Woman on Her Way

2014 Updates

Monday, May 5, 2014.

My sister arrived as scheduled at 6:30 am to take us to the Cruise Connection stop. The bus never arrived. I spoke with someone who was awaiting transportation from another company. When the shuttle arrived, Dennis and I were lucky. The driver said he had room for two more and we could get cash for the payment at an ATM in Port Charlotte. At all the pickup points people further downstream from Sarasota, there were people stranded by the bus that did not show. By 1:30 pm, we were aboard the NCL Star and settled into our stateroom. The layout is roomier than rooms with a balcony and the porthole lets in light and gives us a view of the ocean. That night we supped with couples from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. Dennis and I both enjoy free-style dinning and meeting new people each day. After dinner, we walked about two miles, strolling on the outer deck under a crescent moon.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

The gym was crowded. Mats and people everywhere made it hard to walk around. Luckily I had gotten there early, laid out my mat and built a weight pyramid in preparation for the Cathe High Reps workout that I had on my laptop. People muttered their displeasure at my taking so much real estate and even tried to take my weights and mat. I paid them to mind. Unlike our first transatlantic crossing (2013) which had been cloudy and cold, today was sunny and warm. We took advantage of the great weather to sit in the hot tub and and eat al fresco. The musical show this evening was called Band on the Run (great voices but poor choreography). Afterwards, we went to the dining room. We were having such great conversations with three couples from Australia (Dierdre and Ian, Helen and Alex, ? and Jack) that the wait staff did not even offer us coffee in hopes that we would leave. We pushed our clock ahead one hour; the first of six time zone changes.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

There were fewer people in the gym this morning. I watch the last hour of Lords of the Ring while I peddled on the exercise bike. After all that work, I only burned about 300 calories. Today was again sunny and warm. We enjoyed more hot tub, wave pool, and eating on the open deck. We skipped the comedy show and had an early dinner. Afterward, we tried to walk around the promenade deck, but it was too windy for conversation, so we returned to our room for a game of scrabble—and I was the victor.

Thursday, May, 8, 2014

We’ve hit choppy seas. One of the closet doors kept squeaking through the night until Dennis got up to shut it. Since I did not sleep well because of the noise, I slept in, putting off exercise. I can’t remember when I last had eight hours of sleep. Yesterday I ran to the lounge chair from the hot tub because the deck was hot. Today I ran there because I was shivering. Everyone on deck is in long sleeves and wrapped in beach towels. At the ship’s library, I took out Steven King’s book, On Writing from the ship’s library. I read this before and was going to just skim though it, but it is so entertaining that I am rereading it. I love his style and story of how he became a writer. This evening’s entertainment was the multi-instrumentalist Andy Buenger—The Power of Music. He played vibraphone, drums, saxophone, trumpet, steel guitar, panpipes, and others. I found the panpipes haunting. Joke of the day. This man is stranded on an island for years. One day, a beautiful 21-year-old woman clad in a skin-tight wet suit emerges from the water. She says, “I can see you’ve been here for a long time. Is there something you would like?” He thinks for a few seconds and says “A lovely meal.” She unzips the wet suit a bit, reaches in and pulls out a cheeseburger, which he quickly devours. She then asks if there is anything else he would like. “A nice cold beer,” he replies. She unzips the wet suit some more, reaches in and pulls out a cold Heineken. She then unzips further and asks, “Would you like a round?” Astonishingly he replies, “My god, Don’t tell me you have a golf bag in there!” Before bed, we again set the clocks forward an hour.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Most people on deck are wearing pants and jackets to ward off the wind and the colorless atmosphere. Looking out the porthole is like looking at a pencil sketch in varying tones of gray. These breezy cool days allow me to write without guild. I am writing blogs for My Musings, my blog on writing. I will schedule them for release while I am traipsing in Europe. Once again someone tried to take my workout tools, even my personal stretch band. Is this rudeness or unfamiliarity with workout routines? I use a variety of dumbbells varying the weight for different effects. I am following a workout played on the Kindle Fire set on the floor near me. Yet people interrupt me or reach for the weight I am not using at the moment, even though there are plenty of weights on the rack. We visited the library with its extensive collection of books and discovered that the provide a daily crossword and Sudoku puzzles. I checked out the book On Writing by Stephen King. I had read it before and was going to shim over it, but it is such a delight that I am rereading it. Dennis is reading One Summer by Bill Bryson and he chortles and reads me the excerpts. We had a wonderful time at dinner with Paula and Lisa and overextended our stay with delightful conversation. We forgoed The Mesmerizing Brenda Kaye in favor of Spider Man.

