Scary incident while out last night….Four guys, a driver and us…

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Tom likes Tusker beer, a local brew, usually at KES $300, US $3.52, per liter when ordered at a bar or in a restaurant. What’s with that look on his face?

Dining out on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays have been an excellent balance for us. Overall, the food has been good, the service consistently good and the ambiance in most cases, ideal with most resorts located on the Indian Ocean.

The cool ocean breezes with fewer mosquitoes with the strong breezes (in most cases) and with someone else doing the cooking and cleanup dining out has been a welcomed relief, spaced out for these specific days of the week.

Last night, before the power, went out at The Cave.

Yesterday, we’d decided to give Ali Barbour’s The Cave Restaurant another try after a first mediocre meal in September, shortly after we’d arrived at Diani Beach. Last night’s meal was hardly disappointing, pleasantly surprising both of us with well seasoned, beautifully presented, and delicious meals. 

My dinner ranked in the top three on my list of favorite meals in Kenya. Tom, “Mr. Meat and Potatoes” was also pleased with his meal. Definitely requiring one more return to The Cave in our remaining 17 days before leaving on November 30th. 

The Cave, after the power went out which came back on promptly after the generators were started.

True to our expectations as described in yesterday’s post, we didn’t receive our drinks until 15 minutes after being seated and we waited no less than 30 minutes after requesting our bill. The restaurant was busy. We waited patiently. 

The power had gone out twice during our dinner to be restored within a few minutes by the use of a generator. It’s not unusual for the power to go out in Kenya. We didn’t flinch.

Our bill after tipping the server came to a total of KES $4600, US $54.51 with a remaining tip to pay for the shuttle driver that had picked us up (20 minutes earlier than planned) and would be returning us home.

The fresh flowers at the base of the lantern at our table.

Walking up the uneven stone steps to the reception area, we found four other patrons awaiting a ride, a group of male 20 somethings who’d apparently had a good time based on their loud banter and pushy behavior. 

Speaking in a language we didn’t understand, it was obvious they were annoyed with having to wait for a few minutes for the shuttle driver to return from another drop-off. Tom and I had seen these four guys only minutes earlier in the dining area. They couldn’t have been waiting for more than five minutes.

Sitting in the living-room-like reception area, all facing one another, Tom and I were prepared for a wait. The Maasai restaurant greeter also sat in this area trying to appease the four impatient guests as they obviously grumbled over a potentially short wait. 

Tom’s dinner of Beef Stroganoff (no noodles), fries, and ketchup.  Yep, he ate the bread in the basket to which I made no comment or facial expression.

Within two minutes of sitting down, they instructed the Maasai greeter to call them a taxi. He made the call explaining the taxi would arrive in five minutes Apparently, they spoke English. They had chosen to forgo the complimentary shuttle to bring them back to their hotel.

We both thought, “Oh, good. When the driver returns, he can take us.” In less than a minute, the shuttle driver returned and the Maasai greeter explained in Swahili that the four guys had requested a taxi. The shuttle driver motioned to us to get into the awaiting van, as he opened the sliding door. We complied.

Bolting out of the parking lot in an obvious hurry, we flew down the long bumpy road from the ocean to the highway, as we heard the driver talking on his cell phone. Almost at the highway on the narrow road, with no place to turn around, the driver, not saying a word to us, began driving backward to return to the restaurant. 

This is the protein portion of my dinner, a shrimp cocktail on a bed of crisp cabbage. It was the best shrimp cocktail I’ve had in years.  The veggie portion of my dinner is in the below photo.

I must admit, he drove well going backward such a long distance on the bumpy narrow road.  Had it been me in such a hurry, I’d have been all over the road driving backward. Tom would have done as well as him.

We assumed that the driver was called to return to the restaurant to pick up other guests when, in fact, the four guys had decided they didn’t want to wait a couple more minutes for the “already on its way” taxi. This obviously infuriated the driver, who began apologizing to us to which we both said, “hakuna matata” which translates to “no problem or no worry” in English.

The four guys piled into the van requiring Tom to get out to let them in the back seats. I stayed put, suddenly feeling a need to put my seat belt on. The driver was speaking to the four guys in both Swahili and English explaining that “you can’t cancel a taxi after it’s on its way. You still have to pay.”

