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I’ve got that proverbial bullet between my teeth, and I’m biting down. Hard.

After just over ten years of exploring the Caribbean (and in honor of my upcoming 30th birthday this summer), the Sunglasses and Umbrella Drinks family is finally venturing out to a whole new world. An entirely new adventure.

Barcelona.

Monte Carlo.

Florence and Pisa.

Rome.

Athens.

Santorini.

Euphesus.

Naples.

May 2015.

And a side trip to Paris afterwards for Mom’s birthday (who, in recent years, has spent her birthday in such locales as the Bahamas, both Disney World *and* Disneyland, St. Thomas and St. Lucia).

We’re heading back to Royal Caribbean for this one. We thought long and hard about which line and ship and itinerary were the best fit for us, and a 12-night on the Vision of the Seas won out over a similar trip on Norwegian (which offered less sea days and two additional ports in Istanbul and Venice, which were big pulls for me, but ultimately, the larger staterooms on Royal Caribbean and the opportunity to grow our loyalty points made the difference. That and the fact that I think I’ll need the two sea days following our stop in Rome to recover!).

None of us have ever been to any of these places. None of us have ever been to Europe! I need help, friends. What do I need to see and do? Where do we stay in Paris and Barcelona? I don’t even know where to begin with all of this planning, but I can’t wait to take it on. And to write about it and share it with all of you.

It’s an entirely new world. I can’t wait.