Saturday May 10, 2014

Another gray day. Only the smokers are sitting on deck. Its hard to believe that we are on day 6. Tomorrow we will be in the Azores. We closed the restaurant down again and missed the magician. No big deal on my behalf. I’ ve finished reading On Writing my Stephen King. I am really glad that I picked up this book. It was a delight to read and I learned a lot from it.

Monday May 12, 2014 Ponta Delgada

After a week at sea, it felt wonderful to be on terra firma. Ponta Delgado is a Portuguese island in the Azores. We disembarked around 9 A.M. and tried to get our ATM card to work. After several attempts we realized were keying in the wrong pin number for the card we had. Since it was raining, we decided not to rent bicycles. The cost was very reasonable: 10 Euros each for bicycle or 30 Euros for a scooter per day. Since this is a small island, we could have toured it, visited the volcano and crater lakes, and seen the coastline. Instead, we sat dry and warm in a cafe and caught up on emails. I called my mom to wish her a belated mother’s day wish. She was delighted to hear from me. Back in the room, we watched Saving Mr. Banks. We both enjoyed the script and acting. We shared a dinner with an interesting Canadian couple, Jillian and Barry. Twenty years ago she sailed across the Atlantic in thirty days. He is a philanthropist working with the Shriners. We talked about travel, history, and aging productively. We voluntarily skipped the comic/jugglar act, returning to the room to read/write. I am editing Dennis’s Camino book. So far this trip, we have not had great pictures. Hopefully this will change with the Cliffs of Dover.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Sunny, light white caps, about 60º F. Lazy day. The time switch every other day is effecting my sleep and eating patterns. I’m not tired at night and can’t wake up in the morning. My hunger is between mealtimes. Once on land, I am sure things will settle down. While exercising (I have to burn off the desserts like this raspberry torte), I watched Man of Steel. The first part was OK, but the last half hour when Superman fights aliens from Krypton was overdone. We also watched Jobs and I really enjoyed that movie, Well acted. Before turning in, we watched White House Down…another superhero-type movie I would be on the C-B list. Only one other movie worth watching, Monuments Men, and I am not sure if it will be shown again.

We had an interesting evening with Linda, a two-time Camino Frances pilgrim who is on her way to walk the Camino Portuguese. She is also an award-winning author. The other tablemates were like-minded and the conversations flowed to many topics.

The entertainment last night was “The Look of Love – The Music of Burt Bacharach” Great music, inferior choreography. The stage is narrow, making it difficult for the 16 actors to move around. The song “How can I go one without her” made me realize the importance of not taking Dennis and our time together for granted.

Wednesday, May 15, 2014

Last night’s time change made it difficult to rise. We had a late breakfast. High winds made walking on the promenade difficult, so we walked around the ship. We found Red Lion, the British-style pub and had a pint of brown beer while we played Scrabble. I slaughtered Dennis—both games. After that tall drink, we took a two-hour nap, not unusual for Dennis, but a rarity for me. Need sea legs to get to dinner. Ater another delightful dinner, we decide to forgo the entertainment in favor of watching Grudge Match with DiNara and Stallon. It was better than expected, with lots of humor. I decided to wait until we got home to edit Dennis’s book. It is just not ready from my review.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Can you believe I slept until 10 am? Dennis woke me with breakfast in bed. (He’s such a good boy!) Today the ship enters the Bay of Biscayne and tomorrow we will be in Dover. I am looking forward to visiting the cliffs and getting WiFi so I can post my journal. From now on, the postings should get more interesting as we start to visit the various countries. On deck today it’s 55ºF. As we head north, it gets colder. I hope I have enough warm back packing clothes. I brought too many ship clothes. Instead of dumping them, I may keep them until I get into warmer climes.

Blue-green water replaces the steel-grayness of the deep seas. The swells are only a few feet high and the sailing is smooth. We see fishing boats, freighters, and carriers to the starboard side. We cannot see land, but the horizon is only 27 miles away, and Spain is beyond.. This afternoon I exercised on the cycle and ellipticals while watching Planes, an animated film. Afterward, I felt much better. It will be great to leave all this rich food behind.

