class seating in our own little pods with pillows, comforters, slippers, sleep mask, tooth brush etc. The seats converted to recliners, flat beds and all of the stages in between.  Since I was having digestive/sleep problems, I asked that they serve me dinner ASAP which they did while others were still having drinks.  And, then, we hit turbulence for several hours---I was the only one who had food.  The attendants were able to clear my tray so I could sink in my "pod" for a good night's sleep.

I slept through the shortened night and woke up to Rebecca saying, "Mom, I had a medical incident during the night" And then I noticed she had an oxygen mask.  

After I booked the trip, I checked to see what the altitude was for Zurich:  it was well below 9000 feet which is the point at which she gets sick.  I also asked about flying altitude and was told the pressurized cabins prevent people from getting sick.  A little more than half way through the flight she felt odd, got up to go to the bathroom and fainted upon coming out.  The next thing she knew, she was on the floor where they had made her a bed and asked for a doctor on board (there was one in front of me and one beside her seat).  Her blood pressure was roughly 60/30 and she was sweating.  They gave her electrolytes which she had brought and hooked her up with a tank of oxygen.  We landed after a tank and a half of oxygen.  There were wheel chairs waiting for us both (and our flights from Paris to Kansas City).  

Talking to our son-in-law, a pilot, he said it's not unusual for pilots to fly about 40,000 feet which results in cabin pressure feeling like 8000 feet. She's exploring another possiblity about falling asleep at a lower altitude and waking at a higher one. . . . .

She felt fine for the rest of the trip and was somewhat notorious at our hotel in Zurich where all of the flight attendants and pilots were.  She was introduced as the "medical emergency".  Everyone was happy to see her walking around with a smile on her face but she was a little embarassed at the attention she was getting.

A New Orleans Angel

We were arriving in New Orleans in the rain after a Caribbean cruise . I always feel anxious disembarking from the cruise.  It's not so much leaving a pampered life style behind as it is being in long lines of grumpy people who are worried about their flights home, finding their luggage, getting someone to help them get the luggage to the curb or they just need another cup of coffee.  I have more anxiety than most because I feel like it is all up to me---getting the luggage and managing my husband Dave in a wheel chair, navigating the whole process.

I had left Dave in a wheel chair on the curb with our  small travel umbrella and our luggage, as I scampered over the railroad tracks to get our van on the cruise parking lot in a light rain.  I had a pretty good idea where our car was, having spotted our silver mini-van from the cruise ship and taken a photo—wow, was I wrong.  I wandered up and down the aisles searching for our van getting wetter.  My anxiety was building as I thought of Dave just sitting there in the rain with our luggage AND I had at least a 30 minute drive from the parking lot to where he was since the street was one-way in a giant loop with lots of traffic and stop lights.  

I started praying, “Please, God, help me find our van” as I continued searching up and down the endless aisles.  After a few minutes an elderly man in a golf cart approached and asked, "Do you need help."  I started crying, “I can’t find our van my husband is in a wheel chair on the curb getting wet and it’s going to take me at least 30 minutes to get him because I can’t wheel him over the railroad tracks.”  “Ma’am, let’s first find your van and then we’ll get your husband.”  

We found the van which wasn’t even close to the area I was searching in.  Then, he said, “Let’s go get your husband.”  He took us over the tracks, loaded the luggage, Dave, and the wheelchair into the cart and took us back to the van.  He put the suitcases and wheel chair in the van while I helped Dave get in. I could feel that weight of anxiety slowly slipping away.

Before he left, I tipped my rescuer $20 and said, “Thank you for  rescuing me—you are like an angel answering my prayers.” He looked at me with tears and said with a catch in his voice, “That means more to me than the tip.  Thank you.”  I often tell people, “my guardian angel is an elderly man in New Orlean riding on a golf cart." I try to remember that moment anytime I feel weighted down with anxieties and worries.  If God could send that man to rescue us in New Orleans, he will be there for this crisis too.

Port New Orleans to the Gulf

 One of the attractive features of taking a cruise out of New Orleans was sailing down the Mississippi.  I have always wanted to do it and someday I will do the rest of the river, but this was going to take me to the Gulf.  What I didn't realize was how long it was going to take.  We departed at 4 PM on the Serenade of the Seas, but the crew said we wouldn't be in the Gulf until midnight. Also being mid-winter, much of the journey would be in the dark.  Before we began the Natchez and Creole Queen paraded outside our balcony.

