Catching up: my last week on the Voyager

(FInal Voyager Photos and more here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2109230&id=56903845&l=038e3df35b)

So I have been told that I need to update this even though I'm not on board a ship anymore - here goes! I meant to post as soon as I arrived home but have been putting it off. So this will be the first of several posts as I try to catch up with myself.

First - my last week on board. Ironically, the week began with me finally meeting a wonderful fellow Christian! Why now? Why not 4 months ago??? He is a great guy, a photographer on board from South Africa, and we spent a lot of time together all week whenever possible, having some amazing conversations and just enjoying the fellowship of another believer. Although we had only just started to get to know each other, he was one of the hardest people to say goodbye to. I will be keeping him in my prayers, especially that God will send him another believer as a friend, because I know how hard it can be. But it was great meeting him and being encouraged.

All week long I tried to make the most of the ports without stressing out too much. In Grand Cayman I went out to lunch at a nice seafood place on the water, and had some delicious-but-so-bad-for-you fish and chips. Then I went snorkeling for the last time and really enjoyed it. At one point the fish must have thought I had food because they were all surrounding me....it was a neat experience. We laid in the sun a bit before heading back to the ship. In Jamaica I went out with some friends for the famous jerk chicken and pork at the Pork Pit in Montego Bay. It was so good!! My last night on the ship even Vic (our 65 year old drummer) came out for a drink after our final big band set, and as a parting gift bought me a dry martini with olives, which I had to drink to the dregs or be forever shunned. Not my favorite drink ever!!! But I managed to finish it and tried to look happy about it. Afterwards I went up to Johnny Rockets for one last hoorah with Catherine, one of the singers. We ran into a John and J.C. of the Texas Tenors there, and it was nice to get a chance to say goodbye to them as well. They left before us, and when Cat and I finished we were told that they had already paid for our dinners. It was so sweet of them to do, and so classy of them to do it quietly and leave before we had any idea. Yes, they get major points for that. :-)

After dinner was finished, and I had turned in my suitcases to security, the night continued with one final game of phase 10, the card game which I learned on board and which has dominated my contract. It was only fitting to play a final game on my last night (I lost...oh well), and we finished around 3am. After lots of goodbyes I finally crashed for the night, and awoke to the news that we were fogged out of Galveston and couldn't dock. What?! You mean I can't go home? So I rolled over and went back to sleep. We finally docked around 2 pm, and I finally disembarked after all the guests had gone, around 6pm. Our flights had been rescheduled, mine for the following morning. The good news was this gave me a chance to spend some time with the Smith family I had met a few weeks back, who live in Houston. Instead of going to my hotel, they picked me up and brought me home, fed me leftover Easter dinner, gave me my own room, and the girls performed a cute dance routine they had made up together to Michael Buble's "Everything". I had a great night, and they took me to the airport in the morning. I was home by 10am, had my In N Out, visited Tyler and Chelsea, and returned to good old Lake Arrowhead for the first time since October 2nd, 2009.

A Week of Firsts, and a Week of Lasts.

Last week was full of some successful sightseeing, and doing some of the things I've meant to do since we arrived in the Caribbean. In Costa Maya, my friend Mike and I went out to see the Mayan ruins of Chacchoben, which consist of several temples. We were pretty much the only ones there, it was a bit drizzly, so we had the place to ourselves. Since no-one was watching, we got to jump the ropes and get an adrenaline rush illegally climbing to the tops of all the pyramids. Don't tell the Mexican government, please. It was awesome.

Then in Roatan, Honduras, a group of 7 of us went on a zip-line course through the jungle. That was a blast....the first jump was the hardest as we had to get a running start off the platform and launch ourselves into the air 328 feet above the ground. I definitely got some butterflies and let out a little scream as I went, but wow what an amazing feeling. It was great to be with a group of my friends as well, away from the ship having fun. The jungle canopy was beautiful, and there were some amazing views to be had from the tops of the hills. On our way back, we were shocked enough by the sight of an Applebees in Honduras that we stopped there for lunch. Well, my friends did....I will admit that I instead ran down the block for a chocolate frosty and meal at Wendy's, and brought it back to sit with my friends in the restaurant. Give me a break, I haven't had a frosty in 6 months! I couldn't resist.

In Cozumel, I got to meet up with an old friend of mine, Danny Silver, who I grew up with in Lake Arrowhead. He and his wife of thee years Nickole were sailing on the Freedom of the Seas, which docks next to us on Fridays. I haven't seen him for about 5 years, so it was great to catch up. And once again recognize what a small world we live in.

One final highlight of last week: Waffles on the bridge with Captain Patrik. The Captain likes to have a little party every week on the bridge for every crew member celebrating a birthday, and for any 2 stripe officers who would like to attend (officially all staff have 2 stripes). I haven't been to the bridge since my first week, and this being Captain Patrik's last week I really wanted to attend. Patrik has been on the Voyager for 2 years, and he will be transferred to the Navigator next week. He has been a great Captain, and really seems to care about the crew. Whenever I happen to be in an elevator with him, he always chats to everyone who is there, asking the cleaners and waiters about their work and their day. I like him a lot. Anyway, they make fresh waffles right there on the bridge, and have a table with all the fixings. I got my waffle, and a picture with the Captain on the bridge. Afterwards I wandered around a little and met Nick, a Bulgarian officer who was on watch, and he showed me around the controls and explained the readouts to me, which was really neat. I sat in the Captain's chair and everything. :-) He also demonstrated how to turn on the spinning radar machine in the front of the ship which you can see from the bridge, and then let me turn it off. I got a kick out of that....nothing beats pushing buttons on the bridge. I loved it.

Today I begin my last week on the Voyager. My "last" everything begins today. Last boat drill, last welcome aboard show, last Captain's Reception, etc. I plan to have a great time with my friends this week, hopefully enjoy doing some new things in the ports as well. I sent another box home today as promised....along with my jacket. Its a nice day today in Galveston, and here's hoping its another warm one when I sign off next week!