Hello everyone,
I can't believe how close it is coming to the end this contract….I have been having the time of my life and I'm glad that I'm getting to share this experience through this blog with you….I'm glad that I started it and I'm glad that YOU read it!!!
Lets not waste anymore time...
Monday, April 18th we had our Embarkation day of our next cruise in Dubai but luckily I had the morning and early afternoon off. I headed into the city via shuttle bus to be surrounded by this fake and futuristic city. Its so hard to explain because this place doesn't look real…just really strange. Made it to the Dubai Mall (one of the largest in the world) which is next to the largest structure on Earth and wow…what a massive thing that is. From a distance…it really doesn't look that big but once you get next to it….WOW…just incredible. The Dubai Mall was equally jaw dropping…4 levels of this MASSIVE, MASSIVE mall where you could have ANYTHING that you wanted…just incredible. Looking at the directory…I felt like I was reading a novel…chapter one, restaurants…chapter two, mens stores…etc. I made my way up to the food court, which was massive and you would never guess what was there….TACO BELL!!! Yes, I was in heaven for that meal…even though it didn't taste like HOME Taco Bell…it was Taco Bell nonetheless…haha. Afterwards, I had the mission to post some of the pictures for the past 2 months up on Facebook so I really took advantage of the free wifi. Eventually, I had to make it back to work embarkation for the day…only an hour AND we only have 272 guests on the ship…out of the 540 that it can hold. Can we say, ghostship…haha. Afterwards, Lesley, Jodie, Greg, Jen, myself and our new cruise director David headed back to the mall. We had a great meal at TGI Fridays and enjoyed the 'dancing fountains' that were giving a show outside. This city was just incredible….just very weird and futuristic. Afterwards, we all split up and got a few things that we needed to get and then were going to meet up later. Once we got back together, we had decided to go bowling….yes thats right….bowling in Dubai…haha. We finally got a taxi and told him to take us to the Bowling Alley and we had SUCH a great time. The first round…didn't go so well for me…I haven't played in a long time…a little embarrassing cause there were these kids next to us that were incredible and then you look at what I was doing….putting my head down in shame…haha. Don't you find that is always the case in bowling…always these young whipper snappers that can bowl circles around you…cause back in my day…woah, sorry…old moment..haha. The second round however, I must have TOTALLY switched inside because I bowled the best game….EVER. I have NEVER played that well before ….whoosh, it was a lot of fun though. Afterwards, our taxi guy took us to the famous hotel that is in the shape of a sail and we took a few pictures….it was a really great end to the night in Dubai.
Tuesday, April 19th we were at Dubai again only for the half day so there wasn't really enough time to go out in the city. I woke up not feeling very well so I decided to stay on the ship and get as much rest as I could. The rest of the day was a sea day and we had the normal duties that we normally have….it was a relaxing day.
Wednesday, April 20th we were in Muscat, Oman and I woke up with NO VOICE and we have a show this evening….oh great….not the best time to lose my voice. I went off the ship with everyone because I thought some fresh air would do me well instead of the stupid air on the ship AND because it was the last day at a port before the crossing to Egypt and I wasn't about to stay on the ship for an extra day…haha. Went into the town and there wasn't much to do there except go into the bazaars and shop. It was cool because there was a entire building with little side streets with shops EVERYWHERE….it was nuts. It was INCREDIBLY hot this day…not humid but just dry heat…it sucked. After walking around for a while we couldn't decide on what to do so we walked through the shops again and we got a few things that sparked our interest before. Eventually it was time for me to get back to the ship for a duty that I had which was alright…I was quite bored in the city. Later in the evening, we pushed off the port and began our 5 sea day journey to Egypt. By the way, the show that evening went quite well….which I don't understand. I literally could not speak in the morning and I didn't think that I could do the show…so I made sure that I didn't speak all day long. I have to send a HUGE thank you out to my voice professors at school for teaching me the correct way to sing and what to do when you're ill…I'm lucky I had such great professors.
Thursday, April 21st to Monday, April 25th we spent our time at sea in the Indian Ocean and eventually making our way to the Red sea traveling to Safaga, Egypt. During our sea days…we were in the Samoan pirate danger zone so all the windows on the ship had to be shut…the lights were all turned off at night and it was just strange and spooky. We felt that we were in a prison because we weren't a loud to go outside on the decks that we normally could use. We all had to go up on the highest decks during the day and at night…you had to take a flashlight with you because it was PITCH BLACK. I went out on one of the decks during the night one time and it scared the crap out of me…imagine night time at sea…with NO light around…a little freaky. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS OUR LAST HUGE CROSSING THAT WE HAVE FOR THE REST OF THE TIME ON THE SHIP….HOOORAH!!!!