This grilled veggie platter was heavenly, cooked to perfection, seasoned with local spice, and grilled with a light glaze of olive oil and butter.  The white rectangles are slices of imported Parmesan cheese.  What a meal!  I ate every morsel of both dishes.

The four guys didn’t respond well to his comments as the driver continued to explain that they’d still have to pay the taxi, giving him the money to bring back to the taxi driver in the amount of KES $500, US $5.86. They refused. They all became very irritated.

At this point the driver turned around, as he’s driving down the unlit main road at a high speed, asking us if it was OK if he dropped the four guys off first and then head to our house. Again, we said, “hakuna matata.”  Again, he thanked us profusely.

The chatter back and forth escalated during the 10-minute drive to the hostel (not hotel) where the four guys were staying. Once arriving at the hostel, the van driver insisted they pay the 500 schillings, and again, they refused, saying they’d pay KES $300, US $3.52. They exited the van, loudly grumbling with tempers flaring. 

The van driver explained that he’d have to pay the taxi driver for him taking his fare by van, instead of using the ordered taxi. We didn’t blame him for his frustration. What a bunch of jerks!

This is Tom’s foot next to the largest semi-poisonous millipede we’ve seen since arriving in Kenya. Tom with his frequent verbal slips continually refers to these common creatures as “minipedes.” Not so mini, Tom Lyman. He scooped it into the dustpan placing it back into the yard. It will be back. Can you imagine stepping on that in bare feet during the night? Is it any wonder that I put my moccasins in the bed with me?

During this period, with the multiple language barriers and Tom’s hard of hearing issues (after 42 years on the railroad), he had a hard time determining what was transpiring, other than the visual on the angry driver and the four guys. 

It was clear enough to me. My concern escalated along with their tempers. Was a fight about to break out? Was someone going to pull a knife or a gun? We were trapped in the vehicle. I recalled that after we’d arrived at the restaurant, that the door to the van could only be opened from the outside after we tried to open it several times from the inside. 

Again, in a flash, the driver turned to us apologizing. This time, we didn’t say “hakuna matata.”  Instead, Tom said, “Let’s go,” in a non-threatening manner. Hesitating for a moment, the driver weighed his options, either stay and turn this into a nightmare or, leave. We waited for his decision. He looked from the guys, to us in the back seat and made a decision. 

He left, speeding crazily down the bumpy dirt road back to the main road.

Sighing a sigh of relief, we were ecstatic to be on our way, although his angry driving made us wonder if we’d make it back in one piece. Again, a sigh of relief, escaped my breath, as we approached our first security gate and then our second where Jeremiah, our guard, waited for us unlocking the gate and letting us in.

Finally back in our outdoor living room at 10:00 pm, Jessie and Gucci at our sides, I decided to go to bed. With the days of rain last week, the mosquito population was over the top and I hardly felt like changing into my BugsAway clothing. Then, Tom spotted this giant “minipede” (actually a millipede), scooping it up, placing it back in the yard. (See above photo).

The comfort and safety of the mosquito netting around the bed, the overhead fan, and a new book downloaded to my smartphone, I was content to call it a day. Tom, on the other hand, quickly changed into his BugsAway clothing, grabbed his laptop to stay outside for another hour.

My last thought before tucking my phone and my flashlight under my pillow and nodding off, “Whew!

Camp Olonana Sanctuary Retreats…Photos…An ethereal dream of perfection…

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Upon our arrival at Camp Olonana, we were greeted by a Masai warrior playing a welcoming tune on his flute. Following him and our concierge Christine, who oversees the flow of their guest’s experience to the edge of the deck overlooking the Mara River, we knew we’d chosen the perfect environment to fulfill our dreams of a safari combined with exquisite accommodations and service.

After the other guests arrived at the landing strip, we began the 25-minute drive to the camp.  Our combined enthusiasm and the sightings along the way, had all of us, including Anderson, chattering on simultaneously.

