Boatyard of Fun

Ok, so this post is very delayed!! SORRY!!

A few weeks ago I spent a marvelous time out in Barbados at Boatyard! It was a beautiful sunny day and the temperature was delightful and the company was even better. I spent my day with my friends Kevin and Brad on what ended up being an even better day for them! ;)

We got up early…for us at least…around 10.30 or so to get off the ship and scope out a cab to take us to Boatyard; our cabbie was actually quite nice and told us about another beach we should try someday, called Monkey Beach I believe, one day I’ll have to go there and tell you all about it. Our trip to Boatyard wasn’t very long, about 10 minutes or so through very winding roads and sad looking buildings. In fact, you wouldn’t think Boatyard was all that fantastic when you first arrive, it’s in what looks like a shack, but when you look through it, you see that it’s a long beautiful beach with direct access to the ocean. The bar has good service too. ;)

We paid our entrance fee and I snagged my free drink while the rest of the group was deciding where to go, under a canopy beach side hut of sorts or on a beach chair with an umbrella, we decided the beach chair so we could be closer together.

After dropping our stuff off and applying the much needed sun protection, (because, I won’t lie I’m white and so are the boys) we went off in search of adventure and we found it…with a rope that you swing on and you drop right into the water. Brad, Kevin and I went straight for it (sorry no photos, another time though) and after successfully swinging off the first time, we went back for more. We went so many times the crew member manning the rope just laughed at us whenever we went up to go swing. Brad kept calling it the WEEEEEEEEEEE. Silly boy! And he kept making Kevin and I look like ungraceful fools (which we are) with this perfect splits, pointed toes and flawless jumps that made little splash. Kevin and I however made this great big splashes and  just kept laughing at our silliness. Twas great fun indeed!

The big event of the day ended up trying to get me to jump from a high rise stand. Took 5 tries, and on the last one the boys blocked my way down, so the only way to go was by jumping. I hate heights. Terrified by them. But with their non-stop encouragement, I jumped (screamed like a girl till I hit the water) and came up with a smile on my face and proceeded to say “Nope, don’t need to do that again!”

The day was further enjoyed with some giant aquatic floating toys, like a “king of the mountain”…in the water and a floating trampoline. We climbed, we jumped, we swam and in general spent the day with smiles on our faces.

Perks of shiplife indeed.

$26.50

May 2

$26.50…for everything else there’s Mastercard

26.50$, that’s all the girls and I (as in the Fabulous Valor Tech Women) had to put down for a day long crew tour of the beautiful island of Saint Lucia and a sulfur spring mud bath. Totally worth it as well! It’s been 3 days since the tour and my skin still feels fantastic!

Our day started by meeting up with the rest of the crew that had also signed up for the tour (40 people in all!). This was my first time off in Saint Lucia so I was really excited to get to see the island and the mud bath was a total perk. It was absolutely beautiful sunny day in Saint Lucia and not terribly hot…yet.

We loaded up into 2 lengthy vans and headed off for an adventurous day! ….We just didn’t anticipate the adventurous lengthy winding looked like we were going to crash or fall off the cliff kind of ride. Seriously sketchy!!

We made several stops much to (at least for those of us at the back of the van) as we just wanted to get there and enjoy the mud bath…but 2 hours later we FINALLY arrived.

We could smell it before we saw it. One of the crew members didn’t know what sulfur smelled like so he asked and the entire van yelled out “Rotten eggs!” I totally giggled.

Upon arriving to the springs, we saw an area where the true vents were and I felt like I was on set for a new science fiction movie…like a new planet things. It was weird!  The vents themselves pump out incredibly hot mud and sulfur and the gas that’s released is even hotter!

Where we finally go to go into the mud bath was ridiculous! We had to get into incredibly hot water, about 115F first so that our pores will open to accept the nutrients in the mud, then it was time to put the mud on. And I went ALL for it. I caked it on my legs, arms, stomach, back, neck, and my face! I really caked it there.

