Crawling out from the cave...........

Where ever has the time gone since I last shared my thoughts here?  I must thank the circumstances of my life today that have inspired my return to writing of adventures.

Most recently, then, was the magical trip to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. 

As I see it!!!!!!

What does one do when a trip that has been planned for over a year is finally behind you? Does one list the high points, the low points, the expectations not met, or the incredible surprises? In these opening sentences, I truly do not know which direction I might take. I shall have to read it through to the end to know more about the selected direction.

I returned on February 28th. from a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Dream, a journey that took us from Port Lauderdale, FL to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan, and Costa Maya.

I did do an ongoing summary each night, as I knew there would be those micro-moments that might slip away. I haven’t even looked back at those notes yet.

This trip, first of all, was not the dream of a lifetime. I had learned many years ago that I am not a cruising kind of person. I much prefer destination travel which has me going to new lands and learning about the people, the plants, and the animals there. Cruising is more about the social part with humanoids, and while an essential part of life, it isn’t what pulls at my heart strings in the quiet moments. Of course it is nice to have food cooked, beds made, and the like; but drinking, dancing, attending shows, and beach bunny behaviors were part of my life in its first half, not in its more staid second.

I love adventure, new places, and things that often would not find favor with many people. That is quite OK. In my travel years, I have hit many high roads, driven coast to coast by myself, wandered the Outback in search of Paul Hogan, traced Darwin’s footprints in the dust of the Galapagos Islands, held a fruit eating bat by the toes, cuddled a three-toed sloth Buttercup, and swam with the dolphins. THOSE were all defining moments for me.

So how did this “Darwinian-Hoganesque” girl find herself on a Carnival cruise??? It was at the behest of my son and daughter in law, who have become cruise addicts and who wanted to share an activity dear to their hearts with me. That was reasonable, loving, and quite doable. It doesn’t always have to be MY way, MY preference.

So it was that I became wrapped up with a group of fellow cruisers, some of whom were already friends of my family members. Most of the communication and arrangements took place online, and the pitch of excitement increased as we neared sailing time.

Robert Burns long ago wrote a poem about how the most carefully prepared plans may go wrong. For Burns, it was a mouse nest, for Steinbeck it was the title of his work “Of Mice & Men”. For me, it was the cruise. Circumstances changed for my family members and they were not able to go. That certainly created a quandary for me - go or no go.

My adventuresome spirit has undergone some substantial changes in the aging years. It seemed that by having already invested a lot of time and money in this venture, given my anticipated life span, it made the most sense to do it now - that it still had value for me. Most of my life travels have been solo. In this case, I would be alone in a crowd of 150 of my new best friends. It wasn’t what was originally planned, but it was the best I could make of a situation that had serendipitously headed off in a new direction.

As I searched through the various shore excursions available, I came upon some hard decisions. In earlier years, Mike and I had spent more than a week in Cozumel, snorkeling, studying marine biology, and taking a bus to Tulum as well as a fly-in to Chichen Itza. There wasn’t much left that I hadn’t done there, at least of the things that mattered to me. I actually found a travel clip on TV that showed Segway’s in Cozumel - and THAT appealed to me until I learned that my age and weight would preclude my being allowed to participate!!

What of Belize and Roatan?? Well, I wasn’t interested in the activities planned by our group, nor could I find something about which I could get passionate. Belize required a 15 minute tender into an environment that wouldn’t exactly rank as user/family friendly according to online descriptions.

Roatan with its new tourist spot, Mahogany Bay, lost all its imagined glamour as I looked off the rail of my balcony. It reminded me of a small town fair set in a place that in and of itself would not have tourists clamoring about to see its natural beauty. I believe my photos will confirm that impression. In fact, today I came upon THIS LINK which echos the point I am trying to make...that link is worth reading!

Of course, they had “click and zip”. It seems to me that everyone has some version of this now. Back when I was in Costa Rica, I wanted SO badly to do a zipline. It was a NEW concept then, it was “on the cutting edge” of tourist activities. I liked living on the edge, but could not convince any of my fellow travelers then to join me. We were not allowed to make individual choices, and so it was that then, I settled for a boarded hanging walkway above the jungle. In the long run, that was a more valued experience. The zipline no longer calls to me, and the walkway is certainly more in line with the educational gain one makes on ventures like this.

The quaint back country bars that I saw online reminded me of the week Mike and I spent in Jamaica. He sat in a few of them, just for old time's sake. The allure of alcohol had been beaten back by then, and I just couldn’t work up any thrills today over that. It felt like “been there - done that”. I thought I could still hear the Bob Marley tunes being played out over the long ago region of Columbus Beach not far from Ocho Rios. The tufts of aerial weeds hung in the power lines that stretched from one building to another. It wasn't uncommon to see those afflicted w/ leprosy standing on a corner.

