Unlike previous years, the trans-pacific crossing has treated us with remarkable delicacy so far – that said, we’ve only been out here a day, a day and a half if you include the overnight sailing that we were mostly all asleep for.
The last crew party of the season was last night, but I didn’t go. Instead I treated myself to the heaven of a hot bath, a good book, and a warm bed. I’m told the party was good, but honestly an evening to myself was better. Plus, I had to work on packing. My debark checklist arrived in my mail slot this morning, detailing precisely what has to be done when in order to allow for my smooth transition from ship to shore in five days’ time. On that list is the inevitable luggage inspection, which I always say I’m going to somehow avoid and never actually do. That’s why I have hard-sided luggage and only one soft-sided duffle bag, which carries all my things that aren’t breakable.
I still have to find a box to put all my new uniforms into for storage over the holidays. They’ll be staying here instead of going home with me, since I have friend still on board it’s rather ridiculous to lug ten new uniforms home with me. So they’ll go into a nice compact box and live in the Party Planner’s room for the Christmas season.
After four years of loyal service my beloved mary-jane shoes finally split completely at the soles and snapped at the ankle strap, so they won’t be going home with me either. I was actually very sad about that, I loved those shoes – they made me feel like Alice in Wonderland. But they really were beyond repair, two seasons in England, and three years on ship is more than any bargain basement $10 shoe is really meant to stand. I’ll have to find a replacement for them somewhere, though I don’t know where to get that style in Canada.
I also have to return all the various books I’ve acquired over my contract, it should surprise no-one that I have a huge stack of “I need to read this” books cluttered all over my cabin. I didn’t around to reading most of them – which is a shame – but they’re there none the less.
As far as the job goes, this is when it starts to get a wee bit overwhelming, and when I start to be even more relieved that there are two of us. This is when the returns start to look like a small castle and storage space becomes increasingly difficult to come by. We also get to start doing random fun things, this afternoon the entire entertainment team invaded the show-kitchen to make Dutch-apple pancakes. Much to the shock of everyone they actually turned out to be edible! Trust me, this was a surprise!
The last of my Christmas presents have been bought and now only need to be wrapped, but that will have to wait until I get them back into Canada as you’re not allowed to wrap anything that’s going across the border (the things you learn when you travel a lot). I need to transfer my jewelry box from my duffle bag to my carry on and eventually pack up my embroidery.
This is why I always start packing so early. All that’s left to pack now is the electronics, one uniform, one formal, and my counterpane, all of which squish down into one suitcase.
Truly I have become adept at packing my whole life into two suitcases and a carrier bag.
I still remain unsure what that says about me.