One week countdown is on May 2, 2014

Next Friday around this time I will pick up the suitcase, lock the condo door and start the 20 minute walk down Hornby St to the Canada Place cruise terminal and start the process of embarking on the Star Princess for a three day cruise down to San Francisco with a 6 hour stop in Victoria and I will then meet up with my friends Cliff and Adele and do some touring of the area and take in the SF Giants/Altanta Braves baseball game.

I will stay over at the Best Western Tuscan Inn which I got by redeeming some Air Miles points.

Then the next morning I will head back to Pier 35 and embark on the Grand Princess for the four day trip back to Vancouver. There will be stops in Astoria, Oregon and Nanaimo, BC before sailing under the Lions Gate Bridge and docking at Ballantyne Pier - while not my favorite Pier it is necessitated by the fact three other ships are docked at Canada Place.

Of note on the Grand Princess I have the same cabin as I had for my 49 day South American cruise last year.

Here's the Grand Princess docked at Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

With my platinum status on Princess I will have some free Internet minutes so will try and post along the way but first there are some details to take care of.

1. Laundry - need to do one before I start to pack.

2. Packing - hope to just take a large overnight bag and my day pack.

3. US money - need to stop at an ATM and get some US $$$$.

4. Need to shore up plans with my friends in San Francisco.

5. Need to shore up plans to meet my niece and great nieces in Nanaimo.

6. Need to relax and take it easy.

Cheers!