At sea Archives - Woman on Her Way

Day 4: St. John’s Antigua

Happy Thanksgiving! It seems strange celebrating this day of gratitude without friends and family. Though our gathering this year is small, we each have many reasons to give thanks.

We docked at 8 am. From a distance, we could see the white baroque towers of St. John’s Cathedral. Instead of admiring the city’s skyline, Dennis sat on the balcony and listened to amateur radio. We each celebrate in our own way.

St John’s is very poor. The items in the local stores are of inferior quality to the items we find in the discount stores at home. Of course, the tourists’ stores are the same wherever we go.

Dennis is not feeling well enough to take excursions. It seems odd coming to the Caribbean and not going snorkeling a least once. I think we will have to return when we all feel better.

Day 3: Sea Day

Day 3 was a sea day and for us a day of relaxation and recuperation. Mom especially enjoys sitting in the hot tub and sunning herself.

After months of working on houses with little downtime, Dennis and I are having a difficult time to adjusting to the change of pace. Out of sheer exhaustion, we both took naps. Anyone who knows me well knows that this is a rarity for me and one I enjoyed without guilt.

The entertainment was a comedy-juggler routine.

Caribbean Cruise: Day 6: Day at sea

On our final day at sea, we took advantage of the last-day on board sales, watched the crew talent show, played the slot machines (first time for Elizabeth), and packed our bags. The weather was too windy for mom to walk on deck, so we spent most of the time in our cabin or in the O’Sheehan’s Bar and Grill. This eatery was only a few steps from our room and served breakfast and light fare, in addition to drinks.

O'Sheehan Bar and Grill — O’Sheehan’s Bar and Grill

The last crew performance was the best, visually and musically. We tried to get to the comedian-magician show, but there was no room.

Hurricane Patricia was pummeling the Pacific side of Mexico as we skedaddled to Tampa. Instead of arriving at 7:00 AM, we docked five hours early. Kleig lights on the dock shinned in our room awakening me, and then the smell of diesel fuel and the yelling of the shore crew kept me awake. Mom and I were up early, preparing to leave.

We breakfasted in the Versailles dinning room, then sat in the cafe until it was time to disembark. Dennis was waiting for us, so once we passed through customs, he was there to drive us home.

April 25 to April 28 aboard NCL Epic

Thursday April 25

Last night they canceled the Cirque de Soleil show, moved it to the night we are in Funchal (Sunday). We are experiencing 30+ Ft. waves and 45 mph winds. Everyone looks drunk as they try to walk around the ship. Did manage to get to the gym and sit on the stationary bikes for about 1.5 hrs—but my bottom is still sore from not having ridden in so long. I also had to keep my eyes closed to prevent vertigo.

The captain announced that their biggest concern with the restless sea was the possibility of losing a lifeboat. If the lifeboat senses the water they could set themselves free. That is how high the waves and troughs were! One woman at the dinner table confessed that, after hearing the captain speak, she slept with her life-preserver nearby. I wasn’t that paranoid, but I did wonder what it would be like in the lifeboat with those waves.

Today, I was disappointed by the mystery dinner theater; the food was mediocre, a first time for us on the Epic. Also, the acting was not up to par. Maybe it was the crowd (not very responsive) or the ship’s rocking, but for what ever reason, the act dragged and was not funny.

The internet connection is very slow making it difficult Skype my parents. Once we get on land, we will be able to have longer chats.

Dennis and I decided against taking a tour in Funchal. Instead, we will walk a half hour into town, try to find an internet cafe, Skype my parents, upload my blog and Camino Tip, and check on email, etc. We also want to see if the return transatlantic cruises or offered yet. We would like to schedule the return trip. NCL offers a 12-day voyage leaving on October 1, from Copenhagen to Miami. I would like to see if there is an earlier one, arriving home around the 1^st.

If time permits, after all this internet work, we will try to see some of the sites. There is a cable car ride that is takes us to a panorama of the city. From the top of the mountain, there is a wicker basket ride to the bottom. We’ll see what cost and time will permit.

