Winter Camp Reunion - World Voyage Days 1-3

Travel Quote:  It's a big world out there; it would be a shame not to experience it.  JD Andrews

There is a large group of people in the cruising world that go on world voyages many years running.  So when each new voyages comes along, it's a lot like going to summer camp, although for us, it's more like winter camp.  Granted, a lot of cruisers live in very wintry places - so instead of heading south to Florida or Arizona, or other, more warm climates, they get on a ship for a few months.  Snow bird meet shore bird!!

I'm included in that group now, sort of, although my home in California is far from a wintry place.  But this is my 4th year in a row where I've been on all or part of a grand voyage.  So I've come to meet and becomes friends with a lot of people.  And when we see each other on the ship, it's really a joy to be together again.  Many of us play trivia, knit and crochet together, eat dinner at the same table each night, and sit side by side at lectures and evening entertainment.  We also get together in small groups and do private tours in ports together.  It's a real family away from family.

Our first three days, after embarkation day, have been at sea.  Trivia teams have been formed.  The Project Linus knitting/crocheting project has been launched, and routines are being established.  I'm usually up early and doing multiple laps around the walking deck, and then maybe going to the gym for a bit, before breakfast, but so far that hasn't quite worked out.  I've been tired, and have been waking late.  I hurt the heel of my foot last summer and it's been a bit sore to walk on for too long at a time.  Instead, I've been working out at a CrossFit gym at home, which I really enjoy, and so the gym on the ship has become the main fitness focus for me.  I also set a goal for myself this trip to do the dreaded burpee excercise on sea days.  We have 73 sea days on this voyage, and so I'm doing a reverse countdown of burpees.  Sea day 1 - 73 burpees.  Sea day 2 - 72 burpees, and so on, until the last sea day of the voyage I will only have to do 1 burpee.  If you don't know what they are - here's a picture.  They're killers. But very good for you.  (Aren't most things that are good for you, not so pleasant?)




Our itinerary.  Begin and end in Ft. Lauderdale

My little cabin on the walking deck.  It's a little misleading - seems an okay size, but you have to do pretzel twists to get to the right side of the bed from the desk.  There is, however, enough room in the little hallway to do my burpees.

Speaking of burpees --- here's the move.

Me and Jack!  Our expressions basically say it all, don't you think?


Tomorrow, we arrive at our first port - Roseau, Dominica.  It's supposed to be one of the prettiest islands in the Caribbean.  It's small, only 92 miles around.  It gained it's independence from Great Britain in 1978.  It's located between Guadeloupe and Martinique.  It's also the only country in the world that has a parrot on it's flag.

Stay tuned for more Pig Tales!!