The fast flowing Mara River is muddy due to erosion and lack of man’s intervention. The local Masai tribes are dependent upon its waters as well as the wildlife and vegetation. It is this river that the Great Migration crosses over and again as it makes its way from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara. We missed the crossing of the millions of wildebeest but we did travel to Tanzania to see the tail end.  By the time we made that journey, we were so satisfied with our safari experience that we hardly gave it a thought. Someday, we will return to see it at the right time and more than anything go on safari once again. Tom suggested we return the year of my 70th birthday, a little over 4 years away. 
After our welcoming ceremony ended, we were escorted to lunch on the deck.  Within minutes of being seated, our chef, Ambrose came out to introduce himself and to proudly explain, he was well prepared for my special diet. 
We’ll be including food photos, a description of meals, quality of service, and a detailed review over the next several days. With over 600 photos to manage, it is a step by step process which we are striving to present as it occurred.
Ambrose, our well-trained chef, stopped at our table to get feedback on my special meals. Often before preparing my dinner, he’d stop by to assure me that my meal fit within the criteria I had sent them weeks before arrival. Not only were my meals the best prepared and tasting since beginning this way of eating, but the presentation was mouth-watering. Tom thoroughly enjoyed the same meals as presented to the other guests. My meal was always a variation of the main choices, leaving me wanting for nothing.
The all-inclusive camp consists of 3 meals daily, appetizers, snacks, beverages, high tea in the afternoon, and alcoholic drinks at any time of day or night.  Glass bottles of purified water were presented at our table at all meals and in our tent for drinking and brushing teeth. I was so excited I failed to take a photo of our delicious GF chicken curry lunch.
All produce at Camp Olonana is organically grown in their on-site garden. A certified ecologically friendly resort, the care is given to the food, and the use of water, fuel, and electricity were refreshing in this distant setting. For example, all electrical outlets were shut off (lights stayed on) from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm and off again during the night.  In consideration of our need to recharge our equipment, we were given a power strip connected to the generator that was available 24 hours a day. Many more measures were implemented to maintain the ecological integrity of the camp, which consisted of 14 tents, a spa tent, the lodge, gift shop, offices, and housing for staff.
The organic garden located at the camp, left unlocked for us to peruse at our leisure.
Our tent was #4 a short jaunt down this stone-paved walkway. The Camp Olonana, 5000 feet above sea level and cool at night had few mosquitoes and insects. The cool nights were heavenly, requiring a down comforter to keep us warm. That was a rather pleasant sensation!
Continuing along the tree-lined path to our tent, it was comforting to know our bags were already inside with little to unpack with a short time to unwind before taking off on our first official game drive at 4:00 pm.


We arrived at our tent, grateful for the walk after sitting on the plane, the vehicle, and the restaurant for the past several hours.  The word on the sign is #4 in the Masai language, not the usual Swahili spoken in most of Kenya, a few words of which we’re learning.  Here in Kenya, Tom accidentally says “grazie” for “thank you” which is Italian. When in Italy he said “gracias” which is “thank you” in Spanish.  He says he’s always one location behind in his thank-yous.  In Swahili, thank you is “asante” the language of most of the staff at the camp, which I couldn’t say often enough, occasionally correcting Tom on his “grazie.”
The veranda to our tent.  Approaching, it took our breath away.


The view of the Mara River from our veranda. We would like to have spent more time sitting here, but with our busy safari schedule, we had little time left for lounging. We didn’t mind a bit! We came to Camp Olonanato safari and that, my friends, is what we did, hour after hour. We’ve yet to show the very best of the photos, beginning tomorrow.  You know, the old adage, “saving the best for last?”


The comfy furnishings made is tempting to lay here and watch the wildlife to saunter or swim past from time to time. Actually, we only had time to sit here for one hour during the three day period. 


Although we were escorted to our tent the first time, Tom wanted to handle the long, sturdy zipper to ensure we had no issues. Of course, it was a breeze, opening to a virtual paradise of tent interiors.
Soon, we were unpacked, with our equipment plugged in, anxious to write here to begin sharing the experience. With no Internet connection in the tent and neither of our WiFi devices able to connect, we comfortably sat in the lodge to go online to post. As we’d mentioned the connection was poor, preventing us from posting many photos until returning to Diani Beach, where still the connection isn’t strong. We slept in the bed on the left, keeping our electronics plugged in on the bed on the right.  For the first time ever, my camera ran out of juice on safari forcing us to use the 2nd camera which Tom used less often.


