WEEK IN THE CARIBBEAN

Sunday, February 08, 2009 Judy and I returned home this afternoon from a seven day cruise out of Galveston, Texas with our friends Marty and Kathy Matras. We flew to Houston a week ago Saturday and stayed with them at there house that night before driving to Galveston for our cruise on the Voyager of The Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship. Since between the four of us we had too much luggage for one car, we drove both of their cars to the cruise, Marty and I in one car and Kathy and Judy in the other. We left the cars in a lot only a block or so from the cruise and took their shuttle to the boat. I think we could have parked dockside but it would have cost us a lot more. It cost $50.00 a car where we were. This was the coldest and windiest cruise we have taken though not too cold. It was windy enough that we had to sail to the leeward side Grand Cayman, tender in and take cabs into town. That was ok since the eight mile cab ride gave us a chance to see a little of the island. In town we walked up and down the tourist area and look at the shops. Our first stop was in Cozumel. When we got off the boat, Judy and I took a cab to downtown where, again, we walked around the shops. We also had lunch in Carlos and Charlie’s, a noisy rambunctious place noted as being one of the more fun places to dine in Cozumel. Our last stop was to be at Montego Bay, Jamaica. The waves were so high that they closed the port and at noon Captain Frank abandoned the attempt and we spent the rest of that day and the next two at sea creeping back to Galveston. The four of us had signed up to take a zip line tour through the forest canopy on Jamaica but of course we were thwarted in the attempt. We spent much of the time on the boat on deck 11 sunning or reading in the shade when we got too hot. I also spent a lot of time in the hot tub. I climbed a lot of stairs instead of taking the elevators every time and of course walked a lot around the deck, the promenade etc. I feel like I am slowly getting stronger and my stamina is improving. My walking against the current at the Legacy Center in Lehi helped I am sure.