Friday, April 26

We shifted forward an hour during the night. By the time a got up and worked out, it as after ten when we went for breakfast. I really appreciate the restaurants and use those more than the buffet; they are more cozy and the food portions are controlled.

It is hard to tell if I am putting on weight…the scale changes about 10 lbs. with the ship’s swaying. My best guess is that I am about the same, or a few pounds heavier. Unbelievably, Dennis has lost weight, which means he will have to be careful not to lose too much once we start pedaling.

Curiously, I am still not feeling excited about our upcoming adventure. Since Dennis and I prefer casual seating for dinner, the conversation usually includes a description of what we will do once we disembark in Barcelona. People are usually impressed with our plans—five months of hiking and biking is daunting for many. Yet, I feel ambivalent. I am looking forward to walking the Camino Portuguése and Hadrian’s Wall. The biking, on the other hand, just seems like a lot of work. Perhaps this is because I have not been pedaling a lot for the past several years. Hopefully, once I get back on the saddle, my outlook will improve.

Today I plan to write a book review, a blog, and a Camino tip. This evening we will see a satirical comedy act and maybe even an “a cappella” barbershop quintet.

Saturday April 27

Five time zones down, one to go. After exercising and having breakfast, I just want a nap. Tomorrow we will explore Funchal, the capital of Madeira, a Portuguese Island. It will be nice to walk around and enjoy the sites.

Today Dennis and I went bowling; there are six lanes on ship. It’s been years since I bowled, and I am not very good at it, so I used the kiddie bumpers; Dennis did not. In the last frame, I got a spare. Not realizing that I had to bowl one more ball for the score, Dennis got up and knocked down seven pins. Thus, with his help, I won 78 to 77.

This evening we saw the comic magician, Bruce Gold. I didn’t find him skillful in comedy or magic. We walked around the jogging deck than listened to music while sipping a beer. Dennis commented that cruising was a relaxing way to start our demanding trip. I agreed.

Sunday April 28

Sitting in internet cafe in sunny Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Will Skype my mom on her birthday and have a long chat. Tonight is the Cirque de Soleil performance. Everyone on the ship says that it is the best act of the week.

First five days aboard the NCL Epic

Note: Formatting lost due to bandwidth.

Saturday, April 20

We left the house around 7:30 am. The drive to Florida in our rented Dodge Grand Caravan was uneventful, luxurious compared to our 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager. While driving on Alligator Alley, I was thinking about how unexcited I am about the trip. My mind was reeling with ideas about blogs, books, and tweets, a sign, for me that this adventure is not really a vacation, but a research journey. on which I still need to blog and interact with my followers. I hoped that somehow I will be able to meld work with pleasure. Perhaps I felt this way because the past weeks preparations have been tiring, and that I will feel better once underway. We took a taxi from the airport to the cruise ship. The Haitian driver stuffed our seven bags into the trunk and Dennis and I squeezed into the back seat with two backpacks. and a carry-on. Our stateroom is smaller than others on other cruise lines, but we have a round king-size bed and lots of storage capacity. At dinner, we sat with Tom (a retired financier) his wife Connie (a professor of art history),and Becky and Nancy (sisters-in-law and ex Navy officers). Conversation was lively and the food was delicious. I enjoy free-style dinning and look to forward to meeting others during the cruise.

Sunday, April 21

Cloudy and rainy. The ship is traveling at 21 knots (26 miles mph), so there is a steady breeze on deck. I checked out the rock wall which is aft (read of ship). The wind there will make climbing the wall difficult, but I am thinking of doing it at least once. Not sure if Dennis will. We saw the Blue Man Group. Laughed and interacted with the performance. Dennis even photographed some of the toilet paper and the marshmallow I was hit with. After the show, we had supper, but did not share seating.

