Travel day - going home!

Saturday January 28 to Sunday January 29

Started the day early at 5:30 a.m. I could see the lights of Fort Lauderdale in the distance and shortly after saw the pilot boat make it's way up to the bow of the boat to lead us into the port.

I had a quick breakfast in the buffet, then headed downstairs to the Michelangelo dining room to ensure I would be among the first to leave the ship as my flight was scheduled to leave at 11:30. Last year it took us awhile to get through customs and to disembark. Well, this year it took mere minutes and I was in a cab on my way to the airport by 7:15, a full 3 1/2 hours beofre my flight left!

I'd checked through security and was waiting in the gate are for about an hour when I heard my name being paged to return to the ticket counter for an urgent message. When I got there, the agent told me that flight I was scheduled on was delayed so I wouldn't be able to make my connection in Montreal to Toronto. Instead they had booked me on a direct flight to Toronto leaving at 12:30. I told the agent I thought I loved him!

The flight was good, I dozed for a bit, then watching a movie "The Mighty", a story about two boys, one boy with Morquio's syndrome and an older boy who was bullied because of his size. If you get a chance to see it, it's definitely worth the time.

The hurry up and wait became extreme in Toronto. We landed about 4 p.m. and it took about an hour to get through customs, pick up my luggage, move it to another belt, and make my way through security. I was starving by then so grabbed a sandwich at Tim Horton's and settled in to wait. And wait and wait and wait some more. I made a few phone calls to my daughter, my friend K, and another friend T. I read, I walked, and I made up stories about the people in the waiting area.

The flight was scheduled to leave at 10:15 p.m. I came back from one of my walkabouts about 9 and there was no one at my gate - what? I checked the board and discovered the gate had been changed and now the board read that the flight would be delayed until 11:10 p.m. At this point I was getting tired and the stupid factor was kicking in...you know when your thoughts make little sense even to you? Well it only got worse from there!

At 10:30 it was pretty clear we weren't going anywhere soon as there was no plane at the gate. At 11:10 it still wasn't there! Finally about 10 minutes later the plane arrived at the gate, the passengers de-planed, the luggage was off-loaded and a number of trucks and workers began swarming the plane. An announcement was made to tell us that our flight would be delayed until midnight.

I didn't believe it because I could see that as I watched the maintenance personnel were changing the tires on the nose wheel. By midnight they were no closer to completing their task. The attendant at the desk kept getting calls but it wasn't until the third one that she announced that all the tires on the aircraft needed to be changed so we would be getting a different plane at a different gate.

It turned out the plane was sitting at a gate in the international area. This meant we had to wait another 20 minutes for the security sweep to be completed before we were allowed to the gate. Then, just for fun, we got to wait some more as the aircraft had to be cleaned, the luggage brought over from the first plane. By the time we boarded it was after 12:30 and I was beyond exhausted. My mouth had a tinny taste, my head was acdhing and the thought of having to put one foot in front of the other seemed too much.

However, I did manage to get onto the airplane and get seated. The captain announced we would be taxiing to the de-icing area, then getting into the queue for take-off. I can remember the plane moving, then the splash of the de-icer on the window...but I don't remember take-off...I was fast asleep! I slept most of the flight though was awake several times due to the small children seated across the aisle and another passenger who was airsick several times during the flight.

We finally touched down at 3:55 a.m. After getting my luggage, I grabbed a cab home and was in my pajamas crawling into my own bet just before 5. The cats were pleased to have me home, all three came for a cuddle. As Dorothy would say, "There's no place like home!"

Final Sea Day

Friday January 23

We lost an hour overnight so although the clock said 7 a.m. I felt like it was 6...seems to me I had the same feeling (in reverse) just a day or so ago. There is apparently a good reason why I live in Saskatchewan where we don't change our clocks.

The day was cloudy, overcast with a forecast for rain. After breakfast, watching the dark sea, I used up the last of my minutes at the Internet Cafe. This is one item I intend to comment on with Princess as a dislike! There was a sale in the lower dining room so I arrived ahead of 10 a.m. hoping to be there when it started...except it didn't start until 10:30. Instead of waiting I went up to the Terrace Pool to read, then headed back down shortly after the sale started.

Last year, they had everything from clothing to jewellery to purses and wallets as well as other miscellaneous items. This year was more sparse, with no watches (which I was looking for), a few pieces of costume jewellery, a few wallets and lots of clothing. I picked up a leather wallet for $10 and a hoodie for $19. I really like the hoodie, the color is teal blue and it doesn't have a big banner on it with the word Princess on it, just a small decal of fish.

After the sale, I made the mistake of going into the Casino. I spent more than I intended to - both in time and money. It was nearly 1 p.m. by the time I left so I headed upstairs for lunch, then back to my cabin to start the packing process. I spent some time on the balcony reading, as I wanted to finish my book before returning it to the library. ("Oprah" - the unauthorized biography by Kitty Kelley). At the library I found "The Nanny Diaries" that had been left for exchange. It would give me something to read that day and on my travel day.

Later I headed back out to the Terrace Pool for awhile despite the lack of sun. It was sheltered from the breeze so although cloudy, it felt warm enough for an afternoon doze. The sun did break through the clouds briefly, for about a half hour. I certainly appreciated it, especially because when I get home it will be several weeks before I feel the heat of it again.

In the evening I spent some time finishing my packing, then went to bed to get some sleep. That certainly did NOT happen! The guests to my left and the ones two doors to the right were incredibly noisy. They arrived back at their cains around 10 p.m., then spent a few minutes shouting back and forth at one another in the hallway. At this poiht I assume they did their packing as there was a lot of noise, thumps and I could hear people opening and closing drawers and the balcony doors. It was after 1 a.m. before the lights on the balcony next door was put out. I finally fell asleep shortly after that. When I woke up at 3:30 I went to the bathroom, ensuring that I banged into the wall several times on my way there and back. (Just a little passive-agressive of me!)

There is no place like home

I know I promised to update the blog with the past couple of days happenings, edit the previous posts, and upload some pictures. I got this process started, you'll find pictures up to Saint Lucia Day 4 Part 1, with some editing done on the previous posts.

However, the rest will have to wait. Although I expected to be home by about 1 a.m. this morning, that didn't happen. In fact, it was 4:55 a.m. before I got into my own bed. While I did sleep on the plane, I was awake by 8:30 so I'm getting very tired. I'm back to work tomorrow so it will be an early night for me.

I spent the afternoon with my friend K, going through my pictures and talking about my adventures. We've agreed Saint Lucia will be destination goal for next year. It certainly gives us time to research and find the best alternative routes!

Thanks for sharing this trip with me, it's been fun to see the number of page views increase. Not surprising, when I'm talking about something other than my normally boring life. As much fun as I had, I'm glad to be home, both the cats and the kids seems to be happy to have be here too.

Cozumel, Mexico

Thursday, January 26

I managed to get mixed up in my time, I thought my tour left the pier in Cozumel at 7:50 a.m. so I was up early for breakfast and out to the dock by 7:30. Once I got to the pier and checked with the guy holding the clipboard I discovered the tour didn't leave until 8:50 a.m.! I wandered around the shopping plaza for awhile before finding a quiet corner to curl up and read (my tour was taking me to the beach so I'd brought a book along with me...good thing).

This is my second visit to Mexico; I spent a week here at an all-inclusive with my daughter in 2010. I didn't like Mexico then, and I still don't care for it. First and foremost, it drives me crazy the constant, "Ola, come see lady" calls from the shops. If I'm interested I'll go look, if not the calls simply annoy me and I've been known to walk away even when I might have gone in.

Our tour left on time to travel about an hour to the San Jervaiso ruins. They were so very interesting and our guide Jorge was quite knowledgeable, answering the questions and responding to comments. He even gave us an opportunity to wander on our own, which I appreciated. I took a picture of the largest iguana I have ever seen, the head was massive - I stayed a safe distance away! (Picture to follow)

From the ruins we travelled along the eastern coastline around the island to Playa Mia. The coast was very pretty, the waves were very high, and the rocks looked dangerous, so there were very few people on the small beaches. At Playa Mia, we ventured off the bus, through the restaurant to the beach. I was disappointed, it was not even half as nice as the beach in Saint Lucia. The water was full of rocks and seaweed so I did little more than dip my toes in the water. The sand was gritty and full of pieces of shell, not fine and soft as I've experienced at other places.

