Friday, July 18, 2008

A New Boat. A New Home.

After a mere two hours of sleep I woke up, took a shower and headed out the door to make my way to the airport. Dave and Debbie helped to carry my bags down to the bus stop which was very kind as it was five in the morning. I said my goodbyes and ended up having to hail a taxi to take me and my bags to the Palma Airport.

I have decided that I thoroughly dislike the airports of Palma and Madrid. They don't tell you what gate you are at until it is time to board and instead of as in the states where they board the back of the plane first they basically say, "Well, it's time to board! Everybody board!" It was like herding cattle through a very small gate. Everyone was pushing and shoving and the most annoying bit was that they kept cutting in line!

The flight from Madrid to Miami was a little over eight hours. I didn't mind it one bit. It was amazing to me that after it had taken me nearly a month to cross the Atlantic ocean that it was now only taking eight hours. I finished reading the Order of the Phoenix and decided to listen to Craig's Growing Up True. I ended up falling asleep for about two hours which was really nice.

Laz and Dawn picked me up in Miami after a very eventful time at the baggage collection. I've never noticed how funny that scene is. The people waiting for their bags were like the seagulls on Finding Nemo, "Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine!!" They can't possibly wait 10 seconds to move around the mass of people in front of their bag but instead have to shove their way through. It was all very funny! I just stood back and watched until finally my bags showed up. Needless to say I was happy to get in the truck and leave the whole ordeal behind.

Stampede is a beautiful boat. The wife is an interior decorator and a really good one at that. The couches are so comfy. I'm relaxing on them right now. The two guys on board are Keenan and Kevin. Both of them are very nice and by the looks of it a lot of fun. We went out to dinner and by the end of the night I was just pooped!

I'm sharing a cabin with Kevin and he inspires me, haha. I'm very thankful because he has used not even a third of the drawers! And in the bathroom there are five cupboards and he only used two!! He barely brought anything! That's why he inspires me... I want to have barely anything, too! I'm working on it. I'm getting better and better every time I move.

I actually just stopped writing my blog and was talking to Kevin and he was telling me how amazing this boat really is. The owners are really active and adventurous. I was looking through pictures and saw Mr. holding a huge rainbow in Alaska. The captain and wife team that used to be on this boat were here for 18 years before they finally decided to retire. Kevin and Keenan love the owners and vice versa. After everything that Kevin just told me about the boat and the owners I am very excited about the prospect of being on this boat for a very long time. That doesn't mean for sure that I will! I can't count my chickens before they hatch but the idea of it is a good one!

So far I'm just really impressed. In the past month I have gone from Florida to Bermuda to Portugal to Spain, back to Florida and tomorrow we're leaving for Newport. How many people get to do that without paying massive amounts of cash!? I'm excited.

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