Shortly after getting situated, we needed to get going for the afternoon game drive, taking one last shot in the daylight of the veranda view. Exquisite.
Additional view of our tent.
Our stone bathroom in our tent after we’d unpacked. The toilet is behind the door to the right and the shower is to the left as shown below in the next photo.
The stone shower in the tent, permanently built into the tent as were the closets. The walls in the tent as shown are actual tent material, tent windows, and tent exit as shown.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the beginning of our best safari photos with many unusual sightings in the wild, animals on the hunt, animal kills, dining in the bush, gorgeous scenery, and eventually, our trip to Tanzania.

Also, interspersed, we’ll include our communal evening barbecue with entertainment by a local Masai tribe. And, we’ll share our unbelievable visit, on our last day, to a nearby Masai village where we were welcomed and toured by Chief Richard learning the way of life for the Masai, so far removed from our own reality and so rich in its content.

Wildlife photos tomorrow…

Bats or just batty…

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Common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, common house bat, a much better photo I took from Wikipedia.  I guess this is nothing compared to the bats awaiting us in Africa. 

One night years ago, after falling asleep with the TV on, I awoke to see a bat fly in front of the TV screen.

Terrified of bats I bolted out of bed waving my arms and screaming, scaring Tom to death. After turning on the bright overhead light and looking around the bedroom, not finding a bat, he assured me it was a bad dream and to go back to sleep. I swore I’d seen a bat.

Two days later I was cleaning one of the upstairs guest rooms to find a dead bat on the inside of the screen apparently dying after trying to escape. I jumped for joy! I could hardly wait to show it to Tom when he’d return from work.

It was less of an “I told you so” than a “see, I’m not crazy” when I rushed him when he walked in the door that evening.  Of course, I had picked up the dead bat (much to my surprise) wearing a thick rubber glove saving it in a paper towel to show him. He shrugged his shoulders, “Oh, it’s a bat.” 

Little gratification was found there. 

Why is it when women are proven “right” that we don’t jump for joy when we prove it?  And yet men will gloat for days?  Ha!

After that experience I became less afraid of bats, merely preferring they don’t fly around me, touch me, or live with me.  No more screaming while running around in circles when spotting a bat flying nearby in the night sky.

A few days ago, walking down the mile-long hallway in this house, I noticed this clump on the floor in a corner of one of the nooks and crannies, meaning to toss it many times as I walked past, never having a handy paper towel. 

My blurry photo, taken zooming in with a shaky hand when  I realized it was a bat.

In my old life, I would have picked it up as soon as I saw it.  Now, living in a more relaxed environment in someone else’s house, I thought, I’ll get to it, whatever it is.  It wasn’t moving so I wasn’t particularly concerned.  Besides, it was neatly tucked away into a corner.  I thought it was a small clump of leaves.

Finally, yesterday afternoon, realizing that Santina was coming to clean today and not wanting to leave it for her, I grabbed a couple of paper towels to remove the pesky intrusion, leaning in closer to get a better look. It was a dead bat. I didn’t scream. Instead, I took a photo.

I must admit that a bit of the old fear gripped me keeping me from holding my hand steady as I zoomed in to take the photo. Thus, the blurry photo.

Calling Tom to come to see, he made a mad dash to the hallway from the veranda. Looking closely as I had done, he said, “Oh, I thought it was potpourri!”

Need I say, I laughed so hard I cried, repeating over and again, “Potpourri?” I’m still laughing as I write this.

He ran to the kitchen to get the broom and dustpan, scooping it up, taking it down to the garbage to dispose of it. Surely, it flew in over the past several nights when we had the windows-without-screens opened when the temperature was in the high 90’s. Gee, I knew there was a reason I didn’t want those windows wide open at night.

Good thing we don’t have a TV in the bedroom.

Aboard the Celebrity Equinox…

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Fabulous homes along the canal while our ship maneuvered from of the pier in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

To say the Celebrity Equinox is larger than the Celebrity Century is an understatement. With a capacity for over 2800 passengers, as compared to 2000 on the Century this seems as if it’s twice the size. Everything is huge! 

