Catatonic in Katákolon

Thursday, June 18, 2015
Katákolon, West Greece, Greece
At 11:00am (3:00am at home), B4 says, "Our numbers aren't up yet but I can tell from the credit report it’s going to be a good day." Thus it is on vacation with my CEO. Today, she slept in, checked email, analyzed a floor plan for our new condo, booked a massage for 4:00pm today, ate breakfast at the outdoor restaurant, selected chaise lounges for our “stay-aboard” day, planned to not stay aboard for lunch ashore and checked the aforementioned credit sales report. I am half way through reading my paper and that’s it.

I think that Norwegian Cruise Lines has made a tactical error with its new “unlimited internet” for $24.99 per day plan. About the only time we don’t have 1) my laptop, 2) my iPhone, 3) B4 's Surface or 4) B4 ‘s iPhone connected to the internet is when we’re sleeping. This unlimited (actually it is limited in that we can only have one device connected at a time) plan is saving us a fortune. The minute counter for our account says we have used 1,300 of them over a period of 4.5 days. That 290 minutes per day rate at, say .25 per minute, would be costing us $72.00 or thereabouts each day. With that $45 we’re saving, B4 can have more treatments at the spa!

And, regarding the spa, she needs it. In Santorini during our very long walk down the very steep pathway from the ridge to the sea B4 hyper-extended or even slightly strained her knee. Her predicament is not debilitating but it is limiting: we did not dance at the “White Hot Party” last night. As I write this, she is sitting in the spa allowing the warm jets of water to massage her knee while she awaits the posting of the remainder of yesterday’s sales numbers. Never a moment is wasted with B4 as she is a master juggler.

Our decision to stay aboard today is partly due to a desire to avoid 44 passenger coaches to only partially restored archeological sites and partly due to a desire to investigate the experience of living the life of a sloth. Or, at least, a sloth with internet access.

My habit is to read my hometown newspaper, The Kansas City Star, online each day. This morning, aboard the Norwegian Jade, I read Lewis Duigiud’s column to start my day. I was reminded of how small the world has become when I saw that he had recently returned from a voyage aboard this ship. When I read a complimentary reference to Jade crew member Martina Huljev I was reminded of the difference between appreciation and recognition. Recognition is appreciation with an audience. I stopped one of the ship’s officers, Restaurant Manager Esteban Chorro, and loaned him my laptop so he could read Duigiud’s column. From his reaction, it is clear that Ms. Huljev would soon be hearing of Duigiud’s appreciation—as, I think, will a great many other members of this crew. I emailed Duigiud to thank him for mentioning her by name. Too often the gentle acts of appreciation and recognition are overlooked even though the cost of each is small while the value is great. As MasterCard used to say in their advertising: priceless.

Part of the late morning and early afternoon is spent polishing my book while B4 reads. The pool slowly grows from deserted to almost deserted. Most of the Jade’s guests are ashore. B4 is surprised at how many guests aboard ship have brought their tiny children with them. Many of them did not go ashore this morning and they are beginning to populate the pool with their acutely felt audible presence. Ambiance slowly but unstoppably evolves from calm to clamorous.

Distracted from my writing I occasionally look up and the overwhelming question that occurs to me is what people were thinking about when they chose their bathing suits.

We had planned to leave the Jade and go ashore for lunch at one of the restaurants that line the waterfront. A ship’s officer had commented to us yesterday that the one furthest from the ship was the best choice. While sitting in the hot tub pondering that dilemma, we decided to forego that exertion of effort and eat by the pool instead. Easy.

Distracted again, I hear this announcement, “All fire control teams report to the forward mooring deck. All fire control teams, report to the forward mooring deck.” It occurs to me that such an announcement might best be preceded by something like, “Dear passengers, don’t think even for one minute that the following announcement indicates that there is a fire aboard,” or, “This is only a drill,” or something to that effect. B4 does not hear it; she says to me that her main stress at this point is whether or not to go back to 9000 to change before heading to the spa for her massage. She is serious.

By 2:30, the population at poolside has reached no more than fifty percent on the lower level and ten percent above. Today is the first day of the cruise where I can recall there being clouds in the sky. I presume our mainland—rather than island—location is the cause of that. The weather has been nothing short of perfect as long as those like me stay well sunscreened.

At 3:45, B4 heads for the spa and I to deck 7 to get in my mileage for the day. I am encouraged because Fitbit sent me an email today congratulating me saying, “You’ve earned your Nile Badge!” Further research shows that means that since the ej4 crew bought me my Fitbit step counter, I’ve logged 4,132 miles. Merrell walking shoe company owes me a drink. Across the pier from us, The Holland America line New Amsterdam is pulling away ahead of us; we were the only ships in port today.

While walking, our introverted Captain comes on the PA to announce that the weather will become rougher tonight. “If you have anything for seasickness,” he says, “take it now.” B4 will be thrilled.

Comments

CC&JC
2015-06-19

Wow....you guys are hard to keep up with! I see a Discovery Channel series in your future. Good Stuff....wish we were there!

2025-02-08

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