This will be my last post for this cruise but I plan to post occasionally for the rest of the year to keep you up dated on my future cruise preparations. I have decided the itinerary for the 2011 world cruise on the Amsterdam fills in the blanks in my pass travel adventures for the years 2008 and 2010. If I take the 2011 world cruise on the Amsterdam I will have gone everywhere a world cruise can possibly go. The itinerary on the Queen Mary is too close to what we did this year. AND, as much as I would like to be there with my friends I feel there will be too much repetition of ports. But, there is a possibility we will be in the same ports at the same time so I can see some wild shore time excursions.

I am also hesitant to book a world cruise on the Queen Mary. My point of view is that she is too big for world cruising. I like the atmosphere on the smaller ships and the smaller ships can go to smaller ports. The CSI farewell cocktail party was a few nights ago and I said to Ellen (our lady leader) that of the 100 to 150 people present that there were only two or three I didn’t know. She used my quote in her remarks that we become a family while on board which is true especially when you are traveling with CSI.

We had some excitement during the party. The Captain stopped the ship so the Coast Guard could take a passenger off by helicopter because of a medical emergency. Speculation was that the individual had appendicitis but who knows for sure.

I do not know how many we have lost on this cruise due to deaths but we have lost about 50 for medical reasons and about 20 for other problems such as deaths at home. I know of one couple who were thrown off the ship for obnoxious behavior but they were the only ones that I know of who were evicted.

To answer Patti’s question about guest lecturers. Yes. We have had many dealing with all sorts of topics. I have been to some of the lectures and they were quite good. The topics range from marine biology to world politics to the study of colors. I am not one of those that try to catch every lecture and I sometimes watch them on TV. I am a doer rather than a sitter. Those that do go to all the exploration lectures say they are excellent. I do catch all the culinary presentations as I still enjoy cooking.

I just returned from our disembarkation speech by Bruce the Cruise Director, who I have to say is the best and the most intelligent cruise director ever. At the end, the crew from all departments took the stage and bid us farewell. A sad moment for all.

I will pack on the day we are in port in Vancouver as I think it will be easier to do it all at one time. So, I will be packing up the computer after I post this, my last 2010 World Cruise epistle from aboard the wonderful MS Amsterdam.

All packed and ready but couldn’t get on the internet all day. The buildings in Vancouver blocked our server. So long for now as I sign out.