Tuesday, April 26th we were FINALLY in Safaga, Egypt where I was on a all-day excursion to see the Temples in Luxor…which was awesome. The day started very early and boy, did the weather confuse the crap out of me. I thought that it was going to be warm…I mean we are in EGYPT…but no, it was quite cool and windy…whoosh, too cold. We had a 2.5 hour drive through the Sahara Desert which was cool because not many people can say that they have driven through the Sahara. Eventually it got a little boring because looking at sand for 2 hours…not much happens or interests the mind…haha. We eventually got to the first Temple (which I can't remember the name of) and it was so cool. The entire day it was really hard for me to believe that it was made SO long ago…it just didn't seem real. It was cool to see all the different things carved into the wall and the stories that our guide told us…it was really interesting. He told us why all the faces of everything Egyptian were gone and it was because the Christians came along years after (when they have gained control of the land and temples) and didn't like that people had prayed to other Gods…so they thought that they would deface all the statues/paintings/carvings that had faces…so you could never see what they looked like…which I found interesting. When we went to the top of this building, we were shown a carving that was in the ceiling that showed the astrological signs (Libra, Taurus, etc.) and that it was a creation from Egyptians that the Greek / Romans took credit for it…stole from the Egyptians…which I thought was VERY interesting. Eventually, it was time to head back to the bus to go to Luxor (another hour away) to get a wonderful buffet lunch at the Sheraton. Our next stop was an even older Temple, which was so cool and was showcased in one of the James Bonds (which I thought was really cool). Walking around this place it was so remarkable to think that they made everything by hand…and had to build everything with sand and mud…just something that you can't explain unless you see it. Our third and last Temple was the oldest of them all (4500 BC) and I just couldn't understand how well preserved everything was. I said to one of the guests that it was hard to believe that it was as old as it was because it looked brand new. Our tour guide said it is because it doesn't rain here…there is NO humidity, so there is no corrosion of the building / stautes…which is incredible. Afterwards, we had the long 3.5 hour trip back to the ship, driving the the Sahara again in the pitch black. Something that made me laugh at the beginning but later kinda made me nervous was the signs about camels. In Ohio, we have the deer caution signs which is normal because they might run out in front of your car in a treed area but seeing a camel caution sign just made me laugh. Would scare the CRAP out of you if you were driving down the street and almost hit a CAMEL..might hurt you AND the camel…I just kept having that visual in my head…haha. During our drive in the PITCH black desert…it was so cool to be able to sit in the bus and look at ALL the stars…it was just great. Had a LONG but very eventful day…
Wednesday, April 27th we again were in Safaga, Egypt but I was on IPM so I had to stay on the ship. I was actually okay about it because I was still exhausted from my excursion the day before….I needed to catch up on my rest…whoosh, needed that relaxing day.
Thursday, April 28th we were in Aqaba, Jordan where David, Cody, Lesley and I went out on the town. We headed out on into the town to be greeted by something that made me stand there with my mouth open. THERE WAS A BAR/RESTAURANT called 'FRIENDS'….it was a bar that was the themed by the long running TV sitcom, 'Friends' and if you know me…you know how excited I was…haha. I was so bummed because it was closed at the time we were there but you better believe that I took a picture of it…haha. We finally decided where we wanted to go and got a taxi to a beach/snorkel area near to the city. We had a great lunch in a hotel and the decided that we wanted to go snorkeling in the Red Sea…how many times can you say you've done that. It was such a cool experience but WOW…I was freezing my butt off. The sea was SO cold out in the area where the coral was, but I was trying to enjoy looking at the coral and fish and everything but whoosh…freezing…haha. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel and laid out in the sun for a while…to warm up. After staying there for a while, it was time to head back to the ship and head off to our next port.
Friday, April 29th we had a half day in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt where all of us got off and enjoyed the day together. Taking the shuttle bus into the city, you can defiantly tell that this city was made only due to tourist. It was so English / Americanized…it was ridiculous but I will say, the people that worked there in the shops were EXTREMELY rude. I understand that their tourism is down by A LOT right now because of all the unrest in the area but you would think that they would want to have your business…not piss you off. They would yell at us and tell us to get out of their shop if we didn't buy anything…not a fun time. After a while, we all found everything that we were looking for and Jodie, Jen and myself were hungry..so we went to TGI Fridays….see I told you it was Americanized…haha. While having lunch, we got to watch the Royal Wedding on the TV and I just sat there and had to take everything in…having lunch at an American restaurant in Egypt while watching a Royal English wedding…..wait….what? After lunch, it was time to catch the shuttle bus back to the ship but not after going by an area in the city where the ex-Egyptian president was located…which was really strange to see. Of course I didn't see him but there was SO many police outside the building and the bus driver told us who it was…it was just strange. Once getting back on the ship, we were told that we were going to wait another hour to leave the port because the wind was so strong…the ship wasn't able to leave. During this time, we all got together and David (our new cruise director) taught us a yoga class, which during the class the ship was trying to leave but got pushed by the wind and hit the port…it was that strong. Now, we were suppose to leave at around 3:30 and we didn't get out of the port until 8:00 that night…must have been strong wind…whoosh, what a crazy day.
