Back to reality

May 7, 2009

Sad sad day here on the Zaandam for these three wanna-be-stowaways. This day we must depart this welcoming ship and venture back to the reality of the dirty, wet breakup season in Alaska. While a young man is anxious to get home and back to his social life, I am quite content here without responsibilities and access to deliciously prepared food, entertaining fun, and access to a personal trainer “included” in my fare. Thank you, Zaandam staff, for a wonderfully relaxing time, with great entertainment and delicious food at my desire 24hours a day!!! This was a "real" vacation and I'd say the best yet! I will look forward to my next port of call….

And the status of my snorkeling accident now with a pussy scab….(hope it’s not infected)

And the new do…compliments of the sweet South African hairdresser…

Now back to reality…

Dinner Party

May 6, 2009

Writing this “after the fact”….therefore, not many details to recall….thankful for photographs…good thing I purchased another camera….

Tonight in the dining room was a special night. The Zaandam singers and dancers participated in a dinner show in the dining room amongst all the guests. It was the night that I FINALLY was able to order lobster on the menu…..waited for that for two weeks. Sadly, it wasn’t the best lobster I’ve ever eaten, but tasted good nonetheless. Upon arriving at our table, we were seated and dressed with chef’s hats.

Can’t help but notice those ears…."big and better to hear your mother with," right? As he nods at what I say and doesn’t have a clue as to what I just said….

5K, a massage, and a manicure

May 5, 2009

Steven kicked my a** again this morning. I went to the am aerobics class and thought the other trainer would be teaching it as she done them all so far. Surprise! Mr. Drill Sergeant was roarin’ and ready to wake us up and get our bodies working. He could so be my Biggest Loser Personal Trainer. I like Jillian and Bob, but this guy is right up there too. I am going to have to look for someone when I get home…I need someone…a personal trainer, that is…

Today was the Susan G Komen On Deck for the Cure 5K. So, the little girl and I even participated in a 5K while on vacay.

Upon sign up, they asked if there was anyone who we wanted to walk in honor of and of course, we chose to honor my Aunt Laura who tragically lost her life to breast cancer. There were rules: ie: no running. PAAAHHHLLLEEEZZZ! Well, we were on a boat, that was rocking with a very clean deck. I’m sure it was a safety thing. So, my girl and I start out and of course, we were speed walking and quickly become the front runners. Then, this lady whose inseam was probably 34 came up upon us and took the lead. She remained about half a ship ahead of us for the most of the 13 laps. Until, the last lap…. I gave the girl the go ahead to run the side of the ship that didn’t have any “officials” on it. And wouldn’t you know…that little one snuck up on her and passed her on the homestretch and therefore WON THE 5K!!! No grand prize, except the honor of knowing that this was a race she took 1st place in! And here's the winner's smile...

The watercolor instructor raved about the oil painting of cherubs in the Dining Room and said it was one of the most beautiful paintings she has ever seen. So, I had to go check it out…

Today was a special day for my little girl. I indulged in a full body massage at the spa and had intended for the little one to experience something at the spa as well. Well, the rules are “No one under 16 in the spa,” so needless to say, no massage for her. So, instead we decided to hook her up with her first manicure. Wow! What a little princess.

While she was doing that. I had my hair washed and styled because I was quite oily after the massage and the nape of my neck hairs were greased up. I didn’t want to take a shower because I wanted all that oil to soak into that sun drenched skin of mine. While the hairdresser was styling my hair, she went on and on about how she would love to cut my hair THIS way and style it THIS way and THAT. Well, she suckered me into making an appointment with her for tomorrow for a new do. It’s only hair…and her cute and perky South African accent and bubbly personality sucked me in…

Dancin' the night away

May 4, 2009

Another lovely day to sleep in…until the aches and pains of my body insisted that I get out of bed. Ugh! Is it my age or the bed!

The little one and I headed down to the Atrium at 1100am for the Scavenger Hunt fully anticipating that WE would be our own little team. Wrong! Again, we were matched with 4 others - a team of 6. There were six things that we had to find on the ship and take a photo of our whole team with the thing we found. That meant that we had to ask somebody not on our team (a passerby) to take a photo of us. There were clues to what we had to find such as: “The one who calls numbers during the day” - ie: the bingo caller. So, we had to interrupt the current Bingo session to our photo with the bingo caller. There were 6 items in the Scavenger hunt and we had only 20 minutes to find them. Lo and behold - our team was the last one back (out of 5). Ugh! Personal accountability and responsibility - I really need help on my team playing skills or maybe I am just a solo sport/game player.

It was a little chilly out today. I can feel us getting closer to home by the brisk air. While I probably am ready to drift off to a deep sleep in my own comfy bed, I am not looking forward to the chilly Alaskan weather. I pray that the snow had truly left for the year and that we actually see the sun more than seven days this summer.

I decided to use my own creativity and step away from the suggested watercolor picture in class today. I had a vision last night (sounds deep) about a dark road and the moonlight and walking with someone in it. Not sure what all that meant, but I decided to try and paint it. The final product wasn’t exactly like my vision.

Bub was hanging out around the ship with a new buddy he made - playing video games and tennis and stuff. I had told him to meet us in the room at 5pm to get ready for dinner. Well, wouldn’t you know, the little one and I got tied up in a game of Super Scrabble. OMG! It is awesome! Imagine Scrabble with a bigger board and 2 - Z’s and 2 - Q’s and Quadruple letter and word scores! I got over 600 points. Of course, the game took twice as long and Bub eventually found us in the library playing it and he had quite an attitude because it was 530pm and we were far from ready for dinner. I think this vacation was a bit too long for him. He was ready to go home two days ago. For me, though, I’m sad that it is almost over and that the reality of getting back to everyday reality is coming soon.

Since the attitude was happening tonight, I didn’t want to sit with a group of other people at dinner and socialize. So, I told the host that we would wait for a private table. Only had to wait about 10 minutes. I had Prime Rib, which was okay - but I must say, I’ve made better. The little one had Red Snapper, which was delicious. Bub was going to order New York Steak, but the waiter and I pressured him into trying the Prime Rib - a different cut of the beef and so he changed his order and ordered the Prime Rib medium rare. Well, it came to our table dripping blood and it grossed him out. Duh. I’ve been trying to tell him that for the past few New York Steaks that he has had. I had the waiter bring him a new cut that was medium. He ate three bites and said he was full. The kids had their usual ice cream for dessert and I had Chocolate Almond Opera Cake - only about 500 calories, I’m sure.

The show tonight was a female singer, which we decided to skip. As it turned out, her voice gave out and she walked off stage only 20 minutes into her second show. Even with a horse voice though, everyone was raving about her singing. Another show, the kids would not have appreciated anyway.

It was Country Night in the Crow’s Nest. The little one has been waiting for this night since the Line Dance Night. Since my ipod is toast, I had to bring my laptop for the DJ to download the Hoedown Throwdown so the girl could be in her glory and teach the song again. There were more participants this time and she had run through it prior with Laura, The Party Planner so she had another “demonstrator”. It was so fun to hear her voice amplified through the microphone while teaching the moves. She had such a great time. It was the opening line dance for the night. DJ Lee introduced her as “We have a very special guest who is going to teach you one of her favorite line dances:” then said her name and where she was from. Of course, we stayed for the next hour so she could do all the other line dances too.

