Karen,
Our adored AND loyal LCT members, Ray and Penny are booked on the '08 WC!

Ray and Penny WC 2008, yes, I do remember Ray telling us they were doing that trip - how lucky are we to have them reporting back to us????

I forgot about Ray and Penny! Ardis will be in very good company!

Yes, very kind, non judgemental people much like Larry and Karen - BUT the WCers had Tom and Marcie,too, doesn't get sweeter or better than those two !!!

Yep, we're going on the WC and are we ever excited.

However, we sure have a lot of planning and organizing to do before our departure and that includes picking the brains of Tom, Marcie, Larry and Karen.

We recognize that we have some big shoes to fill.

Cheers! Ray & Penny

Packing? What about UNPACKING? We have not received our luggage from IPS yet. We have phoned and they just tell us "It is on the truck." Where is the truck? They do not know.

Ardis, We got our luggage delivered yesterday (7 pieces we shipped via IPS)all in perfect condition. The total weight of these 7 IPS pieces was 420lbs AND We brought the 4 heaviest bags with us on AA, not IPS along with 2 carry on and our laptop. :eek: We knew we were waaaaaaay overweight with 11 large bags total! We've only unpacked 2 so 5 more to go! IMO this is the worst part of returning! Hopefully your luggage will arrive today.

Phone call this morning revealed that IPS ssub-contracted the luggage and we may receive our five pieces on Tuesday!

Marcie, First off I have thoroughly loved your photos and journals of the wc.Thank you so much.

I just called IPS, as their tracking system isn't working. Our luggage is to be delivered Monday. We shipped 5 bags, plus are taking 3 with us from Florida on Tuesday. NOT looking forward to all that unpacking -- except for the big $30 Hong Kong suitcase full of 'goodies'!!!

So sad it's over ....

Betty

Good to hear from you, Betty. I'm sorry we did not get to know each other better on the WC. We did have a great safari together, didn't we? What a wonderful time. We shipped five bags and that was our total. We had no checked luggage going home. We REALLY travel light.

Ardis

Pat & Ray,
I'm glad you enjoyed my postings. Hearing from all of those on TAP makes me appreciate the need for seamail when we're away. Let me say that when we left for the WC we only had 9 pieces of luggage (one was empty anticipating purchases). Well, we kind of out did ourselves with purchases along the way (we purchased another suitcase in Hong Kong for $25 just like Betty did). I think I'm coming home with 12 wooden animals and misc. wooden items like a jewelry boxs, etc. Besides being heavy, these all had to be wrapped carefully in bubble wrap (supplied by RSSC). On top of that I seem to always over due it packing shoes (but not as bad as Karen does!). Besides taking too many to begin with, I bought 5 new pairs along the way. Sometimes I just can't turn down good deals. The only suitcase I really had fun unpacking so far was the one with all the souveniers for my family.

Ardis, I think you deserve the award for traveling the lightest of anyone I know!! I should take lessons from you and Stan. I actually had far fewer bags/boxes than many others on the full WC so I really don't feel all that bad. The good news is that I did wear every item of clothing I brought....Tom can't say that!

There were some (hopefully who lived near FLL) that had purchased large 5+ feet wooden giraffes! I wouldn't have wanted to try and get one of those on our return flight!

Unpacking the dirty clothes probably isn't fun. But I bet unpacking the "souvenier/purchases" suitcases feels like Christmas! Plus, you get to relive the trip through all that you bought.

Hi Ardis!

I can't figure out how we missed each other so much of the time on that long of a trip!! There were some people I met in the last two weeks that I swear I'd never seen before -- HOW does that happen??

We did have a great safari, and I know we'll see you two on a trip to come. Hope you're adjusting to 'real life'. It's difficult, isn't it??

Betty

Our 6 bags via IPS arrived in Chicago yesterday (Thursday)a.m....we asked to have the earliest delivery possible since we left today (Friday) for San Diego. We were pleased to be only 5lbs over our 370lb limit. We got them all unpacked and Karen spent the rest of the day washing & ironing while I put the "other" stuff away. (I had the easier task.)

Karen did a great job...especially considering she has a splint on her right hand. She stumbled on an uneven pavement the day after we arrived home and tore a tendon between her thumb and index finger. She had it operated on this past Tuesday. Around the world for 111 days wihtout incident or a doctor's visit and then to fall 3 blocks from home. She's not a happy camper! But being heree in San Diego with our daughters for Mother's Day helps.

Bingo Donna! That's exactly it! There are some small things that we bought back in Brazil (seems like 100 years ago) that we're running across unpacking. I always asked for things to be "wrapped for packing" so by the time we got home, I really didn't remember what was wrapped inside. It's like Xmas all over again.

Larry, I'm sure sorry to hear about Karen's hand. OUCH...what a shame. Hopefully, she'll feel better soon, especially being with your 3 daughters. Have a wonderful time in SD.

Betty, I agree....as much as you & Al saw Tom and me daily, there really were people that were on for 4 months whom we NEVER crossed paths with ?????? I'm sure they're wondering the same thing about the 4 of us! Maybe they thought we were shy! :D

Such wonderful Safari memories...thanks again to Ngaire for such perfect planning for such a memorable experience!

Marcie: I really think you should give an in depth story of how Tom bought his Armani suit! I thought it was really interesting.

As for traveling light, I realized that my wardrobe had certain areas lacking and have already bought three items for our next trip.

LOL Ardis.....such a long story about Tom's Armani suit but quickly....

when we were in Beiijing and went to the Silk Market where they sell lots of knock offs Tom found a gorgeous Armani suit. They wanted $500 USD for this Armani knock off. Our tour guide was fantastic and went back and forth with the shop owner all in Chinese. We had no idea what was going on but after walking out of the shop we got called back in again, and then again. They kept starting this all over again and again. This went on for a long time but the bottom line.......Tom got this gorgeous suit for $39. USD (and that included alterations on the pants!) He wore it a lot on WC and has had it cleaned twice, it look gorgeous. Knock off or Hot Merchandise?? Guess we'll never know but he loves it and gets so many compliments when he wears it!

No-one could have looked more elegant than Tom! The material and fit were perfect.

Ardis