The rain held off during our visit to Glaveston and even during our initial hours on the ship. But when Patricia caught up to us, she was angry. All night and most of the next day we saw intermittent rain, rough seas, and people staggering around like they were drunk thanks to the rocking of the ship. Honestly, it’s not the roughest water we’ve ever been in, but it did keep us inside the first day. An uneventful but restful day with plenty of time to go to the gym and read. Our next day at sea dawned with only a few white, puffy clouds and a brilliant sun over that impossibly blue Caribbean Sea. We had finally outrun even the outermost bands of Patricia.
Breakfast in the dining room took a lot longer than it should’ve, but it gave us ample time to talk with the fascinating couple sitting next to us. In their late 80’s, Randall and Joann were an adorable couple from Amarillo, Texas who had been married only 2 weeks! They decided to get married mostly so they could travel together easily. They had done some trial trips while engaged to see if they were a good match. Joann commented that when some people were surprised they were traveling together, being unmarried, she asked them what did they think was going on with a couple in their late 80’s?! They are avid cruisers, thanks to Randal, who started his “cruise passenger career” long before he knew Joann as 1 of 4 guests onboard a working cargo ship where he was allowed to hang out in the bridge and even got a lesson on turning the ship from the captain. They seemed to have an endless supply of funny travel anecdotes to share, and we probably could’ve listened to them all day.
After breakfast we were eager to get outside. Reading and relaxing on the deck has become one my favorite pastimes while at sea. There’s something about that blue water and fresh salty air that refreshes me like nothing else. I’m not sure if I could get tired of sitting and gazing across the water.
We did, of course eventually get up. After lunch we attended a question and answer session with a few members of the crew. Anytime we have a chance to learn more about how they manage a ship this big we are there. Being a details person, it’s almost overwhelming to hear of all the things that go into it. The audience at the question and answer session were pretty typical of the this cruise in general. At least 80% of the ship’s passengers are over 70. When we spot someone close to our age, we actually point them out since it is such a rarity. I thought I wouldn’t enjoy a crowd with this mix, but I hate honestly feel younger than I have in a while- lol. And with age comes experience and usually a few good stories. I don’t believe there are many uninteresting people in the world, everyone has a story different than my own, you just have to ask the right questions.
Tomorrow we dock in Grand Cayman, financial capital of the Caribbean, but banking is not on our to do list. That blue water is calling me….