When we got back to our room, our steward had made the best towel creature yet…

Wiener Schnitzel and Dessert Extravaganza

May 3, 2009

Slept in way late today…about 930am. Lazed around in bed while the kids kept snoozing and I watched Baby Mama. I’ve seen this movie before, but love the SNL girls and it really is a cute movie.

The Captain came over the intercom to give his daily info from “The Bridge.” The waters are now classified as “rough,” which means the seas are 12 feet high. Yes, the boat is rockin pretty good. We are not sea sick, thank goodness. But I can’t say I like this much of a sway. He said he had to pick up the speed of the boat to make it a smoother ride - I’m not feeling the smoothness. They drained the Lido midship pool due to “weather conditions.” I’ve asked some of the crew about the roughness and they said it usually is not this rough.

It was a sunny, but rough, day at sea. Got to the outdoor pool about noon and stayed there til 3pm - time for watercolor. The little one was in Club HAL, so I went by myself. Instead of painting the windsurfer on the beach as the instructor had demonstrated, I painted a palm tree on the beach. Whoo hoo. Again, not another masterpiece. I’m not sure I could be into this watercolor stuff, though I am trying to have an open mind.

I got quite the tan line going on. Too bad, it will all be gone in about a week of that brisk Alaskan reality that I keep thinking about. I’m supposed to be removed from that and relaxing, but the thoughts of this trip being over in just a few days is making me uptight. Deep breath, in and out…

I tried to get Bub to order the Wiener Schnitzel for dinner tonight. He did his usual of not looking at the menu and planned for the New York Steak. When I suggested the Wiener Schnitzel he thought I was joking, so I opened his menu and had him read it. He giggles contagiously. Of course, he wasn’t going to order another veal dish after his last indulgence with that. Wouldn’t you know, the elderly couple at our table both ordered the Wiener Schnitzel - he chuckled when they ordered it, when it was served to them, when they took their first bite, and then when they said how delicious it was. Sometimes, he makes me laugh so hard! Yes, he had his typical New York Steak; the little one had Spare Ribs, and I had the best pasta I have eaten on this boat thus far - vegetarian cream sauce…finally with some garlic.

The show was a singing/dancing production by the Zandaam dancers themed “Southern Nights.” Bub sat in the front row with his friend, while we sat conservatively towards the rear of the theatre. It was an okay show. The girls are gorgeous, though Kate and her dancer friends could show them up a bit…in my opinion.

Tonight was the Dessert Extravaganza hosted by the fabulous cooks that help us to pack on the pounds. While there was everything possible to nibble on from Black Forest Cake to Lemon Meringue Dessert to a Flamed liqueur torte…I think our favorite was the chocolate dipped fruit…

Impulsive and a singing debut

May 2, 2009

It’s back at sea and relaxing at that. The kids are sleeping late despite going to bed before midnight. I think the rocking of the boat makes us all feel like we are in a cradle.

I woke early for am aerobics and stretch class. The boat seems a bit more rocky with each day and makes it difficult to maintain balance during a workout. Guess I’m using more muscles that way.

The little one and I went to play Scattegories today with other passengers on board. It wasn’t the traditional game of Scattergories like I know it AND it was with teams. Being competitive like I am, I did not like this and had no control over my success in the game. Yes, our team lost.

The girl went to Club HAL in the afternoon and I went to watercolor class by myself. I painted a vase on a table - not the greatest. I’m not sure watercolor is my artistic expression of choice, though I will continue to explore it here while I can.

Dinner was a trip tonight. The son was impulsive at his best. Maybe he drank soda all day while playing video games. I don’t know. The Indonesian wait staff was a little taken back by him as well. Mind you, this is a four course restaurant with fabric napkins and fine china. First off, the host pulled the chair out for the little one to sit in and her brother slithered in underneath her faster than the host could pull out the chair. The please and thank you’s were left somewhere in yesterday. Instead of keeping his menu on this lap or in his hands until his order was taken, he didn’t even look at it and claimed “I know what I want” and set it across all the fine china on the table. He had New York Steak again, the little one had some sort of fancy fish with fruit salsa that she loved, and I had pasta with scallops and shrimp and a red sauce.

To be honest, I’m surprised at how much pasta I have eaten on this trip. I seriously anticipated eating more red meats and fish. I weighed myself in the gym and according to the scale here, I have lost 3 pounds despite my indulgence. I’m sure the scale is off due to sea movement or something though. When I get home, it is ship shape up!!!

Skipped the show tonight. Why? Because it was a clarinetist. There is now way the children would allow me 50 minutes to relax in that venue. So, we elected to go to the library for a game of SORRY.

Then to the Crow’s Nest for Karaoke. The little one was chompin’ at the bit to have her chance on the microphone. She tried and tried to talk me into it and I just couldn’t bring myself to the stage for some reason. I think it was all the negative feedback that time brought on from my last Karaoke cruise experience - thanks dear friends. Anyway, she finally mustered up enough courage to do a solo. The song book wasn’t very current and so her choices to sing were 1 - Hit Me Baby, One More Time by Britney Spears or 2 - Rock and Roll All Night by Kiss. I talked her into singing the B. Spears song as I didn’t think it was really appropriate for her to sing a song by Kiss with all the geriatric people in the room. In hindsight, since she has sang that song over and over again on RockBand, she probably should have sang the Kiss song. Anyways, she did a great job for only knowing the chorus. And all those geriatrics loved her!!!

Back at sea

May 1, 2009

Back at sea - headed to YVR

The first day back at sea…we lost an hour as we entered a new time zone. I guess we were tuckered out from all the excitement in Hawaii because I woke up at 1000am. Oops…guess I missed my am exercise classes.

It was a relaxing day by the pool. The boat was a rockin’ and the water in the pool was a splish splashin’ all over the place, but the sun was shining so brightly. Bub didn’t want to be in the sun today so he spent most of his time playing video games in The Loft. Of course, while I was enjoying being lazy by the pool, the little one was trying to swim in the rough waters.

I also finished a book I found in the book exchange onboard. It was a fiction romance novel. I don’t think I have ever read one of those before…and I never will again. A lame read, though I finished it. Go figure. Now, I am trying to finish a non-fiction (my favorite) book about an alcoholic and drug addict - talk about depressing…

We went to 300pm watercolor class and I outdid my last masterpiece. I painted my fave pic thus far of two fisherman - maybe I’ll frame it and give it to my brother for his birthday.

We had to try our luck at Bingo again today because if you got a blackout in 50 numbers of less, you would win $100,000. Well, we did not walk away with the big bucks. Someone won the consolation prize of $169.00 in like 63 numbers. Shucks.

The Captain came over the intercom today to give us an update on our location at sea, the weather, etc. He also made an announcement to let us know that if we had heard aircraft over the night, it was because the Coast Guard came to medivac a passenger to the Honolulu hospital. He did not elaborate on the reason - whether it was illness or an injury. But of course, my wheels are spinning with all the hoopla in the news regarding the swine flu. I haven’t seen anyone ill on the boat, but then I suppose they would probably remain in their dorm if they weren’t feeling well. Mmmmmm……

It was a formal night tonight AND we are now back at sea which means dinner for us is back in the dining room. Bub is soooo happy about that (sarcasm).