We had an hour and a half at the beach before we were loaded back on the bus for our 15 minute drive back to the port. By this point, I wasn't feeling well, tired, headachey, and slight nauseous. I thought it was simply that I was hungry as breakfast had been many hours previous. Once back on board ship I went for something to eat, but still didn't feel well, and went back to my cabin for a rest.

It dawned on me that it was likely due to the diesel fumes from the bus. I was sitting in the second to last row, and the three ladies behind me and I had noted a strong odor for much of the trip. After I slept for an hour, I felt somewhat better, but decided to rest in my cabin for the remainder of the afternoon.

One of the "perks" of being a returning passenger on Princess is an invitation to the Captain's Circle event. It is a formal event, and I attended last night for the first time. I attended...the captain did not, as we were just leaving port. The staff recognized the passengers with the most days travelled, the woman in first place had 775 days cruising. Wow, that's a lot of time at sea!!!

Dinner was at 6, and Cdn George and his wife Wanda, had scheduled dinner at one of the restaurants so did not join us. Instead, Dan's mother, Sherry and her friend Beth, joined our table. Last night's dinner included lobster and shrimp, with escargot as the appetizer. I watched in amazement as Dan ate two plates of the appetizer, three of the entree, before moving onto dessert. It's probably judgemental of me, but just because you can, doesn't mean you should!

After dinner, I went back to my cabin to change...dresses and high heels aren't my favorite attire.. and then headed down to the internet cafe. From there it was back to the cabin, as I was tired and ready to relax. I don't think I'd been in bed more than few minutes before I was fast asleep. I awoke in the night at one point to find that there was a thunderstorm in the distance. It was a first for me; while I've experienced many storms on land, I've never seen one at sea. NOT that I have that many days crusing (today makes 21!)

I'm looking forward to a quiet day at sea tomorrow and dreading the travel day on Saturday. This will be my last post until I get home as I'm running out of minutes! I'll edit the previous posts to include the photos then, and correct the many spelling and grammatical errors, as I haven't taken time to edit the posts! I'm looking forward to catching up on the blogs I follow as well, I've missed hearing what is going on in other people's lives!

Belize

Wednesday, January 25

It was an early morning as I needed to be at the Princess Theatre by 7 a.m. for the tour on Belize. We waited at least a 1/2 hour before being moved down to the tender area for the ride to the port. The ride in on the tender was nearly 20 minutes! Thankfully, the seas weren't too rough, though I was still happy to have my feet on solid ground.

Then we did the hurry up and wait again as we lined up for our tour bus. Eventually we were herded onto the bus and started on our way. Our first stop took us through Belize City and far into the countryside to the Community Santuary about an hour away. The two guides on the bus kept us well entertained sharing all sorts of information about the island and its people.

Once there we trekked across the field and into the nearby jungle where were had a chance to interact with a group of howler monkeys. The alpha male monkey is the one who howls the most (no surprise there!). We did see some little ones who are more friendly than the adults. Some of our group actually shook hands with the little guys!

We headed back to the bus for another hours drive to "Cheers" restaurant. I was wearing my t-shirt with the Canada logo so the owner stopped by the table. It turns out she is from British Columbia and has lived in Belize for ten or more years. We were served a lunch of stewed chicken, beans and rice, and coleslaw - it tasted great!

After lunch, we were back on the bus for a short drive to the Belize Zoo. This was certainly the highlight of the trip for me. It is unlike any zoo I've ever visited as it is carved into the jungle. The cages hold various animals, many of which have come to the zoo for rehabilitation. For exmaple, one of the jaguars had been shot and was nursed back to health and now resides permanently there.

We saw various birds, jaguars, a grey fox, a tapir, crocodiles, wild boards, and more monkeys. The cages are built right into the jungle to allow the animals the most natural habitat possible. The birds are enclosed but while there is fencing for the other animals, I assume the lure of food is what keeps most of the others within the zoo. Even the grey fox can climb the trees - that was neat to see! It was definitely worth the long bus ride.

Our return trip was about 45 minutes, and we were given an opportunity to do a little shopping. I stopped at the Chocolate Factory and got some Belizean coffee and some chocolate soap. I also tasted some of the chocolate, my first piece had chilis in it...phew was it hot. The second piece was mint and definitely more to my taste.

The tender ride took about 15 minutes back to the ship. I was ready to get to my cabin and have a shower. I suspect most of my fellow travellers were thinking the same (about me and personally as well).

I sat on the balcony to watch the sunset over Belize. So beautiful and so short! It was a wonderful day and one I'll not forget.

Roatan, Honduras (maybe?)

Tuesday, January 24

I was up early due to the time change that occurred overnight. According to the clock it was 6 a.m. but my mind and body were certain it was 7 a.m. I decided not to fight the feeling, so after dressing I headed to the libary to return and book and the internet cafe to do a post before breakfast.

I could not find the library...I knew in general where it ought to be, and obviously I'd been there before...but I spent sxeveral minutes wandering the area on floors 5 through 7 by the atrium looking for it. I even asked a crew member (deck attendant) and he wasn't sure. Eventually another passenger with her trusty map sent me in the right direction.

I ate breakfast at the buffet and went outdoors to the area above the Terrace pool to eat. I can't understand sitting indoors in the air-conditiong, especially in the morning before it gets hot, especially knowing that in just a few days I'll be heading back to the snow & cold!

I was to take a tour on Roatan however due to rough seas and high winds we were unable to berth in Mahogany Bay. The captain took us to to another port, Coxen Hole, where it was thought we might be able to anchor and then tender into shore, however that too had to be aborted.

Instead I spent the morning near the Terrace pool. Later I found a quiet chair on the promenade deck to read, then attended a future cruise presentation on Alaska. I'm not sure I'm really interested but it gave me a chance to get out of the sun for awhile. After all these days, I managed to burn my back...I guess the sun was warmer than I thought.

After that, I did go back to the pool briefly, since I didn't realize yet that I had burned that morning. I didn't stay long, maybe 45 minutes, before heading to my cabin for some rest and relaxation. I spent an hour or so out on the balcony enjoying the sea breeze and the shade. The sun set about 5:35 p.m. and I got some really awesome pictures. When the sun sets in the Caribbean it takes about 5 minutes from start to finish. (I'll edit to include the pictures when I get home...just a couple more days :>(

Grand Cayman

I woke up early, just before 6 a.m., feeling wide awake and refreshed. I think I had the best sleep I've had on this entire trip. The soft rocking of the ship is like being in a cradle (not that I remember, I just assume).

We sailed in the harbour at Georgetown on the Grand Cayman Island shortly after I woke up. I sat on my balcony watching the sun come up and expose the city. First impression was that it is certainly not as picturesque as Saint Lucia.

I had ordered room service breakfast as I had to be in the theatre for the tender to shore at 8:45. We were a huge group, my guess would be close to 100 people (just for the single tour) eventually made their way on board the boat to be ferried to shore. From there, were were transferred to buses for our various tours. Debra, our driver, drove us through the main street of Georgetown to the Turtle farm a few miles past the 7 mile beach.

It was an interesting place, but I was anxious to get on with the trip. We moved across the road to the rum shop, where I bought three rum cakes (chocolate, golden, & key lime) and a few postcards. Finally, we were on our way to the place I really wanted to visit, Hell.

It turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. There were 3 small huts selling souveniers, t-shirts, post cards AND postage because the post office was closed due to a puble holiday. I mailed a couple of my postcards but the clerk would not sell me more stamps than I had purchased postcards in their shop. I ended up with 3 more postcards I wasn't able to mail until I got back onboard the ship.

We were back on the bus and returning to Georgetown by 11:30 a.m. The rest of the group asked to be left off in the town to do some shipping. I continued back to the pier with Debra. When I left the bus, I told her I was going to say she'd lost everyone else in Hell.

I spent the afternoon by the Terrace pool watching the sun play peek-a-boo behind the clouds. There were no clouds nearby, just above our ship...how wierd is that? It never rained but was lovely and warm.