I thought back to my recent tour from Mexico City to Acapulco - Ixtapa - Zihuatanejo - and back to MC. THAT seemed real, seemed less contrived, though certainly there was plenty of tourist stuff then, too. However, it wasn’t the only show in town. I did have many opportunities to meet with the people who lived there. I won't forget the school children in Taxco, who flocked up to me along with their teacher, seeking a chance to practice their English!!! Then there was the family that hopped on board our bus, and directed us to their beach business - a food serving place where they caught the fish right across the road. We never would have found this or had this experience had it not been for a stop at their fruit stand out along the main highway, many miles from the beach. Not only was there NO other business in sight, there was no sign that would have directed you there! Should I tell you that pigs and chickens ran under the hammocks that hung from the framework of the huge palapa? No, probably you won't be impressed with that fact! THAT was a real visit, with real people!!

Yes - I know what works for me - and I know what doesn’t. There was no need to run around like my hair was on fire searching for a meaningful excursion. This writing of mine is NOT intended to make less of the choices made by others. We are blessed to live at this time of civilization that provides us with so many options. I cannot fathom that any of the Dream Catchers regretted their excursion choices, except for Lori with her painful jellyfish encounter and long term hospitalization/rehab once she got back home.

When we finally berthed in Costa Maya, I disembarked and walked into the small shopping area. I saw all the items I could have seen in any port I had missed, and - in fact - right in Olympia in our delightful shop named “Traditions”. The only money I spent there was to tip the bathroom attendant. I recalled my earlier visit to Tulum and being so stunned to find I had to actually buy the paper from the attendant. No money? No TP!!! Things have improved in that regard, and equally - I go nowhere without what my mother called “get lost paper”.

My biggest excitement in Costa Maya was attempting to use a hammock and getting summarily flipped right out of it as if I was a pancake. I forgot the rules!! Rather like mounting a horse or getting on a bike, there are rules of engagement. Forget them, and you will be quickly reminded.

What of the people connection?? THAT was wonderful!!!!!!! Of course, the people that made up our group were incredible. They already came w/ credentials awarded by my family members. What fun it was to put living breathing personalities in place of the screen names and avatars! They were active, goal oriented, delightful people and I am enriched by having met and mingled with them.

It was, however, the absolutely unknown people who provided so many surprises. I have missed so many opportunities in my life to get to know people. Although I am reasonably outgoing, I am not aggressive. It has not been my nature to start up a conversation with a stranger. My loss, for sure!!! I changed my approach on this cruise and was made so much richer for that! Taking time to ask staff and fellow passengers about their "home towns" opened up all manner of conversation. One young man described how his friend watched the Sumatran tsunami from atop a fruit tree that he just happened to have climbed BEFORE the water hit!!!! He was up there to gather fruit, but the result was that it saved his life. Can you imagine that??? What a wonderful exchange took place as the result of that interaction.

I do understand, finally, why some people become addicted to cruising. My son is able to articulate so clearly what it is about cruising that draws him. It is similar to what happens to some of us who become addicted to clam digging, mushroom picking, fishing, camping, and rock hounding. I doubt I will cruise again, but not because I didn’t have a good time. I had a grand time. It is more about simply honoring myself and my own much honed preferences.

I have hours of work ahead of me, tweaking the hundreds of photos taken. There was a time when I believed that somewhere “out there” someone really cared about the pictures I take. I have had to change my perspective on that, too. The pictures mean something to me. THAT has to be enough. Equally, I thought that the words I wrote and the feelings I shared had some appeal for that same “someone”. Nope - not so. I am the one who is interested and entertained by my thoughts. For anyone, other than myself, who has read this far into this epistle, thank you!!!!!!!!!!

I will, perhaps, write more about the cruise - in another blog segment. I keep coming back here, changing, editing, adding, and I need to put it to rest!!!!!

Simple Minds - simple pleasures

I happened upon Matt Lauer on NBC interviewing a couple from England - husband is the "Sleep Talkin' Man" and his wife has a voice activated recorder going each night to capture his mumblings. This is the place to start: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35008351#35008351 After that, you may be interested in in the blog they have constructed:
http://www.sleeptalkinman.blogspot.com/

As if all of that isn't enough for one day, I tripped over the website that features the people of WalMart --- and I will just let it go at that. You can use Google if this piques your curiosity. I obviously need to "go do" something else!nd I

Wondering and Wandering

Life presents a myriad of pathways.
At differing ages and stages, I have enjoyed the discovery
that is hidden just out of view.

This artistic display which dominates the scene
at the Lakewood Park and Ride is a perfect
symbol for my wanderings.

I have been stalled out in recent years, and it is time to check out some new pathways or even revisit some old ones.
Come along with me if wandering and wondering appeals to you!!!