Appetizers = Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail for the little one, Seafood Bioche w/Lobster Sauce for myself, and none for Bub. Soups = Chilled Banana Coconut for the little one, Creamed Squash w/Lobster for myself, and none for Bub. The little one liked mine better so she asked if we could trade - of course, my princess. Entrees = Sweet & Sour Chicken for the little one, New York Steak for me and also for Bub. Dessert = Chocolate Cookie Dough for the little one, Banana Cream Pie for myself, and none for Bub. Bub says he is watching what he is eating because he’s gained weight and not skateboarding to burn calories. I am watching what I eat too - watching it go IN to my body.

Another comedy show in the theatre tonight. It was an Italian guy (with the New York accent) from Pennsylvania. He was funny and I got to hear my son chuckle it up again. I love that!

Mahalo Hawaii!!!

April 30, 2009

Lahaina, Maui, HI

The Abdominal Workout Class this morning was weak. It was the other trainer and not as challenging. So, after class I lifted some weights.

The kids found me on the Lido deck after the gym and we ate breakfast. I had a short chat with them asking them if they had their attitude adjustment. This was our last day in Hawaii and I wanted to have a great time.

We had to board a tender to get to shore today. Once we were on the pier, there were people everywhere and streets and streets full of cool shops. There was also another cruise ship in the harbor which contributed to the massive amounts of people. The weather was about 80 degrees and sunny. I was looking forward to getting to the beach.

Shoe saga continued…I came across a legitimate Croc store and found a new pair of sandals that fit my feet such as to not touch my snorkeling injury. So, I purchased sandal pair number four of the trip. I had the cashier throw my ripped gimpy pair in the trash and now finally I wasn’t limping around.

Bubby wanted to go Miniature Golfing (indoor). There was an indoor Neon Miniature Golf Center in Lahaina. The kids got to play an 18 hole round and had a great time. I elected to not play and be the scorekeeper. Bubby won.

We went to the Hard Rock Café and Bubby bought a shirt and I saw a faded pic of Prince (Purple Rain era) and one of Slash’s (hunk-a-hunk-a) guitars. We each had a refreshing drink. The kids were more expensive than my Hawaii Sunrise (with alcohol) - because theirs came with a souvenir glass (which the waitress did not disclose prior to purchase). Oh well, hopefully we can get them home without breaking them.

We then took a free shuttle to the Whaler’s Shopping Center, which is located on the beach next to all the fancy hotels. We had a snack at a beach restaurant and although the sign said “Do not feed the birds,” Bubby just couldn’t resist the temptation to throw a French fry out to one. Chaos amongst two birds ensued. I was afraid we were going to get kicked out. And there was his contagious laugh.

We went to the beach and the little one and I headed for the water. The current was the strongest here of all places we have been and I didn’t want her to be in the water alone. She just can’t seem to get enough. The salt water stung my foot a bit, but not nearly as bad as yesterday. It was very windy on this beach and you could feel the sand blow up and hit your body - not exactly a pleasant feeling. We didn’t spend too much time here for that reason. The little one was sad to leave the beach - she loves the water!

We waited for almost an hour for the “free” shuttle to take us back to the pier. It never came. We ended up taking the city bus, which was packed like sardines - we had to stand. When we got back to the pier we were trying to find stamps for our postcards - looked everywhere and even walked to the post office but the self service machine was out of order (the post office was closed). Of all the shops there, I just couldn’t believe that no one had stamps to sell. So, looks like we are going to be home long before our postcards reach their destinations.

Upon walking back to get on the ship, we came across some beautiful birds that grabbed the attention of all of us. For the first time of our trip, Bubby actually wanted his picture taken! How could I not pass up this opportunity. Of course, the guy only accepted cash and the smallest package was $45.00 and I had less than that in cash so I had to walk a couple blocks to find an ATM. It was very interesting to talk to the trainer of these birds. He said that they are very particular. There is an alpha male who calls the shots - the trainer is second in command and then the female, which is the “girlfriend of the male.” The pink cockatoo is about 45 years old and sooooo sweet! There was one ADHD (as the trainer described) parrot that was uncooperative for the photo and would not participate. He was a real stinker, although he did say “Aloha” for us but refused to take a treat. He spit three different offerings of treats on the ground before the trainer put him back on his post and axed him from the photo. Now the kids want birds for pets. That outta go over real good with the cats.

There was a Hawaiian barbecue on the Lido deck when we got back to the ship. I had some pork ribs - although the smell of them cooking on the grill was enticing, they really weren’t that good. So, the little on and I decided to go to the dining room for dessert. After we were seated and told the waiter we were there for dessert only, he seemed shocked, kind of offended. So, I felt obligated to eat something else. The little one had just Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream and I had a ½ order of Thai noodles and Tiramisu - which was sooooooo good!

A sunset photo from the deck...

Tonight’s show was a Magician/Comedy show. We were all looking forward to it. We met Bubby in our usual seating spot in the Theatre which is on the port side of the balcony. There were still some front row balcony seats left so we told Bubby to meet us down there after he went to the restroom. When he got back, he noticed that there were front row seats on the main floor still open and he wanted to move there because he had a “feeling” he could be part of the show. I tried to talk him out of it, but his pressure got the best of me. He was excited and slightly hyper in anticipation of the show. The magician was New York Jewish man who was quite funny and single, but a bit older than I am looking for. Though when he announced he was single, the little one pointed to me and Bubby elbowed me. Surprise surprise - who got selected to be part of the show? Lucky young ME! Thankfully he didn’t ask me on stage, but used me from my front row seat while standing as the spotlight shown on me. I was part of one of his rope tricks and got to pick the spot on the rope where he cut it - then he tied it together and slipped the knot up and down the length of the rope - and in the end the rope was intact. Whoo hoo! Then the master plan worked - Bubby got selected to go on stage and be part of the show. His “feeling” had been right! It was a great show and Bub did an awesome job up there. I am going to have to see if I can purchase a video of it.

Back to our dorm. The little one ordered the nightly chocolate chip cookies from room service, but I was fast asleep before they arrived.

A night in...

April 29, 2009

Nawiliwili, Kuahi, HI

Woke up bright at early at 545am. The little one wanted me to wake her up to go to Aerobics with me but she was sleeping so peacefully, I just let her be. I got to the gym early so I did some self directed (I can do it) stretching and weight lifting prior to class. Total gym time today = 1 hour 30 minutes. Whoo hoo!

The tropical breeze is so calming! I love sitting out on the Lido deck with the sun shining on me and feeling the cool breeze brush my skin. The port in Nawiliwili is really beautiful. There are many sailboats anchored in the bay and it is so serene.

We got off the boat and took the free shuttle to a shopping center which is right across the street from a beach. We putzed around the outdoor shopping center for a bit and found a really cool toy store that had very unique items in it. Lots of things (adult things too - no, not adult toys) that I would have liked to have in my home, like a floating globe and dancing shelves. I guess, I will have to look for them on the internet when I get home. We found the beach and Bubby didn’t want to go in today for some reason. I don’t think he really likes the heat that much - a true Alaskan baby. But the little one, once again, couldn’t strip off her clothes fast enough.

There was a wavebreak close to shore at this beach which was fun for her to play in but she got lots of sand in her pants. I went in to and it was fun. I must say, it was the warmest beach thus far, probably because of it being nestled in that bay.

Although we had sunblock on, I could feel the burn on my skin after about an hour. Also, after I went into the water, my scraped foot from snorkeling started to sting real bad. It doesn’t look like it is infected and I have been taking real good care of it, but it hurts and also makes it difficult for me to wear shoes.

