Cruise: Part I

I disappeared from the internets and "real" life for 7 full days. It was the first time I had taken so much time off in a very long time (two years, I think) and it was very necessary. I took a cruise to the Bahamas out of New York City and I filled up an entire Moleskine pocket notebook with my adventures.

Entry Date, Sunday 11/18. Day I. 9:30am.

The sky is a pale blue through the wide shaded bus windows. The sun's light flickers from behind tall trees on top of rocky hills on the New York State Thruway. I am not the only plaid fan wearing a fedora on this Greyhound out of Albany and I smirk as I write this in my pocket journal, the letters appearing jittery from the jostling of the bouncing bus as it bounds toward New York City. I am due to arrive in about an hour (10:30am) though I now realize I don't have a city map and I can't recall where exactly this bus ends up. I put this thought aside; I'll figure it out when I get there.

I woke up at 4:30am this morning -- what an ungodly hour! It took me two snoozes before I jumped out of bed and hastily started my morning routine. I had intended to check my packing one more time before leaving the apartment, but my mind was so foggy from the early morning that I was only able to go through the simple motions of grabbing everything and going. Luckily, I had double checked everything the night before and was, mostly, confident that I hadn't forgotten anything.

(the suitcase)



I have a large suitcase with wheels that is so overfull that if I had added a single sheet of paper to the load, I am certain it would have busted at the seams. I also have a guitar case as my carry-on that holds my new travel guitar -- it's a no name brand guitar and was rather cheap, which is great because I don't have to care if it gets beat up. It's small and light and sounds decent enough. It sits in the empty seat next to me on the bus along with my fedora and my phone. I am currently listening to music on the phone through headphones. I'm somewhat amazed at how many really good songs Coldplay has.

At 6:30am, I met my dad at his place, left him my car and the keys, and hitched a ride from him to the bus station in Albany. The bus station was nearly empty and the eight or so people that were there were leaning on their luggage or sleeping on benches. I was too giddy to sleep and one employee there kept singing, "it's the most wonderful time of the year" (no, not the song, just that line over and over and over...) very loudly.

Once on the bus, I put in my headphones, switched to my sunglasses, and set my fedora low over my eyes. I leaned my head back and napped for about an hour and a half -- the early morning finally catching up with me.

Now, I'm somewhat groggy and I have to pee... but, I'm in a part of New York that I don't get to see very often and so I'm compelled to look out the window and take in the uncharted, so-to-speak, territory. I note that the sun continues to climb higher in the sky as I scan the landscape. I look for interesting things: bridges, rivers, cityscapes, new construction. But, my eyes are drawn to billboards and signs advertising the usual chains: Chili's, Five Guys, Trader Joe's. I've been there and done that in every city I've ever visited.

I have forsaken my laptop and tweeting for this trip. I sent my last message to Twitter earlier this morning. I want to be free of distractions and want to completely recharge myself. Part of how I want to do this is to refrain from communicating via the usual channels. However, I have my pocket journal (always in my pocket, of course) and I can write about the trip as it occurs and then transfer it over to the blog when I get back home.

Oh! I see the city in the distance! The familiar buildings are on the horizon. It's quite a sight to be hold, the epic man made structures... and there is a huge Walmart now blocking my view...

I suddenly remember that I have a camera in the guitar bag and excitedly dig it out to take a picture of the city skyline.

Only after snapping the first picture, do I realize I just captured my cruise ship at port in the lower lefthand side. I quickly snap another picture and my level of excitement doubles!

(I wasn't expecting to see my cruise ship at port!)

Entry Date, Sunday 11/18. Day I. 10:50am.

After snapping the pictures of the city and the ship, the bus took us through the dark Lincoln tunnel. Upon emerging, the bus became alive as passengers began packing up their things and getting ready to get off. I followed suit.

Shortly after, the bus pulled into the NYC station. I slung my guitar bag over my shoulder, retrieved my large suitcase and started walking. I stopped... no idea which direction I should be going.

To my left, there was a sign advertising 9th ave. To the right, a sign for 8th. I needed 12th for the port, so I headed toward 9th.

When I emerged from the underground corridor, I stopped. I had never hailed a taxi cab before. I realized I knew nothing about how the process goes. Cabs drove by and I stood on the sidewalk like an idiot. I slowly raised my hand in the air in an awkward, uncertain sort of solute. A cab drove by me, beeped the horn, and pulled over.

