The Tlingit Indians have an expression, “Till we meet again”. They use that instead of saying goodbye. This is my last week onboard and I am having a difficult time saying goodbye to the many people I interact with on a daily basis, see once a week or just pass in the hallway. People seem to know when your contract is up and I having many people tell me how quickly the two months went by. I feel like I took a 30 minute nap and 8 weeks flew past me. L O N G P A U S E as I reflect on the countless encounters that I have had since late May. I guess I didn’t think I would feel this way. Just as I began to feel as I belonged here and fit in, I have to leave this Sunday and return to Florida. There won’t be anyone in my kitchen saying “Good morning, Sir Richard” as they hand me an omelet, coffee, lunch, dinner, dessert. I won’t have a mailbox with my whole next day mapped out for me. No gangway to greet people, no backstage techs to put on my headset for a talk on stage, no one asking me what THEY can do when we arrive in port. My cabin won’t be made while I am strolling around the deck listening to live music. I will miss cold Alaska. Hot Florida will be a nice change I hope. Seeing Lee in LA will be fantastic. Happy Birthday Lee. Today Lee turns 23 years old. The last 23 years flew by too.I am looking forward to my 55” TV with surround sound, being with my friends, traveling and getting on my next ship in Boston late next month. While I had so much fun on all the shore excursions, I am now enjoying being at the small Internet cafés in the small towns in Alaska on my laptop/Ipad. No Starbuck’s here. Just small, independent coffee shops with wifi. Lots of the crew comes in and there is a buzzzzz. Right now I am in Haines, AK. Checking email and looking stuff up. Lining up trips and appointments for when I come back home this weekend. See you soon.