At dinner the Georges, Wanda, Pat and I were joined by another couple, Jill and Dan. They had been going to the anytime dining but weren't happy awith it so made the switch. Jill has celiac disease so must order her meals the day prior so they can be specially prepared. It means we also kknow what will be on the menu the day before!

I went to the Explorer's Lounge to hear Phil Tag, a comedienne. Decent show but the passengers were funnier. One lady in a large group nearby was upset they were unable to move the tables together for their group. When the waiter explained they must be bolted down, she was quite puzzled. I suspect if the seas had been more rough on this cruise she might have figured it out on her own!

Sea Day 1

Sunday, January 22

I was awoken early in the morning, about 6:15, by the sound of children running up and down the hall. I simply put my earplugs back in and slept until 7:30. Hoped this wouldn't be a daily experience!

When I did get up I put a load of laundry in before I went for breakfast, it was ready for the dryer by the time I had finished eating, then headed for the Terrace Pool. I counted - it's only 60 steps from my room to the stairs leading up to the pool. How cool is that?

Met a lady from Penticton, B.C. at the pool who splurged on this cruise for her 50th birthday. Poor girl is a redhead and the sun was playing havoc with her skin so she didn't stick around long.

Around noon I went back to my room and had a snack of fruit and a sandwich I'd got earlier at the buffet. This is my meagre attempt NOT to eat too much on this cruise. I've gotten more exercise with the walking in Saint Lucia and the requirement that I use the stairs on the cruise that I'm actually seeing a slight (and I mean very slight) difference in the way my clothing is fitting. I'd like to go home that way!

After my lunch, I headed up to the 15th deck to the pool with the big screen television. I watched the end of the movie "The Help" which I've seen before, read my book for awhile, and chatted with a mother and daughter from South Carolina via New Jersey.

Then it was time for football! The first game for those who don't follow American football were the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots. The Patriots were favored to win. With 2 minutes remaining, the Patriots were leading by 3, the Ravens had the ball and....our satellite signal cut out!!! A lady nearby had a cellphone so texted her daughter and we got the news that the Patriots had prevailed.

Between this game and the next I hustled over to the buffet for a bite to eat. Then it was back for the second game, the San Francisco 49'ers and the New York Giants. In this game, the Giants were favored to win. We kept losing the signal throughout the game, and by halftime it was dark and getting cool on deck so I decided to head to my cabin to watch the final half (or as much as the signal would allow).

The game was nearing the end, the score was tied, and I was exhausted. I tried to stay awake but simply couldn't and woke up a short time later to the Princess television pattern. I did learn the next morning on ESPN that the Giants won in overtime.

It was a great day at sea, lots of sun and time outdoors!

Sailing day

Saturday, January 21

This is not only sailing day but also my niece L's 9th birthday. I haven't been home for her birthday for probably 6 years, she forgives me though when I bring home cool presents from far away.

I have to tell you about the Bridge at Cordova, the hotel/hostel I stayed at over night. My first impression on arrival was that it was quite rundown, and the room I was assigned did little to overcome this impression. It was dingy, dated, and the bathroom floor hadn't been swept very well. I kept my flip-flops on the entire time I was in the room (except in the shower).

I had hoped to enjoy a leisurely bath but this wasn't to be, as the tub had no plug and in fact had a large hole where the switch from tub to shower would normally be. The beds were singles (which makes sense as K was to be with me), the bedding was old and worn but adequate for the night. (I'm almost certain I had that bedspread in the '80's!)

The true benefits to the hotel were made evident in the morning. Jorge, the manager (and I asume owner) is incredibly accommodating. He provides a continental breakfast of fresh coffee, tea, and juice, bagels, toast and spreads, and a variety of fresh fruit, at poolside. There are picnic tables scattered about where one can sit and meet fellow travellers. I met two ladies from Australia who were sailing on the Oasis that day, as well as several others who would be boarding the Crown Princess with me. The hotel provides a shuttle at $6 per person which is very reasonable.

At the pier we had about a half hour wait before we were permitted to start boarding the ship. Line-ups moved quickly from there and I was in my cabin by 12:30. After putting away the few items from my carry-on, setting up the safe, and freshening up I headed for the purser's desk and then to the buffet for some lunch.

(Just a little different from the hostel, isn't it?)

My luggage arrived at my room, shortly before we sailed away...I was starting to get a little worried it had been left on the dock I spent some of my time relaxing on my balcony drinking coffee, enjoying the view and making my notes. My cabin is in a wonderful location, on the 14th deck (actually 13 but I'm not superstitious), near the stairs and elevator, mere steps from the Terrace pool, and dangerously close to the buffet (one floor up).

After the safety drill I headed for the Terrace pool for the sail away. It was neat to see the people on shore waving to us as we made our way through the channel. Afterward I went back to my cabin to unpack my luggage, then headed down to the library to get a few books to read.

While there, a gentleman spoke to me and pointed out his wife, saying "Look at the books she's got, she'll be up all night reading. I won't be having any fun tonight". I laughed and we both moved on. After the library, I went back to my room to get ready for my dinner sitting at 6 p.m.

At the table I met the two couples who will be dining with me each evening. They are Pat and her partner George from Connecticut and George and his wife Wanda from Brampton, Ontario. (I'll call them US Geo and Cdn Geo to differentiate). We started chatting and at some point US Geo made a comment about not having any fun that eveining in his stateroom. I turned to him and said, "were you in the library earlier?" We confirmed, that he and Pat were indeed in the library, AND it was he who had made the comment to me! There are approximately 3,000 passengers onboard ship...what are the odds that we would have had a chance meeting and then to be seated together for dinner?

After dinner I went to the Wheelhouse Bar for the singles and solo event. There were only seven of us there, even though I know for certain there are many more (Facebook page would suggest this). The six other ladies were part of a group of eight from Calgary, Alberta. I'm hoping I'll run into them again at some point, as they were lots of fun.

From there, I went to the Internet cafe to get my post done for the day, check e-mail, and Facebook. Then it was back to my cabin for an early night. I found out the one problem with the location of my cabin - it's proximity to the elevators means I hear the pinging sound quite clearly. My ear plugs took care of that nicely!

Saint Lucia - final day

Friday, January 20

My last few hours in Saint Lucia were much the same as when I arrived, grey and overcast, threatening rain at any minute. However it soon broke, the sun shone and it was a beautiful day. It obviously had rained overnight as the areas around the pool were wet and it was still dripping a bit from the rooftop.

I have to say that Saint Lucia is truly a wonderful place; the people are very friendly, the weather was great and while it did occasionally rain, it was intermittent and infrequent enough to not intrude on my sun time! As I mentioned before I haven't felt isolated here, with the television and internet access, I felt I was wasn't that far from home and loved ones.

Of course, it would have been even better, had my friend K been here to experience the island with me. There were moments when I felt quite alone (not lonely, just solitary). To be able at certain times, to say "did you see that" or "isn't this great" would have been very nice. We'll definitely have to consider another trip here next year.

I had a lovely drive from Rodney Bay back to the airport at Hewanorra with Danny, just 1.5 hours door to door. He was far more talkative than Paul and full of facts and information. He took me on a short tour of the capital city Castries, pointing out buildings and points of interest. We took a drive up Good Luck road to the look out point above the city.It was breathtaking and well worth the switchback road we travelled to get there.

In the airport, it was quick process to print my boarding pass, drop off my luggage and get through security. My carryon bag was selected for additional screening but it was a cursory look at best. I made my way up to the food court, where I found Rituals Coffee! A very pleasant surprise. I sat down to read and watch the landing strip while I had my sandwich and a cup of their wonderful coffee. (No Piton beer today)

I ran into Lawrence and Arthur a little later on in the airport lounge. We had a nice visit, catching up on each other's last few days. It was so nice to see them again, and I expect I'll keep in touch as they are terrific, friendly and genuine.

