Ever since the 2020 lockdown I swore I would do everything in our power to prevent cabin fever on that scale again. That is why we purchased our wonderful Class C Jayco Greyhawk Prestige 31FP. I had missed my annual trip to Florida during our bleary Michigan winter and vowed never to have that happen again if at all possible.

We were new to this RV thing, so the purchase of our new rig that arrived in April of 2021 was a process chronicled here that was quite the fun journey helped along in large part by the RV Odd Squad who have now settled down to their campground in Thunder Canyon. I will be forever grateful to them for their free tips on how to purchase an RV. They literally saved us over 10k with their advice on buying. That was with just one of their exceedingly helpful videos.

You never know if you’ll love it or hate it, this camping thing. I was prepared to sell if we hated it however I find that I absolutely love traveling in our RV. Granted my amazing husband does most all of the hard work and even all of the driving. So what’s not to love?

Even he has to admit having your own kitchen and bedroom wherever you go is a bonus.

What we did not bank on was our middle daughter, her husband and four of our six grandchildren moving to Germany. A bit tough to get The Blast (as we affectionately call our RV) over an ocean needless to say.

My son-in-law was given an opportunity to accept a fantastic job there and off they went early 2023 much to this Nana’s broken heart. Yet I can not deny I am happy for their fortunate turn of events. It’s a great job and eight months into their stay, I get a video with my babies speaking German like natives.

So, my husband Mark and I immediately began planning a trip to Germany when we knew their plans were locked in.

I hate to fly. Not for the reasons most people hate to fly. I am not fearful. I hate airports. I hate the TSA lines, I have a weak back and if the lines are long it can be mild torture for me.

Also, once up in the skies, you are literally held captive in that tin can held captive with a bunch of people who may or may not have some crazies amongst them. I’m just sayin’…

I hate international travel again I repeat– lines. I’m 66 years old. Not feeble enough for a walker or wheelchair but I just can not stand for super long periods of time without needing to sit. Nowhere in those theme-park-like lines for customs is there anywhere at all to sit. Not a bench or chair. I could choose the airport floor but nah ah. I have no idea why they do not provide seating, but there you have it. I have flown internationally in and out of Detroit, New York City, Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome and Miami to name just a smattering of the airports I have hit as an Army wife. Not a single place to sit while we wait to have our passports inspected.

If we can not get a first class seat (I won’t pay the insane prices for the ticket) I am exhausted by the time we arrive. I find it almost impossible to sleep sitting up. My husband used to work in corporate after his career Army retirement, so he has a boat load of miles (he is retired now from the business world as well) and we did get the upgrade.

So I like to minimize the discomfort I find with air travel, the possible delays, the rude people, etc., etc.

Example of rudeness: I had a Barbie doll with her tiny dog in her arms elbow her way past me in line. Literally. I tried to tell the airline employee she was NOT next in line, we were next in line, to no avail. Barbie pranced her way up to the airline desk ahead of us and that was apparently that. Age not before beauty in this case…

Then there was another trip awhile back when the family ahead of us with what seemed like forty family members had a problem with their ticket. We were the next people in line, all other attendants were slammed and there we stood. And stood, and stood and stood…and by the time we got checked in (the kiosk did not work for us) we had to RUN to our gate.

I. do. Not. Run.

And can we talk about the germs. On second thought, let us not…

The list goes on as to why I detest flying.

I asked my husband who abhors cruises far more than I do flying, to consider the Queen Mary 2 which had a route for nine days to Hamburg right around the time we wanted to go. I reasoned it would ease us into the time change and then we’d only have to fly back instead of round trip.

When he looked at what the Queen Mary 2 offered, he actually agreed much to my astonishment, and we were a go!

I know what you might say, germs.

Let me just tell you that somehow, as opposed to that other petri dish cruise we took, somehow the Queen Mary 2 manages to make hygiene part of the cruising experience. Handwashing stations are everywhere not to mention you can not go to any public space without seeing attendants with hand sanitizer willing to “help” with an offering or just free-standing stations for your convenience. We did not become ill from this cruise as a result.

We picked up the QM2 in the NY City port in October and I have to tell you, for starters, it was a gorgeous sunset. Then our room! We had a protected balcony recommended by seasoned cruise takers, and we also chose a room in the center of the ship that I think we will upgrade next trip although I do not have any complaints. I just would like more space.

What a ship! What an experience! We have been on only one other cruise, it was a Disney cruise. I found it to be lovely, my husband hated it and said he would never go on another again, that’s how horrible for him it was and he said, frankly, drastically overpriced for what they offered.

The QM2 is more expensive than most all cruises however it is because everything and I mean every single thing is absolutely and totally first class. From the food to the entertainment to the accommodations to the ship itself. It is just a stunning experience.

They have lectures that are cerebral, an actual art gallery on board with world class art by world class masters, ballroom dancing, and so much more I can not list and will not list here because you can find all of this out by watching the numerous videos many have made to highlight what the Queen Mary 2 offers as well as go to their website.

We met some amazing people on board too. My husband went to the Cigar Bar in Winston Churchill’s Pub a number of times and met some grand and colorful gentlemen.

We spent time with a UK couple Elizabeth and David who were absolutely spectacular. We just loved their company so much and I do hope to get back to England if for no other reason but to see them again, that’s how wonderful they were!

I did not know if I would care for riding on the high seas, I mean you are out there, in our case for nine days without seeing a bird or any sign of any life whatsoever. I wore these herbal patches in case I were to become seasick and they must have worked because even though we were one step down from rough seas at times, not a problem.

I honestly could prattle on and on however let me conclude, does it beat RV travel?

Yes and no.

Yes in that we will be doing it again in 2025.

Would I go on just any cruise? No. Would I go on the Queen Mary 2 or any of the Cunard line but for the fact that my babies are across the Atlantic Ocean? Probably not. As magnificent as this experience was so much so we will be booking another trip, frankly when I travel, I prefer, as I like to sometimes refer to it, my little condo on wheels.

When we took that flight from Germany home, we were bumped up to first class, it was absolutely lovely. I got to lie flat and deeply sleep when I chose. It was perfectly relaxing.

Flying into NY City airport and going through customs and standing in line for three hours? For me, and this is not being dramatic, as they used to say, I almost swooned. I became nauseous, and my back started to ache badly; I became overheated with all the other people around stuffed so closely together, it was awful. I hated, hated that part of the trip and I know I wasn’t the only one suffering. Ladies and men around my age standing in line near us had the same problems I was having. The government workers there were understaffed and short on patience too. And to add to the ambiance, people just started randomly screaming or yelling.

I am 97% Italian and long to take numerous trips to Italy to see the places of my heritage. I believe I will have two more trips left in me while my babies are in Germany and then it is travel in my RV where I can take Levi, my Yorkshire Terrier with us, my new Letric Trike and travel on my own terms. God willing.

If you do want to take a cruise I highly recommend the Queen Mary 2, just come back on her to the port. We took her one way to stay with our family in Germany for ten days then flew home. I recommend, do not do that. Cruise back.

So, will we be giving up our RV for international or other travel?

Oh I do not think so!

Until next time:  Duty, Honor and Seeing the Country RV Style!