At Sea on the Way to Galveston

Hello all, we had a day in Ft Lauderdale and then set sail last evening around 5:30 for a two day trip through the Gulf of Mexico to Galveston.  We continue to eat well and sleep well, although Jim and I miss our bed at home.  I have packed two bags, getting ready for the early morning departure to Hobby Airport.  Janice and I went to the Knit and Natter group this morning and someone says there will be between 500 and 700 kids on board this ship when it leaves Galveston tomorrow, all going to the Caribbean for Christmas!  Wow, I am glad I leave for home before that hits!  They'll probabaly have a great time, but keep things really busy around here.  We love the fact that 900 people got off in Florida.  Fewer people in the buffet line and also at dinner.

I am making notes on what not to forget when you go on a cruise.  No matter where you go, no matter what the weather, take a hat.  I took a beret and bought wool hat, but I needed a hat with a brim to keep the sun off my face.  It was a surprise to me that I might need that, but I am always ready to learn.  Seems simple, but I forgot one and I didn't find one to buy.  Not the season, I guess.  Also, take toothpaste.  They did not have toothpaste for sale on the ship.  We had to buy some weird brand in Italy,and it is not like home. Another thing I needed was Tylenol. We had a hard time finding plain Tylenol in Italy, and I got some strange pills that dissolved in water like lemon fizzy pills.  I hated drinking that stuff.  They sell four at a time in the ship store, but they cost an arm and a leg.  Jim went down and got some from the medical office and they charged him a fee of $14 for the visit!  If you regularly take any meds, take them along.  They have them but they cost.  I forgot my little bottle of liquid laundry soap, so I washed my bras in shampoo.  That is OK but not as good as real stuff.  I could get dry powder in the laundry, but I chose not to use that.  Lots of learning going on here.  I took too many clothes.  When they say take out half, they mean it.  It takes two days to get laundry done, or you can do it yourself if you take a couple of hours out of your day or night.  I never remembered the soap when I was ashore and I didn't need a huge bottle.  Next time!  More later on about this.  The Whidbey Wagners