Friday, May 16, 2014 Dover

We docked in Dover at 4:45 AM. Temperature is 48.6ªF. From the starboard porthole, the cliffs of Dover are not impressive, not very tall, and not very white. Perhaps they will be more impressive upon departure this evening.

Danish cuisine

I love exploring new countries, learning about their traditions, cuisine, and habits. In Copenhagen, I will be able to sample the customary fare as well as gourmet dishes based on local produce.The Danes eat three meals a day: a cold breakfast with coffee, a cold lunch, and a hot dinner typically consisting of meat (usually pork), potatoes, and carrots or lettuce.

Breakfast

A basic Danish breakfast is a slice of rye or white bread or roll with a slice of cheese or jam, nothing like the American style “Danish”. Cereals such as corn flakes, muesli, and oatmeal is becoming more popular. Hotels often include hard-boiled eggs and cold meats for breakfast.

A typical local breakfast dish consists of the soured milk product ymer topped with ymerdrys, a mixture of grated rye bread and brown sugar. This reminds me of Mrs. Plourde, a sitter I had when I was in first grade, who used to give my sister and me sour cream sandwiches topped with brown sugar, something which I have not thought of in years.

Lunch

The smørrebrød (literally “bread and butter”) is an open rye bread sandwich consisting of cold cuts, meat, fish, cheese, or spreads, and then topped with decorative accompaniments. There are many varieties of smørrebrød. Wikipedia lists the following as the more traditional:

Dyrlægens natmad (Danish: Veterinarian’s midnight snack) — On a piece of dark rye bread, a layer of liver pâté (leverpostej), topped with a slice of salt beef (salt kød) and a slice of meat aspic (sky). This is all decorated with raw onion rings and garden cress.
Eel — Smoked eel on dark rye bread, topped with scrambled eggs and sliced radishes or chopped chives.
Leverpostej — Warm rough-chopped liver paste (made from pigs liver and lard) served on dark rye bread, topped with bacon, and sauteed mushrooms.
Roast beef — thin sliced and served on dark rye bread, topped with a portion of remoulade, and decorated with a sprinkling of shredded horseradish and toasted (ristet) onion.
Roast pork (Ribbensteg) — thin sliced and served on dark rye bread, topped with red sweet and sour cabbage, and decorated with a slice of orange.
Spiced meat roll (Rullepølse).
Tartar — raw beef mince with salt and pepper, served on dark rye bread, topped with raw onion rings, grated horseradish and a raw egg yolk.
Smoked salmon (laks) — Slices of cold smoked or cured salmon (gravad laks) on white bread, topped with shrimp and decorated with a slice of lemon and fresh dill.
Stjerneskud (Danish: Shooting Star) — On a base of buttered white bread, two pieces of fish: a piece of steamed white fish on one half, a piece of fried, battered plaice (rødspætte) on the other half. On top is piled a mound of shrimp, which is then decorated with a dollop of mayonnaise, red caviar, and a lemon slice.

Dinner

In most Danish homes, dinner, called middag (midday) because hot meals were traditionally served in the middle of the day, is a one-course meal. Fish, seafood, and meat are common ingredients in Danish meals. On weekends or special occasions, the Danes prepare a more elaborate spread. With globalization and the increased availability of supermarket food, the Danes now have the barbecue, salad buffets, pizza and pasta.

Restaurants usually have a three-course dinner: appetizer, soup, and entrée.

Soup is often a meal on its own. There are two Danish specialties:

Gule ærter (pea soup), served with salted pork, carrots and other vegetables
Hønsekødssuppe (chicken soup) served with melboller (small flour dumplings), meatballs and cubed vegetables.

