The countdown is on

And I can’t believe that I have been here almost 6 months. With only 26 days left until I board the plane in London to head back to Vancouver, I find it amazing to realize how quickly it has passed by. My friend Beth, who has also worked on ships, warned me that this would happen. When I first arrived and it seemed to take forever for week one to pass, she would tell me that after I got used to the ship, I would get to the end of my contract and realize that there was much that I haven’t done ~ well she is right.

Things on the To Do list:
· Go and see one of the shows here on the ship
· Purchase my souvenirs from my favourite ports
· Make sure I get out on the excursion to the Hermitage and the Ice Bar
· Go out in Riga and Oslo ~ two ports that I have yet to go out in
· Send the stack of postcards that I have purchased but not yet written…

The current cruise is the last cruise for a couple of folks that I have been hanging out with. You realize once people you know start to leave that your time is coming up very shortly. You also realize just how close you have gotten to some of these people. The ship becomes your whole life for 6 months. They are your co-workers, your social network, and most importantly your support network. I have talked to a number of people who have come back for another contract and they say that going home for vacation is a strange experience. You have been so used to working every day for 6 straight months, that you almost don’t know what to do with yourself. You are also used to the social aspect that comes from being on the ship ~ evenings start at midnight or 12:30 even though you work the next day. At home, 11pm is often called a late night! So while I am excited about going home, seeing friends, seeing family and catching up on all that I have missed for the past 6 months I am also uncertain what else this time at home will bring up.

Things I am looking forward to doing:
· Driving my car with the top down through the mountains
· Having lunch at Anton’s and a Thai Chicken wrap!
· Seeing my Dad’s kitchen that he renovated over 18 months ago that I haven’t been home to see
· Seeing my sister’s new house ~ although I think I may be roped into painting…
· Visiting a new and amazing bakery in Peachland ~ Bliss Bakery
· Catching up with friends ~ both in BC and ON
· Going to a Sunday matinee with the girls, gossiping and munching on popcorn
· Having someone else who is far more qualified than myself wax my legs!

I am sure the 2 months will go by very quickly and I will find myself back in what has become the ‘usual’ environment. But I am looking very forward to catching up with everyone.