It was amazing the difference one day of non-stop travel can do. I felt like we were already in a whole new world compared to day before. The seas were calmer, the skies were truly clearing and it was warm and humid. Caribbean, here we come!!
Jared got dressed for his work out and I threw some clothes on so we could head to the Windjammer Café on deck 11 (5 decks up!) for breakfast. We forgot to keep track of Jared's steps with the pedometer, but I assure you, there were A LOT of them! I don't think our quads ever stopped burning when we climbed the stairs. There were 24-30 stairs (divided into two...you go up one set to a landing, then turn and go up the next set) in between each deck. So just going from deck 6 to deck 11, for breakfast, we climbed 120 to 150 steps!
Which is how I could justify my breakfast :) Breakfast is my FAVORITE meal. But I love any meal I don't have to cook which made this cruise even more of a dream for me. Especially since it wasn't fast food like most vacations we take.
I had scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, fruit, cereal and 2 waffles. Jared had the same, minus the waffles. I loved sitting by the huge windows. I still cannot get over how vast the oceans are. Water, water e.ver.y.where!
After breakfast, we went up to the top deck to get a view. Then we laid out on some chairs by the pool, until Jared had to go to his class. While he was spinning, I tried to find the rock wall, but it was closed. I went back to our cabin to shower and change.
When we bought our cruise tickets several months prior, we booked a massage for each of us. My brilliant plan was to get one on the first day at sea at the beginning of the week and then a second one on the last day at sea on our way back to port. Apparently, it's not such a brilliant idea because I couldn't get one until Thursday night, when we left Mexico. Everyone else had the same plan. I was disappointed, of course, that I couldn't secure one sooner, but was still grateful for the one I would be getting and it gave me something to look forward to after all the excitement at the ports.
Before Jared came back from his workout, he checked on our massage appointments. I feared mine was right during dinner on Thursday. It was at 6:45pm, so that's about an hour after dinner starts on our most formal night. It would be doable.
Jared then presented me with an appointment card for ANOTHER massage! For that very night at 8pm! He said "Happy Anniversary!" (Hel-loooo! The cruise was for our anniversary :) I couldn't believe it! They had an opening and he got it for me. He used some of the money we had credited back from the cancellation of our zip line excursion. SO sweet!!
After Jared got cleaned up, we went looking for the rock wall. (Some of these things are hard to remember how to get to.) This time it was open. I stood there and watched a lady do it. She was like Spiderman. Quick and lithe. I started to change my mind about doing it. Until the handsome young Scotsman with a fantastic accent holding her ropes asked if I was going to try. I admitted I wasn't sure. He told me I should do it because I was on vacation. He was very convincing. I think the accent had something to do with it :) So I slowly went to sign the waiver and get the equipment. And who should show up but Jesse and Jenney, our tablemates. Jenney went first and did great. Jared took pictures for them.
Jesse and I started up at the same time. I told the Scotsman, who had my ropes, that I'd never done this before. He said he hadn't either. He gave me a couple of pointers, though, from all of his observations and I was off.
The first three or four climbs were okay.
I think I lifted myself two more times after that, but my arms were shaky and my right hand was killing me. In my attempt to get in shape after having a baby 6 months prior, I had injured my hand/wrist while lifting weights. I was diagnosed just a couple weeks earlier as having De Quervain syndrome, also known as gamer's thumb, mother's wrist or mommy thumb. It's inflammation of the fluid-filled sheath that surrounds a tendon and in this case, inflammation of the sheath or tunnel that surrounds two tendons that control movement of the thumb. Basically it's an overuse injury that causes pain and tenderness and swelling over the thumb side of the wrist and causes difficulty in gripping.
So all things considered, I guess I won't be too hard on myself that I didn't make it to the top. I didn't realize I was that "close" to the bell (Jared told me he thought I was going to make it), but I just couldn't do anymore. So down I came. Not bad for my first try. I actually really enjoyed it!
After that we went to the spa to see if by chance I could change my Thursday massage time later so I could stay for all of dinner. They moved me to 8pm. I'm SO lucky!!
We had lunch at the Windjammer and got to walk one deck down for it :) I had curried chicken, rice, pasta and beef schnitzel. Yeah, totally random, but deee-lish. Jared had curried chicken, rice, sweet and sour pork and a salad.
After lunch, we went to the pool to lay out for an hour before going to the Ice Odyssey show. It was WARM out there--hotter than the tanning beds. Thankfully, we had the tanning edge on our side, plus our SPF 50 sunblock so we didn't toast ourselves...which is more than I can say for many others.
We walked down and across the ship to go to the ice show at 2pm. We grabbed a yummy "no cost" deli sandwich at another café on our way there. Here's a little trivia: Apparently "Studio B" on our ship (Voyager), is the first ice rink to hit the high seas.
It was a small rink, but impressive enough for a cruise ship, and there were a LOT of performers on that rink...many Olympic ice skaters from all over the world. The lack of space they had in which to perform took me back to my days in the high school swing choir. We did many performances (singing and dancing) in a variety of different settings. Some of which were very cramped. Our director would just smile knowingly and bring his fingertips together at an angle, creating what we knew stood for a capital 'A'. Which meant: Adapt people. Quit your whining. Make it work.
And that's what these ice skaters did. I'm not sure I could tell you what the theme of the show was. It was just fun to see them do impressive maneuvers and tricks.
While we were on that side of the ship, we decided we'd try looking again for our photographs. We had to come up with a plan for combing through the walls of pictures. I would take one side and Jared would take the other and we'd move in the same direction. You could waste some serious time if you didn't have a route to follow. But it was to no avail. You'd think with my red hair it would be easy enough to spot us. Not so.
Time for an afternoon nap! On our way back to the cabin, we grabbed a super yummy éclair at the same café on the Promenade (deck 5) where we had gotten the sandwich before the show. I had to restrain myself from getting another. Good thing we were taking the stairs!
We played a game of Quiddler (a spelling game) and I won by 3 points. For those of you who know my obsession with spelling, believe it or not, Jared usually beats me when we play one-on-one. It was fun that this game was so close. Then we rested and got ready for dinner.
Jesse and Jenney told us at the rock wall that morning that they were going to skip dinner in the dining room to go to Johnny Rockets instead. Mike and Buddy weren't there again either. (Maybe we were just too young and rambunctious for them--we certainly hoped they were having a good time wherever they were). Todd and Jen were there though so we dined with them. They informed us that Jesse had taken 3rd place in the Sexiest Man Contest earlier that afternoon. (He reminds me of Deeks for those of you who watch NCIS: Los Angeles :)
For some reason I wasn't feeling too good at dinner and consequently nothing sounded appetizing. Fortunately, I was able to eat some pasta.
After dinner, we swung by the Excursion Desk and booked the beach and gourmet lunch activity for Jamaica the next day. When we got back to the cabin, we changed into our bathing suits. I headed up for my massage and Jared made plans to meet me there with the towels and we would go soak in the hot tub afterwards.
Amy from the UK gave me my massage. It was awesome (though Jared's massages reign supreme!) I was so relaxed, even as she worked on my sore, tight muscles in my shoulders, neck and back. It was a fast hour!
Jared and I found the only hot tub that was open and it was vacant of people. This surprised me. Not that I minded having it to ourselves. I just thought we'd have to wait or join a group already there. Then my husband reminded ignorant me that this was about the time of day when people like to drink and party. I must be old or boring or both. Because I was ready for bed! The hot tub was warm, not hot--the way I like it--but it worked.
1 comment:
This all sounds so fun!! What a great way to celebrate your marriage!
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