Traditional entrées:

Boller i karry, meat balls in curry served with rice and cucumber salad.
Gammeldags kylling, old fashioned pan-cooked chicken, served with cucumber salad, rhubarb compote, potatoes and brown sauce.
Frikadeller, meat balls made of pork and veal with spices.
Hakkebøf, ground beef steak with soft caramelized onions and brown sauce.
Æbleflæsk (literally apple pork), fried pork slices served with a compote of apple, onion and bacon.
Stegt flæsk med persillesovs, slices of fried pork served with potatoes and parsley sauce.
Medisterpølse, thick, spicy sausage made of minced pork.
Æggekage (egg cake) — similar to an omelette.
Påskelam (Easter lamb) grilled lamb with dry herbs and garlic.
Culottesteg, top sirloin steak with dry herbs served with potatoes and green salad.
Stegt and, roast duck prepared like roast goose, stuffed with baked apples, prunes and thyme.
Stegt gås, roast goose is a traditional Danish Christmas dish and also served for Morten’s aften (St. Martin’s Day, November 11).
Flæskesteg, roast pork with crackling, often served at Christmas.
Rødkål, red cabbage with duck grease, sugar, vinegar, apple, onion, red wine and spices such as cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom and allspice. Served for Christmas.
Brunede kartofler, caramelized potatoes made with sugar and butter. Served for Christmas.
Øllebrød (beer bread), a pudding made of rye bread, sugar and beer
Millionbøf, (translated: million steak), gravy filled with tiny pieces of beef (a million tiny steaks) poured over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Brændende kærlighed (literally “burning love”), mashed potatoes made with butter and milk or cream. A well is made in the top of the mashed potatoes into which fried diced bacon and onions are filled.
Risengrød, (rice porridge), a dish that has a special relationship to Christmas. It is traditionally the favorite dish of the Nisse. Usually served with butter, cinnamon sugar and nisseøl. It is also the basis of the Danish Christmas dessert Risalamande.

Desserts

At home, the Danes usually have ice cream or fruit for dessert. Apple and strawberry pies are popular. Other Danish desserts are

Æblekage, (apple charlotte). Stewed apple topped with bread crumbs and crushed almond-flavoured meringue or whipped cream, served cold.
Fruit salad topped with vanilla cream or whipped cream and grated chocolate
Rødgrød med fløde, stewed, thickened red fruit (usually strawberries or rhubarb) with cream or as topping on ice cream.
Pandekager, a thin, crepe-like pancake, rolled up, often sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar, and served with strawberry jam or vanilla ice cream.
Koldskål. A sweet cold buttermilk dish with vanilla and lemon, often served in the summer.
Danish strawberries with cream, served in the summer.
Æbleskiver, (literally “apple slices”), similar to a round American pancake though not the same, Danes eat them through December as a Christmas tradition.
Risalamande (or ris à l’amande), a rice pudding with whipped cream, vanilla flavouring and chopped almonds. Commonly eaten on Christmas Eve, served cold with hot cherry-sauce.
Wienerbrød (Danish pastry), a sweet bread, often topped with icing and filled with jam, remonce or custard.

Alcohol

Denmark is known for its Carlsberg and Tuborg beers. It is also known for Akvavit or Aquavit a caraway- or dill- flavored liquor typically containing 40% alcohol by volume. In Denmark it is distilled from potatoes.

Money matters in Denmark

We’ll arrive in Copenhagen on May 19. As part of my preparations for the trip, I checked out the currency in Denmark (they do not use the Euro). The Krone (kr) (or Crown) is worth about $0.18. According to my research, if staying at moderate hotels and eating in inexpensive restaurants, we can expect to pay 600kr ($223) per person per day. Our three-day visit is going to be an expensive stay. One of the reasons for the high cost is that hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops add a 25% value-added tax (VAT) called moms in Danish. At least the VAT is included in the price and not an add-on.

Money Exchange

ATMs are the best option to obtain cash when abroad. In Denmark, ATMs are available at most banks and at the airport. Since we are landing at the cruise terminal, we will get the local currency on our walk to the hotel. Outside of Copenhagen, ATMs are not available 24/7. Many close between 1 AM and 6 AM.

Plus (run by Visa) and Cirrus (run by MasterCard) are the two major ATM networks. They add a 1% conversion fee. Additionally, some banks charge ATM usage fees (as much as $5.00) while others do not. I will have to check out the bank’s policy before I make a transaction. Sometimes credit unions do not charge this fee, and there are several credit unions in Copenhagen.

The secret is to make fewer and larger withdrawals. Each card has a daily withdrawal limit. (I recommend finding out what that limit is before leaving on your trip.) Since we don’t want to have to pay exchange fees for Krones when leaving Denmark, we will have to plan our withdrawals carefully.

