The brochure outlining trips sponsored by the New London Adult Education Progam arrives September 2008. Not expecting Al to want to go on any of the trips, I hand the leaflet over to him to peruse. Looking it all over he says, " Take a look at this trip," pointing to the cruise to the Virgin Islands.
"This one looks good. What do you think of this trip?"
My shock is great. I have to think quickly or the moment will be gone.
"That looks good to me," I say nonchalantly, not wanting to get my hopes up for nothing. "Would you like me to sign us up?"
"Yes," answers Al.
Wow. Miracles do happen sometimes right in your own home. We are going to the Virgin Islands as passengers on the "Norwegian Gem" Norwegian Cruise Lines. The "Gem" will have about 2200 passengers. It is a huge ship and a new one.
A couple of months before the cruise date we have the opportunity to select land excursions on the islands we will be visiting. Al and I read the information and agree on our excursions in five different ports of call. This is going to be so much fun and a great learning experience.
We spend Thanksgiving with our families in Annapolis and totally forget about our up coming trip and forget to tell our families about it. The first they hear about it is a couple of weeks before our departure when I write, "Here is our itinerary for our cruise." Our whole family is surprised and happy for us.
A week before our departure there is an informational meeting for those who signed up through the New London Adult Ed. Center. Al and I look around at the meeting and do not recognize a single person. In my heart I know that that does not matter. Making new friends is part of the experience. I like the woman named Rita sitting at the table with me. She has a sparkle and twinkle in her eye, and a laugh is just around the corner. I will look for her on the trip.
On Feb. 4th departure day Al and I drive to the New London Center and lock up our car. When the bus arrives, our suitcases are loaded and we take our seats. Al and I sit behind Peter and Myrna. I am trying to remember names now.
During the bus ride to our cruise ship in New York Harbor, I notice that Peter and Myrna are always kissing. This is an unusual activity to see among senior citizen couples.
This kind of thing is catching, so I give Al a kiss.
"What is that for?" asks Al perplexed.
I motion towards Peter and Myrna and Al just shrugs with a smile on his face. I think he is secretly pleased. Peter and Myrna are setting a good example for human relationships!
During our cruise we become friends with Peter and Myrna and find out that both their spouses have died. They have been dating for six months. Obviously their attraction to each other is mutual!
We also enjoy getting to know Chuck and Doris Wilkinson from Quaker Hill. In our conversations we find out we have some things in common. Al and Chuck are both retired engineers from Electric Boat. Doris and I discover that we both used to sing in the Saturday night folk masses at St. John's Catholic Church in Montville! This is interesting because at the present time I am trying to round up a group of men and women to lead sing-a-longs at our local halfway house in Montville. Doris can help me locate some possible group members!
We all become good friends during the cruise.
Looking at the streets of New York City through the bus window is exciting to me. New York City always does that to me. There is just something about that place. It is charged with energy.
Seeing the horses and buggies carrying their passengers through Central Park makes me feel sentimental for some reason. Al and I have done that once years ago and I have walked through that intriguing Park many times.
Once on the dock with our luggage we face many long winding lines of passengers going through check points and boarding the "Norwegian Gem".
Our cruise ships lies peacefully next to the dock. She is absolutely huge and taking up much of the skyline. Gems of various colors are painted onto her forward hull. She is bright white and gleaming.
We move forward in our lines at a steady pace and before you know it we are stepping over the threshold of the ship where staff are waiting for us all smiles and "welcome to the Norwegian Gem"! We are handed a glass of champagne on the spot! This is a nice welcoming gesture and sets the festive mood, but it is difficult to handle my carry-on luggage and champagne at the same time.
Finally I set it down unfinished as we try and manuver through the crowd of passengers to find our stateroom.
We are in room #5574 and we take an elevator ride to our floor. We do find our room, but where are our suitcases? The ship moves away from the dock and we are underway without our suitcases! I am nervous about this but Al assures me the staff are working to deliver them all to the rooms. They do get delivered hours later much to my relief.