Yay. I did it.

The driver took me right to the doorstep of the Norwegian Cruise Port. On the way there, the driver (who was clearly Pakistani) asked me about cruises and the cost.

At the curb, I paid the driver and wheeled my huge suitcase along to the entrance of the port terminal. A man collecting bags for the cruise stopped me and took my suitcase. He brightly stated that I would find it in my room later tonight. I continued into the port terminal, being stopped at checkpoints every so often. Sometimes, it was a metal detector, sometimes I was asked questions about what I had with me. I showed every person who asked my cruise documents and my passport. At the last checkpoint, I was given a blue card with the number 24 on it. I held this up to everyone who asked to see it and was directed where to go. I ended up at a counter where everything was checked again (passport, cruise documents, etc) and where I had to sign papers.

This counter was empty, while other counters had lines. I assumed I was sent to the "awesome person counter." I am wearing a fedora, after all. The counter guy had some epic sideburns. He took my picture for their records and we talked about music, sideburns, and hats. Then, I was told to hold on to my blue 24 card and wait in a section for people with blue cards in the twenties.

Entry Date, Sunday 11/18. Day I. 6:10pm.

I am sipping a martini in Magnum's Champagne and Wine Bar, listening to acoustic music. It's an instrumental version of Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can do). He's good. Very mellow. Also, he's wearing a fedora.

I'm hanging out here for a "Solo Cruisers Mixer" that was advertised in the Freestyle Daily (a small pamphlet that is given out to cruisers each day that lists hour by hour the who, what, where, when's of the ship's happening. I don't see any one else sitting along here... I am quite possibly the only solo cruiser... oh well, I'm enjoying the music and writing.

After waiting in the terminal for about an hour, blue 24 was called. I followed a small group of blue 24ers to another section of the terminal where we were directed outside and up a covered gangplank onto deck 7 of the ship.

As soon as I stepped foot onto the ship, my body when into some sort of shock. We were in port, but I could tell that we were moving ever so slightly with the wind and the waves. My body didn't like it. I took some more of my "stuff." Nux Vomica. I got it at Four Season's health food store in Saratoga and I've been taking it for nausea when needed for years. It was great for the first cruise that I took and it was great for this one.

I was also hungry and it was definitely lunch time. I exited the crowded promenade by taking the nearest corridor to anywhere else. I instinctively went down a flight stairs and found myself at the door to one of the main dining rooms. Score.

I waited a short time with a steadily growing group for the dining room to open.

The musician just introduced himself as Randon Lauron from the Philippines. He is now playing Jim Croce. He's really good. So, is the martini!

After lunch (nothing special; a club sandwich), I went to the spa in sort of a daze and signed up for a massage at 4:00pm, which was the time the ship was scheduled to leave port and sail through the city. Part of me was disappointed that I did this, because I wanted to see the city from the ship, but part of me didn't really care, because I'm on vacation to relax, not to sight see.

Even so, I wandered the ship and ended up on the top deck where I took some pics of the USS Intrepid and the city.

I took some pics of the deck too.

I grabbed a picture of myself in the elevator out of sheer excitement for being on vacation!

Next, I went to my stateroom and napped for about an hour. I awoke just in time for the practice emergency drill where everyone had to meet at their designated areas. That ended just in the nick of time for me to make my massage appointment, which was all the way at the other end of the ship.

I met my massage therapist, Karin, and she led me to a dimly lit room where soft instrumental music was playing. I undressed and climbed on the table. Karin used oils and ointments as well as hot stones to loosen up the wicked stiffness of my back. The massage lasted over an hour. The soft music was a nice touch in creating a therapeutic and relaxing environment. At one point, however, I recognized the theme from Titanic... which, sort of, broke me out of my reverie for a moment... not a song I would pick to play on a cruise ship...

Post massage, I hurried to the main deck to see where we were. I laughed out loud for a reason that I don't really know. Perhaps, it was just that my body was loosened up for the first time in years. I could see the Manhattan skyline illuminated by the night time lights shrinking in the distance. The ship was out to sea and land was getting further and further behind.

I then made my way to Magnum's Champagne and Wine bar for the Solo Cruisers Mixer and a martini. *Mental note: martini's are difficult to drink/carry on a cruise ship because of the distinctly shaped glass that is not conducive to sipping while in motion.