Credit Card Usage

In Denmark, MasterCard and Visa are commonly accepted, so we should be OK with our card. Those with American Express and Diners Club may have more difficulty charging. If the credit card used at a restaurant in Denmark is not a Danish card, there is a 3% to 7% additional fee. To avoid this charge, we will have to have enough cash when eating out. Considering the conversion fees, it is generally less expensive to pay with cash than with a credit card.

Checks

Personal checks drawn from foreign banks are normally not accepted in Denmark. Banks will cash Traveler’s Checks for a fee.

The Currency

There are five bank notes in the following denominations: 50kr, 100kr, 200kr, 500kr, and 1000kr. On the obverse (front of the notes) are bridges connecting various parts of Denmark. On the reverse (backs) are prehistoric objects found near the bridges. Each note has a different size and color.

There are seven coins: one, two, five, ten, and twenty Krone and two coins that are divisions of the krone: twenty-five and fifty Øre. Each coin differs in color, size, weight, and rim. To not overspend, I will have to remember that the 20kr coin is worth about $3.70.

Tipping

Tipping in restaurants and cabs is not necessary; waitstaff and taxi drivers are well-paid and do not count on tips to supplement their income. If pleased with the service, it is the custom to round up the bill.

What you need to do to prep for a long adventure

Preparing for a long adventure involves more than packing your bags. You need to make travel plans, prepare your home, and select your take-alongs with care. Packing light is always a good idea, especially when backpacking.

Prepare for travel

Develop the itinerary. Unless you are having a free-style adventure, you need to pay attention to schedules and meetings. Once you’ve completed the traveling plans, give a copy to a family member or trusted friend.

On this trip, we are going to museums for research, meeting with friends in three different cities, attending the 70th Anniversary Commemorations of D-Day in Normandy, France, and then walking The Ridgeway National Path in England at a time when many other people are doing so. To insure accommodations in small towns or along hiking trails, we made reservations at hostels and inns. Many were already full. Since we are traveling on foot, knowing that we have a place to stay in the evening is comforting.

Making the reservations took days. In the larger cities, the hotels, inns, and B&Bs have an on-line presence and booking is easy. In the smaller towns and near hiking paths, it is not so simple. Many one-to-three room facilities only list a phone number or, at best, an email. Some only accept cash or checks for reservation deposits. Since sending money electronically internationally would cost me $40.00, I avoided establishments with these requirements.

Purchase travel insurance.

Having been hurt in a previous adventure, I realize how important it is to have medical insurance and, if needed, evacuation insurance. It’s a gamble, but not one I would like to lose.

Contact your credit card company to tell them you are traveling and the countries you will be visiting. You don’t want to have your credit card denied until you can prove who you are.

If you are planning on renting a car in another country, find out what documentation is required and what the driving rules are for that particular country. Also, call your credit card company to see if you need to purchase additional vehicular insurance or, if by renting the vehicle using the credit card, you are already insured.

On a trip to Puerto Rico, I purchased car insurance only to find out that I would have had better coverage had I not done so. When a coconut fell onto the roof of the rental car and then bounced onto the hood leaving large dents, I had to pay a $500 dollar deductible, which I would not have had to if I had not elected to purchase that insurance. It would have been covered in full with the credit card guarantee.

Familiarize yourself with the local money and customs. Knowing what to expect eliminates nasty surprises.

Prepare the clothing

Pack light. If you can, coordinate your outfits to extend your look with fewer pieces of clothing. Since I am backpacking, I try to have at least two uses for everything. I developed a travel packing list that I revise after each trip. Experience helps eliminate the unnecessary and ensures that I have what I need.

On this trip, I must bring clothes for two weeks on the transatlantic crossing. Since in on-board ship attire is different from what I’ll need when backpacking, I am bringing clothes that I can discard at the end of the cruise. Once I laid out my clothing for the trip, I reevaluated each item to see if it was absolutely necessary. Fortunately, I will not be in the wilderness and will have access to stores if I forget something.

Prepare the house

When you prepare for a long trip, don’t forget to prep the house for when you are away. You don’t want to return to a house damaged in your absence. My Camino Tips provides lists of things you need to do starting three weeks before departure.