Speaking of shoes, I had put my broken flip flops that I purchased in Hilo at Hilo Hatties in the trash in our room. Obviously, our room steward didn’t think they should be thrown out, so he pulled them out of the trash and set them neatly on the floor under the table. So, I dug out my receipt and while we were here in Nawiliwili we went back to Hilo Hatties and I returned my shoes and got a $15.99 credit to my credit card. The supervisor who gave the cashier and override to give me my credit made a snide comment “It’s because they got wet.” I was very thankful that our steward took them out of the trash now, because they ARE flip flops and please….if they can’t get wet, I don’t want them.

Found another Maui Divers Jewelry stand. And I picked a 60% off coupon. So, I thought I would try MY luck at picking an oyster. I wanted a pink one soooo bad because it is my favorite color AND it means love. After careful study of the oysters in the dish, I picked one. And yippee!!! It was a pink one! I decided that this was going to be a gift for Kate; so, I picked out a beautiful setting for a pendant. Ching. Ching. On the way back to VanCouver, the onboard jewelry store is going to have a sale on gold chains. They sell them to you by the inch. I plan to check that out to see what, if any, deal I can get. I found out that the black pearl means wisdom and strength and the golden pearl means sunshine and happiness. And because I purchased a setting for the pink pearl, they gave me a “free” oyster. I let the little one pick it out and (yippee!) it was twin golden pearls!

The kids were really picking on each other today. I don’t know who was worse, but it was getting to me. Bubby didn’t like me taking his picture. Anyways, I was just tired of it. Still, I let them swim when we got back to the ship for about an hour during the sail away party and then I gathered them up in the room. We were going to spend the night in tonight…no 5 star meal….no tropical pool party and games….no onboard fun. We ordered room service - tuna sandwich for me, Club sandwich for the little one, and Bub didn’t want to eat. He choose to spend his own money to do his laundry instead. He brought plenty of clothes, but claimed that they stink.

I finished the movie Hitch - it was cute. Will Smith is a great actor and pleasing to the eye as well. Our cabin steward came in and made a koala bear out of towels for our bed. We chatted for a while. He is going to be on this boat until January. He has a 6 year old and a 2 year old at home. After he left, I had a discussion with my baby about how fortunate we are. Will these kids ever understand that? While we are here vacationing, he is sacrificing for his family. I wish they could understand…

I dozed off and had to wake up at midnight again to stretch my hamstrings. I wonder if I will ever lengthen them and become somewhat flexible like I was in my younger days…

Snorkeling Adventure

April 28, 2009

Kona, Hawaii, HI

Sadly…I made an error in with my electronically inept lack of abilities and deleted this daily journal entry and therefore lost my entire recollection of this days adventures. So, in brief…

Our tour guides from Hilo met us at the dock in Kona for a fun day of snorkeling. I kindly asked them to take me to, um, Wal-Mart (ugh!) to purchase a new camera. I just couldn’t go the rest of my trip without being able to capture the memories. While there, Bubby insisted on buying SPF 60 sunscreen. It was soooo hot out and while we were loving every minute of it, he was conscientious about NOT getting sunburned. I found a camera to suit my needs and it was even PINK!!! Though still holding hope that our electronics will dry out and come back to life…

It was a beautiful 45 minute drive to a rocky cove that is known on the island for wonderful snorkeling. We arrived at the Honaunau Place of Refuge. The cove was filled with approximately 100 snorkelers and even a couple scuba divers. In preparation for the experience, Bubby used about half a bottle of the sunscreen he just bought (okay, maybe a little exaggeration) as soon as we got out of the car. While I was excited for this adventure, I didn’t sense the same for the kids. Thankfully, a dear friend from AK had loaned me three sets of snorkeling gear that I had packed along for this experience and we had time to “try on” and fit them to our needs. We had to walk barefoot over the HOT rocks to get to the water as to not trip and get hurt with our flippers on. Leave it to me, to bend over to dip my mask in the water in attempt to prevent fog in the goggles by getting them wet only to slip and take a chunk out of my foot. Blood everywhere. Great - good way to attract the sharks!

I was the first one in the water. Then the little one jumped in and finally Bubby. Ken, our tour guide participated in the snorkeling adventure as well while his wife, Mary watched our stuff on the beach and snapped photos for us - which unfortunately I cannot post because the pixels are too small…..

The little girl was very reluctant to put her head in the water with her snorkeling mask on. After much encouragement from me and then Ken saying “just try it once and you won’t ever want to come up” she mustered up enough courage and did it. Then she was off like a fish. It was so amazing! Even swam next to a giant sea turtle - which I know they are gentle, but they still freak me out! Look closely in these photos to see them...

Bubby was having problems with his mask and then the strap on his flipper. He went back to the shore a couple times and then finally was done with it. I don’t think he enjoyed it was much as us girls. But the fish were amazing! All sizes, shapes, and colors! A couple hours went by so fast! And then it was time to head back towards the port, as to not miss our boat.

One step forward yesterday, two steps back today

April 27, 2009

Honolulu, Oahu HI 

I awoke this morning at 0400 with extremely sore hamstrings. I stretched them out and then tossed and turned until the wake up call rang at 0545. I had a 0600 appointment in the gym for a “workout plan” that was part of my Personal Metabolic Assessment.  So, 45 more minutes of  pain. I learned some new exercises that I can do at home that are real killers. The best part of the workout was when Steven was stretching my legs for me. My hamstrings were so tight and he really pulled them - which was quite difficult to tolerate, but made such a difference.

As we approached Honolulu, the travel guide came over the intercom and announced that there was a school of spinner dolphins on the starboard side of the ship. So, we rushed over and saw these little tiny (comparative to the dolphins that we expect to see) dolphins jumping up and spinning in the air. Very cool. We docked in Honolulu at 1000am and were scheduled to be there until midnight. The sun was shining. The water was blue. We walked off the boat in search of beach. I had to buy the little one a hat because her cheeks were pretty pink from yesterday.  Also, my flip flops had broke yesterday and while were on our tour in Hilo I bought a pair of cheap flip flops at Hilo Hatties. Well, wouldn’t you know, they fell apart too, so I needed another pair. Lots of shops right when we got off the port, so we were in search of these things. I was surprised that most shops were run by the Japanese. In fact, all the signs are written in English and Japanese. It was rare to actually see a Hawaiian. Found a hat for my baby. Found a new pair of Croc flip flops for myself (I should have packed mine from home). 