Banks of elevators line the halls, support staff at every corner, restaurants, theatres, two outdoor and one indoor pools with amenities for every age group abound. It’s daunting!

Our Concierge Class cabin is more exciting than we’d imagined. After reading a few reviews at
www.cruisecritic.com we anticipated that the upgrade was barely worth the extra fare. Ha!
We’re in heaven!

Speaking of heaven, last night, during our elegant dinner in the Silhouette Dining Room, the main formal dining area, Tom left mein stitches.

Looking at me with a twinkle in his eye he said, “You know what?”

“What?” I inquired, anxious to hear what he had to say.
“Today is the one month anniversary of Mayan calendar’s end of the world,” he said with a huge grin on his face.
“Oh, that’s true,” I agreed, anticipating his next comment.
“And I was right,” he said. “The world did end and we’ve died… and gone to heaven.”
We both laughed aloud. He was right. This is heaven.  And no, we don’t expect this glorious feeling to last forever but while it does we’ll relish in every moment. When it changes and it will, as it does when one first falls in love later settling into a familiar and comfortable feeling, we’ll accept and welcome the familiarity of our ever changing lifestyle along with the consistency of our relationship.
Our cabin is larger this time at 196 square feet as opposed to 186 on the Century, a seemingly small difference that provides us with a full sized sofa so we don’t have to lie in bed when lounging.
Packing and unpacking smarter this time, it took us only an hour and a half to unpack yesterday as opposed to several hours when we boarded the Century only nineteen days ago. I knew we’d get better at this! Again, Tom handled it all so well.
After we arrived onboard we wandered each of the multiple decks of this huge ship checking out all the activities, the 10 restaurants, the pools and Jacuzzis, the library, the Internet center and the 13 bars and lounges. 
Last point in Fort Lauderdale, as our ship sailed out to sea yesterday afternoon.

Returning to our cabin a few hours later, we were delighted to find a bottle of chilled sparkling wine, a platter of elegant canapés, fresh flowers, discount coupons, personalized stationery and our awaiting Cabin Steward, Juan, anxious to welcome us explaining options available to us. 

If we so choose, we may order room service, snacks, desserts or drinks 24 hours a day at no extra charge.  Tips, although already included in our fare, are expected by waiters, cabin attendants, bartenders and other on the date of departure (which in this case will be next Tuesday, the 29th when we disembark early to stay in Belize), as we’ve learned from other seasoned cruise passengers.  Based on the quality of service we experienced thus far, we have no issue with this. We’ve also included additional tips in our budget.

On board only 24 hours, we’ve already spent $254.64. This includes cocktails and tips last night, $199.95 for our minimal Internet package and $29 for a nifty pair of Steve Madden sunglasses for me (been wearing the same $10 pair of Target sunglasses for the past nine years). We had received a $100 on board credit so at the moment, our bill is $154.64.

(BTW, we just sailed by the north western tip of Cuba. Cigar anyone?)

Only additional charges that we anticipate going forward will be beverages and additional tips.
We don’t fall prey to all the “extras” aboard ship. The 17 appealing high end shops are fun to
investigate but offer no temptation for us. There are enough included activities and of course, casual and fine dining. 
Today for fun, we perused the menus of the “extra cost” restaurants, of which there are five.  None of them appealed to us to justify the extra expense. Most of the foods wouldn’t work for my limited way of eating or were very similar to the offerings in the main dining room, the Silhouette, an Old Hollywood style formal dining room as I mentioned above.
After traveling on the Celebrity Century for 15 days, we were upgraded to the Captain’s Club with three credits for “Classic” status.  The ideal is “Elite” requiring ten credits, a long way away based on the fact that our remaining six cruises are on other cruise lines.

Arriving in our cabin, we expected documentation stipulating our Captain’s Club status.
Alas, there was none although we’d received an email from Celebrity with our membership numbers only two days ago.

Determined to reap the benefits of the multiple cruising status, we marched off to Guest Services last night before dinner, diplomacy in hand, requesting our new Sea Pass cards (both a room key and on board charge card linked to our credit card) which should have been gold with a
Captain’s Club designation. We were politely informed that the staff in that department wasn’t available until this morning.