Monday, April 22

Even though at 2 A.M. we set the clocks back an hour, I was at the gym at 6:00 A.M. For two days now, I spent more than an hour on the bicycle, trying to prepare myself for hours on the bike once we leave Barcelona. Also, Elizabeth and I are doing a squat challenge. Today was day three: 60 squats. So between the bike ride, the squats, and running up and down ten flights of stairs several times and day, my thighs are getting a workout. I just hope it is enough for the hills in Spain. Today the ship diverted to Bermuda for a medical emergency. Around 3 P. M. and about a mile offshore from Bermuda, the caption killed our ship’s engines. The pilot rescue boat, St. David, sped towards us from the island, and then tried it to connect with the port side of our ship, almost directly below my balcony. For some reason, the St. David aborted the attempt. The black boat with red cabin and Bermuda flag then circled the Epic and stopped at a different gangplank where the crew successfully transferred the patient to the rescue boat. With three toots of the fog horn, the St. David left the calm waters near the Epic and sped back to the island. In all, the exchange took about an hour. It then took about a half hour for the Epic to turn around and get back up to speed. This evening is the Captain’s champagne toast and introduction of the officers. Later there is Howl at the Moon, a Rock N’ Roll dueling piano event. Not sure if we will attend that. This ship reminds me of Sarasota—after 10 P.M. the halls and casinos are practically deserted. I am starting to relax and to feel more positive about the journey. I am confident that once we buy and set up the bikes and finally leave Barcelona, I will settle into a routine.

Tuesday, April 23

Today I am without ambition. My head, arms, body—even my mind—want to stop and do nothing. I did not crawl out of bed until after noon. Dennis went for breakfast and returned with a cup of tea for me. All I wanted to do was stay prone and read a book. I did not even have ambition to go and set on the stationary bike for an hour or more as I have been doing each day. I know that without preparing my bottom for sitting on the bicycle seat, I will have problems when we start riding for hours each day. I just could not psych myself into anything. I don’t know if I am needing the rest after the hours of preparation, am feeling the effects of changing two time zones, or suffering from a touch of seasickness. After lunch, I put on Dennis’ jacket, wrapped up in two beach towels, and sat on the balcony. I only lasted about twenty minutes. My fingers were getting too hold to hold the Kindle. I brought all the wrong clothes for this voyage. Instead of the short skirts, sleeveless tops, and formal ware, I should have taken long-sleeved shirts, sweaters, and pants. The clouds, the wind speed, and cold Atlantic air is not conducive to sunbathing. There are very few people on deck. The few brave souls who want to use the hot tub, run from the interior to the deck and back. I just hung around most of the day, finished the book, and then went to see the review, Legends in Concert that paid homage to Jimmy Buffet, Donna Summer, Whoppi Goldberg, and Michael Jackson. Prior to the show Dennis ordered a Piña Colada and I took a martini, shaken, not stirred. It has been about 40 years since I had this classic drink and now I remember why–it’s lethal. Relaxed, I sang, shouted, and applauded. After the show, we shared a dinner table with two other couples. Conversation was lively and we ended up being one of the lasts to leave the restaurant.

Wednesday, April 24

I awoke during the night to the listing of the boat, the banging of doors, and the sliding of unused hangers in the closet. The swells are about 10 to 12 feet high, white-capped, and frequent. I banged off the walls on my way to the gym this morning. I pedaled the bike for an hour and a half. I had keep shutting my eyes because I was getting sick to my stomach. The transatlantic cruises are not as exciting as the Caribbean ones are where there a different port-a-calls each day. The library on the Epic is a joke. There are a few outdated travel books, books on archeology, a few classics, and some written in Japanese. I was disappointed that they don’t have Scrabble, my favorite board game. The air temperature today is 63° F and we are about half way to Funchal, Portugal, where we will take a shore excursion. Looking forward to being on land again, even if for only a few hours. Tonight we will see the Cirque de Soleil. According to other passengers, this is a better performance than the Blue Man Group, so I am looking forward to it. Once again, we will change time zone this evening.