April 10, 2011 Sunday
Today is the last of our 8 day stretch at sea. We have one more sea day coming up on Tuesday, but other than that we will be in one port or another for the next 8 days. The Atlantic has been very calm and the sky has been mostly blue.
Here’s an example of some of the activities that have been available to keep us occupied. Towel folding demo, flower arrangements, book club, bridge, computer courses, photo workshops, numerous lectures on things ranging from global warming to acupuncture, a nightly show extravaganza, trivia challenges, happy hour, dance lessons, cooking classes, movies, Tai Chi, Yoga, Aquarobics and many other physical body conditioning pastimes to help ward off the effects of the daily caloric enslaught. In addition to all that there is the spa for facials, massages and all things super expensive. There’s a gym, a casino, a duty free shop, a jewelery store, and of course hot tubs and pools. On Tuesday coming up we have a 5 mile..”On Deck for the Cure” fund raising walk for breast cancer…hooray for Holland America. (I will definitely be part of this…we even get wrist bands and T-shirts. I wonder how many times we will have to circumnavigate the ship to do 5 miles. I’ll be thinking of all my wonderful family and friends that have been touched by this horrible disease) We have an exhuberant activities staff that make you tired just listening to them, therefore, we also have nap time! Preferably on a lounge by the pool…I have a peeling nose to prove that it’s not a good idea to fall asleep for too long!
Before I left home I had made the comment that as far as single cruising was concerned, I was either going to love it or hate it and that there was only one way to find out. It was pointed out to me that there is a huge range between love and hate and to keep an open mind and maybe settle for somewhere in between. My opinion after 8 days at sea? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being..I HATE it and will NEVER DO THIS AGAIN! To 10 being…where do I sign up to live aboard forever ? I’m willing to rate this between 6 and 7. I have kept busy and I have also spent some alone time. I have met some great people that I will probably keep in touch with. Compared to the “independent travel” that was so much a part of our lives for the last dozen years or so? Yes, I will cruise again. An easy and very safe way for a woman alone to be able to travel. But when this cruise ends I will again become my independent self for a few months. I’d say I have discovered the best of both worlds.
My eyes are fine. The floating meds that were flying around like butterflies inside my eye for a few days are gone. Ya.
This internet connection has not got any cheaper (or faster) in the last few days, so I will post this from shore somewhere in the next few days. Tomorrow we arrive in Funchal on the Island of Madeira, which is part of Portugal. I am taking an afternoon shore excursion called Eira do Serrado and Basket Sleigh-Ride. Apparently we go up into the mountains…and slide back down in a wicker sleigh. I’ll take lots of photos and post them next week when I get to Greece (yeah…free wifi) Tuesday we are at sea and then spend Wednesday and Thursday in Cadiz, Spain.
Hasta luego mis amigos….love y’all!
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