England!

Well, we are going to England and then coming back to the US by boat. We are officially going to be real life pilgrims! :) 

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that I'm going to be in England. Me. It's always been at the very top of my list of places I wanted to travel to, but not for the amazing things to see and do, like why most people want to go. I've always wanted to go because it's where I'm from. I feel like England is a huge part of who I am. I have 100% full British blood and I'm a dual-citizen. I could (my sister actually did) have a British passport and decide to go live there permanently, no questions asked. It's like my home and I've never really been (okay, the truth is I have been once... but I was four so it doesn't count!)

Both my parents were born and raised in the Liverpool area (the names of their "villages" are Bebington and Morton). My dad used to go watch The Beatles at The Cavern before most people even knew who they were! The Beatles! I have always told people that loving The Beatles is in my blood and I've also always told my dad he should've been a Beatle. I grew up with him playing his guitar and the piano and singing Beatles to us. He even sang "In My Life" at our wedding, which was pretty much one of my favorite moments of ALL time.

Since my parents were born and raised in England, almost my ENTIRE extended family lives there. Some have been over to visit us in Utah, but there are some I've never really met and don't really know. Isn't that weird? I have aunts, uncles, and cousins that I don't even know about. It makes me SO sad. And now I finally get to meet them. It's really a dream come true.

My "mum" with my aunts and uncles

My dad, and two of my aunts :)

So we aren't going on the cruise I mentioned in the last post. That one left from England on a Monday and only gave us one full day to spend in England. So we decided to go on a cruise that leaves on a Wednesday to give us 3.5 days to explore and see family. It's a shorter cruise, 12 days instead of 14, and it doesn't stop in the Eastern Caribbean or the Canary Islands like the other one did. In fact, it only has one stop (Vigo, Spain) and then the rest of the days are just at sea. That might not be some people's idea of a fun cruise, but we actually love spending time on the boat and being forced to relax. Plus, I'd rather spend 3.5 days in England than the Caribbean ANY day!!! :)

We will be cruising October 15-27

We are going on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, which is the largest cruise ship in the world. There are plenty of things on-board to keep us entertained for those days at sea--an ice skating rink, rock climbing walls, surf simulators, a zip-line, a boardwalk with a carousel, a swimming pool with an amphitheater for acrobatic/diving shows, a full sized movie theatre, mini-golf, etc.! Normally cruises on this boat are CRAZY expensive, but we got a really good deal. Seriously, I don't know how we keep getting so lucky! First with the Disney Cruise for SO cheap and now this. AHHH!

via

Via

Via

Via

As for what we are going to do for those whirlwind days in England? See castles? Go on the Harry Potter tour? Check out the Tower of London? Ride the tube? Go to the coast? I honestly am just going to be giddy and skipping around and so happy to be there that it doesn't even matter what we do. I will just be happy doing anything there!

Oh my heart!!! I can't even handle looking at this picture. AHHH! (Via)