Unruffled, we sauntered off to dinner leaving the task for the morning, along with the required “lesson” in the Internet center as to how to log on and off their somewhat complicated system to ensure we weren’t charged for minutes we weren’t using. (This was different than on the Celebrity Century for some goofy reason).

After breakfast this morning we headed to complete our “tasks,”  which definitely was not as good as on the Celebrity Century…coffee was too strong, the smoked salmon too vinegary, too long a line for real poached eggs, the bacon was too fatty, blah, blah, blah. (No whining allowed. We ate our breakfast, chatting with a delightful couple from England on their 14th cruise).

Off to the Captain’s Club office with a 20 minute wait in chairs, a gracious young woman surprised to see we had “documentation” on my computer stipulating that we are in fact Captain’s Club members, our new Sea Pass cards were issued, we were handed a ton of printed materials along with a coupon for 10% off for Internet services we could drop off for credit.
Finally, we could get online to check email, Facebook and post on our blog and look forward to a private party for Captain’s Club members upcoming on Thursday. 
Tonight is formal night.  We goofed, failing to make a reservation for dinner in the main dining room, leaving our only option for 8:30 PM.  If we want to see the “show” in the Equinox Theatre, we’d have to attend the production at 10:45 PM tonight, a little late for me, although not Tom. Perhaps,  I’ll drink something with caffeine and try to stay awake, early bird that I am awaking at 5:30 am this morning as usual.  
Maybe it’s time for me to rearrange my hours to coincide with Tom’s, who prefers to go to sleep late and wake up later. Hum, us retired folks, eat early, bed early, up early. I need to get a grip! I use the excuse that I’m five years older than Tom. 
Lying in the warm sun on our patio at noon, we soaked up some rays as the ship began the journey past Cuba.  A class, again offered by the Smithsonian Institute, entitled  Beyond the Podium with James Karr, a retired college professor from Washington, on “Volcanoes, Connect Continents and Spawn Magical Webs of Life.” Very interesting! More classes to follow. We love these!
Now back in the cabin, I write this at 4:30 PM.  
Many have questioned the need for our excess baggage.  As we move from spot to spot, we’ve realized the benefit of the items we have brought along.  As we continue, we’ll either leave behind or ship some items back to the US which we don’t use or need. It’s a learning process that we’ll fine tune as we go along..

Today, our “stuff” served us well. Tonight, being formal night, we had carefully packed our dressy clothes in the few bags we needed to open for this cruise, one for each of us plus toiletries. Scrounging around in another suitcase, we pulled out our new unopened clothing steamer. Our clothes for tonight were wrinkled messes.

Yes, we purchased low wrinkle fabrics as much as possible. But Tom’s Hugo Boss suit and recently washed wrinkled proof dress shirt were also a mess.  My dressy dress was also riddled with wrinkles. Reading the directions, it looked easy enough. Minutes later, the trusty little steamer was spewing hot steam and I couldn’t wait, laundress that I am, to get my hands on
it!
In a matter of minutes, not only were our clothes for tonight wrinkle free but I also “unwrinkled” outfits for both of us for tomorrow night’s less dressy evening. In totaling the cost of having the same items done by the ship’s laundry service, we saved $34.65.  It took me less than 20 minutes. It more than paid for my Steve Madden sunglasses. Love the steamer!
Our appetizers will arrive in a few minutes. We’ll make a drink (somehow we managed to get Tom’s bottle of Courvoisier aboard without question), I’ll have an icy mug of Crystal Lite iced tea
and we’ll meander out to the balcony, plop down in the comfy chairs and begin yet another night in heaven.

Nice.

Scary night aboard ship!…

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View as we sailed away from the Panama Canal area with numerous ships awaiting beyond the breakwater for their upcoming transit through the canal.

Most likely, cruising is one of the safest modes of travel. 

We haven’t given our safety a second thought until last night during dinner as the ship was literally rolling back and forth, our glasses tinkling at our dining table nearly splashing out their contents. 

