Trip Wrap-up

Monday, March 6, 2023

Keith is back to work, and I am lucky enough to be on spring break this week. I was thinking about our trip this afternoon. We did some really cool things and saw some really cool things. The best parts of travel always seem to be about the people you spend time with. We were so lucky to sit down next to Regina and Brad in the theater – Regina welcomed me to the bench and somehow within minutes we had discovered we were both retired speech and language pathologists (one of us was retired a LONG time ago) and we were sailing through LOTS of conversation. It was a total bonus that the husbands hit it off and that everything was just so easy – we were laughing SO MUCH right away, and we were laughing hysterically when their group was called to disembark.

We chatted with a lot of people on the ship. On the very first night, we talked about what we were looking forward to on the cruise with a couple. I have to be honest, I completely forgot about them because everything was exciting and new and I was pretty tired from getting up at 3am. I did not remember them at all when we encountered them on our excursion around San Juan. They greeted us warmly and asked how we’d slept. They said they were very interested in what we were going to see in San Juan, because they’d been to other parts of Puerto Rico, but not to the old town of San Juan. We said the same was true for us. As they moved away, I commented that they were friendly people, and Keith said they were the people we’d talked to last night. I had absolutely no memory of them. Gahh!

I had a really interesting time talking with the guy I sat next to on the way back on the twisty roads in Dominica. He was not pleased about the drive, but nonetheless, I thought he was interesting. I doubt we would be friends in real life, but isn’t it great to have some interactions with different people?

In Barbados, the people sitting across the aisle from us on the bus were very friendly, asking how our cruise was going and what we had done in Dominica. We told them that the drive was better than the actual boat ride. They had the misfortune of sitting directly in front of the non-stop-loud-talking woman. At our restroom stop, while I quickly went off to grab some pictures, Keith commiserated with them about the loud talker. When we reboarded the bus, I stopped and said I was sorry they were even closer to her than we were (before she got back on). I said to Keith that they were very nice and he said they were the same people we had already met and talked to several times. Gahh!

We saw them on Isle Royale in one of prison areas. The woman commented to me that it was amazing to be there, a place that many people knew existed, but very few had been. I agreed. When I walked away, Keith asked if I knew who that was. No. Should I know her? Yes, she is the same woman I keep forgetting. The one from across the aisle on the bus? Yes.

Gahhh!

I truly think we encountered them again during the sea days, but I can’t remember, because I CAN’T REMEMBER THEM.

On the last full day of the cruise, we were having lunch. I got a great salad. I watched as the woman across the aisle from us brought two salads to the table – she told her husband that she had gotten him the turkey Cobb. I piped in to say that I was having the same and it was absolutely delicious. She said she thought it really looked good. We talked back and forth about a few other menu items for that meal, and I headed back to get a second round of salad. When I returned, Keith and the couple were talking about something and having a good laugh. I looked at them. I definitely had never seen them before, but I whispered anyway, “Are those the people from across the aisle on the bus?” Confirmed.

Gahhhh!

We spent a bunch of time talking to them about the cruise, etc. before we had to go to our Survival hike. They thought we were crazy to go on such a thing, but more than that, they thought the plan to go caiman searching was extra crazy. As we walked away, I said, I think they could have been more really good friends on the cruise – we should have tried to spend time with them. Keith pointed out that we had actually spent quite a bit of time with them, only I couldn’t seem to recognize or remember them. So much fact!

When we came into the dining area for our last dinner, I separated from Keith because I wanted to take a picture of the best art of the boat (the art on the boat was very underwhelming – mostly blurry, black and white everyday stuff – trees, a bench, etc.). This art was knitted seafood – the best kind of seafood. There was not much wall in the dining room – windows on all the outside walls and food service on the inside, so this art was on the little wall the entry door was on. There was a table right in front of it, because it is a room of tables. There was no way to take a picture without getting in the space of the people at the table, which is why I hadn’t taken a picture of it yet. There was a single woman at the table as I approached. I did a big smile and said I hated to interrupt her, but could I take pictures of the wall hangings. She said, “No problem. I can’t move out of the way!” I demurred and said it was no problem to get on the empty side of the table and take a few pictures. As I maneuvered myself into the space, she said, “How was the survival walk? Are you getting nervous about the caiman. I still can’t believe you are going on that.”

Ohmygod, it was the lady. I had just done a whole big excuse me routine to a woman who knew me. I really looked at her. Nope. She didn’t look familiar at all, but I knew in my heart she was the lady that I had talked to about TEN TIMES. I started telling her about our afternoon. She was at a table for four, and I really wanted to ask if we could join them for dinner, because they were really nice and I really liked them WHEN I FIGURED OUT I KNEW THEM, but I wasn’t sure if I should. I told her about the tarantula, and she appropriately shuddered. She glanced toward the buffet and said, “Oh, the husbands have found each other.” Keith was busily talking to a stranger.

Gahhhhh!

We indeed joined them for dinner and had an absolutely delightful time before going to search for caiman. They hugged us good-bye and said that we had been such a very nice addition to their cruise and hoped we would meet again some time. (And they didn’t even know how many times I had met them for the first time already.)

We ran into Regina and Brad at breakfast the last morning, then we all went down to wait for our groups to get called to disembark. I told them briefly how there was a very nice couple on the ship that I COULD NOT RECOGNIZE and we all laughed at my failure. We were on the first floor of the atrium, which is open to three levels of seating. Keith pointed up to a man walking on the second floor and asked if I recognized him. Nope. Was it the man? Yes, it was. I honestly did not recognize him. Brad and Regina and I laughed so hard we were in tears. We were still gasping for breath when he appeared with a piece of paper. He handed it to Keith and said it was their email address, in case we wanted to keep in touch. THEY ARE REALLY NICE PEOPLE.

Brad and Regina’s group was called and we said our goodbyes. I said we were going up to talk to the people-I-can’t-recognize. Keith said their names are Bob and Sue. Gahhhhhhh! He knows their names! What is wrong with me?

We spent the last half an hour on the boat with Bob and Sue. They invited us to visit them in New Hampshire – because they know it is one of the five states that Keith hasn’t visited yet. I told them we would – and we will!! I really like them. I liked them every time I met them. Their group number was called and we had good hugs good-bye and they headed to the elevator. They turned the corner and I took off running after them. I grabbed the elevator doors as they were closing and jumped on with them. I held up my phone, “I really need a picture to remember you!”

Truer words were NEVER spoken.