Sunday, January 27, 2008
Setting sail
Still in Miami
We finally were able to get into our room and unpacked. Then we had to get to our muster stations for the drill (we passed). And now we are staking out a spot on the Lido deck for the first BNL concert. Actually, I am staking out a spot while Kim gets us margaritas. What a good niece! They are still loading equipment for the 20 something bands onto the boat, a painfully slow process involving one crane. So our departure is a bit delayed. Hopefully they will be done soon! This may be the last post for a while - I have been doing this vial email from my BlackBerry and I'm not sure when I will lose service. Which is a whole better than losing my BlackBerry, which I did earlier today. Luckily, BNL fans are the nicest people in the world and someone turned it in. Ok - gotta start scoping for a position again. Bon voyage!
OMG!!!
Pic is of Ed greeting someone at the check in desk
We're at the ship!!!
Kim and I are at the ship, waiting to get through security. Our van driver nearly killed us all on the way to the port when someone in front of her stopped short. But the accident was averted and here we are! And Kim wants everyone to know that she's on vacation. It was news to me! :-)
Kim's here
Saturday, January 26, 2008
In Miami and feeling fine
Ahhh... I am in my hotel room in Miami - finally! - and feeling fine. Actually, a bit snockered would be more accurate. :-) Once the cross-country exodus completed, I realized how hungry I was and set out in search of dinner. The shuttle van driver pointed out a few local choices as we approached the hotel, and I settled on Olivos, a Argentinian/Chilean/Spanish/Italian restaurant, primarily because my sister married an Olivo! They had a take out menu at the door but I needed to enlist the bartender's help on interpretting it - no habla espanol. I settled on a tuna salad nicoise and while I was waiting for the tuna to be prepared, I agreed to a glass of white wine from Argentina. After all - I'm on vacation!!! It was quite good, but all I have eaten all day was a bowl of cereal on my first flight and a Wendy's cheeseburger during my layover. So I drank my wine, gathered my bag and headed out back to the hotel - making a pit stop at CVS. We don't have CVS in Seattle and for some reason, I get all excited when I am out East and see one. It's not like our pharmacies don't have the exact same stuff! I crossed some major intersections with a goofy grin on my face, making it safely each time which would be an accomplishment at any time. What's with the no crossing signals, Miami??
I don't think I have ever been to Miami before. While I am not exactly on South Beach right now, it seems like it would be difficult to live here without a good handle on Spanish. (Knowing "Un cerveza mas" and "Donde es el bano?" isn't enough.) And does anyone here own full-length pants?? It's 70 degrees and almost 10 PM - I was a bit out of place in my jeans, although I did switch from my sneakers to flip flops.
By the way - my salad is fantastic and I am feeling a bit better now.
Flights here were uneventful, although full. I never really made it to bed last night and did sleep a little on the plane, but I think I am beyond exhausted. Saw a funny site in Houston during my layover - a woman who must have been in her 60's sitting cross legged on the floor with a laptop in front of her and a headset on, talking - or more accurately, I think, skyping - over the internet. And my ear tells me her accent was Dutch. It's pretty amazing what we can do with technology nowadays.
Saw several bands at the Miami airport that I am pretty sure will be on the cruise as well. Definitely saw Carbon Leaf lugging their gear around looking for a ride to their hotel. (Thanks for putting your name on your guitars, guys!) Saw another band with a chick who had dreadlocks. Her gear had a name I don't see on my schedule, so maybe they're not on the cruise - I'll let you know. Was envious that all they had to check was one guitar case and a suitcase. Travelling with Bells of the Sound is so not like that!!!
Had a bit of a nightmare with the hotel shuttle from the airport - Let's just say it took 2 hours to get here and leave it at that. But I did befriend a family on my shuttle who is also taking a cruise tomorrow and we coordinated a shuttle van ride to the dock together, which will save us all some money.
OK - I think that is all I have to say for now. Going to finish dinner, check email and go to sleep. I've got a BIG day tomorrow! Kim should get to the hotel around 8 AM or so, and we'll head to the dock at 11 AM.
