So many things 
happened on my vacation that there is simply no way to put down in words the sheer amount of things that happened. So I’ve decided to do a listing of new things I experienced, ate, and places I visited in the days that they occured. In addition, I’m posting some pictures of the day we set sail and the view of Miami. My parents are holding the actual cruise pictures hostage until my mother gets back from Atlanta.
Day 1. Miami – Set sail at 5:00 pm EST
New Experiences
- Waving goodbye to the cars honking and people sitting out on the beach as we left port.
- Doing the emergency life jacket drill (not fun)
- Attending my first “grown-up” social event gathering with the Colwell Banker Devonshire realtor group
- Stepping foot into my first ships cabin.
- Walking out onto the deck at 10pm that first night and seeing nothing but blackness and sea surrounding me. ( THAT was incredible)
- Cavier
- Creme Brulee
Day 2. At Sea
New Experiences
- Reading on deck with a spectacular view of the ocean
- Napping while on deck
- Watching my first cruise ship show (And boy was it cheesy)
New Foods
- Smoked Salmon (with Salmon cream cheese something filling .. oh yum)
- Cherries Jubilee
Day 3. Ocho Rios, Jamaica
New Experiences
- Sweating from heat in January!
- Dodging Jamaican taxi drivers and beggers (these guys do NOT take no for an answer)
- Buying rum in Jamaica (did you know that $1.00 American = $66.70 Jamaican? wow)
- Receiving a proposal from a Jamaican man who was smoking some of the local “oregano” in a teeny, tiny little joint.
- Receiving an offer to buy the “best stuff in Jamaica, mon”
- Realizing that they really do say things like “No problem, mon” in Jamaica.
- Viewing very large, very loudly dressed Jamaican women molest American tourist men while their wives took pictures.
- Watching Matilda, the Jamaican comedian
New Foods
- Jamaican “Jerk” Chicken
- Rum Punch (yum!)
- Rack of Lamb
- Baked Alaska
Day 4. George Town, Grand Cayman Island
New Experiences
- Boarding a tender for the first time.
- Visiting “Margaritaville”
- Visiting a British post office and buying postage there. (their money looks sooo funny)
- Going to see Louis Johnson, Comedian, that evening on the ship
New Foods
- Stuffed Lobster tail
Day 5. At Sea
New Experiences
- Played bingo
- Attended a “laugh” seminar (and passed the humor test!)
- Cried because I knew I was going to miss the sea
New Foods
- A HUGE variety of Sushi.
Day 6. Port and travel to Orlando
New Experiences
- Viewing the stadium for the Superbowl
- Viewing the stadium again for the Superbowl because we got lost in the rental car.
- Going to bed at 9pm because we’re all fuddy-duddy’s.
Day 7. Epcot
New Experiences
- Watching a man do a handstand on 7 stacked chairs
- Watching my father get picked to play the role of “Romeo” in a skit.
- Being totally embarrassed watching my father disco dance as said Romeo
- Laughing at my father because he inserted “What ho!” into his dialogue and then it had to be explained that he was not insulting his “Edna”
- Trying Japanese “Flowers Kiss” candy. No, it doesn’t taste like roses but more like a plum peach!
- Going on Soarin’, a new Epcot ride that makes it feel as if you are hanggliding over various National Parks and wonders.
Day 8. Magic Kingdom and Home
The Magic Kingdom had only a few new experiences for me, as I spent several months working here.
In conclusion to this post – I just want to say that this was one of the most amazing, memorable vacations I’ve ever had. It was thrilling and heartwarming to spend time with my folks when they were really allowed to “relax”. It’s a side of them I don’t see very often at all. Mom said I took to cruising like a duck takes to water, so I’m sure I’ll thoroughly enjoy the family Disney cruise this fall, but in the meantime – it felt good to break out of the shell I’d placed myself into for the last few years and breathe and live again.
And now – pictures of the Miami coast line as we left port, along with a picture of the ship.