The flight into Miami was full, we landed around 6:30 and then it was a quarter mile hike to the customs area. I had taken note that there was a skytrain option but decided to follow the crowd. I guess that should have been a strong hint that it was a long distance! The line up at customs was enormously long with hundreds of people lined up in 35 or so lines for their chance at entering the US

There were a couple standing behind me in the lineup (actually he was behind me, she was in the line next to us)who were fellow Canadians. I'm almost embarrassed to say that, as the two of them spent the time grumbling and moaning about the length of the line and making snide comments about the individuals in the lines ahead of them. It was all I could do, not to turn around and say, "If you have nothing nice to say, please say nothing at all!" My turn at the counter was quick and easy - they were still being talked to when I left the area to pick up my bag! Is is mean for me to hope they got selected for an additional interview?

Now, the rest of the story....remember how much fun I had with the shuttle on the way into Miami? Well I found a cab this time, explained I was going to Fort Lauderdale, gave the cabbie the address and asked if he knew where it was. He didn't, but assured me he had GPS in his vehicle. About a 1/2 mile from the airport he tells me he only accepts cash! I had planned to pay with my credit card so was somewhat po'ed about that and I told him so. He agreed to take me to an ATM, not charge me for the additional cost of leaving the highway and to pay the service charges.

In the meantime his GPS wouldn't work for him! In fact, it wasn't until we reached Fort Lauderdale that his GPS picked up the satellite. It was only a few minutes when we pulled up at my hotel "Bridge at Cordova". (more on that tomorrow).

It was nearly 9 p.m. by this time and I was hungry, so I checked in quickly and took the manager's recommendation of a restaurant just a block down the road. It was called the "Quartermaster's Deck", and it was great. I had a burger and a beer (surprise, surprise). It was a nice change from the amount of fish I had last week. I was back in my room by 10:30, watched a bit of tv before turning in.

I must admit it was sad leaving Saint Lucia. I felt so at home there in Rodney Bay. It has a very small town feel, easy to find one's way around and just the freindliness and good nature of the people I met made me feel so comfortable. In the words of Arnold, "I'll be back!"

Saint Lucia Day 6 Part 2

Thursday, January 19 continued

I'm going to have to learn to be a fast(er) typist as the connection on board ship is slow! (Realized that I really dated myself with that sentence - I should have used the term keyer rather than typist!)

Back to my story...I spent the rest of my afternoon relaxing on the balcony reading, or curled up on my bet watching television. Sounds like a waste of a day but I was feeling a little wiped out from the morning and ready for some rest. I'd never watched Divorce Court before, but caught a couple of episodes. The judge was hilarious, with a wicked sense of humor and definitely more patient with these people than I would ever be!

I went downstairs at my regular time to update my blog, and found that the internet was no longer working. It never was available again while I was at the resort. A real disappointment as it was free, unlike the ship.

That evening was the cocktail hour (6:30-7:30). I discovered that the preparations I'd watched early in the day were the result of the hotel holding it's annual employee recognition and awards event. So rather, than an every week event as I had assumed, it really was an annual event.

I wandered through the gardens, and came across a table where two women were sitting. They were cordial and invited me to join them. I learned that they and another young lady who joined us later were teachers at the local international school. All were from Canada as well. We had a wonderful chat and they filled me in on points of interest around the island, as well as where to eat and how best to travel here. I wish I had met them earlier in the week!

After they left around 8, I headed back up to my room to watch American Idol. Not as impressive as the night before, with the exception of Reed Grimm. I'm looking forward to seeing him perform again.

The awards event carried on until shortly after 10 p.m. with music and dancing. The band was playing on the terrace directly below my room, so I was happy when they shut down early. The following day was my travel day and I knew I needed some rest.

Saint Lucia Day 6 Part 1

Thursday, January 19

This was the last full day I had in Saint Lucia. I slept until 8 but things were getting noisy in the courtyard. I looked out my window to see several workers scurrying about getting ready for the evening's Managers Rum Punch party to be held at 6:30 that evening.

I got dressed, made a cup of tea, and headed out to the balcony to watch the activity. My one thought as I watched chairs and tables get moved from spot to spot, and back again, was why is was such a production, since this is a weekly event. It was amusing to watch. One lady would tell the workers to set up a table in one spot, another would come by and suggest another spot, and then the first would redirect them back to the original spot.

After a leisurely breakfast and a couple of Sudoko puzzles (can't led my brain go to mush) I decided to hit the shops at the mall. I went over to the BayWalk Mall, which boasts 85 shops and restaurants. I saw about 1/2 that many and most of them were not open even though opening time was 10 a.m. and I was there at 10:30. I guess they were operating on Island time!

Actually, I should back up a little. I went first to a duty free shop which opens early. I picked up a couple of small items, a Rasti purse for my daughter and a small artist's print for myself, and went to counter to pay the $45EC. I tried to use my credit card and it was declined not once but three times, what??? Their machines simply wouldn't process the transaction. I left my items, went back to the hotel to call the credit card company to find out why this had occurred. I had called them before my trip to advise of my itinerary, I'd used my card several times over the week, and had no problems. The representative I had spoken to had provided a number I could call collect if I had an issue.

Well, the stupid (forgive me I'm still mad) international operator wouldn't allow me to place a collect call and informed he did this everyday and knew it was a number that did not accept collect calls. I had to charge the call to my credit card, which had just been declined, but it was accepted for the long distance charges! What??? I spoke with a rep who assured me that everything was fine with my card and the problem must have been with the shop. Then the silly man, although I'd told him several times that I was calling internationally, tried to sell me some balance protection insurance! I cut him off in mid-sentence, reminded him again I was calling internationally, and hung up on him.

I was able to go back to the store and complete my purchase, this time the credit card went through with no problems. I headed across the mall to Piranha Joe's where I bought a few more things, some tea and a little purse for my niece. I wandered the rest of the mall but wasn't impressed so headed back to my room. After dropping off my purchases, I headed for the beach for a few more hours of sun and sand.

The sea was quite rough, but I decided to venture in anyway. It's really too bad someone didn't have a video camera - what happened next probably would have won the grand prize on America's Funniest Home Videos.

I didn't venture too far in at first, but as my courage grew, I went further out. Suddenly I was facing a large wave, my first instinct was to hold my nose and duck under it, assuming it would wash over me. Ha! Instead it nailed me, sent me backwards, knocking me on my ass. I could feel the water pulling be back out, and I had a moment of pure panic as I struggled to get my footing in the loose sand. As soon as I was able I made my way back out of the water and up the beach, dignity totally lost, and a bathing suit full of sand.

This is my drowned rat look! I sat in the sun and dried off for a while though stayed a little more than an hour. Who knew drying sand on the inside of your bathing suit could be so uncomfortable? If I wasn't so stubborn I would have gone back to the hotel to shower and change, then returned to the beach. Instead I sat and brushed off the sand off the parts that were visible and tried to ignore the rest!

When I left, I went to Rituals Coffee for lunch. It's about mid-way between the resort and my hotel, and I figured a little more discomfort wouldn't be so horrible. I got a sandwich and a blueberry-pomegranate chiller. Think 7-11 slurpy made with natural fruit juices. It was so good and so refreshing, I didn't miss the coffee! I stayed there in the shade and read for nearly an hour. It wasn't horribly busy so I didn't feel I was in the way.

I went back to the hotel and hopped in the shower to hose off all the sand. I don't think I had enough to make a sandcastle, but I'm pretty sure I could have made a decent start on a turret!!!

I hadn't meant to but since I was sorting out what I would wear for the evening's event and for traveling the next day, it seemed to make sense to start packing. I sorted out my dirty clothes as I'll have an opportunity to do some laundry on board ship...if I'm ambitious enough. I probably will as I'm a little low on capris and shorts; since I'll be washing those I might as well wash the rest.

...to be continued

Another long post, so I'll break it up into two parts. It's nearly time to check out of my hotel and get ready to board the shuttle to the seaport. I was able to upload some pictures (up to day 2) as well.

Saint Lucia Day 5

Got started on this post and the internet went down at the hotel. I'll try to get Weds/Thurs caught up before I leave this hotel for the seaport (Fort Lauderdale)

Wednesday, January 18

Wow, did I sleep last night. I am certain I had barely turned out the lights and I was out too! I recall being awake only twice (which in my experience as a menopausal woman is rare), the first for a bathroom break and the second around 5 a.m. when I woke up with a stiff neck and a splitting headache.

