Cruise123

It's little before 6am. I'm sitting 13 decks up on a pleasure ship that's literally twice the size of the Titanic.

It is the first morning out of Vancouver. Lots of folks are up and about watching the rocky BC coastline slide by. It's a lazy trip so far. The ship is running at only about 14 knots, likely until we clear the northern tip of Vancouver island.

My knee is acting stupid. I have an MRI scheduled for the day we get back, and on board I'm one of the elevator people. Our folding bikes stayed home.

The knee is a bit annoying, but it would be so wherever we would be, so why not be on a cruise ship. Thats my philosophy.

As always, we are travelling with our three, dear cruise buddies. We're getting to know the Alaska cruise-stop towns like the backs of our hands.

As much as I adore these northern cruises, I am greatly looking forward to one someplace more exotic and warm. I suspect both the Caribbean and Mediterranean are not very far off.

Am am missing out on my usual on-board maniac use of the exercise facilities.

Maybe I can compensate with extra eating.

........

What do you do on a ship? You've got to be kidding me.

I'm a early riser. At home, I set up in front of the TV with a big mug of coffee, and with my ipad and laptop. That's good until Helen is up a couple of hours later.

At sea, I went and searched out coffee, and sat with my ipad for a couple of hours watching the sea, and the shore, and the other early risers.

It was breakfast in the formal dining room, then a bit of wandering about. I ignored the myriad opportunities for exercise, lessons, games, and lectures. I watched the sea a bit, but not like the crazed whale spotters. Had to ice my knee for a bit back in the room, then had a wee nap.

Lunchtime, then an afternoon much like the morning with the addition of an hour in the spa's thermal suite.

In there are an assortment of hot, cold, and scented showers, and a couple of different intensity steam rooms. I ignored all of these in favour of lounging on the heated ceramic chairs. Imagine a continuous and inexhaustible heat slowly infusing every muscle down your back, butt, and legs.

Then it's suppertime, followed by a Vegas/Broadway quality show of singing and dancing. I usually collapse into my bed shortly after that, but many do the bar thing as well.

Tomorrow is a port day. Those are much the same, but with a quaint little town tied up next door to explore if one wishes. We usually go in for a couple of touristy hours before getting homesick for our ship.

........

On board ship, my knee is better than I'd feared, but worse than I'd hoped.

The poor thing is getting pushed much harder than it was at home. Cruise ships are very large beasts, and there is a lot of walking involved. The knee needs ice every so often.

Today we will be in Ketchikan. It's a cute little place which gets swamped with cruise ship people the season. They get between two and four ships each day. Somehow, it still manages to feel like a real town as soon as you get a block or two away from the piers. I won't be going in to town. Might get just off the ship to a place with wifi, but maybe not. Could be a good recovery day.

It is later now. I'm set up with ice packs and such in a spot with a lovely view towards town. Helen and Lola and Bernie are down below getting ready to head ashore to wander and shop. My next move other than the restroom will be at lunch. There they go now, on foot,heading to downtown. It's nice being 11 stories up in a non-vertically-built town.

We are all too cheap to pay cruise ship rates for wifi, so I'm listening to previously downloaded audiobooks and podcasts.