Al and I explore the ship. This is no easy task. We are given a guide and that helps. The elevators all have written floor plans on their walls to help you know what is located on the different floors. There are thirteen floors! Most of them are for the staterooms and the others are used for the restaurants, bar lounges, casino, ships stores, exercise room, spa, reception desk, excursion desk, bridge room, library room and of course the swimming pool area. Each day we are given a new schedule of activities for that day and we are free to do whatever we want and eat whenever we want...whereever we want.
Al and I soon find that we like eating in the main dining rooms best where there is peace and quiet and a chance to sit and meet other passengers. The ship has a great buffet area, but it is so popular. It is so easy to overfill your plate with food there and most people do go overboard on the amounts! Also there is always a crush of people to manuver around at the buffet and everyone is rushing to find a seat.
During two days at sea Al and I fall into a routine of walking around the decks, reading and attending lectures. The pool? Forget it! We never find a single lounge chair by the pool. They are always taken and closely guarded by the occupants. We enjoy other sitting areas.
Al even tries rock climbing while on board! He willingly signs away all responsibility for his safety and just goes at it! I stay down below, praying and taking pictures of him scaling the big wall.
'Ding dong!' "Hello, this is your captain speaking from the bridge. Today our seas are.....feet and the winds are gusting at ...... we hope you are enjoying your cruise." We hear this every morning and night.
Those two days at sea are rough. I struggle to walk a straight line and it is impossible. I weave back and forth, left to right and hold onto Al's arm. He kind of reins me in when I start to go off to the side.
I stand at the top of a staircase in the Grand Pacific main dining room. The hostess motions to a man at the bottom of the stairs.
"He will show you to your seat," she says.
" Just follow me," the staff person tells me.
I look at the flight of stairs and the walk to a table. I panic. How can I do this? I can't even walk properly. How can I make it down the stairs let alone to my seat? I grab onto the handrail and slowly make my way down. Then I stagger left to right as I make my way to the indicated table.
I try to maintain some semblance of propriety.
"Thank you," I smile weakly to our staff person. I am so thankful to have arrived without falling down!
One night we eat at the steak house specialty restaurant. Everything is perfect including our waiter...except...
"How have you enjoyed your dinner?" asks the manager of the restaurant. He is stopping at the tables asking these questions.
"Just fine," we answer.
"Is there any way it can be improved?" the manager presses.
Al speaks up.
"I give it a 98 % rating."
"What?!" Now the manager is frowning. 98%? Why is that?"
"Just two little things, " Al states apologetically. "The rolls are not warm."
"Oh, yes, " we know about that and are working on it. "And?????"
"And the cup does not fit the saucer."
The manager inspects the cup and saucer.
"Oh, yes, you are right." He sends for another saucer that fits just right under the coffee cup. "We are so sorry."
"No problem," Al says. "We had a great dinner."
We feel sorry for our waiter who will probably be rated on the cup and saucer incident.
The ship has a large theatre with stage. Nightly we are treated to wonderful entertainment. Magic acts, juggling acts, improvising shows, and a talented singing and dancing group. I like them the most.
After one of their performances the dance group lines up along the outside hallway as we leave the theatre. Here is my chance to shake hands with one of the dancers and tell her how much I enjoyed the show.
"I recognize that one," I tell myself. " I will shake her hand and talk with her."
I walk up to her holding my hand out and she reaches out to shake my hand. The floor shifts under my feet and I walk straight past her with my hand still outstretched. Embarrassed I find myself staggering over to the opposite side of the hallway where I shake the hands of the closest actor!!! Not at all who I expect.
My only coping mechanism is to laugh. It is a funny awkard situation and I just laugh at myself. It's the only way to handle these situations and maintain your sense of humor!
Ship personnel are always in the dining rooms looking out to make sure the passengers have their needs met.
One morning I stand waiting at the breakfast buffet while my server goes to look for a straw for me.
"What are you doing?"
I look up and see a man standing next to me in a white uniform with brass buttons. Uh, oh... This guy is high up.