I got some pain killers, and took a swig from my water bottle in the fridge. I'm assuming I was dehydrated from the day before and may have also slept in a funny position. After the meds kicked in and a little more water, I was able to sleep until shortly after 7 a.m. If my calculations are correct I slept over 13 hours...totally insane!

The day started out pretty much the same as the rest of the week, with clouds rolling by, a good breeze, and a cup of tea on the balcony. I didn't bother with breakfast as I still wasn't feeling great, achy and just a hint of a headache.

I spent a few hours on the beach then walked back into town for lunch. It was a simple affair, a sandwich and fruit picked up at the deli at the supermarket. I lay down for a brief nap and about a half hour later was awoken by the maid. I hadn't meant to sleep, just 'rest my eyes' so was surprised that I slept - especially since I'd slept so much last night.

It seemed a bit cooler today. It may be the cloud cover was more than it has been but it was nice. I spent the rest of the afternoon down by the pool, relaxing and reading. I didn't bother with dinner as I still wasn't hungry, just nibbled on some fresh and dried fruit I had in the fridge. It wasn't the healthiest meal I've ever had but it was enough.

The first episode of American Idol aired on Fox tonight. (I have to say television here is quite varied, with the big three US networks, as well as A&E, CNN, ESPN, children's programming, music, etc.) There were several promising performers at the beginning of the show, but they truly saved the best for last. Phillip Phillips, Jr. was extraordinary! I hope he goes far - the only issue I see for him is being able to sing the various genres, however based on his audition I suspect he'll do well.

I turned out the lights around 11:30, but no surprise, it was after 1:30 before I was able to sleep. Obviously 13 hours of sleep AND a nap were too much!

Saint Lucia Day 4 Part 2

Tuesday, January 17 continued

Now where was I? Oh yes, at the plantation - we were given a few minutes to peruse the gift shop - I played with the cat instead and took his picture. Then it was time to get back on the bus for our trip back to Souffries harbor and the catamaran. Everyone had changed seats and those folks around me seemed disinclined to talk I used the time to update my notes that I use for these entries.

We sailed to a Ti-Kay resort (or Tika, not certain) where the sand beaches are not white or brown, but rather dark volcanic sand. We were able to swim or snorkel here, and the refreshing water was lovely. Unfortunately though the water was full of rocks and seaweed so after a quick dip I headed back on board for a ...can you guess?...a cold beer! I had a chance to visit with a couple from Killarney, Manitoba who are staying at the Beach Gardens Resort. I'd seen them the day before at the beach. They aren't staying all-inclusive apparently as had been to several restaurants in Rodney Bay so we compared notes.

I chose to sit out on the exterior of the catamaran at the front for the rest of the sail. For anyone who knows me well, this is a true act of bravery...I'm frankly a scaredy cat!!! On the way back we sailed into Marigot Bay, a lovely secluded area which can only be reached by ferry. Our tour guide assured us that the ferries run 24/7 but we weren't permitted off the boat...it was just a sail past.

We were back at Windjammer's Landing by 5 p.m., had a brief wait for our bus, and then headed back into the main part of Rodney Bay to our hotels. It was a wonderful trip but I was thrilled to get into the shower. The sea breezes and salt water had done a number on my hair and I was looking like a potscrubber and my hair felt like one too! Sure needed my conditioner last night.


I took a time out on the balcony, with what else, a beer. I tried reading but the sun was going down so I had to go indoors after 15 minutes or so. The sun is usually set by 6:30 p.m. or very nearly so. I finished getting ready and debated grabbing a burger at KFC or Burger King but decided to try another restaurant that was recommended by the couple from Killarney, Delirius. It was the busiest restaurant I've been in thus far (perhaps because I was eating later) but apparently also because of it's popularity.

Unfortunately I had the worst meal I've had this week. I ordered a salad to start with fish and chips to follow. The salad was nice, with lots of chopped up cucumber, tomato, and various greens but far too much red onion. They also gave as a starter three bits of bread with three choices for spreads or dipping, pesto, balsamic vinegar, and butter. These were the best part of the meal. The fish should have been crispy but was soggy and tasted off (I don't think it was fresh), while the fries were obviously out the bag steak fries. I didn't eat much and when the waiter came to get my plate he asked if everything was all right. I explained what was wrong, and he apologized and walked away.

The service didn't get any better after that, as I waited 15 more minutes before I was finally able to get the attention of the server who had taken my order to ask for my bill. I had thought perhaps someone might have made an adjustment to the bill or perhaps offered a dessert but nothing was forthcoming. It truly was a disappointment especially as it had been so highly recommended.

The best part of the restaurant was the resident cat, Rusty. He appeared to be a young cat maybe a year or so old and definitely quite at home among the guests.

I headed to my hotel as I was very tired by this time. All that fresh air certainly had an impact, and I think I was asleep before 10 p.m. I was ready for a good night's sleep!

Saint Lucia Day 4 Part 1

Tuesday, January 17

I didn't have any difficulty falling asleep last night despite the coffee. I was up at 6:45 a.m. to get ready for my excursion "Endless Summer". As usual, I had breakfast on the balcony, packed my bag with only the necessities for the day. In my travels, I've learned not to assume so took along a small roll of toilet paper I found in the travel section of the drugstore at home.

I was in the lobby by 7:45 and the bus arrived right on time at 8 a.m. This totally de-bunked the myth of Caribbean time for a change. I have to admit this was really an exception rather than the rule. But, what's the worry, we're on holidays!

Our bus took us through Rodney Bay, south to the Windjammer Landing Resort where we were met by our tour representative.

It was a walk down to the landing and across the beach to where the catamaran was waiting. They took us aboard with the exception of one unlucky couple who were left behind - apparently like some airlines they overbook. The truly unfortunate part was this couple had been polite and allowed a group of French speaking tourists to pass them on the dock, perhaps if they hadn't someone else might have been left behind.

Once on board I found a space to sit by an older gentleman, Arthur and his companion Lawrence. When we weren't given lifejackets, Arthur eased my fears by explaining that a catamaran is a very stable boat. Shortly after, he went out to the front of the boat to sit and Lawrence and I had a nice chat. It turns out they reside in Toronto, and at one time in the past, Lawrence worked for the employer I do now.

I had worried that I might feel sea sick but midway through the trip, I felt fine and even got up to snap some pictures.

Just to be certain though, I avoided the food and drink that was offered. Many of my fellow passengers did not but I didn't se anyone fall ill.

Another couple were sitting near and had overheard Lawrence mention he was from Toronto, and asked if I was from there as well. I said no, I was from Saskatchewan, and her response was, "is that north of Toronto". I laughed and said no, it is a province between Manitoba and Alberta. I asked where they were from and was told Michigan. I guess my laughter at her comment upset them as we didn't speak for the rest of the trip!

We arrived in Souffries around 11 a.m. and were immediately transferred to buses for the drive to the Diamond waterfall and botanical gardens. It was a 15-20 minute drive and then

were ushered into the garden by our guide. She explained it is a privately owned garden and then we cruised through the gardens at a fair clip, with the guide stopping every 6 feet or so to name and describe some of the plants we saw.

We had a few extra minutes at the falls and then we finished our tour back where the buses waited for us. It was disappointing as it was a very short tour and I would have enjoyed wandering a little more on my own.

We were back on the bus and driven on to our next stop, the Sulphur Springs. Saint Lucia's volcano last erupted in 1766, sending lava down into the community of Souffries, and collapsing in on itself.

We were taken by a guide down a series of steep stairs and then back up another to a viewing point where we could look down into the pools of water in the craters left behind. Since the last eruption, the springs of water bubble and let off steam (and a horrid smell that you soon don't notice). About 25 years ago when they still allowed tourists to do down into the springs, a guide was jumping up and down on the porous rock and slipped into one of the pools. He had the presence of mind to extend his arms out so was only submerged to his waist. His fellow guides dragged him out and took him to the hospital. He survived his fall into 115C water but was severely burned. They call that spring Gabriel cavern in honor of him.

