Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone has had a wonderful end of January….I have certainly enjoyed mine.
Here's what has happened since the last time:
Friday, January 21 - Wednesday, January 26th we were at sea…crossing the Pacific. It was the MOST boring time I have had on this ship in 5 months….I can't explain the boredom. The weather was crap so we couldn't go up on the top deck to just enjoy the sun to make the days go faster. The guests were a little older on this crossing (again) so they weren't out for us to go talk to…they sat in their cabins. All in all, it was the most BOR-RING time I've ever experienced…ehhhh.
Thursday, January 27th FINALLY on land in Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands. It was a cute and very quite town. We got off in the morning, even though being told that the town had NOTHING to do…that was okay…just to be off the ship and touching land…was enough for me. Once we got off the tender, their were the town natives in their costumes and singing songs….and they offered coconut juice and I tried it (and that will be the last….tasted like old medicine). Adam, Cody, Emily, Lesley and I all walked the beach down to the center of town. We were told that we should go check out this church….apparently it was very pretty. So we wondered over there and it actually was very pretty. The entire church was made out of wood carvings….so cool. We sat there for a while, just enjoying our time off the ship and talked for a while. It was funny…on our way back, we kept seeing guests and they would stop and be like, "Hey guys…..how are you?" and all of us would be like, "Fine….thanks" (and think to ourselves….you never once talked to us on the ship…you ignored us…haha) We got back on the ship and enjoyed the night…refreshed from touching the earth…haha.
Friday, January 28th we were suppose to be in Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands but the swell was SO big that they couldn't operate the tender service. The waves were really strong and high with the winds gusting up to 50mph….so needless to say…we had ANOTHER sea day. Which pissed me off to be quite honest because the next day…we were suppose to be at sea as well and you guessed it…we were. So Saturday, January 29th we were at sea AGAIN. Now, it doesn't seem like a big deal and everything that we are at sea…because we just sit in our rooms and watch tv…but the bad thing was….the internet wasn't working very well and the tv's were going in and out with signal….so we REALLY had nothing to do. We all were getting pretty tired of being on the ship…it really takes a lot out of you to be on the ship for that long….trust me…haha.
Sunday, January 30th we are in Rangiroa, French Polynesia….one of the prettiest places that I've been to. I had an early duty this morning…so I couldn't get off the ship early like I wanted to. I sat there (at shuffleboard…woo) waiting for guests to arrive….looking at the BEAUTIFUL beaches that I thought the cast were at. This man come up from behind me and scares the crap out of me saying, "Shuffleboard" to me…haha. I was like…"sure…haha". We played a few rounds and he asked me if I had been off yet and I said, "no but I will after we finish the game…no rush…haha" (I'm very happy to report…he took it well…haha) After the game, I ran to my room to get off the ship. Once I tendered to the island…the whole cast were waiting for me at a little cafe to walk to the beach together…they are great!!! Walking to the beach…thats when it hit me of how absolutely beautiful it was there…just amazing. We all got in the water and enjoyed the clear blue water…just gorgeous and of course the weather….it was SO hot this day. It was so cool….stingrays would be swimming around…not getting close to us but just swimming around the lagoon…it was so cool. We played with this red ball that Greg has (we have named it Susan….don't ask…haha). It was great passing the ball around and then looking around and going, "really…are we playing with Susan in this beautiful place….haha". It will defiantly be something that I never forget. After a while, it was time to go back onto the ship so we had to leave….on the way back…we saw a pig in a crate and it was so cute. It kept coming up to us and we took a few pictures with the pig. Today was a great day!!!
Monday, January 31 we started the day in Moorea, French Polynesia and ended the day in Papeete, Tahiti for an overnight. In the early morning….Lesley, Greg, Jodie, Adam and I, all off the ship to get to a beach…since we were staying half day here. Seeing the mountains around us and the beautiful views…it was BREATH TAKING. After we got to the port, we decided to take a taxi to a beach resort, not knowing what we were in for. Now, think of the word 'paradise' or a 'paradise vacation' and what that means….clear blue waters, white sand beaches, huts over the water….that is EXACTLY what I was experiencing. Once we got to the GORGEOUS resort, we headed right for the water….it was GREAT. Again, we played with Susan for a little while (haha) and I was really looking around thinking, "Am I really here?" After a little while, we got out of the water…I could feel myself getting buried…yes, ME…getting burnt. We sat around and I just really appreciated it….I thought that the Caribbean was pretty….but it doesn't even come CLOSE to this area of the world…just beautiful. Later, we all started to get hungry so we went and had a lovely lunch in the restaurant…surrounded by paradise. I had a great club sandwich…one of the best actually that I ever have had and just enjoyed the company I was with. After our lunch, we went and swam in the pool that the hotel had. It was one of the infinity pools…where it looks like its falling off a cliff…into the ocean. It was such a cool time….I can't really explain what it was like…it was all WAY to surreal. We made it back to the ship, just in time for us to leave for Tahiti and to have Spirito up on the pool deck. When we arrived in Tahiti, I made sure that I came outside to see the sunset….I was told that this place has the most beautiful sunsets and holy crap, they weren't kidding. It was the MOST beautiful sunset I have EVER seen in my life. I ran down to get a picture of it…it was SO gorgeous. I stood there in amazement that I was actually there in Tahiti seeing this beautiful sunset…it was just an amazing experience. Later that night, we had a great show of Spirito on the pool deck and wouldn't you know, 5 mins after we finished the show…it started raining. Someone up there was watching out for us….thanks!!! That night, we all decided to go off and have a great time. We had a big group of us and wanted to go to a bar and have some fun. Well, it was a Monday night and nothing was really open and it started to rain so we kinda were upset and didn't know what to do. We eventually decided to go to a bar that we saw in the distance, so we all ran in the rain to this bar….it was one of the funniest experiences. All of us screaming because of the downpour of the rain. I kept thinking of my brother and mom during this time and that great moment in Forest Gump when he was talking about the rain in Vietnam….well, Mom and Ryan…this was big ol' fat rain…haha. Finally, we got to the bar and had a great time all together and danced the night away…such a fun group of people.
Tuesday, February 1st once again, we are in Papeete, Tahiti for our first embarkation of the world cruise. I have 7 more cruise until I see my Mom and Nene….I'm so excited!!!!!! I had to work a 2 hour shift that day…standing there listening to Tahitian music…lets just say, it was getting a little annoying…but to entertain myself because there was NO ONE around…I started hula dancing….haha, it was funny and yes, I was that bored. After my Hula performance, I got off the ship and had a great lunch at a french cafe. I understood NOTHING that they said to me but I enjoyed the food. Afterwards, I walked around…enjoying the day to myself. I was trying to find something to buy…to remember the place but there wasn't anything that appealed to me…so I didn't. After a while, I sat in a beautiful park…over looking the marina…just enjoying the day….it was a great, peaceful day.
We are now on to our next cruise and here is the itinerary: Raiatea, French Polynesia on Feb. 2nd (IPM) / Bora Bora, French Polynesia on Feb. 3rd / At Sea on Feb. 4th / Rarotonga, Cook Islands on Feb. 5th / At Sea Feb. 6 - 10th (but I lose Feb. 8th (my dad's bday) crossing the International Dateline) / Bay of Islands, New Zealand on Feb. 11th and ending this cruise in Auckland, New Zealand on February 12th.
I hope that everyones 2011 has been a great one thus far and here is something that a guest said to me while he was leaving this last cruise, I liked it…"I wish you health, love, money and time to spend all of them"
Until Next Time,
Jason
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