Our first port was Puerto Limon in Costa Rica and my first visit to Costa Rica. Yes, Rachael, I did get your key chain. Those of you who were with me on the QE2 will recall from time to time my going crazy looking for that elusive key chain. I did take a tour to the tropical rain forest. I have been to the rain forests in Washington and Alaska but this was my first tropical rain forest.

We saw some very interesting creatures including an inch long bullet ant and apparently it was just a baby. We also saw leaf cutter ants on the march, howler monkeys, sloth, many birds and two interesting frogs. A red one is called the strawberry dart frog and the other the turquoise dart frog. Both are very poisonous and their venom was placed on the natives arrows to kill their prey.


The next day we entered the Panama Canal and it was quite pleasant. We didn’t run into the 100 degree heat with 100% humidity like the last time I was here. Very pleasant weather. The narration was good but our narrator on the QE2 was even better. I lazed on the shady side of the deck and visited with everyone who stopped by.

I was not much interested in a tour nor was I interested in going into Panama City. I walked around Fuerte Amador watching the locals and looking at the sights. Our wonderful weather has changed and it was about 90 degrees and 100% humidity so I came back to the ship and decided it was a great time to work on my next post. I am going to attempt including some photos. The turquoise frog, the bullet ant, my cabin and table mates. The cabin is spacious, clean and lots of closet , drawer and shelf apace and as you all know, this is an absolute must for me.

The reason I said I was going to attempt the photos is that my first attempt was an abject failure and apparently I didn’t read my instructions well. I also intend to get into more of the personalities on board but I am reserving judgment on some. Mostly, the people I have met are just great with one exception. I met a most disagreeable man (notice I did not say gentleman). As always I said hello and made the statement “that I hoped it would not get real hot outside while transiting through the canal. “ Just making conversation. His answer was well if you don’t like it stay inside. I was a little taken back so I indicated that I would do both, inside and out. He became quite fierce in his seemingly denunciation of me with another louder utterance of stay inside if you don’t like it. Thankfully the elevator doors opened and he left, before me I might add. As I followed him I noticed a couple out of the corner of my eye and the wife was pointing at him. I got the distinct impression she was at one time also a brunt of his nasty behavior.

This post is mainly for those of you who are contemplating booking a world cruise or segment on the good ship Amsterdam in the future. As most of you will recall I took a week cruise with my Robin to Alaska and coincidentally we were on the Amsterdam. It enabled me to become acquainted with the ship, service, food, etc. I was very disappointed in the service and crew but very happy with the cabin and food. I was assured that the service by the crew of the world cruise would be wonderful. THEY WERE RIGHT! My what service. My cabin steward, Jessie, is great, personable and always there. On the other cruise I never even saw the steward except once at 12:00 pm to reconfigure the bed to what was ordered. My first request for this to be done was at 2:00 pm. Again the bed wasn’t right but Jessie had it corrected within the half hour. He is leaving funny towel animals for me just as if I was a kid.

Food, oh what dinners we are having in the dining room. Try Filet mignon, Alaska king crab legs, and MAINE lobster tail. Those were my choices of entrees the first three days. How can they keep this up? I’m still struggling to remember our waiter’s name but I will in time have his name etched in my brain. He is a marvel. The service is spectacular and this is welcomed after the very poor service on our Alaska cruise. After the first day I didn’t have to remind him of petite portions or decaf espresso with a lemon twist. Magically everything is exactly what I requested that very first day.

Check-in was a breeze. No long lines and everything was complete in 15 minutes or less. And, to my delight, the photo of my boarding is great. I look so cute and I have never taken a good boarding picture ever ever ever.!

I used Cruise Specialists (hereafter referred to as CSI) as my agent. To my delight my travel agent was one of the persons sent to assist in the final stages. It was wonderful to see Shannon in person. We had a great party and dinner and since I was seated at the head table I was able to meet the President and his wife. Our two fearless leaders, Tom and Ellen, were also on hand to greet us. I haven’t had enough contact with Tom yet to give you a feel for his personality but Ellen is a fun loving ready for anything type of person. Last night she was wearing an elegant outfit that was black and the same color as Doc Severinson’s suit (shocking coral) and she managed to get a photo of the two of them on stage. My kind of girl.

CSI was responsible for our travel arrangements to a shopping center and transfer from the hotel to the ship. Both endeavors went perfectly. Kudos to CSI and my agent, Shannon.

This post is mainly for those of you who are contemplating booking a world cruise or segment on the good ship Amsterdam in the future. As most of you will recall I took a week cruise with my Robin to Alaska and coincidentally we were on the Amsterdam. It enabled me to become acquainted with the ship, service, food, etc. I was very disappointed in the service and crew but very happy with the cabin and food. I was assured that the service by the crew of the world cruise would be wonderful. THEY WERE RIGHT! My what service. My cabin steward, Jessie, is great, personable and always there. On the other cruise I never even saw the steward except once at 12:00 pm to reconfigure the bed to what was ordered. My first request for this to be done was at 2:00 pm. Again the bed wasn’t right but Jessie had it corrected within the half hour. He is leaving funny towel animals for me just as if I was a kid.