 But soon we were on our way through New Orleans.  Several times I remembered that this was the port my ancestor William Reed (Farncombe) entered the United States and he would have travelled this same route 150 years ago.

 I loved these maps on the television screen in our room, showing us where we were.

The haze in the sky along the horizon is from marsh fires.

St. Bernard Port

 I loved it all even in the dark.  The water looked like we were going through chocolate soft serve ice cream because it was so thick and brown.

At about 8 PM we were still in the Delta.

 Eventually, we went to bed and woke up to this!

New Year's Resolution

A friend posted this on Facebook and I decided to incorporate it into my New Year's Resolution.  I tend to worry about everything, overly plan---spending way too much time and energy on concerns that may not happen, and not nearly enough time on just enjoying life.

Cruise 2014:  I worried that we were taking too much, not taking enough.  I worried about the weather and driving in the winter several hundred miles.  I worried about what would happen when we got to the port.  Now, I was prepared with bins of easy to open food, blankets, flashlights.  I'd called the port authority several times, had a map of the area, made hotel reservations along the way, but still I worried.

Once we were on the ship, and I was relaxed, I had a great time just like always.  But then word started drifting down that New Orleans was poised for an ice storm.  I worried we couldn't get out; I worried that the locks on our car were frozen; I worried about getting Dave to where the car was parked with our luggage (no shuttle service); I worried about where I'd parked the car.  I only slept 4 hours.

The disembarkation went great.  We got up at 7:30, ate breakfast at 8:00 and were off the ship by 8:30.  But that was it.  For me to get Dave and the luggage, I was told I would have to drive 30-45 minutes down one way streets, over frequently used train tracks and through the masses getting off a Carnival cruise.  I left Dave with the suitcases and headed out to find our car.  I found it and drove aimlessly up and down the aisles not being able to find the exit.  I prayed.

Soon a  snaggle-toothed man in a golf cart waved me down.  When I told him what I needed to do, he took charge, "Park right here, get in the cart, let's go get your husband.  You can't drive all over New Orleans."  We bounced and lurched our way through the port, got Dave and the suitcases loaded, found the car, packed it up.  I turned to the man and said, "You were the answer to my prayers."  He smiled widely as I handed him a generous tip as I said, "Thank you, angel".

Today, my friend who posted the first quote, posted this one which is even better for me.  ". . .Just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best."  That is my New Year's resolution!

Before Disney Wonder Sail-Away

 We arrived in Galveston a few days early staying at the Hilton on Seawall Blvd. which was a great place to stay. Kroger, Walmart, IHOP, Landrys, Rainforest Cafe and the beach were all within walking distance.  The kids really enjoyed the pool and practiced snorkeling before their excursions on the cruise.

At night, there was musical entertainment which everyone enjoyed.

 Embarkation was so quick and smooth (after Rachel's passport scare) we never even took photos. Soon, we were in the Buffet having lunch, checking out the ship and enjoying the warm November day.

 When we got to our rooms, we discovered some great Disney swag since this was our 2nd cruise.

Shipboard Activities

 Some may think of "Day's at Sea" as being just walking the promenade or sitting in chairs watching the ocean go by, but especially on this Disney cruise, there was plenty to do.

You could meet the random Disney character like Alice in Wonderland,

 Hit the buffet for an extra sundae,

 Play shuffle board or swim with "new" friends.

Attend a cooking class,

Disney Cruise Embarkation Nov. 10

  Let's back it up to earlier in the day. . .

First, Leah presented us with our Disney T-shirts which included a onesie for the one "hitch-hiking", not due to arrive until May!  Yes, the Warrens are expecting #3.

Then, we took our suitcases out to the front of our hotel Inn at Waterpark in Galveston, where a shuttle was going to pick us up.  Eli played min-golf out in front while we waited for the shuttle.

While waiting until our 11:30 AM embarkation, we had many photo opportunities.

While our rooms were still getting ready, we went to the top deck, had lunch and explored (very healthy, delicious sandwiches at Goofy's Galley)