"I'm waiting for a straw."
Then a second uniformed man appears next to the first one.
"She's waiting for a straw," he is told.
I continue to stand waiting. That is unacceptable to these officers.
"Just go and sit down," I am told, "and she will bring you a straw."
I nod in agreement and hunt for Al and a seat. I never get a straw. No matter. What matters is that I did not stand around looking like I needed something!!
After two days at sea, islands begin to appear. We are arriving at the Virgin Islands. The shallower waters turn to green and turquoise. The islands and surrounding waters lay stunning in the sunlight. Such beauty is before me I have rarely seen. It is awesome and I can hardly tear my eyes away.
For five days we visit one new port a day.
St. Thomas Island is first. Our land excursion bus takes up straight up a mountain to a mountaintop view. What can I say? Looking down on the island and waters looks like a paradise. At Mountain Top, Al purchases two of their specialty bannana daquiris - delicious. We spend our time just looking at the scenes before us.
On the bus we continue our ride until the bus comes to a sudden stop.
"Oh, look," the people on our bus are saying.
"It's an iguana crossing the road. This bus stops for iguanas!"
I do not see any iguana, but Al spots his tail disappearing into the brush.
Later we are taken downtown and given time to walk around the streets and parks.
In every port we are told that tourism is the main industry of the islands.
That explains why everywhere you look the native people, many of them ancestors of the slaves that worked on the sugar cane plantations, are always setting up their craft tents and selling their wares in an agressive fashion.
"Come on over here, take a look. Do you like what you see? Feel it and touch it."
The native people love bright colors! They dress in bright vivid colors and make clothes the same way. The colors are blended together in booths and are striking.
Antigua Island is next. We are first driven to a pineapple plantation, where we see how pineapples are grown. Next, we are taken to Valley Church Beach where we are served a buffet lunch and then a relaxing time by the water. Since I have to wait for my fruit punch, I am given two fruit punches to make up for my wait.
The eyes of the other people at our table grow wide. 'Is she going to drink all that alcohol?' they are thinking.
"Oh, there is no alcohol in these," I assure the others. They all look relieved to know that.
A native woman balances a box on her head with her arms straight down at her sides. In the box is shell jewelry she is selling. How does she balance that box like that I wonder?
She urges me to buy. I say, no, I have to eat.
She waits for me. After my lunch and entertainment she is still looking for me. She walks right up and show me her wares again.
I feel like I should buy something to make her happy. I study a shell necklace I like. I do not ask her the price. Instead I say...
"Will you take ten dollars for this necklace?"
She thinks hard for a moment and then answers,
"I will take eleven."
"All right," I say and give her eleven dollars.
"She is happy that she has won the bargain," Al tells me and I know he is right.
On the bus in these ports we see where the natives live. These are poor people with little conveniences. Just the pure basics. Definately less prosperous than St Thomas. But, they look happy and that is what is important.
On the bus ride back to our ship we get caught in a huge traffic jam. There is a political rally going on and we are stuck in a long car parade. We are not even moving. Now we are all getting nervous about getting back to our ship on time. The natives on one political side are all wearing bright red clothes and the ones on the opposite political side are all wearing blue. Another smaller faction was wearing yellow. They look like baseball players to me in their uniforms!
People on our bus start shouting at our driver.
"Go get em, Larry! You can do it! Go go go! Give it the gas! We are counting on you!"
I do not take part in this, but the driver does a great job and we are finally moving again. We do get back to the ship in plenty of time.
Next port is Barbados Island. I remember this island for is gorgeous beaches, rocky coast with crashing waves. Our bus stops at Bathsheba Beach on the Atlantic side for picture taking. It is very beautiful.
Our bus guide points out island animals wandering all around the countryside such as goats, pigs, hens and chickens.
"On Antigua," the bus driver informs us, " the people like the gentle flavor of the goats. Here on Barbados the people like to add curry to their sheep dishes. They like the spicier flavor."
"It is very expensive living on this island," we are told. "There is a 15% sales tax added to everything." Barbados looks more prosperous than Angiqua to us.