I don't think I have ever been to Miami before. While I am not exactly on South Beach right now, it seems like it would be difficult to live here without a good handle on Spanish. (Knowing "Un cerveza mas" and "Donde es el bano?" isn't enough.) And does anyone here own full-length pants?? It's 70 degrees and almost 10 PM - I was a bit out of place in my jeans, although I did switch from my sneakers to flip flops.
By the way - my salad is fantastic and I am feeling a bit better now.
Flights here were uneventful, although full. I never really made it to bed last night and did sleep a little on the plane, but I think I am beyond exhausted. Saw a funny site in Houston during my layover - a woman who must have been in her 60's sitting cross legged on the floor with a laptop in front of her and a headset on, talking - or more accurately, I think, skyping - over the internet. And my ear tells me her accent was Dutch. It's pretty amazing what we can do with technology nowadays.
Saw several bands at the Miami airport that I am pretty sure will be on the cruise as well. Definitely saw Carbon Leaf lugging their gear around looking for a ride to their hotel. (Thanks for putting your name on your guitars, guys!) Saw another band with a chick who had dreadlocks. Her gear had a name I don't see on my schedule, so maybe they're not on the cruise - I'll let you know. Was envious that all they had to check was one guitar case and a suitcase. Travelling with Bells of the Sound is so not like that!!!
Had a bit of a nightmare with the hotel shuttle from the airport - Let's just say it took 2 hours to get here and leave it at that. But I did befriend a family on my shuttle who is also taking a cruise tomorrow and we coordinated a shuttle van ride to the dock together, which will save us all some money.
OK - I think that is all I have to say for now. Going to finish dinner, check email and go to sleep. I've got a BIG day tomorrow! Kim should get to the hotel around 8 AM or so, and we'll head to the dock at 11 AM.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Ready to go
I am packed, save for my computer bag. I need to schedule a cab and get myself in bed - my flight is at 6:20 AM tomorrow! I wasn't tired an hour ago when I started procrastinating, and now my eyes are really whining. So I need to get moving and get a few hours of sleep. Guess I didn't need to buy a book for the flight tomorrow!
Ha ha!
This is the forecast for Seattle for the next few days:
SATURDAY...RAIN LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS NEAR 40. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.
SATURDAY NIGHT...SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP TO 2 INCHES. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.
SUNDAY...RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. HIGHS IN THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. SOUTH WIND AROUND 10 MPH.
SUNDAY NIGHT...SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S. SOUTH WIND AROUND 10 MPH.
MONDAY...RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S.
MONDAY NIGHT...SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. LOWS NEAR 30.
TUESDAY...SNOW OR RAIN LIKELY. HIGHS NEAR 40.
TUESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S.
WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S. LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S.
THURSDAY...RAIN LIKELY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 40S.
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 40S.
The forecast for Miami, Jamaica and Grand Cayman - mid-80's and sunny all week. Ahhhhh...
SATURDAY...RAIN LIKELY IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS NEAR 40. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.
SATURDAY NIGHT...SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP TO 2 INCHES. LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.
SUNDAY...RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. HIGHS IN THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S. SOUTH WIND AROUND 10 MPH.
SUNDAY NIGHT...SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S. SOUTH WIND AROUND 10 MPH.
MONDAY...RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S.
MONDAY NIGHT...SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. LOWS NEAR 30.
TUESDAY...SNOW OR RAIN LIKELY. HIGHS NEAR 40.
TUESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S.
WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S. LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S.
THURSDAY...RAIN LIKELY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 40S.
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S. HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 40S.
The forecast for Miami, Jamaica and Grand Cayman - mid-80's and sunny all week. Ahhhhh...
Clarification
Just a clarification for any confused parties....this cruise is for the Barenaked Ladies. NOT bare naked ladies. Kim will NOT be naked (Aunt Jenn might, who am I to rain on that parade?) but there will be no bare naked Kim.
It's 5 PM somewhere...
Just not here, dang it!
I just got an IM from a colleague on the East Coast wishing me a Bon Voyage, and rubbing it in that HER day was nearly over! I guess it was the thought that counts!
I just got an IM from a colleague on the East Coast wishing me a Bon Voyage, and rubbing it in that HER day was nearly over! I guess it was the thought that counts!
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