Then off to the beach. We could see it from the ship and anticipated a short jaunt. Well, it turned out to be quite more than that. And, of course, someone was getting hot with that big bright sun shining down on us. But that someone also left our water bottle in the shop where she was trying on her hats. We finally got to a beach and she undressed down to her bikini and was in the water to cool off. The beach was very calm (it had break away rocks about 200 yards out) and not very busy, but Bubby was looking forward to the boogie boards which were not available here. So, we let her cool off and then walked a couple more blocks to the bus line. I found out later that the bus driver ripped me off - he charged me $2pp and it was supposed to be $2 for adults and $1 for under 17 years old. I asked him to drop us off close to Waikiki Beach and he told me he was too busy to tell me and that I needed to just watch. Oh, such helpful people here. So, a very nice older Hawaiian man with gray hair told me to just get off where he gets off.  We ended up having to walk about 3 more blocks after we got off the bus to get to the beach. We stopped at an ABC store on the way and Bubby was going to buy a boogie board but it was all foam and I talked him into just seeing what the beach has to rent and if he didn’t like it, I would walk back and buy the board. Turns out the beach did have better boards with a plastic bottom that were a bit heavier and he ended up renting one of those. How many people can you pack on a beach? This place was packed! Little dots of heads all over the water. The boogie boards and surf boards were so far away from the shore and in such a large quantity it was very difficult to keep an eye on my son. Thankfully, A.) he knows how to swim B.) for some reason salt water makes you more buoyant C.) there are lifeguards on the beach. He was out there for about 2 hours. Came in when he cut his toe on a rock. Not a bad cut - didn’t need stitches, but mister OCD had to get every last granule of sand out which took some time. I went and got a couple bandaids from the lifeguard shack. The little one had stayed back at the beach (only about 100 yards away) to watch our stuff because we were warned about theft on the beach. I bought some shaved ice for all of us because I knew she would be hot having not been in the water for a whole 15 minutes. Okay, so we made of with a haul on the pearls  yesterday, but today I lost more than that because while I was helping Bub clean out his minor cut, a wave came high on shore and soaked our two bags which had my cell phone, Bubby’s cell phone, my camera, the little girl’s camera, and the ipod. And now NOTHING works. We stopped and bought an eyeglass repair kit on the way back to the ship and Bub was frantically trying to dry things out and fix them. Both cell phones turn on, but the screens go blank. Can’t get either camera to work and the ipod I’m sure is toast. So, looks like I will be looking for a new camera before I get home because we are just ½ way through our vacation. It was amazing to me all the sand that was inside those electronics! Bub reminded me that he fixed his Aunt Vickie’s VCR a couple years ago when we were visiting them and he is bound and determined to fix these things. I heard that salt water is bad though because it rusts the parts inside…we’ll see….

Oh, and for dinner tonight…we had Chili’s in downtown Honolulu…overly priced and not worth it. Should have waited to eat when we returned to the ship. 

So to continue on the shoe saga. I had purchased those Crocs and now am wondering if I bought fakes from the Japanese because I got two humungous blisters - one on each toe. Now I have had several pair of Croc flip flops over the past 5 years and have NEVER gotten a blister - now I have TWO. So, I was far from the ship and had plenty of walking to do and both my feet were painfully stinging with every step. I went into an ABC store (they are on every corner) and bought a pair of those ugly foam sandals that have one strap across the top of your feet (nothing between your toes) to get me home. Ugh! Three pairs of shoes in the last two days and they aren’t even cute ones! 

When we got back to the boat, I went straight up to the hottub because my legs and my feet needed some relief. The little one came to join me after she went to our dorm to use the bathroom because she was around public restrooms all day and she just doesn’t do those too well. We then went to see what was for dessert and she had a Chocolate Pie and I had a Coconut Cream Pie - yum! We ate on the back deck of the boat which was beautiful with the city lights of Waikiki Beach and Honolulu shining in the night over the calm waters. 

No show tonight. They had a movie on the big screen playing in the Theatre titled “Australia.” We decided to call it an early night and rest up for the big day in Kona tomorrow.

Hawaii - we are here!

April 26, 2009

Hilo, Hawaii

Woke up this am eagerly anticipating a tropical shore experience. The boat was to dock at 8am, so I elected to forgo my workout until returning to the ship tonight. We were only going to be in Hilo 8 hours so wanted to maximize our time there.Went up to the Lido deck for breakfast prior to disembarking. Sat out by the Lido pool to eat - I wanted to enjoy the scenery as we were approaching Hawaii. This is funny….Ok, I had entertained the idea of going to the Singles and Solos Group on day 2 just to “check it out,” but thankfully other activities on the boat kept us busy and I never made it there. Because as I was sitting eating my breakfast, I overheard a gentleman sitting at the next table talking on his cell phone. He was telling whoever was on the other line that he went to the Singles and Solos Group and he was the youngest one there. Chuckle. Chuckle. He was about 65. Oh, looking back - how glad was I that I was diverted to other things on day 2.

There are so many shore excursions that they encourage you to sign up for. They are quite costly. I wanted to do something fun with the kids, but wasn’t sure what. So, we got off the boat and started walking down the street scoping out all the tour operators there looking for a deal. We came across a haulie couple (sp? that is what the Hawaiians call Caucasians) who were transplants from Washington State. We elected to go on their personal tour in a private car for $80.00pp. We started at 9am and went until 315p. It was well worth it! I did not really want to spend the day in a car, but the weather was cloudy - though warm, and it worked out all right because we got to see so many things.

First stop was the volcano. I, personally, had wanted to see them prior to leaving home, but knew the kids would be rather bored. I also thought it would be a good educational experience for them to see this active volcano comparative to our Mt. Redoubt at home. After all, they are missing a couple weeks of school and traveling is such an amazing learning experience. So, we drove through the jungle to get there, which has beautiful greenery. The trees are so diverse and pretty.

 

We stood next to some steam plumes.

Though one of the more amazing parts of the volcano experience was after we returned to the boat and set sail for Honolulu. It was now night time and dark. There were two volcanoes with active lava flowing out into the ocean emitting this amazingly beautiful orange glow. I was unable to photograph it due to our distance from it and it being such a dark night, but it really was amazing!

We then stopped somewhere in the middle of a jungle and walked through a lava tube. It was quite like a cave. Water dripped on us as we walked through. The jungle was amazing! I loved the foliage and I didn’t even see one bug!

We then went to an orchid farm. We each got an orchid for our hair upon arrival. Place it in your left ear if your married or taken, right ear if you are available (which is where we placed ours) and both ears if you are married or taken and available - really, that is what the sign said. I snapped a few pics of the gorgeous flowers here. There was a very rare orchid worth $20,000 in this farm - one flower, which was a brownish color - and to me really probably the ugliest flower there. It’s value is due to its rarity and perfect symmetry. I would have photographed it, but it was on a display that was taller than me - out of reach for tourists.

The to the Macadamia Nut Factory. The kids were getting pretty hungry since it had been a whole 3 hours since they ate anything. So, we sampled some nuts and then purchased some to eat. Bubby’s favorite was the Teriyaki Waasabi - and they were probably my fave too. They did have a Maui Onion and Garlic which was decent, but not enough garlic for my taste. The girl like the Chocolate Coconut Covered ones…and those were delicious too! Needless to say, I spent over $50.00 on nuts.Though the BEST part of the Macadamia Nut Factory was……there is a jewelry counter by Maui Divers set up there. They have a pick your own oyster for $14.95. One coupon per family and wouldn’t you know, I picked a 40% off coupon so it was just a mere $8.97. I let the luck of the little one choose the oyster and to my surprise and the surprise of all the staff, she not only picked a shell that contained twin pearls, but they were HUGE and a beautiful black color with an iridescent purple. How exciting! Of course, now I was thinking that this was a real treat and we should have them set. I could do it when I get home, but really when and where would I find such a variety of settings. They would have made beautiful earrings, but I knew they would get much more use as a necklace. So I decided to get us matching pendants for our souvenir from HI. Ching Ching. Ok, I did not purchase the chain though, because I have a couple at home and can always get those later. Well, because I purchased two settings, the jeweler let me pick another oyster as a “gift”. Well, I decided to let Bubby try his luck this time and lo and behold….he also picked a set of twins - this time they were a golden color and slightly smaller in size. It was a good day at the Macadamia Nut Factory!