It is on this bus tour that the unexpected happens and we are thrown into a crisis. As we are bumping along inside the bus all of a sudden we all hear this tremendous explosion. We think it is the shot from a cannon! That is what is sounds like. The bus comes to a dead stop. 'What was that?!' we are all thinking.
Our bus drivers and guide go outside to inspect the bus. "It's a blow out. We have a blow out. One of the bus tires has blown."
'Oh, boy, now what?' we are all thinking. 'Will we have to wait here for a replacement bus?' It turns out fortunately that the bus has double tires. When one blows the second tire does the job of the first tire. No lurching, no careening or rolling over. We just continue on our way back to the ship carefully.
When we finally get off the bus we look at the outside metal panel over the tire. The metal panel is blown right out from the side of the bus. We are thankful for our safe trip back!
Back on the ship that night we are entertained in the theatre by a magician. He picks out a portly man in the audience to help him.
"Where are you from?"
"I'm from Allentown, PA."
"What do you do?"
"I'm a professionial body builder."
"Yes, you certainly are building a body. Turn around and show everyone in the audience what a big body you have!"
When it is time for another helper, the magician calls out,
"Who out there in the audience has a $100.00 bill they are willing to loan me for this trick?"
He finally gets senior citizen Lou Schmidt to come up on stage with her bill. As for the magic, he palms the bill and later makes it reappear. But in between, he has a lot of fun with Lou and the audience. The comedy part of the stunt is more amusing than the magic.
The next morning on the ship we hear the usual 'Dong Dong'!
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Barbados..."
I am noting a curious thing in the captain's announcements to us.
He makes a long announcement in English and then switches to German, French and Spanish. Each time he changes into a different language his speech becomes shorter. By the time he gets to Spanish he is only speaking a few lines.
Why is that I wonder? Those listening in Spanish are getting short changed for sure!
Our next port is St. Maarten. On St. Maarten our land excursion is called "Natural Wonders." We are taken to a small zoo and led around in a circle past parrots and other birds, iguana, crocodile, baboons, turtles, monkeys and yes snakes.
Inside the snake area our guide David reaches inside a dark area and pulls out a long constrictor snake.
"Who wants to hold it? He is perfectly safe."
Al reaches out his hand and before you know it there is Al with this long skinny snake winding around him. Ugh! Al looks happy. I reach out and pet the snake tentatively, very tentatively!
David takes the snake away from Al and wraps it around a young boy about 12 years old. David turns away to talk to other people.
"What kind of snake did you say this is," asks the boy's mother?
"It is a constrictor snake. It squeezes its prey."
"The snake is winding around my son's neck!"
David turns, and says, "Oh yes," and he unwraps the snake from the boy's neck and takes it away!
Our bus driver tells us a "wife" joke on the bus.
"Once I had a man and his wife on my tour bus and apparently the wife got left behind by accident at the first stop. This is always a fear we bus drivers have...that we will leave someone behind.
Three hours later I notice the husband is alone on the bus.
' Where is your wife?' I ask him
' Oh, she got left behind at the first stop,' the husband tells me.
' Why didn't you tell me?!' I ask him. 'I am so terribly sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to leave her behind. I will go back for her.'
'No, never mind,' says the husband. ' Here is $50.00. Please take it as my thank you. This is the quietest three hours I have ever had!'
That night on the ship the stage show is put on by the "Second City Comedy Show" which is a small group of actors doing improvisation.
An actor and actress do a skit where the man is trying to propose marriage to his girlfriend. The girl is waiting in excited anticipation of the proposal. Just as the guy starts to propose we hear,
'Ding Dong'. "This is your captain speaking from the bridge again. It's lonely up here. I don't know if people like me because I am the captain or if they just like me. "
The actor tries again to make his proposal speech when the captain interrupts again with,
"When I was a boy..."
"Oh, shut up! " says the actor. "Who cares?! " And they exit the stage in frustration.