Tom and I glanced at each other with a look of uncertainty. We shrugged, returning to yet another enjoyable evening, again sitting next to a new couple engaging in lively animated conversation.  They had cruised many times and had traveled the world extensively.  It was reassuring to hear they’d been to and loved many of the places we plan to visit in the near future.

A discussion ensued concerning our upcoming
cruise to Dubai in May 2013 which they had the pleasure of experiencing a few years ago. This particular cruise offers several excursions in which we’ll surely partake: the Great Pyramids; the Sphinx and Giza.  They advised against paying additional fees to actually venture inside the Great Pyramids, saying that it was a waste of money with the space too small, too commercialized, and outrageously hot.  We take their advice seriously.

We welcome any advice from our readers worldwide as we share places we’ve yet to visit or while we’re staying in a particular area.  Please suggest restaurants, markets, local foods, places to visit and people to see.  Also, if you have knowledge of medical resources/doctors in the area, let us know.  We can’t be too prepared.  Please comment at the end of each daily post to which we’ll respond within 24 hours, once we’re able to get online.

We find ourselves suspicious and cautious of commercialized offerings that make one feel like cattle herded along to awaiting salespeople barking to “buy, buy, buy” which is often the scenario at most ports of call. 

Most of the excursions offered by the ship present the ultimate goal to place the passenger into a “buying” mood.  Most outings end up in some form of a retail area. We’ve recently discovered that most of the
excursions are owned by the cruise lines. Certainly, they are entitled to their profits. But then again, we are entitled to keep our money for our chosen future plans, not trinkets, artwork, local clothing, or jewelry. 
 
After yet another elegant dinner and the 9 PM show in the Celebrity Theatre, a nightly event we’ve only missed twice (the first night aboard ship and the Panama Canal night after which I was too exhausted with only two
hours sleep), we headed to our cabin as the ship continued its wild thrashing about in the strong winds.

Tom, bless his heart, can go on and on into the night but then again, he is five years younger than I.  Oh, it’s “hell to get old.” How we used to be able to manage the next day on so little sleep! 

Walking down the long hallway to our cabin, we faltered back and forth between the narrow walls as
the ship continued to sway. I had a particularly difficult time walking in 3″ heels weaving as if I were drunk (I don’t drink).

Once inside our cabin, we turned on the TV to the ship’s GPS station, showing our exact location, wind speed, etc. After checking our email, we decided to try to get some sleep as the ship raced toward our next destination, Cartagena, Columbia, (expected time of arrival at 8:30 am today). We were asleep by 11:30.

At 1:30 am I was startled awake by the sound of something falling off of a shelf in our cabin as the ship
flailed wildly in the sea. Twice, I got out of bed stumbling over our shoes and power cords scattered on the floor to witness the high white waves splashing up the sides of the ship.  On the 8th deck, the floor of our balcony was
covered with water.  I was a bit scared, to say the least.
 
Tossing and turning for hours unable to fall back to sleep, the sounds escalated around
4 am.  I wanted to wake up Tom during that period.  I couldn’t believe he was sleeping through it all. Finally, I turned toward him and in a whispered tone, I asked, “Are you awake?”

Mumbling, he said, “No, not really.” 

Hesitant to awaken him further I said, “Do you feel the rollin’?”  Hard of hearing after 42 years on the railroad, he said “Did you say “rollin’…rollin’?”

“Yes,” I answered in a louder voice, “rollin’!”

“On the river?” he asked.

“No,”  I laughed aloud, “on the sea!”

Leave it to my guy to make me laugh when I’m scared.  He has a magical way of comforting me with his non-stop sense of humor.  It was 4:00 am. Cuddling up we both wandered off to sleep.

At 7:15 am we were awakened by the loud roar of the ship’s side thrusters.  We were finally approaching Cartagena, Columbia. Bolting out of bed at exactly the same moment we threw back the balcony door drapes, opened the heavy sliding door and this is what we saw.

Downtown Cartagena Columbia.  All the buildings are white.

Again, tonight we’ll dine in the Grand Restaurant to later attend the live show “Groove,” an interactive 60’s party in the Grand Foyer, and then off to the Celebrity Theatre for their last live show of the evening.  Quite fun! We’re having the time of our lives!  Our new lives couldn’t be more fun, rolling seas or not.