![\"\"](\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/cruise-ship.jpg\" "\\"OLYMPUS")
<\/a><\/p>\nThen the ship finally left the port …\u00a0 and I could immediately feel the difference. As Greg and I walked up a couple flights of stairs and through the grandiose center of the vessel toward the dining room, I wobbled like a happy sailor. Greg maintained that he did not notice the motion, except that my inability to walk steadily amplified it. I surveyed the other passengers for similar problems, in hope of the comfort of comradery. Not a misstep did I see, but our newly met dining mates assured me that they felt it, too.<\/p>\n
It wasn’t until after dinner that I really began to feel sick. Greg and I were planning on dancing, so fashion concerns dictated that I pass by the pressure point wrist bands of thick polyester knit. The aromatic oil behind the ears was the next choice. I may have over-applied it in my desperation, but obtained only short lived relief. The fragrance, which included mint and myrrh, faded rather quickly, but not before I participated in karaoke and made it to the dance floor.<\/p>\n
We were amazed to find the circular marble-like dance area unpopulated. (photo below taken the night before we left)<\/p>\n
There may have been a handful of people in the surrounding seating that could accommodate close to two hundred people. The flow of disco and rock and roll favorites suited us well. We used the WHOLE dance floor. Here, I could still sense the power of the waves, but found that as long as I kept dancing I felt fine. All of my BBP and MTT<\/a> paid off as I was able to dance with delighted energy in my Five Finger<\/a> dance shoes. (Prior training<\/a> highly recommended.)\u00a0 After a few songs, though, my legs would become fatigued or I would require fluids.\u00a0 Then I would have to lay my head on the cocktail table and gingerly sip 7-UP until I was able to dance again, usually within one song.\u00a0 Greg, naturally, showed no signs of being tired.\u00a0 He was my enchanted prince and I was …. the princess who was cursed with a spell to dance unceasingly!<\/p>\n More dancers came in after about an hour, but it was never crowded.\u00a0 We danced until midnight, apparently the oldest by far.\u00a0 Certainly we were the least self-conscious and having the most pure fun.<\/p>\n The next morning, with a good night’s sleep behind me, we disembarked to our first island, the cruise line owned Cococay.<\/p>\n It was quite pleasant with a slight breeze, warm sun, and the clear water protected inlets.\u00a0 Snorkeling was on the agenda.\u00a0 Greg explored first, then came back for me.\u00a0 The little fishies were colorful and inquisitive, often swimming right up to me to “take a look.”<\/p>\n The occasional translucent powder pink jelly fish that appeared right in front of my face were startling, but I avoided being stung.<\/p>\n Greg was impressed when I spotted a 3 – 4 foot barracuda.\u00a0 I swam away quickly, but he went closer and saw it’s teeth.<\/p>\n In an effort to conserve strength, I tried to not kick as much as usual, but instead float more as Greg suggested.\u00a0 This was not good.\u00a0 The key to my survival in a water environment seems to be constant self-generated movement.\u00a0 Between that and the nausea, weight gain was not going to be an issue on this trip.\u00a0 I gave Greg notice that I was feeling green around the gills and he towed me back to shore, followed by helping me back to my tanning station and a small bite of lunch.<\/p>\n (I’m slightly right of middle, the most reclined.)<\/p>\n For the rest of the afternoon, I kept vigil on the lounge chair while Greg went for a run, visited some sting rays, and practiced open water swimming.<\/p>\n By the time we returned to the ship, around 3 PM, I was almost completely recovered, but deemed it wise to take a dose of Bonine.\u00a0\u00a0 Whether due to physical exhaustion or drug side effects, we went to bed early that night.\u00a0 The island of Nassau would be outside our window in the morning.<\/p>\n Nassau must be made of jello, because I could feel it wiggle.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n