Food, oh what dinners we are having in the dining room. Try Filet mignon, Alaska king crab legs, and MAINE lobster tail. Those were my choices of entrees the first three days. How can they keep this up? I’m still struggling to remember our waiter’s name but I will in time have his name etched in my brain. He is a marvel. The service is spectacular and this is welcomed after the very poor service on our Alaska cruise. After the first day I didn’t have to remind him of petite portions or decaf espresso with a lemon twist. Magically everything is exactly what I requested that very first day.

Check-in was a breeze. No long lines and everything was complete in 15 minutes or less. And, to my delight, the photo of my boarding is great. I look so cute and I have never taken a good boarding picture ever ever ever.!

I used Cruise Specialists (hereafter referred to as CSI) as my agent. To my delight my travel agent was one of the persons sent to assist in the final stages. It was wonderful to see Shannon in person. We had a great party and dinner and since I was seated at the head table I was able to meet the President and his wife. Our two fearless leaders, Tom and Ellen, were also on hand to greet us. I haven’t had enough contact with Tom yet to give you a feel for his personality but Ellen is a fun loving ready for anything type of person. Last night she was wearing an elegant outfit that was black and the same color as Doc Severinson’s suit (shocking coral) and she managed to get a photo of the two of them on stage. My kind of girl.

CSI was responsible for our travel arrangements to a shopping center and transfer from the hotel to the ship. Both endeavors went perfectly. Kudos to CSI and my agent, Shannon.

I’m here everyone and what a beginning to my around the world adventure. First, the flight was smooth, no shoe bombers, short fused shorts, or disruptive behavior. In other words it was a most boring flight. But, remember boring is good when you are flying. One of my bags was the first out of the chute and the other one showed up a minute or so later. You ask ---so, what is this beginning I first mentioned. Well, it was at this point the fun began. No Holland American Line person could be found. I waited about 15 minutes and then pulled out the instruction sheet and was informed if there is no agent have them paged, which I did. No HAL agent. After another 15 minutes I had them paged again. No HAL agent. So, I pulled out the trusty instructions again and was informed to call an emergency number, which I did and there was a recording saying that no one was there. So, I walked back to the baggage claim area and fortunately there was the agent.

This agent scolded me for leaving the baggage claim area after having her paged but did proceed to find me on her list of incoming passengers but with no time of arrival or flight number. After much to do about the paperwork she did make up a voucher for the Super Shuttle which was to take me from Miami to my hotel in Fort Lauderdale, about a 20 minute trip. She made sure I was on the right shuttle , with the right driver.
WRONG. Think Gore vs. Bush; hanging chads, butterfly ballots and that whole stupid thing. After all, I was going from Dade County to Broward County.

After dropping another couple off at another hotel and another couple off at the airport to pick up luggage that went to that airport instead of Miami, it was my turn. She proceeded to drop me off at the Westin beach hotel. Now, this was after I kept saying it is located on Corporate Avenue, Drive or whatever and she assured me there was no problem. Needless to say, it was the wrong Westin Hotel. Some very nice girls managed to call her dispatcher to inform her of this fact and since she had stopped for a McBurger and McCoffee (No doubt with the $5.00 tip I gave her.) she wasn’t far away. I then asked her if she knew where she was going and she gave me assurances that she had it covered. After wandering around for another half hour or so she was given instructions again and tried to drop me off at the same Westin Hotel for the second time. Super shuttle, Super stupid.

Finally, after two more telephone calls to the Westin Hotel and continuing travel directions I was delivered to the correct hotel. My trip from Seattle to Miami was 5 hours; then 4 hours from time of arrival to hotel.

As a side note I am sure you have all heard that this area of Florida is freezing and the strawberry and orange crops are in danger of being lost. The Super Shuttle had no heat so this tourist was also in danger of freezing .

Only 24 hours plus before I leave. Passport and visas are in hand. I even took a quiz to find out my packing personality. Apparently I am a systematic suitcase stuffer and frankly I can’t argue with that conclusion. My two large bags are at the port waiting for the good ship Amsterdam and hopefully we will all be reunited.

I will spend two nights in Fort Lauderdale before boarding and there is a dinner for Cruise Specialist clients Tuesday evening. I like this because it will give us all a chance to get acquainted including meeting our travel leaders Tom and Ellen.

My next post will be on board and I am sooo ready to be there. I am also ready for some summer like weather while in countries in South America and plan to work on a sensible tan.