So here we are flying at 35,00 feet. Our Easy Jet Captain just told us that he was expecting bad weather over Germany but I don’t believe him. I generally find that weather forecasts are written by J.K. Rowling and if you want to know what the weather is, look out the window.
However, Captain Easy was correct and indeed there is lots of turbulence as we fly over the Belgium/German border. The plane is bouncing around like a kangaroo with giant springs on his feet. There is a special look of concern on the group of 30+ schoolchildren. They are dressed very smart in purple and black uniforms and are obviously on a school trip……………to Naples.
Wow! Things have changed. This group of school teens is taking a trip to see Vesuvius and Pompeii. When I was at school we took a trip to the local museum to see a piece of fossilized dinosaur poo.
We are staying at the Hotel Vesuvius which has wonderful views of the volcano. I have never stayed their before but Tony Soprano has as this was featured in an episode when the New Jersey boss went to the old country.
Yesterday, I spoke to the cast of dancers and singers who will be performing in our great shows on the Carnival Splendor. They have been rehearsing in Miami and fly to Italy on Sunday. The technicians and scenery designers are already there and very slowly more and more crew is beginning to arrive. Of course, the Captain and Chief Engineer and their departments have been in Genoa for some time and have played a big role in the start of the ship’s life.
None of the crew will be able to stay on board until 14 June so till then, Heidi and I will work on schedules and Capers from an office in the shipyard and from our hotel.
Yesterday, there was a huge fuel protest by thousands of truck drivers. They are complaining about the price of fuel here in the U.K. I know gas is expensive in North America but here in Europe it is double the price.
The problem is a large percentage of the cost is government tax and Gordon Brown and the government have to do something. It costs $140 to fill up my polar bear-killing, iceberg-melting Range Rover, so you can imagine how expensive it is for a truck driver.
So, until the government does something about this I have a suggestion………..and those of a nervous disposition may want to look away now.
I suggest that each gas station has a TV placed above each gas pump. On the TV’s there should be a selection of pornographic movies playing so while you are filling up your car or truck with gas you can see that someone else is getting scr%¤&d as well as you….
I am definitely a grumpy old man.
OK, time to go as we are staring our descent into Bella Napoli……oh, by the way…….one of the Nuns is ……and I swear this is true……wearing a pair of crocs……you know those shoes with holes in them……..that’s’ one trendy nun. The other nuns tried wearing them but couldn’t get into the habit.
Part 3 coming soon
Cheers
Your friends
John and Heidi
Look, friends — there are a few things you should remember before you comment. The space below is for you to post your comments about the post I've just written above. If it is something that's unrelated, please use the Ask John tab above. Now, while I may not be able to reply to your comment below, I do sit in my underpants almost every morning and read everything that is here. So feel free to comment on the comments and then if someone wants to comment on the comment to the comment then go ahead as well. Please be courteous unless the poster is French...........then you can say whatever you want.
I just looked at the itinerary for the Splendor. I think I need to start saving my pennies!
Hi John/Heidi:
A nun in crocs. What a picture.
Fly safely.
Looking forward to hearing more from Naples.
I wish we could have taken a field trip over to Europe. We only got to take the bus to the Planetairum or the Environmental field.
Oh well. Times have changed.
Keep in touch!
David
Thanks! Love the rapid fire raspberry blogs! Makes me feel almost like we are instant messaging! So up to date!
Sheryl
Hi Grumpy,
You’re right about school trips. All we ever did was take bus trips to different museums and around NYC, stopping at various highlights. It was a great trip, but nothing like a trip to a foreign country.
Happy landings,
Later, gator,
Carol
Hi John & Heidi,
Boy times have sure changed. When I was in school we went to the Zoo!! Our nuns would never have been seen in crocs!
Have a safe journey and looking forward to more from Naples!
God Bless Jon and his family during this sad time.
God Speed
Kathy
Ahhhh Italy!! I want to go!!
Take care!
Nanni
John:
I can’t wait to hear a list of the staff that will be with you and Heidi on the Splendor.
We want to know everything…Social Hosts, Piano Bar, Soloists, Cover Band, Karaoke Host etc etc etc!
