Fun, fun, fun..... "rewind please!"

Hi everyone! Thank goodness for the multitude of pictures and videos to look at over and over! But the best memories will be in my heart forever! To say this was a trip of a lifetime, is an understatement! From the minute Maxine, Janina, Nat, and Robyn came up that escalator at 30th Street Station in Philly, the fun began! (and our biggest fear of not being able to fit all the luggage in my minivan was put to rest!).... I know you've read a few things so far about the trip -- but there are no words to truly describe the magic we shared! People thought I was "crazy" -- meeting up with friends I met on the internet -- but then a few of the "skeptics" had the chance to meet them, too, and totally understood from that point on! It really was like we had been old friends! Hershey was amazing... my friend Kristen is the unfamiliar face in those pictures who went with me on this part of the journey. She has already asked me when we are going to take our trip to Australia/New Zealand for round 2! The best part was introducing "tailgating" to this crazy group! There are two very special people that we parked next too in the lot that will never be the same I think! LOL! The concert was great... fireworks not only at the end -- but throughout with our great pit seats and unobstructed views!!!! Aaaaah! Got to see other Jovi friends at the show, too, that I met for the first time at the Philly shows a few months before -- and met someone that I tried to meet in Philly (PSU Greg) but missed then, and a fan from Backstage that lives down the road from my mother (Marsha -- small world!) Chocolate Martini's at the Hershey Hotel capped off the evening. A tour of Hershey Chocolate World the next day where I learned that our chocolate tastes like "vomit" to some (lol!).... Next stop was Audubon, Pennsylvania and my house. Figured the girls needed a home cooked meal and I know they appreciated the washer & dryer and internet, too! We had a nice dinner, drinks, dessert, laughs, and they got a hockey lesson from my son as the Flyer's were playing that night! A break in the action the next day for me, as I headed to Wilkes Barre, PA for my oldest son's college graduation.... I loved surprising the girls with a limo to take them to their hotel in Philly.... only disappointment was that Richie and Jon were not hiding in the back like I requested! Somehow the city of Philadelphia survived this wild bunch -- although I don't think Chickie & Petes will ever be the same again! As the first four of this "tour" took a train to Atlantic City, NJ I headed back to Philly to pick up the next two in the crew! They affectionately referred to me as their "USA Mom" -- and with perfect timing, I got Kate & Kelly into my van while parked on the Ben Franklin Parkway at the foot of the Art Musuem steps... You did a great job Kate, running up those steps! Kelly will just have to come back and do it after her knee heals! Crazy weather (rain, heavy rain, mist, sun, rain, torrential rain, sun) and we ended up at the Borgata Hotel, Atlantic City, where the girl's main purpose was to get me drunk! I tell them they succeeded... but they really didn't (hiccup!).... Lots of laughs, drinks, laughs, drinks, pancakes, and off again the next day to begin our "tour" of the infamous Jersey sites! With Kate safely behind the wheel of a rental car (and I must say -- did an amazing job for driving on the "wrong" side of the road! We won't discuss that attempted "left turn") we began the journey stopping at the Jovi Jersey sites like Asbury Park, Stone Pony, did our best to recreate the SWW car shot..., Fast Lane -- lunch at a real mom and pop pizza joint, too! Of course, no tour of Jovi Jersey would be complete without the stops at Navesink River Road (can't believe they didn't open the gates for us when we rang the bell --- "can Jonny come out and play?" only kidding! but I did wave the New Zealand flag up to the security camera!), Rumson house, and the bosses house, too! Then Max, Janina, and I made a mad dash to our hotel, literally ran across the railroad tracks while the train was blowing it's whistle in the distance, and it was off to NYC for the show at the Living Room in SoHo, where Lorenza Ponce was having her CD launch party. What a talented musician! The best part of that night, though, was that I got to meet my "soul sister" -- Tamara (Canada/the other +2) as both she and Jo met us there! We parted the curtain that separated the bar area from the stage area, and there they were! We all screamed, hugged, and were pretty much a show in itself! Afterward we got to take pictures with Lorenza during a meet & greet upstairs! Then, it was an all too quick goodbye to the last two members of the tour (until the next day, of course, where we met up again at the NYC hotel!) Maxine survived her first NYC cab ride... and we took the train back to Rumson. We had two cars, and two agendas so we left separately the next morning to do the Woodbridge leg of the journey... and miraculously ended up together at the Richie Sambora Way sign anyway! Couldn't have planned it better if we tried! Kate braved it and drove the rental car to the return in NYC.... and I drove my van to Staten Island where my father-in-law bravely met my new Kiwi friends! (He loved them!) Staten Island Ferry over to NYC and then the fanclub trip was in full swing! Lots of laughs, pictures, walking, drinking, oh, and some amazing concerts.... did you hear we got to see the sound check??? Oh, I'm sure you did! WOW! Sight seeing, cocktail parties, our little Irish Pub.... our little margarita place.... our little margarita place.... Oh, yeah, we went back two times that day! LOL! Cheesecake at Lindy's, Ray's pizza, Little Italy.... and so on, and so on! A very tired group at breakfast the last day we were all together -- and a very tearful goodbye! By far, without any hesitation, the best part of the trip was meeting such wonderful friends! We came from all different walks of life.... different ages.... different backgrounds.... but you would never know it! It was a dream come true for me -- and I can't wait for the reunion tour of the "Girls from Down Under +2". Love you lots.... miss you lots.... Thanks for the best time of my life!!!