In preparation, I mowed the yard, trimmed the trees and bushes, cleared out the gutters, and put things away in case of a tornado or hurricane. My neighbor will watch over the house, mow the lawn, and make a weekly pass-through to verify that everything is fine inside the house. I don’t want burst pipes or malfunctioning air-conditioning damage.

Stop the paper and the mail. Call the utility companies to make payment arrangements while you are away.

On the day of departure, I will:

Add bleach to the toilets and cover with plastic wrap.
Lock all windows and doors.
Turn off the hot water heater
Put out the trash.
Set the thermostat
Set the light timers; these help discourage house break-ins.
Shut off water to the inside of the house.
Stop the water processor.
Tape up water drains and overflow drains on sinks and showers to prevent bugs from entering the house.
Unplug the TV and other appliances, lights, etc. Don’t forget to unplug the electric stove. Unplugging can prevent damage from electrical storms.

References

10 packing tips every traveler should know

2014’s Adventure

On this year’s adventure, we will revisit some countries and see new ones. We are returning to Europe to continue research for Dennis’ book about his father’s WWII combat parachute jumps, see friends we encountered on the Camino Francés in 2011, explore new countries (Sweden, Denmark, Germany—we only stepped into it last year), attend the 70th Anniversary of D-Day ceremonies in Normandy, France, and walk The Ridgeway Path in England—all in seven weeks.

We are starting the adventure with a two-week transatlantic crossing, visiting Ponta Delgada Zores (part of Portugal), Dover, England, Helsingborg, Sweden, and disembarking in Copenhagen, Denmark, where we will spend a few days. Unlike last’s year five-and-a-half month romp, we have a schedule to follow.

We will again be backpacking, but we will not be carrying camping equipment. More room for warm clothes! When we arrive in Copenhagen, we can expect twelve hours of daylight per day, and temperatures ranging from 44 to 60°F (7 to 16°C). In June, we can expect temperatures in Normandy, France to be only slightly warmer: 50 to 68° F (10.5 to 20°C). Since I’ve moved to Florida, I’ve become a chilly-willy; these temperatures will push my limits.

After comparing cost and the advantages/disadvantages of a Eurorail card, we decided to purchase a Global Pass for seniors (60 years and older). With the pass we will have fifteen days of travel in a twenty-day time span, which starts counting the day we board our first train.

With the anniversary ceremonies in Normandy, most nearby hotels were full. We were fortunate enough to book our hotel last fall, but it is about fifteen miles from St. Mere Eglise, where we need to be. We have arranged to borrow two bicycles and will pedal about an hour and a half each way.

My postings while on the ship will be scarce, but I plan to have daily entries starting May 19. I hope you will join me in our travels via this blog.

Friday, December 10: Nassau, Bahamas

Thursday, December 9: Day at sea

This morning’s server did bring me a bran muffin, but not toasted. As the Rolling Stones said, “You can’t always get what you want.”

We attended the luncheon dinner theater Presumed Innocent, an improv comedy show about a murder aboard the ship. This was a lot of fun and the audience participation is what made it so.

We were able to reschedule the show we missed the night before. Contrary to the one we say in April, this Legends performance featured Steven Tyler, Katy Perry, and Elvis. This high-energy show kept the audience hopping and clapping to the music. I commend the impersonators; not only did they sound like the originals, but looked and moved like them as well.

I finished reading Nada, A historical thriller by Arthur J. Penn. I learned a lot about Fascism in Italy and Spain, something I knew very little about. This is a good read, which I recommend.

Friday, December 10: Nassau, capital and largest city of the Bahamas

We docked at noon and took off for another snorkeling adventure, the Seashore Sail and Snorkel, that promised visiting two reefs and unlimited rum punch on the return trip. Even though we only went to one reef and had inferior drinks, it was a wonderful excursion. The moment I put my face mask into the water, I was in a colorful undersea world surrounded by a school of Sergeant Majors and other tropical sea life. There were cyan-colored fish with golden-yellow spines, stained-glass looking aquatic animals, blue tangs, huge angel fish, tube worms, fan coral, brain coral, and a coral that look like giant cauldrons. At the reef, there are poisonous or toxic marine life, and we saw the stinging wasp, the Touch-Me-Not Sponge, branching coral, bearded fireworm, and black urchins.

The water was choppy, but we floated easily with the life vests. We were glad we took our personal snorkeling gear with us. The float tubes on the snorkel prevented saltwater from getting into our mouths; those using the gear provided by the crew found it more difficult to peer into the underwater world. After an hour, I was shivering and glad to board the catamaran.

