Travel Log

Warning: Could be boring!

Kim and I got home Sunday night from a 7 day Western Caribbean Cruise. We went on the (Bed creature, different each night)

Serenade of the Sea. We really had a good time. Having never done this before we weren’t really sure what to expect or how things were done, but there are people at every step of the way to make you do it right and never get lost.

We spent a night in San Juan before we boarded the ship and that was pretty uneventful. We did wander around a little on old San Juan but we didn’t see or really do anything. But once we boarded the ship we did a lot of wandering. They are huge and this one carries 2800 passengers and 900 crew.

(rooms looked like RV trailers, but they were very comfortable)

Each day we went on a different adventure and if that didn’t take all day, you could always shop. Shopping is something they want everyone to do. Especially shopping for diamonds. I have never seen so many Jewelery shops.

We went snorkeling on St. Thomas, which took me a little getting used to. I haven't done it since Hawaii (24 years ago) but it was fun. I don’t think we saw as many colorful fish and coral here but it was still a good adventure.

The next day we took a tour bus into the hills and all around St. Lucia to see the Pitons mountains. We also saw so much poverty and unemployed young adults and men, the homes were the size of many of our garden sheds, or single car garages. Everywhere we went people were trying to sell “stuff".

We couldn’t decide what to do on Antigua,

so we took a cab with some other people and went to a very beautiful beach and just hung out for the day. Kim was able to eat some authentic food, which just the smell made my mouth burn and eyes water, so I just ate his coleslaw. I have to admit I have never seen Kim just relax and hang out at a beach before so I kept asking him if he was bored and surprisingly he always said "no."

We split up on St. Maartin, because I didn’t want to go Scuba Diving.

(Kim getting on the ship just in the nick of time from Scuba Diving)

Kim went and had a good time and was able to “breath under water” something I do just fine above the water. But I went to the shopping area and learned how to ride or drive a Segway or people mover. I was totally surprised how fun and easy it was. We had one women chicken out, she kept telling her husband she wasn’t coordinated enough and just walked away. It took a little getting the hang of it, but after just a few minutes I had it down and off I went. (famous beach, where movies are frequently made, I don't know what movies)

We went on a 4X4 adventure on Barbados to see the Green Monkeys and other tropical forest type animals, and on the way there our guide told us all about the Real-Estate and how much everything cost and where famous people stayed and owned homes and got married, it was interesting but I’m not sure it was really the Island Tour speech he was supposed to give. He did however live up to the 4x4 adventure part by taking us off road through a sugarcane field and factory and about knocking all of us of the back of the truck. Not so fun! (Milton and Mary)

(watching Kite Surfing)

All in all I had a good time, I loved spending time with Kim and eating fancy dinners and having waiters remembered your name and meeting new people. Jodi said on hers they were Mormon magnets, we were not, and as far as I know we never meet or ran into an LDS person, but trust me I kept looking for signs, like no liquor in one or both hands, clothing that night be considered semi-church appropriate, the obvious “lines” under the clothing, but we still really enjoyed the people we did meet. (dinner companions and waiters)

2 single ladies at our dinner table cruise at lest 2 times a year, they have been doing it together for 15 years, since their husbands both died, and had done this same cruise 5 times, only because they love the ship, shopping and beaches. That seems a little much for me, but to each their own. We had a few nights of great entertainment, we never ate until we were sick, and never slept in.
I am grateful for the opportunity to go and be with Kim, to not worry about home and work and everyday things and just be together, but I was also glad to get home to my kids and baby.So Happy Sailing for the next time.


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