From the springs we got back on the bus and were driven up the mountain to the Fond Doux Holiday plantation. This is a working plantation growing and producing cocoa bean products. After a quick tour we were directed into the restaurant for lunch - a Creole buffet made with locally grown products. It wasn't terrific but good enough offering salad, rice, beans, fish, chicken, plantain, and christophene (a local squash which tasted a bit like wet potato). Although advertised as Creole, it wasn't very spicy even by my palate. Dessert was great though, banana and mango crumble with chocolate.

The best part of the plantation were the cats. There were two there, both looked to be little more than a year or so old.

I'll end my update now and try to get back to it a little later as there are others waiting to use the computer.

Saint Lucia Day 3

Monday, January 16

I woke up late this morning, nearly 8 a.m. but felt refreshed. Grabbed my usual quick breakfast of fruit, croissants (definitely tired of these now) and because I was out of tea a cup of instant coffee....yeeee-uck! I forgot to leave a tip for the maid yesterday, so I assume that's why the tea wasn't replenished. The weather was lovely though, skies clear with just a few puffs of clouds around, perhaps this would be a day without rain.

Since I was ready to go early, I decided not to wait for the beach shuttle but to walk instead. My blister seems to have healed up nicely but I almost regretted it when I got to the street. It was very warm already with a promise of heat to come.

I settled in on the beach to my imitation of a rotisserie again. It amazes me how some people can lie (lay?) in one position for what seems like hours without getting a bad burn. Not only am I afraid of the possibility of a burn but I don't find being in one position for extended periods of time very comfortable. I'm sure I'm annoying to people around me as a flip frequently!

Spent some time in the ocean as well. It is so lovely and warm here, and the pull you to and fro, almost sending you right to the beach. There's a slight step down as you walk into the water, and then another up, almost as if there is a trench at the ocean's edge. There are a few rocks but no seaweed, the sand feels lovely under the feet. It's a great for exfoliating the skin too! The water is so clear, it's easy to see where you're placing your feet so avoiding the few rocks is easy, no beach shoes necessary.

The clouds rolled in around lunchtime so I decided to head back into town. I stopped at my favorite (only?) coffee shop, Rituals Coffee for a tall coffee and lunch, a ham & cheese wrap. Delicious!! So far this has been my favorite place to eat, both fresh and less expensive than other places. Plus the coffee is excellent.

The name of the shop got me thinking how easily we (or perhaps it's just me) slip into routines - even when I am far from home. My mornings are generally spent at the beach, afternoons by the pool, and after dinner and a drink (either in my room or at the bar), the evenings are spend reading, watching television, and just relaxing. Not in the least exciting but definitely providing the chance to get away that I've been craving.

Even my blogging time has become a bit of a ritual - around 4:30 I check to see if the computer is in use and update yesterday's news. (Except yesterday of course, both because the computer was busy and because I was away for most of the day on the excursion - will update that later today)

Back in May, when I started this blog I talked about making changes. Well, I couldn't be further from my everyday life here - yet I've found ways to make it humdrum. How sad is that?

For dinner, I had thought to go cheap and go to the Hotel next door (same chain as my Inn). After seating myself (no servers in sight) I waited a few minutes before one came to me. After explaining I was dining alone, she informed they had a buffet that evening. When I questioned whether I could order from the menu, she made a face, and said yes but check out the buffet first. I did, it was basically a meal, appetizer, entree and dessert with no variety, so decided against it and walked out of the restaurant deciding to take my chances elsewhere.

I went ahead and blew the food budget for the day! I walked down the main street to the Big Chef Restaurant. I entered through two fantastically large pink doors into a bar that is wood paneled and dark, reminiscent of a old-time men's club. i was greeted by a young man - hard to say how old he was - anywhere from 25-35 would be my guess. Picture a very thin, dark, handsome Johnny Depp with chiseled cheekbones. Very pretty!

He led me to a table for one, offering me the choice of water, the wine list and the menu. This was not an inexpensive choice. A salad was close to $30EC ($12 US) and the steaks ran as high as $199EC ($80 US). The restaurant also serves a variety of seafood dishes, chicken and pork. I considered the fish - mahi, mahi but ultimately decided on a filet mignon.

I chose the Caesar salad as my appetizer, which turned out to be large, fresh, full of grated and curls of fresh parmesan and toasted croutons. Yummy! Unlike most restaurants I've been in, the dressing came on the side so I was able to add as little or as much as I liked. It was so good I would have licked the bowl if it wouldn't have been impolite!

The steak and fries arrived shortly after. The steak was melt in your mouth good, and the fries were unique as they were tossed with parmesan and truffle oil. The slight nutty taste of the cheese and the earthy taste of the oil was wonderful. The entree was served with an au just, from the taste of it, a wine/broth reduction. This had to have been the best meal I've had thus far during the vacation, and probably in my life! It was that good. Altogether I paid $60 US for the meal including the tip.

I finished up a very good cup of coffee. To bad I hadn't had it the night before when I was trying to stay awake. I thought I'd probably be awake all night...but in fact, I slept well.

Saint Lucia Day 2

Sunday January 15

It rained last night, and I know this, not because I heard it, but because Mother Nature left the evidence on my balcony railing. The clouds rolled past as I sat drinking my morning tea on the balcony, but there was no more rain. I waited for the shuttle to go the beach - all the walking I did on day one caused a blister to develop on the bottom of my foot. NOTE TO SELF - wear my flipflops and sandals for a week or so prior to the trip, my feet are tender from the constant nylons or socks I wear at home. I really want it to be healed for Tuesday's excursion so I'm babying it a bit.

I spent a couple of hours on the beach, then headed back to the Inn for some lunch. Nothing exciting, just fruit, croissants, and a Piton beer. After a short siesta, I watched an hour of Chopped on the Food Network. I'm addicted to the show! In addition, I try to avoid the hottest part of the day, between noon and 2 p.m. The plan was to head for the pool after my television break to catch some more sun.

Mother Nature had other ideas as one of the intense but short-lived rains came pouring down for about 10 minutes. I read for awhile and then headed down to the pool. The best part of the Caribbeans is, as quickly as it rains, it dries as quickly too. I spent the next couple of hours chasing the sun around the pool, between the clouds that rolled past and the sun moving across the sky I moved a couple of times. I took a dip in the pool, quite literally, as it is only 3.5 feet deep. I have to wonder how the people I see in the morning doing laps manage it; I wouldn't wonder the scrape their knees on the bottom of the pool!

About 4:30 I'd had enough, wandered inside to find the computer free so I checked my e-mails, facebook, and updated the blog. This is the most "connected" I've ever been on a trip and best of all, it's free! Once I get on board the Crown Princess I'll have access but it will come at a price. I expect I may not be as faithful in my updates when that happens.

After heading up to my room I had a lovely shower, dressed and then....you guessed it, I headed out to the balcony to enjoy a Piton beer before I went searching for my dinner.

As I gazed around the courtyard, I was overwhelmed by a sense of tranquility. This little hotel is an oasis in the center of the community, tucked away down a back alley, just behind a mall and off the main drag. As a result, it's not far away from many shops and restaurants, and only a 15-20 minute walk to the beach. The Inn is not a party place either, at least this week. So far most of the clientele is older, with a lot of British accents. (Note: just as I wrote this paragraph, the tranquility was broken by the sound of sirens, police I think, and there went that sense of calm...apparently I am in the heart of everything.

By 6:30 I was beginning to feel hungry, so I decided to try my luck at the Chinese restaurant at the mall (just a few minutes walk from the Inn). I figured how bad could it be based on the clientele I could see through the window. These included locals, as well as tourists, even an Asian group. (I always assume if the ethnic group patronizes the restaurant of the same ethnicity it must be decent).

Shortly after I ordered my spring rolls and chicken fried rice, there was a mix-up of orders for a couple of tables nearby. A gentleman sitting on his own was served two plates, which I assume were similar enough to what he ordered for him not to notice a difference. Apparently these were not for him though but for the family sitting at the next table. The waitress swooped in and took the two plates away, one of which he had started eating. She took one to the next table and the second back to the kitchen, where I sincerely hope she obtained a fresh plate and didn't simply refill the first! I don't even think the group at the table nearby even noticed.

