Packing day for the Pattersons

Tomorrow we leave for Barcelona, Spain!! After a very long week of prepping and packing I can say with some confidence that the Pattersons are ready to jet set off to the Mediterranean for our 2 week cruise. Knowing us, though, I can say with 100% confidence that between the 4 of us we have forgotten something when in our preparations...what that is none of us know yet. Stay tuned! hehe

On the eve of trip I suppose it is a good idea to let you all in on a dirty little family secret of our's: the Patterson traveling curse. This curse has been going on since my parents' honeymoon when my dad's luggage was run over by the plane. My parents stood at the baggage claim, happy go lucky newlyweds, laughing about a passenger's luggage that kept going around in a black trash bag, little did they know the sack contained my dad's possessions. (I must note that this story might not be entirely accurate, because I was not actually there or even born yet, but I have a memory like a steel trap and have heard the story many a time, so I believe I'm close to correct on all that) Later down the road dad got the last laugh on a trip to Hawaii where the airline lost my mother's bag which coincidentally contained both Emily and my possessions. (Keep in mind this was back in the days where all 3 Patterson women could fit their things in one bag. Those days have long since past!) Emily and I are sitting in my room brainstorming the many misadventures we have had as a family and it would take all night to fill you all in, so just trust me when I tell you that traveling with the Pattersons is not always easy. We are hoping that age and time will have ridden the family of the curse, though. Honestly, though, its the misadventures and WGC's (wild goose chases) that make for great stories....after the fact. All that being said, I'm sure this trip will give us LOTS of funny Patterson traveling stories and memories and I will be blogging all along the way so you guys can share in the fun!

For those who have been asking where exactly the Celebrity Solstice (the name of our ship) is taking us these 2 weeks, here is our complete schedule:

Mon Jul 25 Barcelona, Spain
Tue Jul 26 Nice (Villefranche), France
Wed Jul 27 La Spezia, Italy
Thu Jul 28 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
Fri Jul 29 Naples / Capri (Sorrento), Italy
Sat Jul 30 At Sea
Sun Jul 31 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Mon Aug 1 Venice, Italy Arrive
Tue Aug 2 Venice, Italy Depart
Wed Aug 3 Kotor, Montenegro
Thu Aug 4 At Sea
Fri Aug 5 At Sea
Sat Aug 6 Barcelona, Spain Arrive

If anyone has been to any of these cities or knows a lot about them and has any as a result has suggestions as to what we should do/see while there, please comment and let me know! :) We're open to any and all thoughts and ideas! We want to do and see EVERYTHING...who can blame us?!

As I've said, I will be keeping up with this blog the whole time we're abroad (July 23-Aug 7). Unfortunately during this time this blog, twitter, and facebook will be my only forms of communication with America. (sad) So as Andy Cohen (If you're unsure of who I'm referring to you need more BravoTV in your life ;) ) says tweet me, post on muh facebook wall...and comment on my blog. Do not, as Kim Possible says (Disney reference for the younger generation) call me, beep me if ya wanna reach me, because I will not respond/answer! :)

One last important announcement before I end this blog...over the next 2 weeks I will be having GUEST BLOGGERS! Yes, not all these wonderfully entertaining (Ha-ha) blogs will be written by me, as been the norm over the year. Instead, other family members have shown an interest in rambling on about our lives and travels in a blog, but they're too shy to get their own blog (Shhh...don't say I said that!) Mom has said that she wants to blog on days when there are lots of funny things to talk about, so we'll see when she'll make her debut as a blogger. I'm sure she'll be a natural blogger! We may even be able to convince Dad and Em to take a crack at blogging by the end of the week! We shall see! :)

Next time I blog we'll be in Barcelona, Spain! Eeeek! SO EXCITED!! Nighty Night America, last time I'll say that for a while!