Then it was off to Rainbow Falls. This was a gorgeous waterfall! In the early morning, regardless of the presence of rain, a rainbow is usually visible through the falls - hence the name. However we were here later in the day and there was no rainbow to be seen. The beauty was still breathtaking.

Just a short hike behind the falls was an enormous Banyan tree. Givin some time, that sure would have been fun to climb in and around. Though, the little one saw her first spider in there.

Lastly we went to a black sand beach. Despite the cloudiness, the beach was busy. The sand was black (which is caused from the molten lava from the volcanoes) and there is very fine peridot throughout the sand. So, it looks like there is a green tinge to it. Our tour guide collects the big pieces she finds in hopes of making a fine piece of jewelry someday. The peridot is made in the lava rock - very pretty. The little one wanted to swim in the ocean, so she was in faster than I could say go. And she went out pretty far too, letting the waves carry her. Then, surprise - about 10 feet to her right was a sea turtle. The head was about as big as my upper arm and the body was the size of the table my sister gave me with the fold down sides. After we all spotted the first one, then we notice a buddy next to him. So, now the little girl can say she swam with the sea turtles. I tried to snap a picture of them, but they poke their heads up so fast and flip over so fast, my shutter couldn’t get it.

It was now 3pm and we needed to get back to the boat before 4pm. So, our guides brought us back. Because we will be on Hawaii again (though the Kona side) in three days, they offered to take us to three different beaches snorkeling. So, I just think we might take them up on that. It was such a great day.

Once I got back to the boat, I was compelled to go to the gym. So I went to the 4pm Total Body Conditioning class. It was an a** kicker for sure. And I really wanted to skip out on it, but talked myself into keeping with my promise….ugh! The little girl went with me and did most of the work also.

For dinner tonight, we decided to eat at the Lido (which is the same food served in the dining room). Bub says he likes to eat here because we don’t have to wait for our food. I had pasta with ham and asparagus and a cream sauce. Bubby had the same without the cream sauce. And the little girl had Macadamia Nut Crusted Cod with duh, mashed potatoes. Guess what she ate all of? For dessert I had Coconut Rum Cake that was to die for! And the kids had ice cream again. Did I mention that Bubby had 5 (five) servings of ice cream throughout the day yesterday?

The little one was pretty tuckered out from our excitement today, so she elected to hang out in the dorm and hit the pillow early tonight. It was another comedy show in the Theatre, so I was looking forward to hearing my son laugh and that he did. The act was a black man ventriloquist - last name Richardson. Hilarious!!! And very good. This was Bubby’s first time seeing a ventriloquist and I had wished the little one was up to enjoy it. Though there was some adult humor that it probably was good she didn’t hear. It was our favorite comedy act of the trip thus far!!

Continuing the voyage across the sea...

April 25, 2009 

Up early for my morning coffee at 6am via room service. Enjoyed a banana also. Acid + Alkaline = bad, I know. But that’s what I had. Then off to Aerobics and Stretch Class. The aerobics instructor got a  few chuckles from watching my lack of coordination. She is this cute little blond thing from Serbia with a lovely accent. I was the youngest in the class (well, besides her) and therefore it was a rather “mild” aerobics class - I didn’t even break a sweat. But my clothes stunk so bad from my workout on the treadmill two days ago and the heavy sweat I broke then, all I could think about was getting out of those clothes - especially when we were doing the 30 minutes of stretches that she insisted we “breathe deeply in through our nose and out through our mouth.” Since I didn’t really feel like I gained anything from that hour (the no pain, no gain theory) I stayed after class to lift weights. And then Steven showed up, so I made sure he saw that I was lifting weights like he told me. He showed me a couple exercises I can do without weights that are just as good or better. That was nice…

The Nutrition class that I was looking so forward to wasn’t as good as I had hoped. Pretty much all that I learned in the Personal Metabolic Assessment was discussed again at this seminar. I mean, I learned a couple new things, but I am hungry for more. So, after the class, I had a pistachio ice cream cone - mmmm good!

We got more of a glimpse of the sun today. It was still quite cloudy, but there were plenty of shadows to be seen. It was warm, yet breezy. The kids played in the pool on the back deck this afternoon and now have their first tan lines. We slathered sunscreen on a couple times today and I am thankful because they would have burned if not. 

The little one and I made it to watercolor class this afternoon and I painted my favorite piece of the trip so far. And wine was not a precursor to this masterpiece…

I have used my observational skills to note that the menu served in the Rotterdam Dining room is also the same foods offered in the buffet line (which I don’t believe the kids have caught on to yet). So, I thought that maybe today we should just bag dinner in the dining room and go through the buffet. It is a formal night and I just was feeling lazy about getting dressed up and such. Well, after the watercolor class,  the little one and I head back to the room and Bubby was all showered and dressed in his best ready for dinner. Therefore I took the opportunity to clean myself up too and dine with my children. Of course, the informer mentioned to him that “Mom wanted to eat at the buffet tonight.” After a little hesitation and a short 60 minutes or so we were all in the dining room seated and ready to enjoy the cuisine of the night. I told the kids that they would be ordering from the adult menu tonight and there wasn’t much a fuss about it. Bub had New York Steak, the little one had Filet Mignon (I ate that) and Jumbo Prawns, and I had Penne Roasted Garlic and Vegetables (which didn’t have any garlic in it). Dessert was worth it all though - Bub had the usual Triple Chocolate Ice Cream, I had a Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut Cream Soufflé - the kind of dessert you eat alone in a quiet place…..

Party all night!

April 24, 2009

We gained another hour last night as we entered into a new time zone. Therefore I made it up in time for the Abdominal Workout and Stretch Class. I am feeling a little abdominal fatigue from the last class so was anticipating this one to be a real doozie on me. There were two other return suckers like myself that came back for more. Steven was a bit more challenging on us today and I felt I handle it a bit better than the last time. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow. 

I then went for the Personal Metabolism Assessment. I think I had worked myself up for the worst. Basically what I learned was that I need to do a detox  that cleans my liver of the toxins that are stored there which are withholding that essential organ from cleansing my body -  which will take approximately 3 months - which Steven says isn’t really that long because he sees people that need 9-12 months detox. I have about 3 liters of water in my abdominal area protecting my fat cells like a cushion. And the most surprising thing I learned today is that cellulite IS NOT fat cells, but rather an accumulation of water and something else (I forgot, I’ll ask Steven tomorrow) cushioning my fat cells. And the one thing that I learned that I didn’t really like to hear is that coffee is a pesticide and in its natural form it repels insects (which are living organisms) and therefore since I ingest it, it is also toxic to me. So, as an alternative, Steven says I should drink green tea with honey. I think I will start that regimen AFTER the cruise when I start my 3 month detox. I previously promised myself to workout everyday on this vacation and now I committed to Steven to do the same. I really like him (as a personal trainer) and wish I had someone like him at home to help me. Right now, at my current body composition, my daily caloric intake needed for maintenance is 1424 kcals - which to me, is way low. He says as I gain muscle my caloric intake will go up. So, I guess I will start pumping some iron because I love food too much and want to have more than a measly 1424 kcal limit on my everyday life! The other interesting thing I learned (which I will find out more about when attend the Nutrition Seminar) is that it is important to combine the proper foods at a meal. For instance, don’t eat and apple and a banana at the same time - even though they are both healthy food choices. A banana is alkaline and an apple is acidic and they accumulate together in the gut and neutralize - therefore digest at a slower rate. So, you should eat acids with acids, etc for maximum metabolic digestion….oh, so much to learn!!! Maybe my third career will be in Nutrition/Personal Training/Life Coaching???