My meal started with my spring rolls which were perfect, crispy on the outside with lots of bean sprouts and shredded veg inside and not greasy at all. Unfortunately when the chicken fried rice arrived I wasn't as lucky. The rice itself was good, but unlike chicken fried rice I get a home where the chicken is diced and stir fried into the rice, this had three pieces of chicken on the side (appeared to be thighs). One of the three pieces was edible, the other two so over cooked the meat was hard and impossible to get off the bone. Since I'm not a huge meat eater, this was good enough for me but I could see many people would have sent it back to the kitchen. (I did make sure I poked at the other two pieces enough they couldn't be served to someone else....just in case).

I headed back to the hotel, the bar was packed with the afore-mentioned Brits so I decided to stop and have a drink. It was pretty clear, pretty quickly that I wasn't welcome so I chatted briefly with the bartender, drank my beer, and headed back to my room.

Back in the room, I caught the latest episode of Celebrity Cook-off with Rachel and Guy. Spoiler alert - if you haven't seen it and want to don't read past the next two paragraphs. After that I watched a very old Law and Order rerun. I don't know if it was the television feed or the quality of the original production, but the voices were sped up - it sounded like a show with Alvin and the Chipmunks at times!

I desperately wanted to stay awake long enough to catch the Canadian news (CityTV from Toronto) that airs at midnight. By 11:45 I knew I was fighting a losing battle so I gave up. It's getting a bit lonely being here on my own, and I was hoping for a taste of home through the news...even if it was only a weather forecast to remind me that I'm missing snow and cold for this tropical paradise.



I was disappointed to see Cheech leave the show, his antics, comments, and cooking ability were all enjoyable.

Saint Lucia Day 1

Saturday January 14

Today is my first full day in Saint Lucia. I was awake at 7 a.m., made a cup of tea, and had my breakfast on the balcony, what a treat! It was overcast and threatening rain but was warm and humid. The clouds soon moved past and the skies cleared by 8:30. The first shuttle to the beach didn't run until 9:30 so I decided to make the walk to the beach resort. According to reviews on TripAdvisor it was about a 15-20 minute walk from the Inn, and that was my experience as well. Mind you I'm more a stroller than a walker, so I'm sure for most people it would take less time.

At the resort I stopped in at the excursions desk and booked the "Endless Summer" excursion for Tuesday (I'll share that with you then). Then it was on to the beach. I've been going to the tanning salon at home every second day for a few weeks but boy, oh boy, the sun is much hotter here. I managed a couple of hours in the sun, turning (and basting myself with suntan lotion) frequently. I also hit the ocean for a couple of refreshing dips. There is just nothing like that first mouthful of salt water - who knew the ocean could be THAT salty?

I moved into the shade of a tree for awhile, reading and relaxing, and writing up my blog entry. (It never reads the same as my notebook but those entries certainly help my recall!) About three hours later I headed back towards my hotel. Between the two locations are numerous other hotels, restaurants, and bars. I stopped at the a coffee shop (which will remain nameless since I forgot to write down).

For lunch I had what we call a tuna melt on a panini, but was called a tuna flatini here. Regardless of what it was called, it was delicious served along with a tall Americano (wonder where they borrowed that from, hmmm?) The tuna was unlike home with mayo, onion and some salt and pepper. This sandwich had some kick to it with pickled vegetables, tomatoes, onions and a seasoning I'm not certain of.

I made it back to my hotel, had a brief siesta in the room, and then headed back out to the pool. By 4 p.m. I'd had enough of the heat so headed indoors to relax with (what else) a Piton beer on the balcony. After a refreshing drink, I had a leisurely shower, got dressed, and relaxed again on the balcony watching the antics of two small children in the pool. Oh, to have that level of energy again!

I decided to walk back the resort to their restaurant for dinner. I timed my arrival to within 10 minutes of opening. After waiting several minutes, not seeing any staff, and perusing the menu I decided to try my luck elsewhere. I started back the way I'd come and headed into Tequila Joe's. By the name you can probably guess it is a Tex-Mex restaurant. It also has a nightclub on the top floor, but not only was it too early, I'm too old for that sort of thing so settled in for a decent meal.

I started with a strawberry daiquiri the size of Texas! My god, this thing was huge but definitely well appreciated. My first choice for my meal was a pulled pork sandwich but unfortunately they were out so I settled on the "catch of the day", in this case marlin. Now I don't know if you've noticed but this was my third fish dinner in as many meals. I come from good Prairie stock, where real meat is either beef or chicken, and fish comes from Captain Highliners (a boxed minced product containing various types of fish). For me to have fish three times is truly an accomplishment.

The marlin was nice, flaky, but a little dry. It was accompanied by grilled veg and rice, with a variety ranging from baby lima beans to cabbage, carrots, and zucchini. In addition, there two lovely pieces of grilled plantain on the plate. It was all very reasonably priced at about $35 US (including tip). I won't, however, be eating this well every night or I'll blow my food budget out of the water!

Back at the hotel I hung out in my room, watching NFL. I really wasn't in the mood for another drink after that ginormous margharita. Besides the hotel bar was empty as I came through and I'm not a huge fan of drinking alone! It was a great day though and I'm hoping the next few will be as good and relaxing.

P.S. If you're wondering about photos I have many to share but this computer doesn't seem to have a port for my SD card so I'll edit these posts either on the cruise or when I get home at the end of January.

Travel Day 2

Travel day 2 started early, though not as early as Day 1, at 6 a.m. I wanted time to get cleaned up, check out of the hotel, and still have time to enjoy a complimentary breakfast before I took the shuttle to the airport. The shuttle left on the dot at 7 a.m. (so different than the night before). I checked my bags and got my boarding pass outside. I found it unique in that we'd only be able to do that at best a few months of the year in Saskatchewan. It was reasonably quick and painless.

Into the airport and through security was simple, though I was subjected to one of those random full body scans. I thought is was interesting until the metal grommets on my capris showed up on the scan and necessitated a pat down. Then I walked and I walked and I walked some more to my gate. Wow, that's one seriously big airport! I got to the gate around 8 which was too early since my flight didn't leave until 10:10 a.m. So I walked back the way I came and found a cup of coffee to enjoy while I watched the people arriving for the same flight.

We were a little late getting boarded and then had a 15 minute wait on the tarmac as we waited our turn to take off. It was a bit bumpy for most of the flight though not so bad I kissed the ground when we got into Saint Lucia. However, what did make me consider kissing the ground was our landing. The landing strip is situated right off the edge of the ocean, literally, so as we were coming in to land, I kept watching the water out my window get closer and closer, and then suddenly there was the land. Once we stopped I realized that there wasn't much runway left in front of us either!

We arrived almost at the same time as a flight from London. Their aircraft disembarked before ours and it was big (I can't tell one large airplane from another, suffice to say it was big!) The line-up through customs was very long, as a result it was past 3 p.m. local time (nearly 40 minutes after we landed) before I made my way to the baggage claim area and out to the "ground transportation" area. This time there was only one and I was grateful that I had arranged my transportation earlier, as there were many offers for transfers.

I readily found the driver with my name on his clipboard and we made our way out to his car. I went to climb into the passenger's side but it was actually the driver's side! They drive on the left side of the road, a leftover from colonial days. It was interesting to ride in a vehicle on the "wrong side of the road". Normally the trip to Rodney Bay would have taken an hour and a half, but due to Friday evening traffic, the trip was closer to 2 hours. I had considered taking the helicopter but the cost was double that of a shuttle.

I didn't mind the drive as it gave me a chance to marvel at the lush greenery and the rock foundations along the road. Saint Lucia is a hilly country, and the main road winds its way up and down and around through rain forest, small communities and hilly agricultural land. It was neat to see the banana trees with their loads of fruit!

The driver, Paul, didn't speak much, but did answer my questions. He offered to stop to allow me to take pictures, however it had started to rain about a half hour into the trip, and I preferred to keep moving. It was nearing the end of travel day 2 and all I wanted was to be at my hotel to get settled in.

Check in was quick and easy. I was offered a free fruit or rum punch and advised I could have it then or request it at any time during my 7 days here. I decided I'd wait. A young man showed me to my room...good thing because I was on the second floor and there is no elevator and I didn't pack light! The first thing I saw when he opened the door were the french doors open to my private balcony. Too wonderful!