Saturday, April 30th we traveled through the Suez Canal heading our way back to the Med. I can't believe that we have made it back to the area that I started about 8 months ago…wow. In a way, it has been a short amount of time because I have seen so many things in a year but at the same time…it has been a long time away from the states and I'm looking forward to getting home and being with family and friends again. There wasn't anything special about the Suez Canal…not a cool as the Panama Canal but always fun to say that I've done it.
Sunday, May 1st (I can't believe that we are in May now…wow) we were in Alexandria, Egypt…heading out on a crew excursion to the Great Pyramids and Sphinx. The ride out there was quite long so I made sure that I caught a nap on the bus ride…I was TIRED. When we arrived, I couldn't believe that I was seeing one of the "7 wonders of the world". The height of these pyramids are a lot higher than I thought and I can't imagine what it was like to build them. When I was there…I kept singing to myself, "Go down, Moses…way down to Egypt land. Tell old, Pharaoh…to let my people go" (thats a little joke for those people that have ever sang in a choir…haha). Later, we went to see the Sphinx and to tell you the truth…I thought that it was going to be a lot bigger than it actually was. Don't get me wrong…it was AWESOME to see it but at the same time, I thought…"really, thats it?" Afterwards, we had a 3 hour drive back to the ship so again…I got to sleep a little on the trip back and also sit there, trying to take in the fact that this was the last place I would visit until I can say…."I've circled the globe".
Saturday, May 2nd we were heading our way to the last port of this voyage, Athens Greece where I could say, "I've circled the globe". Its a lot of overwhelming feelings coming to this moment in the contract because I know that its coming to the end but at the same time…I can't believe of all the different culture, beliefs, cities, people…that I have seen around the world. How in every place that I visited…everyone is so different but at the same time, everyone is just the same. Something that I have seen (that makes me tear up just thinking about it), is how in everywhere I've gone…doesn't matter if it was the San Blas Islands of Panama to the busy town of Hong Kong….from the eery streets of Vietnam to having one night in Bangkok….from the crazy Tuk Tuk ride with Babu in India to bowling in Dubai…one thing has stuck out to me more than anything….the sense of FAMILY. Now the word 'family' can be justified in many different ways…from your real family…or those people that don't have a family but consider their closet friends, THEIR family. Just looking at everywhere I've been…it didn't matter if it was the richest area or the poorest area…you could tell people were happy because they had their family. That's something that I feel that we take advantage of…that we don't look and go, "wow…I'm so blest to have these people in my life that love and support me" but instead take advantage of the fact that they are there and don't really appreciate them, until they're gone. I feel sometimes we get so wrapped up in our beliefs or politics or stuff that really doesn't matter and that breaks up the unity, the bond that we should have as a collective group. Its the constant reassurance that we have the BEST people around us…the loving energy that makes us wake up and go out into the world and think, "I can do anything….because I am loved". Remember, we only have this one life….YOU take advantage of it….live in the PRESENT, enjoy the NOW…don't be tied to a future or past. So today, why don't you call your parents, your kids, your FAMILY and just say I love you and thank you for always being there…..you never know when that opportunity might be taking away from you.
Our next cruises itinerary is: Athens, Greece on May 3rd / At Sea on May 4th / Taormina, Sicily, Italy on May 5th (HAPPY BIRTHDAY ME!!!) / Sorrento, Italy on May 6th (Happy Birthday Jodie) / Civitavecchia (ROME), Italy on May 7th / Monte Carlo, Monaco on May 8th / Barcelona, Spain on May 9th and 10th / At Sea on May 11th / Malaga, Spain on May 12th / At Sea on May 13th / Lisbon, Portugal on May 14th / At Sea on May 15th / Bilbao, Spain on May 16th / At Sea on May 17th / St. Peter's, Guernsey, England on May 18th / Southampton, England on May 19th.
I hope that everyone has had a wonderful start to their month of May and Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there…especially mine :-)
Until Next Time,
Jason
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