Safe travels!!
John, I love that raspberry!!! Feels like immediate contact!!!
And now you are going to the land of my family, I can’t wait for more!!! On my one trip to Italy, the horror of 9/11 prevented me from getting beyond Rome…….My Poppy (Mum’s Dad) came from a village outside Naples…Cava D’Terrini, as listed on my great-grandfather’s ship manifest on Ellis Island……it is on my dream list to go back and find this place, as a pre and post cruise activity of course!!
Enjoy Italy, it might have wonky “facilities”, but the wine, the food, and the people make that part immaterial and a small price to pay!
Keep at that raspberry as you can…WE LOVE IT!!
We love you and Heidi too.
Hugs Stephanie!!
Eva
Hello John,
The bit about the porn in the gas stations was a riot! I really shouldn’t read the blog while I eat lunch. It could have been bad if I had been swallowing.
You got to see dinosaur poo? Wow! The only class trip I ever went on was up the Hudson River to Bear Mountain state park. We were there for an hour or so, then we went back.
I liked the story about the nun wearing crocs. I bet her feet were comfortable! When I was growing up, our nuns wore medieval habits like in the Sound of Music. My friend Mary went to the Catholic school. She told me that when she was 6 she thought that nuns didn’t have feet like the rest of us, but little wheels. (Picture the dress all the way down to the floor, and the way the glide along.) When I played a nun in “The Sound of Music” at the local dinner theater, I used that. I made sure to walk as though I was gliding along on wheels.
We’re flying to Rome in Sept. to sail on the Freedom. Good thing I didn’t book Sleazy Jet! Yikes! No wonder you hate flying. If something can happen, it happens to you!
Since we’re all blogging in real time – it is 24 degrees celsius in Napoli currently. Sorry, can’t give you any driving tips – all the traffic reports are in Italian.
Ciao
John
“The other nuns tried wearing them but couldn’t get into the habit.”
LOL! John, you make me smile constantly. Welcome to Italy! As the others have said, we want to know everything.
Have a safe trip. Hi Heidi.
Sallie
P.S.
Stephanie, you are the best!
Hi John & Heidi
The flying Nun with Crocs
Were they hot pink?
Too funny, LOL
Take Care
The Tuckers
Hi John and Heidi,
I love Italy, mainly because my family came from there in the 1920′s and I have been there twice. I swear, I could live there.
I am going to see Ellis Island this summer with my family and it is going to be such an experience for me to see what they saw when they sailed into New York. I have always admired their strength to make such a change but they thought very little of it. The storied my grandparents told me are priceless.
Thanks for all the blogs, they make me smile.
Ciao, Kathleen
At least you got to see poo. Growing up in da Hood, we weren’t allowed on field trips due to the fact that no place was willing to let our school in!
Porn. Too funny. Between the gas for my SUV and the porn, that would be a lot of pumping…
Hi John & Heidi: Speaking of the entertainment staff, will the Splendor have any of the Music groups, such as Music Manila, Music Boardwalk, etc. In January of this year, we were on the Miracle and Music Manila was featured in “Frankie & Johnnies.” What talent!! They were great.
Have a great time in Napoli…land of my grandma & grandpa on my mother’s side. They came from a town outside of Naples called Caserta…..
Regards,
Terry
John,
Well, it seems you are traveling with Murphy again. Why don’t you ever leave him home?
Are you sure you aren’t in a bad remake of the movie Airplane? LOL.
Looking forward to the next blog.
Hi Hedi!
Princess Susan
ps. Stephanie works to hard! I learned this yesterday….she needs to go on a cruise..LOL…sorry not funny
COULDNT GET INTO THE HABIT?????? OHH ROTFLMYKWO!!!!!!!!!! TOO FUNNY YOU ARE!
-SUSAN (ANOTHER ONE)
“The plane is bouncing around like a kangaroo with giant springs on his feet.”
That’s because you are flying
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wait for it……
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QueasyJet
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Oh, John….your blogs are the best! OK, I may want to go to Italy…but, it will require a bathroom update from you before a decision can be made.