After dinner, we packed our bags and I won our tie-breaking Scrabble game. After a week at sea, both of us look forward to returning home, eager to start writing and preparing presentations.

Wednesday, December 8: St. Thomas

Wake-up call at 6 A.M. At breakfast I asked for a bran muffin. Our server asked why I would order that. Apparently she dislikes these so much that she does not serve them; instead, she brought be a pastry basket, which I did not want.

By 8:15 we were cued up on the pier in St. Thomas for the Champagne Catamaran Sail and Snorkel to St. John. Even though it was raining, the trip was not canceled. The all-female crew on the Adventuress was strictly business as we set sail. They explained how to use the on-board toilet: “If it doesn’t go through your system, if won’t go through ours.” Once everyone was geared up and trained, we jumped into the blue-green water to see sea turtles, sergeant majors, gar, other tropical fish, sea urchins and a little coral. Dennis and I agree that the fish are more plentiful and varied in Cozumel, Mexico. I think the waters are warmer there too.

On our return trip, the crew served cheese, fruit, and French bread and drinks. They made a great rum punch with pineapple, orange, and guava juices. There were also beer and champagne for those who preferred. With the music cranked up, the booze, the sun, and the sails billowing, it was a short, but happy, ride back to port. To date, this has been the highlight of our week as sea.

Tuesday, December 7: St. Maarten

Shortly before 7 A.M. the change in the engine’s drone as it entered Marigot Bay awakened me. An hour later the St. Maarten officials cleared the ship, and the crew lowered the gangplank for passengers to disembark in Philipsburg, the capital of St. Maarten.

After smearing ourselves with sunscreen and eating Eggs Benedict for breakfast, we were ready to spend the morning in ashore. We walked the boardwalk (Front Street) to the end, skipping the $7.00 round-trip fee for the water taxi. We were looking for an internet cafe, but most restaurants and bars were either unopened or without WIFI. Paralleling the boardwalk is Back Street, shopping Mecca for most passengers who are looking for good deals on luxury items, such as watches, jewelry, linen, and Belgium chocolates. Among these high-end establishments, typical tropical souvenir sellers barked their goods. We passed the courthouse topped with a pineapple, a symbol of welcome for the city’s visitors.

At last, we spotted a McDonald’s displaying a huge Free WIFI sign. I searched for a table near an electrical outlet while Dennis ordered an OJ for me and Coke for him. In no time at all, we had a five-bar wireless connection, but we never managed to connect to the internet. We, and many other Epic passengers, left disappointed. Since the stores on Cannegieter (the street behind Back Street) catered to locals, we took an alley connecting the streets and found a small restaurant with WIFI. I sipped a mango smoothie while Dennis sampled the local beer, Caribe, which is served with lime.

We returned to the ship to change clothes, slobber on more sunscreen, and grab our tickets for the Historical Philipsburg by Bike excursion. After getting fitted with helmets and bike, the tour leaders led us around us around the bay, up a steep but short incline to the old Fort Amsterdam, build in 1631. When the tour stopped for a drink, I tried the Presidente, the other local beer. Since I don’t normally drink alcohol when biking, Dennis finished the drink for me. At one point, I car squeezed me so much that the passenger door hit my handlebars; I backed off and stayed up, but maybe I would not have kept my balance had I finished that beer.

Our guides, Yost from Denmark, and Mike from Canada, informed us about the island’s history and local customs. I particularly liked their concern for our safety and attention to details. I have taken biking excursions in other countries and found this one to have superior bikes and equipment.

Following the day’s activities, we both were too tired for that evening’s entertainment, Legends in Concert. Since we had seen these celebrity impersonators on the transatlantic voyage, we were not too disappointed to forgo the show.

Cruising the Caribbean

Saturday, December 7. At 7:00 A. M O on Saturday, my sister, Doris drove us to the Cruise Connection pick up point (McDonald’s on Cattleman) where we started our Caribbean Cruise. Unaccustomed to rising so early, Dennis was “off” most of the day, unable to sleep on the 4-hour bus ride to the Norwegian Cruise Line ship Epic. Boarding was easy and we soon were in our balcony stateroom. While Dennis napped, I toured the ship, joined in the open-deck festivities, and worked out in the gym, which was empty during the afternoon. That night, we attended the Blue Man Group show. Since we saw this show are the same transatlantic crossing in April, we did not expect to enjoy this presentation as much as we did the first time. What made it different were the kids in the audience, who laughed, giggled, and begged to be chosen for participation in the show. After the show, we had a late-night meal and returned to be rocked by the ship’s gentle sway and the ocean sounds.