Kids were at the pool today for 6 hours!!!! 10am - 4pm approximately. They were having so much fun that I choose not to interrupt them to go to watercolor class. It is so nice to see them play together and actually enjoy each others company. In a way, maybe it’s good that there aren’t too many other kids on this boat. The weather was overcast, but comfortably warm. Still looking forward to that tropical sunshine we have yet to experience. Playing on the ipod today = Rock N Roll Jesus - Kid Rock….great tunes!

It was another casual night for dinner and Bub was dressed and ready to go without delay. Probably because he was wearing his jeans. They were both tired from playing in the pool all day and I think we were all looking forward to calling it an early night…..until the little one heard the overhead announcement that after the show tonight there would be a line dance party in the Crow’s Nest. Miraculously she became wide awake.

The kids ordered dinner from the childs menu again. Ugh! I had a lemon herb grilled salmon, which was just ok. Because we wanted to get to the early show (7pm) we opted to skip dessert. The show tonight was another comedy show and I just LOVE to hear my kids laugh. It was good, but we all liked the first comedy show better. 

Bub went back to the dorm with a movie and Missy and I headed up to stake our spot for the best view of the line dancers. I had a slight upset stomach, a little nausea. I was hoping it wasn’t from any food or germs that I picked up on this germ-magnet. I think it might have been from the handful of vitamins I took before dinner. Anyways, I had water and the girl had a strawberry-banana smoothie. We were one of the first people there and slowly others started to arrive. My little girl was up on the dance floor for the first song and didn’t stop until the last song of the night - literally, when the music stopped and the lights came on. Hmmm….wonder where that comes from. Yes, she was the life of the party in her pretty polka-dotted party dress movin’ her fancy feet all over that dance floor. In fact, she topped the night off with a little contribution of her own. She ran down to our room, grabbed the ipod, and sweet talked DJ Lee into letting her show everyone how to do the Hoedown Throwdown by Miley Cyrus. She was a little nervous on the microphone, but walked a few brave participants through the moves before the song started. The Party Planner, Laura, asked little Missy if she could teach her the moves more clearer before Country Night and then gave her an invitation to Country Night to replay this line dance. Again, I enjoyed watching my baby have such a great time! 

When we got back to the dorm, Bubby was fast asleep with the remnants of chocolate chip cookies and milk that he had ordered from room service at his bedside.

Somewhere in the Pacific

April 23, 2209

Overslept today and missed the Aerobics and Stretch classes. So, had to pain myself through 30 minutes on the treadmill. Of which after, personal trainer Steven,  counseled me on how I should have lifted weights for 30 minutes instead to maximize my fat burning. There are no fans in this gym and I was dripping sweat from head to toe so I know I burned something, but he says it’s not what you burn during the workout, it is what you burn after. And when you lift weights, you burn more calories after your workout replenishing your strained muscles than you do doing strictly cardio. I set up an appointment with him tomorrow for a Personal Metabolic Assessment - only $35.00 - we’ll see what that does for me.

I’d call it a partly sunny day today. Thick fluffy clouds with the sun shining around and through them. The best weather yet - on the boat. That afternoon in San Diego has beat all days so far. 

I’m convinced the kids are part fish. They can’t seem to get enough of the pool and can literally stay in there for hours regardless of how shriveled up they become. They have yet to spend time in the outdoor pool aft of the ship due to it being too chilly out there. 

ipod today = Sacred - Los Lonely Boys 

I love these guys! 

The little one went to her first cooking class in the Culinary Theatre today. They made Apple Pizza. There were only 3 kids there and she was the oldest. I think she like the final product, but wasn’t really too impressed with the “cooking class” as neither was I. I haven’t been to one yet, but am thinking I might on the way back to the mainland.

I opted to go to the wine tasting while she was at the cooking class. I love to drink red wine, but don’t know really much about it - other than most of them taste pretty good and they are a beautiful color. I must say - I learned a ton in that short hour. Sampled two whites, two reds, and one sparkling white wine. I didn’t really care much for the whites or the sparkling. They are just too sweet and taste more like juice to me. I had been to a wine tasting before and knew the basics on how to swirl, smell, taste, and swoosh. But I learned a lot more at this one such as: the process of wine making, the different kinds of straining of the grapes, the need for the perfect conditions like soil, processing equipment, etc. While it all is very interesting to me, I don’t think I’m the type to become one of those fancy wine snobs. I just want to enjoy the taste and relax…

Then we went to the mid afternoon watercolor class. Maybe it was the wine, but I wasn’t too pleased with my masterpiece today. Hopefully tomorrow I can redeem myself.

Time to get all dressed up for the first formal dinner of the cruise and then the Captain’s Toast. Of course, Bubby hasn’t hung any of his clothing since we got here so I had to find the washroom on board and iron his clothes. He cleans up pretty nice, but was a little bit irritated that I wanted to photograph him. Not that he should be surprised, as I have snapped photos of him his entire life. It probably was just the fact that he was “dressed” up - hey, he should be glad I didn’t rent him a tux…

Since we have open seating dinner, we get to sit with different people every night, which is the good thing about open seating. The bad being that we don’t get the same wait staff. Well tonight at dinner, we had a lady who is a remake of that crotchety old lady from The Titanic. She was traveling alone - no surprise there. She had plenty of enormous rocks on her fingers - which I am still trying to decide if they were fake or real. The black sequin baseball hat that she wore to dinner makes me want to believe they were fake. But then her mannerisms and self absorption make me want to believe that they were real. Anyways, she was a real trip. She gave off the impression that she was one of those people that are never really happy or satisfied. She interrupted the waiter while he was trying to take the other orders making her statement that it really was all about her. She complained about not getting her iced tea fast enough and then about how her lamb was cooked. Our table was discussing the different food/food services aboard the ship and she responded by saying “I don’t like the buffets. I prefer to come to the dining room because I like to be waited on.” Please, pray for her contentment. It wasn’t my children causing the ruckus at the dinner table tonight. Oh, I almost forgot…what did we eat for dinner? Well, I dined on an absolutely delicious dish - baked Mahi-Mahi stuffed with a shrimp stuffing and crab legs on the side. A formal dinner and for the first night aboard, the waiter offered my children a child’s menu….aahhhh! Now my plans for expanding their palate and cuisine likings are ruined! So, Bubby had a grilled PB&J with French Fries. The girl had Shrimp (large jumbo ones) Cocktail and Chicken Soup for the Soul which she said was delicious. Dessert tonight was Fudge Tracks Ice Cream for Bubby, Hot Fudge Sundae for the girl, and Strawberry Cheesecake for myself - which was probably the best cheesecake I have ever eaten in my life! 

We had about an hour and 15 minutes until show time and the Captain’s Toast. Although he had a great time at the comedy show last night, Bubby wanted to rent a movie and go back to the dorm (as the little one calls it). So, he rented Click and called it a night. The little one challenged me to a game of Scrabble to kill time. So, we sat in the library all dressed up playing Scrabble while there was a little old (well, they are all old on this boat) couple next to us playing cribbage - so sweet. I don’t have to document who the winner of our Scrabble game was, but regardless of the point spread that little girl wanted to make sure she got that last point recorded for playing her last letter “A”.

