The trip has gone smashingly well so far.
I realize that by going by ship your basically giving yourself a free 2 week vacation will all food and lodging covered plus a lot more. You would pay the same thing to simply fly over and so the cost of the 2 weeks becomes free and clear! After my plane got into Ft Lauderdale FL. I thought to walk to my Couchsurfing hosts place just a 1-2 miles away, so loaded with a hikig pack full of stuff and my courier bag I was to see how well I could manage with all this weight. After walking quite a bit, I ran into train tracks with a train parked on them going as far as I could see in both directions. "I either turn around and get a cab or I could try going over." I thought, "I'll try OVER!" So I find a ladder and climb it which is rather dangerous with all the stuff I'm carrying. I get to the top only to discover do way down on the other side! And worse still.. ANOTHER TRAIN was on a second rail behind this one. So back I go to fetch an expensive cab that will probably charge me $20 to go a lil over a mile.
So after paying $20! I meet Christy and Fernando. Our wonderful couchsurfing hosts. Which actually Fernando still had an hr to arrive from work otherwise I'd have been givin a ride. I also meet Bryan from Arlington there who's the person I found on Shipmates.com to share my cabin to Europe making the cost less than a flight would be. We all talk alot about Europe and everyones great, we go out to Eat fresh fish on a beautiful pier right behind the complex we stay. I drink Beer. Yes I actually drank about 3 beers that was VERY good beer! Later I would buy some items at a nearby store to make us all some double layer fudge. chocolate & Butterscoth, and we stay up late watching Tron Legacy that I brought. After sleeping the next day I realize I will not fare well in Europe carrying a heavy pack for long, So I go to a nearby ROSS and buy a pack on wheels that works out great to store the heaviest items. We then get dropped off at the pier and say our farewells to my first two couchsurfers whom I couldn't have asked for better hosts! We will stay friends for sure and I hope I can return the favour for them in Austin!
So I see this ship and can't believe its Size! It's at least twice as large as the Carnival ship I went on before. Maybe closer to 3 times. It have 15 floors just for the guests and unknown how many below that for crew. There is a downtown area that looks like walking down an active European street at night with amazing glowing ceiling and marble, chrome, and wood everywhere. The artwork all over the ship is outstanding and I took many pictures. Sculptures too! We were on Deck 10 without a window which is nice for sleeping in the day. Everything was great in the room and the servants all kickass. You feel like a VIP all the time and going to the main dinners is like being in an exotic french restaurant every night where I talk often to a friendly italian named Daniel who really is an old geek like me and talks well of technology and the crappy beuracracy of Italy. He's returning home to a town in far northern Italy that's only about 2-3 hrs from Munich which is my main destination for this trip since I've lived in Munich 3 years and can't wait to revisit my old neighborhood and school.
I must also mention our great dinner Waiter named Marc from Italy. He speaks more languages than anyone I've every met and perfectly in the proper dialect. He is really too good for this job and could easily be an interpreter or work in the nicest hotels or restaurants in the world. He is ultimately charming and like a sunny day all the time bright and smiling with such enthusiasm and a warm welcome. I wish I knew a waiter like him in Austin! I'd be a regular there for sure. His French, German, and Italian are especially perfect sounding fro him its a pleasure to hear him speak it. A picture with him and Daniel I must surely post.
I've been eating a lot on the ship. I rarely miss a meal and surprised how much I can eat at each meal. There is also an old style hamburger grill called Johnny Rockets where you can pay extra a small fee of $5 for all you can eat burgers, frys, onion rings and a dessert. It's great in that it's all made right for you on the grill so it's hotter than most food on the ship. The jukebox plays oldies and certain songs the entire staff dances to it together in a line. THey all shout hello to everyone who enters or leaves. At least unless it's very busy. Its a surprise to find such a place amoung such a heavily European ship and quite a nice escape from that too at times.
I've met many great people, spend lots of time in the hot tub, sunning, and even at the Gym. I'm getting in much better shape on the ship and Its really helped me by going on this cruise.
I've also fet a few other young people like one girl name Luanna who body paints and painted all her friends for a formal dinner in which the men had a bodypainted Tuxedo on!
I always walk the halls looking at the excellent artwork and sculptures in glass. On Deck 6 I was amazed to pass a beautiful framed poster of Sid & Nancy! Yes the oldschool punk classic! The last thing I'd expect to see here on this ship that is mostly full of senior citizens. It was so cool to see that all tastes seem to be represented here in this moving city.
Well after 9 days at sea and Im a litte stir crazy mostly from being cutoff from the internet so long. We hit our first port. The Island of Tenerife still in the Atlantic near Portugal and Africa before we pass through the straights of Gibraltar. This island is beautiful and tropical. I travel by bus for 30 minutes to the opposite side of the island to visit a man made tropical lagoon style water park called Lago Marianis, I'm one of the few to venture this far out since we have to be back aboard by 3:30 and most would worry about getting back in time. I mostly worked out the trip before we got to the island and was pretty sure about the time I needed. After leaving the ship about 7:30 me and Bryan first found McDonalds where we could get online at last for free. It was closed until 10! But we still could get on their WIFI. Which in Spain they call it here WeeFee! I'm able to post a little, catch up on email, and make sure about to get to the North of the island. I find a bus that takes me there by 11:30 and I see lots of great countryside from the bus. Lots of hills and there is a Volcano. Parts of it remind me of Hawaii too. I find a beach there with black sand that sparkles in the sun! I put a little of the dark sand in a bag I kept.
The day was cloudy but the water was warm and some surfers were out. The Waterpark was mostly emply but its still amazing to look at and sits in a Valley of a circular Cove with large waves crashing on the beach. The mostly Spaniards here are very friendly but speak very little English. The women here are astonishingly beautiful. Most all are Brunettes and in great shape with lovely long black hair. Even the Street sweepers here are gorgeous which I saw two women pushing a trashcan on wheels and sweeping up trash and one especially was gorgeous and could have been a model!
Next up after another day we will be hiting Myorta an island near the one Ibiza is on. I hope we get to see Ibiza!