Hugs,
Lori and Tom
LOL!! Love My Crocs also!
John U Always make me smile!I cant wait 4 My next cruise!!
-Sandra
NB Canada
By now you’re on the ground in Italy. How wonderful. Napoli is gorgeous as are MANY of the women. Lucky dog…
Pictures… we want pictures!! C’mon John! I’m sure that Heidi can stash a camera away somewhere so we can get an insiders view of the Splendor!!!
Awaiting raspberry blog #3…
GregB
Sorry, John, but you can’t be “Grumpy.” Scott chose that moniker for himself when our first grandchild was born and “Grumpy” he has been for over 22 years. You could be “Grumpy 2″ or “Grumpy, too.” But only ’til you get back onboard ship. Then you must once again become “Mr. Eternally Bright and Sunny Regardless of How Much Junk Comes Your Way.”
I, too, have Italian ancestors (my Mom’s grandparents immigrated to the states from Milan). Also, some French on my Dad’s side of the family (sorry to let you know an approximately 1/16th French person is reading your blog, but there you are). All of which means I find Europe very interesting and beautiful. But, having tried life there for three years, I still prefer living in the USA and am glad to have been born here. (We do have a stepgranddaughter who is a model in Milan and is married to an Italian “rock star.”)
Enough…hope your fortune turns soon and you enjoy the rest of your journey to the Splendor. Give my regards to Heidi.
Your Pal,
Myra
John, are you sure that nun was crocsed or were you just crocked. You keep saying you don’t drink anymore but I think Heidi must be spiking your diet cokes just to get you on easy jet. We might have to start calling you MR. J from the C Team.
BIG ED
HI John, Heidi, and all.
Too funny!
Wow, this is my 3rd attempt at this reply tonight. The nuns and Shelly Winters, very amusing John..Reminds me of a story that I hope you all find a little bit amusing. My family and I were on Triumph in Nov., 2004, and one morning we go for breakfast in the indoor dining area on Lido deck, I guess. So I say, ” I think if we hear Celine Dion sing that song from Titanic, ‘My Heart Will Go On,’that ‘s a sign that we should GET OFF THIS SHIP VERY QUICKLY.” So literally, just a few minutes later, as we are enjoyng our breakfast, we hear that haunting melody, and Celine sing “Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you…That is how I know you go on…” The four of us start (a little nervously) laughing, and either Ted or me said “OK, lets go HOME…NOW!!!!!!!”OMGit was too much! (Later on, I thought maybe, one of the staff had heard me say that and had played a little joke
Enjoy Italy and remember this…”There’s Got to be a Morning After…”
Love to you all,
Sue Muller
Good afternoon John & Heidi,
I can relate to some bloggers from New York. Growing up, I lived in the Bronx, and all the school trips we went to were all within the city. We would be lucky if we got to go to an amusement park for a school trip. Although, I remember one class trip was to go bowling. Nowadays, I bet the school system is so strict that they would only allow educational trips and not trips for fun and games…
Too funny on the whole gas station scenario. I told a couple of people about this and they too found it hilarious! It is indeed ridiculous and I truly feel bad for all the truckers that have to pay $5 a gallon for diesel fuel……… Hope you guys are doing well. Have a great weekend!!
Cheers,
Alex G.
John…
Jealous, jealous!!! Italy… Splendor… The wonderful Farcus Funnel above you head…
Ahhhhh… I have until September till I feel that rolling under my feet, the loving care of the crew, and the Carnival Pampering!!!
You’re wonderful!
Lambie
Hi John
I just wanted to tell you that we drag out a video from a cruise on the Imagination from 1995 this eve to show to some friends…….after all these years, it is still bellylaughing funny.
It was your Bedtime Story skit during the talent show……….There was a black lady named Mary, who knocked you down, a white gentleman who played the villian and kept saying to Mary, “Give it to me baby” and Tim, a Japanese gentleman who kept saying, “sh.t” instead of shoot.
Thank you all these years later for the laughs….we still cruise Carnival and hope to see you on a future cruise.
Rose and Dan Tanner