I had difficulty getting around to finalizing my packing because the week was so busy with work-related appointments. (I am starting a 3 month work term assignment when we return at the end of March). Anyway, I managed to complete the job Friday morning. There are lots of details to think about on these transatlantic cruises because the climates we encounter are quite different, and there are 4 formal dinners on board the ship, so one has to bring suit, jackets, ties, etc. along with all the warm weather, leisure stuff.
Ann was much faster at packing and was ready to go early Friday morning. Ken drove us to the airport in the frigid weather (about minus 13C and windy). We said "goodbye" to Rusty, our dog, before we left the house, comforted to know that Ken will look after him well. Every other time we have left Rusty at home, he has gone to the kennel, but this time is different. He will be a bit confused about our disappearance, but Ken has told me that he has quickly adapted to life with one human being at home!
The flight down was smooth and right on schedule, arriving at 6:30pm on Friday. We got the hotel shuttle, had a bite of dinner and settled into our room which is pleasant. It's a Best Western near the airport. We will get a shuttle bus to the cruise port later today (Sunday).
We didn't do very much on Saturday: I enjoyed reading a book by the outdoor pool while Ann got a manicure, then we had some lunch. We grabbed a taxi to the Galleria Mall near the beach to look around, then returned in late afternoon. Friends of ours (Norm & Helen) who are posted to Michigan with the Canadian gov't, just happened to be here at the same time, so we met for a lovely seafood dinner on Saturday evening.
It's Sunday morning now - we had some rain overnight and there are thunderstorms forecast for this afternoon as the tail end of a cold front goes through. Hopefully, we will be on the ship by early afternoon and will not be inconvenienced by the rain. We are taking the last shuttle to the port at 11:45am, with the hope that we will be allowed to board the MSC POESIA long before the scheduled boarding time of 4pm. Last year when we boarded this same ship, we waited until later in the afternoon to go to the port, only to discover that hundreds of people had already boarded. So, we are hoping that we can board early today as well. The ship sailed out at 7pm.
Having a computer with me is always a treat for me. I can keep up my contacts with friends and family, listen to music, read the news and so on. I also use Skype to talk with my father (via his wired phone) and with Ken (video chat this morning). On board ship, there will be internet connectivity in our cabin, but the bandwidth will be severely restricted, so I don't know when I will make the next post. We will be at sea on Monday and Tuesday, arriving by 8am in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Wednesday. We have an excursion booked to visit a rain forest, but hopefully I may have time to find a place with WiFi near the ship.
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