Day 1: March 2nd, 2012
Donna and I had our bags packed and ready to go by 9am. Jeff took us to the airport and we checked in our luggage. We boarded our plane a little before noon, and arrived in Baltimore, to get our connecting flight to Fort Lauderdale. When we arrived that we got our luggage and went to our hotel. We fell asleep, and while we were sleeping Gloria and Pam had gotten in.
Day 2: March 3, 2012
We checked into the boat, they took all are luggage for us, got our sign and sail cards, then they ushered us up to the lido deck to eat lunch right away. By the time we were done eating our room was ready for us with our luggage outside our door. The room was nice, had comfy beds, shower was a little small, but all in all it was nice. We were assigned to a table in the Washington dining room table 579. It was a nice little booth for the 4 of us. They had so much to choose from, and you could order one of everything if you wanted! After eating each time it felt weird not paying them, because usually when you leave a restaurant you pay but on the boat all the food was free, unless you ate in the steakhouse. They also included ice tea, water, lemonade, apple juice, milk, and some other juices for breakfast, and all of those were free as well. If you wanted soda or a drink you had to use your sail and sign card. It's hard to remember what else we did that night. I know we did something but I can't quite remember at this moment. I know we watched the ship take off and went through a safety drill, then dinner, but after dinner I don't quite remember what we did...my guesses are the game show mania or the welcome aboard show. Gloria, Pam, or Donna, if you know you can comment but I can't remember now!
***At this point I am at home in Milwaukee
Day 3: March 4, 2012
This day was a day at sea....so we acclimated ourselves to the ship. We put on our swimsuits and hit the lounge chairs to soak up the sun. We had breakfast, lunch, then came in from the sun to shower and get ready for dinner. After dinner, there was this little java cafe that was set next to this hallway that had a bunch of leather couches and chairs. It was the best place to people watch. That probably was the highlight of our nights! lol As glo would say, "you can have it your way, but don't get crazy!" We went to the showtime in the main theater, it was just a lot of skinny girls dancing around in netted tights and thongs...yes thongs! I was like OMG, there are little children here, isn't it a family show? However, the show was really cool. Every night they would come in and turn our bedding out for us and leave a little towel animal. I don't remember which one we got this day but it was cool!
Day 4: March 5,
This day we were arriving on the island of Grand Turks. We ate breakfast and got off the boat. Grand Turks was beautiful and really awesome to see. We went shopping and just walked around. Close to when we had to be back on the boat Donna and I got a drink and sat and watched all these different contests that the margarita ville was having. It was funny to watch. We then got back on the ship showered and got ready for dinner. After dinner we went to the gender showdown, then afterwards we watched The Marriage Show....it was hilarious. They picked out of the audience the newest newly weds, the longest couple that was married, and then one couple that was in the middle of the two. The old couple was real funny because the old man wasn't all there...which made the show pretty funny but I still felt bad for them. The middle aged couple was also funny. The newly weds pretty much agreed on everything so it wasn't as funny. All the while this was going on we were on our way to the Dominican Republic.
Day 5: March 6, 2012
Gloria and Pam scheduled an excursion so they were already gone by the time Donna and I were up. It's hard to tell what time it is in the stateroom because there are no windows. So it was already lunch time by the time we were up and ready. We ate quick and then got off the boat to see the DR. First of all, there were security people everywhere! Then there was only one shop to shop from. We were just browsing through the store and Gloria and Pam came back from their excursion. We went back on the ship because there was nothing to do in the DR and those security guys were just creepy! We just poked around on board, did some tanning, played some cards, nothing special. We went to dinner and then went to the main theater and watched the showtime event of the night. After that show we went to the see the adult only Carnival Quest. It was funny, they made the guys wear the ladies bras and stuff. Then it was time for bed!