Sunday, December 8. This morning, I went to the gym while Dennis slept in. I did about a 15-minute workout with weights followed by enough time on the exercise bike to burn off the caloric equivalent of a slice of bread or a glass of wine. After breakfast, we lounged on deck, then sat in the outdoor jacuzzi, talking with fellow travelers. I marveled at how relaxed I was. One gentleman told us he as about 270 days of cruising, but not all with NCL. Had he been “traveling like a Norwegian” all those days, he would be a gold star member. This title has many perks, including free booze. Guess loyalty to one cruise lines pays off.

Around 4 P.M., the captain announced that the crew had extinguished a fire on the 14^th deck, complimenting their skill and rapid response. He then stated, “You SHOULD NOT, CANNOT, MUST NOT, MAY NOT, WILL NOT, SHALL NOT throw anything off the ship. The fire was caused by a cigarette that was casually thrown off one of the higher decks.” With all the cameras on the ship, I wonder if they caught the person who cautiously tossed his butt overboard and threatened all our lives.

This evening we attended the Cirque de Soleil Dreams and Dinner show. Though the food is mediocre, the performance is outstanding, probably one of the best acts I have seen. Dennis was chosen for audience participation. He had to ring bells with five other guest when the MC pointed at him. Those who know Dennis understand that Dennis has no sense of rhythm, making for a lot of laughs. There is one sexy scene with an acrobat in the bathtub—use your imaginations. One women juggled a cello, a female contortionists did amazing things is a super-sized champagne glass, acrobats, clowns, and muscle-men all worked to delight us. I have no sense of balance, and am amazed at what these people can do on a rocking vessel.

After dinner, I challenged Dennis to a Scrabble game. I won the toss and went first. Unfortunately, the only double value word I could make was the single-letter word “I.” In the end Dennis won, 198 to 194. Since he wanted to relish his win, the rematch will not be until tomorrow.

During the night, we turned our watches forward an hour. I was surprised that we had traveled this far east. The stormy seas kept me awake for most of the night. The boat would crash into a wave with a loud TWANG that reverberated throughout the ship like a frisson running down its spine. Around 7 A.M., the exhaust fan cover fell with a loud metallic clang onto the shower floor. From that point one, I was awake, though I would have liked to sleep more: my body an hour behind. As I age, I am not a flexible to time changes, and probably more rigid in a lot of other ways.

Monday, December 9. Quiet day at sea. Worked out for a while, and then relaxed for the remainder of the day. I finished one mystery thriller (Desecration by J.P. Penn) and started another. I have missed reading for pleasure; there is nothing like escaping to a world created in the author’s mind. Isn’t it strange that I am a nonfiction writer, but enjoy reading fiction the most?

After supper we watched an improv comedy routine that was not very funny. Back in the room, I slaughtered Dennis in a Scrabble rematch. Guess we’ll have to play one more game.

September 7: Sarasota

We left Amsterdam for the US via Aer Lingus. We had a short stopover in Galway, Ireland, and then a 8.5 hour flight to Orlando, FL. There were many babies on the flight. and it seemed as if they were in a crying competition–the din gave Dennis a headache.

There was a pre-clear US Customs and Immigration in Galway that eliminated Customs in Orlando, making disembarking from an international flight so much easier there than in Miami, where, in 2011, we spent more than an hour in line to go through Customs; the non-citizen travelers were delayed even longer in queues that did not move quickly.

Thanks to the streamlined Customs, we drove out of the airport in a rental car within minutes of arriving. Two-and-a-half hours later, we surprised my parents. As the unknown car pulled into the yard, my mom wondered who was visiting. When she saw us, she started crying–shocked, but as delighted to see us as we were to see them.

After 140 days away, it felt wonderful to return to our Sarasota home.

Thank you all for following Dennis and me on our journey. It was a pleasure writing for you and receiving your comments and words of encouragement.