I had mine on for about 10 minutes before I wanted to be clean again…we had to go back into the hot hot water to get it off then could finish up with a nice cool shower…which was every boys wet dream. Bunch of girls voluntarily playing in the mud, wiping mud all over each other and then assisting in the removal…the boys on the tour were a little quite during the last part. PERVES! Lol!

The ride back was quiet and calm…as most of us slept the whole way back. We did make one stop for a snack of local BBQ chicken, some fry bread and fried codfish. All were delectable!

Then it was time to head “home” to our ship. I slept, won’t lie. It was a long day and we had the show that night as well, so I wanted to get some energy back before it was too late.

When we got back into town, I spied a beautifully painted wall, it was so long that I couldn’t take a 

picture…so I took a video.

I can’t wait to go on another adventure.

Worst Sunday Ever

April 30, 2013

Worst Sunday Ever

I kid completely. The life of a cruise ship employee can be rough sometimes, some days I can work up to 10 or 12 hours and I know I’ve pulled some 14 hour days as well (it just depends on the ship and scheduling of everything). But then I have the days where I can only go “Ah yes…this. THIS is the life.” As I lay out at the beach that has been an adventure to get to drinking a local beer and enjoying fantastic conversations that have us falling over in laughter and then we get up and go play in the ocean like we’re twelve.

Sunday was just such a day.

It started out with the standard “Internet & Food Expedition”, as in get off the ship soon as possible (which here, the earliest you can get off the ship are at 3 different windows before all the guests get off is 9-9.05a, 10-10.05 and 11-11.05, after that gangway opens at noonish) to go search for a restaurant that must have 2 very vital qualities: a. fantastic food and b. kick ass internet for browsing needs. A nicety is a good discount for crew members.

This day, I went in search of this illusive restaurant (only to me since I’m still new to the ship and ports so finding anything is an adventure) with my new friends Erin and Bart who also work in the Entertainment Department as Lighting and Guitarist. There is a great restaurant that serves breakfast till 2p and even when the restaurant is bursting with customers, the internet is still strong enough to do a download or 2. (I had French toast with strawberries. YUM).

Once my hunger and thirst for sustenance of the nutritional and cyber kind was sated, it was time to head back to the ship to change and go out for sun basking fun (after very quick stop in CVS to pick up necessities that one cannot find on board and such). Here is where the fun began.

Bart, Erin and I as well as 2 others, Nic and Cisco (our local guide, friend and showband drummer) met up and then went off to find our adventure…which took awhile. About…1 hour really. We walked off the ship feeling like the elite, we come and go as we please and with smiles on our faces to walk 5 minutes to the bus station, making sure to arrive early so as not to miss the 1.30 bus to the middle of the island only to find the bus is about 30 minutes late and that the driver, when he arrived, was going on a break. Sooo really..at about 2.30 we finally hopped on our bus and went off...

At a snail’s pace. Go go go aaaaaand stop. Go go go aaaaaaaand stop. Stop and go for about an hour when we said “FUCK IT” and decided to walk the rest of the way. It was a beautiful day outside so none of us minded. We did make a quick stop at a convenience store for some provisions to our day in the sun and then continued our walk in the sun.

And then finally…our goal. The beach and ocean together and waiting for us! We found ourselves a nice cozy spot near enough to the ocean to make a quick dips possible but really, we just laid out our towels, laid down just had fun giggling, laughing and having a grand ol’time.

I wouldn’t have thought our day could get any better but it did. We left awhile later to meet Cisco’s family and that was a treat. For us, we live on board for 6-8 months without seeing our families, and when we get to see at least a mom and a dad we become very happy. As my friend Erin says “It’s a little bit of stability.” 

And it’s true.

After his family said “Adios” off we went to a Jazz festival! And what a festival! The music was awesome, again company was fantastic and the weather was perfect. The only problem was that we had to get back on board. So finally, as the band finished, we made our way to the street, to grab a taxi and head back to the ship.

All in all…an excellent Sunday in port.