Day 6: March 7, 2012
This day was fun, we went to Curacao! They had so much shopping there! Everywhere you looked was a place to shop. Pam and Gloria went off on their own for awhile because they got off the boat later than us and missed what we already had seen. We agreed to meet them at the Starbucks (yes they had a Starbucks!). Donna and I were just walking around, and we had to take a ferry across to get to the other shops. On the way back we got super lost, and the neighborhood started to look a little shady :( I was like I don't want to be stuck in the Curacao ghetto! A few women passed us and Donna stopped them by asking if they spoke English which made them a little mad. However, they gave us directions, and after we walked away they made fun of us. Another lady on the way walked up to us and told us which way to go, she also said you need to hurry because you don't want to be in this area after dark. So we were super freaked! We met up with Gloria and Pam, got back on the boat. It was too late to have dinner in the dining room so we ate up on the lido deck where the buffet was. We watched the showtime of the night. After that we watched some karaoke and super star live. It was funny and amazing at the same time. People have to have lots of courage to get up there and sing in front of everyone! God knows I wouldn't be able to get up there and sing in front of a huge crowd!
Day 7: March 8, 2012
This day we had planned an excursion while we were in Aruba! We were on a tour bus with a driver that was awesome! He spoke all the info to us in English, and then repeated it in Spanish for the others that only understood it in Spanish. We stopped at this place where a broken bridge was....it had lava rocks and big waves. We stopped at a light house, but I didn't get off to see that because I sure didn't want to climb all the way up. I really had to pee while waiting in the van for Pam and Donna...and to go pee you had to pay them! Seriously? So you know what I did? I held it....I am not going to pay someone to pee! The last stop was the beach...this beach was so pretty. The sand was so white, and soft. The water was teal, blue, and green. I went in and swam for a bit...then laid out in the sun while glo, Donna, and Pam walked down the beach. Our van picked us back up and took us to the shopping area of Aruba. We shopped for awhile, then got back on the boat. Too late for our dining room time so we ate on the lido deck where the buffet is. We went to the showtime at 8:30 and 10:30 this night because this Motown singer Marcus Anthony was singing...he was really good. He picked people out of the audience and danced with them and made couples get up on stage and dance. During the second showing we had moved closer and he was singing, started walking towards our row (Donna, me, glo, and Pam in that order seated), I thought for sure he was coming to me (I hate that kind of stuff makes me all self conscious. However, he wasn't coming for me, he took Gloria. I've never seen her act the way she did...she was giggling like a little school girl. We got some good pictures of it, she told him her husband is going to kill her.
Day 8: March 9, 2012
This was a day at sea because the boat was making its way back to Miami. So we soaked up the sun and got our tan on. Mostly just ate, played cards, read, and sit by the java cafe on the couches and people watch! We had dinner then went to the showtime of the night. The nights theme was the 80's! I think it was my favorite showtime! They did all old school 80's music, apparel, songs, and dances. After the show we went to see two comedy shows, which were both pretty good!
Day 9: March 10, 2012
This was our last day on the ship, woke up kind of sad. We basically did what we did the day before, ate breakfast, went out and tanned for awhile, then had lunch, then went back to our rooms to shower, get ready for dinner, and start packing. I had most of my stuff packed before dinner. We had a good dinner and then decided against going to the show this night. We all met at the couches by the java cafe and people watched and played cards for awhile. Pam left a little early to start packing. Gloria, Donna, and I people watched some more then went up to the lido deck at like 10:30pm to get some ice cream and pizza for Gloria. When we got back to our room we had monkey shaped towel in our room! That was my favorite of the whole week, they left one each night. You will see pics soon.
Day 10: March 11, 2012
Woke up extra early today because they wanted us off the ship by 7:45 am. So we woke at 6am then went to breakfast, back to our rooms to get our bags, then we had to "sign out". Then we had to go through customs which was another long line of stupidness! They basically looked at your paper work and let us through....I don't get it....felt like a waste of time. Finally we were cleared to go. We waited for our cab driver to take Donna and I to the hotel, and Gloria and Pam to the airport. They didn't have our room ready because it was so early so Donna and I just sat and talked. Finally we got our room and we both layed on the bed and fell asleep and took a long nap. Then we woke up got our suits on and sat out by the pool. We ordered dinner, then went to the gas station. On the way back from the gas station Donna said she saw a cat, I didn't see it at first, but it was a little baby kitten running around and scared. I said a little prayer for it to not get injured. We watched TV and went to bed to wake up early the next morning.
