Not to my surprise, I made the deal to acquire the Taylor Builders Edition 652ce. When Chuck Levin’s gave me a good price, and saved me the 6% sales tax by shipping it (three days from purchase to delivery), the deal was done. A new set of strings included, and it’s now sitting within arm’s reach and I’m enjoying the sounds of a 12-string again.
Taylor Builders Edition 652ce 12-string guitar
And now on to my next adventure.
Yep, another of my “bucket list” voyages. Greece has appealed to me since I attended college in Munich, but it seemed distant and unworkable in so many ways. In 2018, I started to plan a trip, but events in Turkey (which is included in the journey) warned against travel there, so I wound up going to Costa Rica instead. Definitely not a loss, as Costa Rica will remain in my memory as one of the world’s nicest locations!
Nineteen days. I think this may be the longest vacation I have taken in my adult life. In the past I’ve found myself growing restless to return after 7-10 days, but somehow I feel this trip will be different. For starters, there are full days of flying, so that reduces the time on the ground (or the sea, as it were).
The ship is the Aegean Odyssey, a 350-passenger cruise ship that is all Road Scholar. This is the general itinerary:
- Day 3: Athens, Greece
- Day 4: Mykonos, Greece
- Day 5: Mykonos, Greece
- Day 6: Kusadasi, Turkey
- Day 7: Kos, Greece
- Day 8: Santorini, Greece
- Day 9: Santorini, Greece
- Day 10: Syros, Greece
- Day 11: Athens, Greece
- Day 12: Athens, Greece
- Day 13: Heraklion, Greece
- Day 15: Marmaris, Turkey
- Day 16: Rhodes, Greece
- Day 17: Mykonos, Greece
- Day 18: Monemvasia, Greece
- Greek Easter Saturday, Monemvasia
- Greek Easter Sunday, Athens
- Day 19: Disembarkation, Program Concludes
Of course, the above only touches on the places. There will be times at sea, lectures (but not of the boring type) and free time to explore, shop and sightsee. With me, that last means taking photographs! Yes, that’s always one of my primary goals everywhere I go.
I just thought of my father, who also enjoyed taking photos. This was before digital, so he liked taking slide photographs and putting them into slide shows. I have most, if not all, of this slides, and in all truthfulness, have never gone through them. I don’t know if he thought he was leaving a legacy, but I have no such intentions. I take the photos because I like to view them!
Now begins the list. I have several packing lists, and I’ll need to start considering things like electric adapters, proper clothing, passport (and vaccination records — grrr), electronics and so on. I’ve done this so many times, and yet it always seems to raise my stress level a bit; I want to make sure I have everything I need, and don’t want to over-pack at the same time.
I’d better get to it!