Al and I laugh alot over this skit and everytime the captain speaks to us on the ship after that we always think about the skit lines.
After the show Al and I find a seat in Magnum's Champagne Bar and Lounge and order an after dinner drink. We listen to a string quartet and enjoy the classic music. The musicians are from Poland.
Next to me sits a man talking to his wife. What is unusual is that his wife seems to have passed out and she is stretched out over two chairs in a prone position. After a few minutes the man leaves and does not return for about 45 minutes! In the meantime the bar tenders and other passengers around are looking at her sideways and looking away again. No one wants to appear to stare at her. Obviously the staff are concerned but not concerned enough to do anything about it.
Finally the husband returns and sits down next to me. He continues to talk to his wife as if she can understands him. She never revives or sits up.
When Al and I are ready we just leave and wonder what happened to her?
Al and I step off our elevator and straight ahead of me in the hall way I see a woman start to climb up the staircase and her husband start to do down the staircase.
"Hey, why are you going upstairs?" her husband asks. "I thought our stateroom was downstairs."
Al and I hear this all the time in the corridors. Passengers are struggling to find their way on this big ship the entire eleven days we are out!
Our last port is Tortola Island. We ride in a little open air bus and Al calls this ,"The nose bleed, white knuckle" tour. He is right. That is what this is.
"Anyone here afraid of heights?" our bus driver asks.
"I am " volunteers a wide eyed tourist on our bus.
"Cool!" the driver gloats. "I am your tour guide and I will have some fun with you. Feel free to scream if screaming makes you feel better."
And with that we were off on what I can only describe as a roller coast ride. Tortola is a ride up a steep mountain, careening along narrow winding roads that curve down to the beach and then back up and down a mountain again. We seem to hang over the road as we gaze miles down the cliff to the tiny boats dotting the harbors below. God forbid anyone should fall out of the bus. Some tourists moved to the inside seats, not wanting to be on the outside edge.
Al announces to anyone on the bus listening, "I understand now four jobs you can have on this island and be successful. #1, doing transmission work, #2, doing brake work, #3 being in air conditioning and #4 being a funeral director. None of us disagree with this.
The final night of our cruise Al and I have dinner with our new friends Chuck and Doris and Peter and Myrna. We are eating in the main dining room together and relishing our time with each other. Peter tells us,"This morning I looked at Myrna sleeping and I told her she looked pretty. She woke up and said, 'How do you know that ? It is dark in here. You can't see.' "Well if you just open your eyes you will see!" Myrna had forgotten to open her eyes.
Our last morning on the ship our group meets in the Champagne bar with our overnight bags. Everything is very organized by colors and we are waiting for the "brown" color to be called which means it is our time to disembark the ship. Our cruise is over and it is sad in a way to be leaving behind this whole adventure and new friends. I get the guys Chuck, Peter and Al to sit together on three bar stools. Then Doris, Myrna and I sit on our husband's laps. I get Bonnie our group leader to take our picture. Thanks to Peter and Myrna we all feel young and giddy again. It is a good feeling.
One last surprise. I call this story ' The Kiss.'
I am sitting in a chair waiting for "brown" to be called. I suddenly feel someone putting their arms around me and kissing my cheek. I look up to see...I never did know her name. She was not in our group. I would speak to her briefly now and then when I saw her on the ship...our spirits seemed to connect in some kind of unity and understanding without words!! "I just want to say goodbye and for you to have a safe trip home." With that she made her way back across the crowded room to her own group.
I sit in awe. 'I don't even know who she is. I don't know anything about her and yet we have some kind of bond. How is this possible?' I think to myself. I don't understand these things. This is something spiritual and of God. That is what I sense. There are mysteries in life. I don't have to understand everything that happens in my life good or bad. What I do understand is this.
God is real. He is a loving, personal God. He loves us and cares for us more than we can ever know. He is always with us. Nothing happens by accident. All is planned in His love. This cruise was no accident. It was in the plans. God had people for me to meet and adventures to experience, lessons to learn. If I don't understand anything more than this, it is enough.