Day 11: March 12, 2012
Woke up at 6am (was supposed to get a wake up call but they never did, so lucky I set my phone alarm. We got ready, checked out and took the airport shuttle to the airport, waiting in line for a bit to check in and give them our bags. Our first flight left Florida at 9am....we were flying into Denver. The pilot said it would take 4 hours. So when we got to Denver it was only 1130. Because of the time difference and all the day light savings crap our whole week/weekend was confusing! Our flight from Denver to MKE was supposed to leave at 12:15 but was delayed until 1:00pm for mechanical issues. We got on the plane to take off, and Donna said she was gonna throw up...I was so worried for her. I made her drink water, and breath in and out real slow. She didn't throw up but the whole way home she felt miserable. We finally got off the plane and met Papa, Malissa, and Jo at the main terminal. Got our bags and came home. I unpacked right away, to get it over with. I really needed to do laundry because I had no clean scrubs. So Malissa and I went to the laundry mat to get all of our laundry done at once. It's nice because if you have a lot of laundry you can wash a bunch at once! We came home and I changed purses and organized everything.
So that was the gist of my trip...any questions? Just ask!
On another note
While on the ship I read the book called, "The Shack"...for my book club and it was really good...made me think a lot. The cruise was amazing because it took my mind off of stuff and helped me get some clarity. I thought a lot about Chad the whole trip, especially reading that book. I still miss him, a lot....I'd be lying if I said I didn't. I was thinking about the relationship inventory that I posted awhile ago....it made it seem like Chad was this horrible piece of shit....and it wasn't meant to come out like that...it was more about getting the facts of the past out there on paper or whatever to see how far I've come. Even after all the bad things, the past, and his guilt...I still love him. I know he questions that all the time, how could I love him after everything in the past? I honestly don't have an answer for that...I wish I did but I don't. So since he can't figure that out he lets the past and questions get in the way. When him and I were good, we were really good, but when we were bad, we were really bad. However, to this day I still believe in him, I know deep down all of his struggles and past all that, that he is a good person...he just got lost along the way. Who hasn't gotten lost before? Hell, I'm lost now! Back on land I had gotten a text from him, I asked if he sent it by mistake and he said no y? The last time I included him in an email that I sent out to everyone he told me to not contact him...so I found it shocking that he'd text me. There was a little more to that convo just not too important. So, the conclusion I came to after this nice relaxing week...is that I am going to focus on me right now. I am going to work out at the gym more, and change my portion sizes of food. I wanna lose this weight! (Part of me thought that Chad would be a good motivator and work out "buddy") Besides all that about me, I am going to just go with the flow....if someone comes along and sweeps me off my feet then so be it...but I'm not going to be out there and searching. And NO I am not waiting around for Chad to come to his senses and wakes up and smells the coffee, or that the grass isn't greener on the other side. I hope he doesn't realize it too late for his sake and mine. I still love him to death and after everything I still feel that way. I don't get why, but that's just what my heart and gut are telling me to think this way. Maybe he'll come around, maybe he won't....I just have to take it day by day.
On another note, a few days before leaving the boat for land, my eyes started acting funny like when I had my mioptic shift except in reverse....before I could see anything unless it was super close to my eyes....this time I can see far but can't see close up to read my book, text message, phone calls, emails, etc you get the drift. So I have some reader glasses that help with that. I keep forgetting about having to put the glasses on when I am checking a text and then can't read it and I say to myself, aah shit I need my glasses. It sucks and I hope it goes back to normal like the first time it happened.
I know this is a lot to read but it's been awhile for a blog post. I'm sorry about days that I don't remember too much, but time flies when you re having fun!
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