Back Home - May 11th

Our trip home was uneventful.  We got up at 6 a.m., showered, I had my usual breakfast in the room having ordered two of the same the day before because on embarkation day, there is no room service.  We went to the Buffet for Michael’s breakfast and said another good-bye to our wonderful waiter, Andrii, who was working the breakfast shift.  We cleared out the room, said our good-bye to Tommy, our cabin steward, and went to the Cabaret Lounge to wait for disembarkation.

Immigration was a breeze, no waiting, all our six pieces of big luggage was waiting for us (not including my humongous hand carryon, Michael’s backpack and our two roll-ons), went to the bus for our transfer to LAX and arrived before 10 a.m. to Alaska Airlines.  Of course, we had to pay for two extra pieces of luggage but the flight was on time and all six suitcases came out almost immediately in Seattle.  Our wonderful driver, Jilo, met us, packed up the car and we actually got on the 5:30 ferry which we never expected.  To end the trip home, we got a text from our dear friend, Miss Sherri, who delivered a scrumptious Chicken Caesar Salad with all the fixins’ and a bottle of Prosecco – all waiting for us when we arrived home at 6:15. 

Thursday morning.  I stopped writing yesterday because I couldn’t figure out how I was feeling being home.  I hadn’t felt like we were away at all.  I woke up this morning now realizing how I feel.  When you’re on a cruise – and really it even applies to a short 7-day cruise – you’re treated like royalty.  The hardest decisions I had to make for 111 days were:  What time do I go to the gym?  What do I wear for dinner tonight?  Do we go to the early or late show?  Everything is done for you – your laundry, your bed, your meals.  Everything.  So when I returned home, it was lovely to see my home, but now I’m back to reality and back to the “regular” life. 

Don’t get me wrong.  My reality is spectacular.  I live on a beautiful island in the Pacific Northwest.  I have a terrific husband.  I have a terrific family.  I have a terrific life.  But I will have to make more decisions than I’ve made in the past three and a half months and life will be a lot different …. until our next cruise. 

Michael’s Observations:  Well, yes, I was ready to come home before the end of the cruise;  I missed my La-Z-Boy double recliner and my 14 remote controls.  Because Leona is so efficient, she handles all of the day-to-day mail, meals, finances, shopping, laundry, etc. which leaves only the cleaning to me.  I do miss the comfort of the cruise ship and, in fact, on our way to the airport, I spoke with a fellow passenger who literally has no home.  I asked him, “How are you able to live out of a suitcase (of which he only had one)” to which he replied, “He and his wife have been doing this for some years and really enjoy traveling.”  I thought about this for the rest of the day and had to think that this couple must have tremendous self control in avoiding the purchase of souvenirs, clothing, etc. while they’re traveling.  There’s no way I could ever live out of one suitcase; I could never be happy.  I enjoy having my beautiful home and my beautiful wife. 

Leona’s Reply:  Regarding the passengers who travel full-time:  They’ve exercised some extreme downsizing as far as I’m concerned.  My underwear would take up one suitcase alone!  My job for the summer is to downsize my closet so that I can incorporate all my new purchases and rid myself of the old stuff.  Goodwill, here I come!