I'm back! Well actually, I got back Friday but I've spent most of the weekend sleeping since I didn't really sleep much the whole trip (forgot my Ifurita hentai sheets and hugging pillow...... J/K!
). Here's a brief rundown:
Saturday: Hang out in Buelton (Buelton... Buelton... Buelton... Buelton...). Play billiards at a bar next to the hotel. We also played cards in the room until late at night and built a Beeramid.
Sunday: Take a stroll through Solvang, a Dutch-themed touristy town. Stop at Chumash Indian Casino on the way to Los Angeles. Didn't win nothing but had a good time. Grab a room in San Pedro. More cards, beer, horseplay and madness. Both nights the rooms had a clock radio so i could play my iPod though it with a little FM transmitter.
Monday: Board the boat. This was the beginning of a week of staff trying to sell you things and get you to pay for food and drink you're already entitled to when buying your ticket. A word of advice my friedns, Royal Caribbean is cheap. But unless you a confident you can keep on your financial toes for a week (or the duration of your vacation), don't bother. Pick a slightly more expensive line where they dont try to squeeze your wallet every waking breath. That aside though, I was with my good friends and did have a great time. Late on the first night, we were hanging out on the deck. It was foggy and you couldnt see much at sea. Then the fog lifted and the clouds cleared to reveal a full moon! You could see all the way to the horizon. We had our own little party out on the deck with no one else around.
Tuesday - San Diego: Everyone was either hung over or burnt out the next day. And, apparently not too excited about San Diego. So they all stayed on the ship while I walked around the Marina for 3 hours.
Wednesday - Catalina Island: Absolutely beautiful. The island is small and the streets are too. Most residents drive golf carts. We rented one ourselves and rode around. Had a couple margarittas at a little Mexican restaraunt staffed by some very nice people (nicer than the ship staff at least).
Thursday - Ensenada, Baja Mexico: Nothing spectacular but very commercialized. The best part was La Bufadore, the blowhole! It's a Sea Geyser, and one of only 3 in the world (I didn't know they were so rare, but I've seen another in Hawaii! The third one is in Australia). It's a tight cleft in the rocks where the waves build up pressure and shoot out like a geyser. We got totally soaked and had a great time. Then topped it off by having the world's best Margaritas at Papas & Beer (world famous apparently?).
Friday - Back in port at San Pedro. Glad to be off that damn ship but said goodbye to friends, albeit reluctantly. Getting through customs was slow and painful because people are stupid ("Deeerrrrr! Forms? What forms? I'm an american, why do I have to fill out forms?"). Hopped on I-5 and returned home. Glad to be home, but not glad to be going back to work tommorow!
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