To the theatre…free glass of wine as we enter. Hey, whatever I can get for free on this boat, I’ll take it. The Captain introduced the lineup of important people aboard this ship: Second Officer, Engineer, Navigator, etc. My little one’s question was: “Who is driving the boat right now, Mom?” Ah, good question. The Captain gave a toast and welcomed everyone on board. He then mentioned to us that the ship had to make a slight turn earlier today to avoid running into a school of whales. It sure would have been nice if he could have made that announcement at the time so we could have seen them. Then a Broadway type production began - Love Songs. It opened with a really powerful female singer and some incredible male dancers. The girl said “Wow, that was good.” But after about four songs, she was ready to go. I think those hours in the pool early in the day make for a very early evening - for both kids. We haven’t even made it to the karaoke bar yet…

When we got back to the dorm room, Bubby had just finished his movie which he said was really good and even made him get tears in his eyes. He is quite a sensitive guy, but I wasn’t sure if the tears were from a sad part or from laughing so hard because he restarted the movie for us and there were a few things that made me chuckle out loud before I fell into a trance on that luxurious down pillow…

At Sea

April 22, 2009

It’s a rockin and rollin…..a little “dizzy” reported by Bub…no nausea and/or vomiting yet…

Woke up this am after a great nights sleep to, get this, Bubby doing his homework. Slap. Slap. Am I dreaming, or what?  Baby Girl, the child who never sleeps, was the last up today. 

In keeping with my promise to myself, I was at the gym at 7am for the Abdominal Workout and Stretch Class. In doing our ship tour last night, I was interested in hiring the personal trainer until I found out it was $410.00 for 6 sessions (which I guess isn’t so bad for a personal trainer), but I think if I am going to spend the money I’d rather have a couple full body massages and facials. So, I guess I’ll keep to the workout classes or my self motivation - which I hope doesn’t deteriorate. 

Eggs Benedict with crab for breakfast today - yum yum!

Bubby challenged me to a game of chess. Well, I needed a slight reminder of the way the pieces of the game move. And then I caught him trying to ah, um, cheat. I made my move “checkmate” and then a nice guy had to remind my young man just exactly how the game works. He then spent some time tutoring us on the game. And alas, another child was spotted! An 11 year boy - yeah, a friend for my son! I turned over the chess game to the two of them.

First day at sea = no sun. Though I spotted the first speedo of the trip while the kids were swimming at the Lido pool  - eeeewwww, yuck!  The kids spent over three hours playing in the pool while I napped, read, and napped some more while listening to my favorite instrumental  CD of Prince’s - N.E.W.S. on my ipod…how relaxing…

After drying off, the little one and I decided to try our hand at the watercolor class. We created these masterpiece postcards….I wonder who will be the lucky ones to receive them?

Bingo anyone? My baby finally got to play bingo with the big guns. It was very unfortunate that she didn’t get to yell BINGO, because she DIDN’T get a bingo - but neither did I. Though, surprise surprise - we were both on. She is already asking if we can play again tomorrow (do you think it is in her blood?), but given that it costs $20.00 each to play, I don’t know exactly how much more will be doing it on this voyage.

Time to clean up and dress for dinner. It was another “casual elegance” dining experience. Bubby tried to wear jeans and I told him that he must wear his dress slacks and a button up shirt for dinner and I blamed it on “ship rules”. Reluctantly, (again, he was the last to be ready) he obliged.

After we got to the dining room, I asked the host exactly what “casual elegance” meant and if my son was allowed to wear jeans. With a pleasant smile and a “why, yes he may maam“ response from the host, my son proudly said those words that we all hate to hear - “I told you so.“ 

I was salivating at the thought of what I might be dining on for dinner tonight and was a tad bit disappointed at the selections for the evening. In hindsight, I wish I had ordered the French onion soup and the salmon entrée, but instead I had (another surprise) Pasta with chicken, tomato and poblano pepper sauce. Not too exciting and tasted the same. While the Chocolate Raspberry Cake looked delicious, it was rather dry. Good thing I ordered two deserts because the Key Lime Pie was far better. We sat with a couple ladies from Kansas who entertained us with their worldly travel experiences. Then the kids learned a few Indonesian words from our waiter. That little one can sure roll her R’s good…

Since we missed the show last night, I really wanted the kids to experience showtime tonight. It was a comedy show that was interactive with the audience and kept us all laughing. The comedian was a violinist and he incorporated his music into his act. It was a really good show. Bubby has such a contagious laugh and it brings so much joy to me to see and hear him have a good time. 

Sailing away...

April 21, 2009

Sailing aboard on the Zaandam…..

It was an uneventful trip to San Diego (thankfully). Surprising, Bubby broke out the homework before the plane even taxied away from the gate in Anchorage. With my pressure and his determination (I hope) he left AK with straight B’s and lets hope he can stabilize those after missing nearly three weeks of school. 

Despite my encouraging words about Portland (we had a connecting flight there), the kids loved San Diego and are now vocalizing to me their desire to live there rather than Oregon. I just don’t know if I can handle the heat there, as it IS in southern Cali. Oregon was so beautifully green and clean and continues to draw my interest. We had a couple hours to kill in San Diego before boarding the boat, so we walked to downtown San Diego from the port and went shopping at the mall. The diversity of the people we saw were slightly surprising to the kids - great people watching!!! The weather was HOT!!! About 90 degrees. So, needless to say, we just HAD to purchase cooler clothes to wear since our luggage was checked in for the boat and we were wearing rather warm Alaskan attire.  Little Missy says “I am sweating and I haven’t even been running.” - though she is always hot!

Finally boarded the boat about 300pm. I checked with guest services in hopes of getting a room upgrade, but was told that the boat is sailing at full capacity - so no luck. Oh well. Found our inside cabin, which was roomy enough and got settled. Then participated in the mandatory safety drill…

The kids were dying to get in the pool and were quite disappointed to hear that neither of them (two pools on board) would be open until tomorrow. The lack of sleep, coupled with not being able to swim, broke out the whininess of you know who. There was a live band on the back deck that rocked out in the gorgeous and warm sun as we departed San Diego.

We then checked out Club HAL - the kids club. To all of our disappointment, we were told that there were only four 8-12 year olds on this boat (and two of them are mine). I guess this means they get more attention. I must say, there are definitely more geriatric people on this cruise than my last one and haven’t seen any eye candy yet either…

Then to the room to get ready for dinner. There is food everywhere on this boat and the kids weren’t understanding WHY we had to get dressed for dinner and eat in a dining room. I explained to them that I wanted to eat dinner together as a family and this is what we were going to do. We have open dining, which means we can go to the dining room anytime between 5-9pm for seating.  As usual, the girls were ready before Bubby - patiently waiting - snapping a few photos of ourselves…

Dinner was good. I had Red Snapper with an amazing coconut custard for dessert. Bub had Prime Rib (a huge slab of meat!) and baby girl had Pork Chops. The only reason she ordered that was because it came with mashed potatoes and of course, she was disappointed in the portion size (of the potatoes). She didn’t eat the pork chop because she didn’t like the mango sauce it was drizzled with. Both kids had, surprise, Triple Chocolate Ice Cream for dessert. After dinner, I decided we should call it a night and skip the show and nip the sleepless, whininess in the bud….off to zzzzzzz land……