Day 86 Monday June 1st (34 days to go) — Today was a sea day and I used it to try and catch up on the blog. I still have to put together the blog for Walvis Bay and will try to do that tomorrow. Think I have been hesitant because it involves a number of videos. Jackie spent the day rearranging the calendar for June and rearranging items in the cabin. She also spent time looking at our next port in The Gambia trying to decide if we would stay with the excursion we booked or change it.
When we were in San Diego at the beginning of the world cruise adventure, we visited a CVS to pick up some last-minute items. That seems so long ago. While in the CVS we kept seeing a couple that were also looking for some items. If you recall from our first day blog, almost the entire store was on lock down and they were having the same issues as us trying to find items. We later saw them walking on the street and exchanged hellos and smiles. Then, once we got on the cruise ship, we would see them and would spend time talking with them. We finally got together and arranged to have dinner together tonight.
Their names are Sylvia and Romulo Garza and they live in Monterrey, Mexico. The dinner was great as we talked and laughed about life and the cruise. We hope to have the chance to share a few more meals with them before we get off the ship in Miami.
Jackie and I have talked about this cruise and compared it to others we have taken. A couple of big differences are meeting new people from around the world and that the cruise gains a sense of community versus a 7–14-day cruise. On a 7–14-day cruise or even 21 days, you exchange pleasantries as you see other passengers. But, on this cruise after our first three months, you find yourself exchanging more information or taking interest in other passengers and their experiences on the excursions or meals or attending activities. You get back from an excursion and on the elevator ride of 20-30 seconds, you make an attempt to hear and express how was the day and the plans for tonight and tomorrow. You take more interest in the fellow passengers and for their well-being. It has been a great new experience.
The waiter took photos of us after dinner tonight
