Monday

Its morning number 2! (Remember that I may be posting these at far intervals
from when they're written. This was written Monday morning)



We've arrived in Labadee – we have in, fact, just thrown down anchor (we're
*way* too big to fit into the port, so we'll be tendering back and forth).
So first here's some vitals:

19 degrees, 46.94' N
72 degrees, 14.88' W
Distance Travelled: 609nm

Yesterday was an at-sea day, which meant there was plenty of time for being
on the ship (mostly because the other option was jumping and swimming for
it). It was, actually, a pretty lazy day – I pulled myself out of bed at
around 10, did yesterday's port, showered and then went down to Windjammer's
for some lunch.

I then mostly just puttered around the ship all day – I got topside and out
into the sun and just wandered around. When I found Jilly and Steve, we went
to the bow and got pounded by the wind which was incredible. There was,
also, time spend wandering the Promenade and seeing what was there.

Dinner was formal, which meant a tux and tie. It was a great dinner, too –
shrimp cocktail, great sea bass, and then strawberry cheesecake. Followed by
hanging out with the group on the Promenade before we went to the Karaoke
event. Jilly, Jay, Steve, Lana, and Aaron all have ridiculously awesome
voices. As did the last guy, who just sort of busted out with a version of
Billy Jean that just had everyone's jaw literally on the floor (really! The
announcer just sort of went 'Woooooooow' five times after he had finished).

We finished that with a little more hanging out and a trip to Catacombs. A
short, short trip – the goth club, uhm, wasn't. It was, in fact, much more
of a hip-hop club at that point. I felt old.

The motion of the ship was actually pretty sharp last night – we ran into
some weather. Which means that it was just barely noticeable.

Obviously, we're going to spend a lot of today on Labadee. I'll be
snorkeling at 1.

( More pictures )

Tuesday

Its now Tuesday morning, and as I look out the window we are heading
into Montego Bay. That is, of course, of small importance – today is
really Jake and Lana's wedding, which is much more important
obviously.

Current Position:
18 degrees, 28.23'N
77 degrees, 56.06' W
Course: 186 degrees (and currently turning to pull into dock)
Speed: 6.1 knots
Relative Wind: 14mph
Distance Travelled: 951 nm)

Yesterday was spent on Labidi. It's a private beach owned by Royal
Carribean which was very nice. All the others have stories about being
accosted in the marketplace, but I did not end up going to the
marketplace so I have no such stories. What I did do was snorkel. The
reef was absolutely beautiful – I could have stayed out several hours
(well, okay, probably not. More about my endless antagonism with Mr.
Sun later). It was so very peaceful and colorful – lots of strange
plants that swayed with the current on a regular basis, and color fish
that would dart here and there. The hardest thing about it was
standing – I ended up spending minutes trying to find a place to stand
where I would do the least damage. It was so nice I joked to Jake
about us needing to move to Orlando now, since apparently Florida has
reefs. Curious fact that became apparent way, way too late – when I
got on the catamaran to take us out I was pouring out sweat. When we
stopped to let us out for snorkeling, I was not sweating at all.

After that it was time to board the ship. Had a Labadini on the way
back to the ship. Also had one while waiting on the beach with Jilly,
Greg, Kaoru, Steve, Vekah and Aaron and Linda. That was, indeed, where
the rum went.

Afterwards hit the Windjammer with Jake and Jilly for some pre-dinner
snackage and then hit the arcade. I was feeling a little woozy and
headachy at this point, which should have been the first clue.

Dinner was lovely – lamb and then some ice cream. And a waiter that
knew enough to pour us out water every two minutes. I was, literally,
two fisting it (I had water and Diet Coke and would quickly finish
both). I was also shivering, as the dining room seemed very, very
cold.

This, it turned out, was to be symptomatic. Went back to the room to
lie down before the show, but then realized that getting out of bed
again that night was not to be. I'm pretty sure I had some form of
heat exhaustion – even under the covers I was shivering. Jilly came
back and tended to me before the show and then I just sort of passed
out.

I'm feeling much better this morning, obviously, so I think that
situation has passed. The bad news, though, is that I was not
sufficiently sun-blocked. I have been burnt on my upper back, along my
hair line, on one ear, on one shoulder. And my right foot is
completely red. I've put lotion on it all, so it should be better
pretty quick.
( Pictures )