I settled in quickly, unpacking and tucking my personal items away in the bathroom. I set up my safe, sorted out my purse, and put the valuables away. I also hung some wrinkled clothing in the closet...my experience is with the humidity, a couple of days of hanging will take out the wrinkles and I won't have to iron. Too awesome!

I had decided not to wander too far away from my hotel on the first night since I wasn't certain of my direction. I did head over to the local IGA to pick up fruit, yoghurt, water, a couple of beer, and some croissants. All of that cost EC $39.90 or about $15 US. I won't need to get breakfast while I'm here as I have enough to get me through the week. Beer on the other hand will need to be replenished!

Before dinner I headed down to the bar for that free rum bunch, which I enjoyed in the company of the bartender, Brenda. Shortly before I finished, an American businessman, Andy came in for a beer. He was chatting with Brenda and I explaining he was here in Saint Lucia to inspect and certify medical equipment. He explained he comes to Saint Lucia every 6 months and has for the past 18 years. Tough life!

I went across the street to the hotel for my dinner. I was disappointed in the menu as it was mostly snack or pub food. I did choose the fish fingers as they were made with locally caught fish (Dorado). They were certainly tasty, but the fries were just fries. I was happy that it came with a small side garden salad as well. After dinner it was back to the bar for a Piton beer (locally brewed lager). By 9 p.m. I was all in - what with two days travelling, fresh air and the food and drink.

I'm so thankful to be here in Saint Lucia. It is truly a beautiful island, the people are very friendly, and with the heat and tropical breezes I'm in paradise.

Travel Day 1

Found the computer available at my hotel, waiting for the shuttle to the beach so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to update my travels. Hopefully I can finish Day 1 before the bus arrives!

January 12, 2012
Arrived at the airport by 4 a.m. for the flight at 5:40 local to Toronto. Arrived and left TO right on schedule although it was raining in TO. We were ushered through US customs in TO so there would be less delay in Miami (well, in theory at least).

Arriving in Miami is when things got interesting. I called my hotel to arrange for shuttle pickup. I waited outside the doors marked "outside transportation" and described to the clerk that I was door #4. After waiting about 35 minutes I called the hotel, and the clerk asked if I was on 2nd floor. I didn't have a clue, explained where I was again, and was told the driver would be right there.

After two more calls (oh the roaming charges) and being assured the shuttle would be right there...still no shuttle. I found a parking authority staff member who informed me I wasn't on the 2nd floor and only certain shuttles were allowed in the area I was waiting. I went back inside, took the elevator to the 2nd floor and called the hotel again. This is my unhappy face at Miami Airport.

This time I was told that the shuttle was returning to the hotel, once he was complete with that trip he'd be back for me. The shuttle did finally arrive and I made it to my hotel to check in at 5:30 (we'd landed at 3 p.m.). NOTE TO SELF: Arrange shuttle prior to flight, don't trust airport signage, and find someone in a yellow vest to ask!

The hotel was nice, very clean, had a small pool - although I arrived too late to use it, and was directly under the flight path to the airport. It had been a long day so I really didn't care.

I asked about a restaurant and was directed to an outdoor bar by the pool. I was assured that the pool offered pub food, wings, burgers, hotdogs, and of course, cold drinks. Nothing sounded better to me than a burger and a beer. The bartender iformed me he was out of burgers, and I didn't want a hotdog. I decided to forgo something to eat for the cold beer. A few minutes later, as more patrons arrived, and after the bartender talked to the front desk clerk, he sits down next to me and tells me he has his "own burgers". He can only sell to me in cash ($7) but it's a better price than the hotel burgers ($10). I tell him okay because the beer went down very well and I am still hungry.

He fires up his grill and about fifteen minutes later I am enjoying the best burger I've had in a very long time. It's juicy, with a nice smokey taste, topped with cheese, tomato, and lettuce. It went very well with my second beer of the evening!

After the long day of travel, topped with two beer, I slept like a log. If an aircraft had chosen to land outside my room I probably wouldn't have heard it!

Time to catch the shuttle. I'll try to update day two of travel later today so I won't be too far behind!

Leaving...on a jet plane

Of course, I know when I'll be back again but still it's exciting to be leaving the cold (and snow) for somewhere warm, tropical, lush, humid, colorful...shall I go on?

I remember the first time I landed in a tropical destination in the middle of January. I was so amazed by the colors, after leaving the normal white, black and grey with the occasional evergreen adding some color to the landscape. It was like being dropped into a kaliedoscope!

My cab is expected to pick me up in about a half hour, my flight leaves in just over two hours and I'll be at my hotel in Miami within the next twelve hours. I slept fitfully, as I expected, waking every hour or so to check the clock. Did I mention I have a overwhelming fear of missing my flight out of here?

I'm so excited to start this great adventure and I can hardly wait to share it through this blog. I've always journalled my trips for scrapbooking purposes (though only created one), this time I hope to have a more permanent record of the trip. In my research on TripAdvisor I learned that my hotel does offer free computer services (a single computer...so I'm sure it's busy). With any luck I'll have an opportunity to get onto it once during the next week to update. Princess offers computer services too but a price - though if memory serves it wasn't too expensive to be prohibitive.

I'll miss reading the blogs I follow, and I'm sure I'll have lots to catch up when I get back in 17 days. Somehow I think those days will pass in a flash, while these last few hours will just crawl! See you when I get back.

So close but still so far away

I know I shouldn't wish time away, but oh I wish I could make the hands on the clock more more quickly, if only for the next 24 hours! My vacation officially begins on Thursday morning. I am going to work tomorrow but only until noon as I have a couple of appointments in the afternoon (nails and tanning). I'm planning to go to dinner with a couple of the women from work, and two fellow employees from Ottawa who are in our office this week to do training. Then it's home to exciting things like clean cat litter, finish my packing, and try to get a few hours of sleep.

My flight leaves here at 5:40 a.m. on Thursday which means I should out at the airport by about 4:30 a.m. I'm probably be too excited to sleep so I suspect I'll be at the airport earlier than I need to be. I'm good at waiting...not only do I enjoy people watching (and making up funny stories about them) I have a deathly fear of missing my flight. I definitely don't want to miss the flight leaving the cold and snow (2-4 cms. of snow forecast for tonight -20C). Now coming back, that wouldn't be such an issue for me.

Last night I woke up in a panic, trying to recall where I had put my traveller's cheques. Were they in my suitcase or my carry-on, or my wallet? Had I separated the cheques from that information package which would be useful if I happen to lose them? After a few minutes of stress I realized it could and should wait until morning before I went searching for them. I needed the sleep and I'm sure my kids wouldn't have been happy to hear me banging around the bedroom at 3 a.m. Come to think of it though I've had to listen to them many times...oh well, maybe next time!

This evening I spent an hour on Youtube.com (I've linked one of the videos)watching videos of Saint Lucia and Rodney Bay and Tripadvisor.com reading hotel reviews for the Bay Gardens Inn. Everything I've read tells me I've made a good choice. I find it humorous because some contributors complain about the long walk to the beach (about 10-15 minutes) while others mention how short the walk is...I guess it's all in your perspective. I figure it will be a good way for me to get some exercise!

Saturday is market day in Castries, the capital city of Saint Lucia, about a half hour drive from Rodney Bay.

I'm hoping to make friends quickly, as I arrive on Friday, so I can find someone who is willing to go shopping with me. I also read on TripAdvisor that I can join the excursions going out of the sister resort (Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa). That's terrific as I want to visit the rainforest and the volcano at some point during the week. Most of the time however I plan to spend on Reduit Beach...this beach. And, who doesn't love free things? I read that there is a manager's party on Wednesday evenings with free rum punch, and munchies.

I also checked out my cruise personalizer on Princess.com because I've been waitlisted for the excursion I wanted to go on at Cayman Islands. It goes to the small town of Hell and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go "to Hell and back". I had decided I'd try to find a group of like-minded folks to book a separate trip if I couldn't take part through Princess. However my trip has been confirmed - I'm no longer on the waitlist! I can think of several friends and family members who will be receiving a postcard from Hell in a few weeks!!!

Oh, and my traveller's cheques? They were in my purse and the information package was in my suitcase just where I'd put them!