Victoria, Seattle, Home

We’ve lost two hours of daylight by sailing 500 nautical miles to the south.  The clock also changed to Pacific from Alaska time.  The last port of call is Victoria, British Columbia.  Locals sometimes joke that based on the collection of young couples, retirees and beautiful flowers the city is made up of newly weds, flower beds and nearly deads. 

Our arrival is mid evening, about 7:30 PM and the return to ship is 11:30 PM.  Therefore, our travelers are sleeping late, watching cooking demonstrations and playing Jackpot Bingo.

Victoria is fairly close to Seattle.  After departure from port the ship navigates towards the emerald city and then holds at Port Angeles until early morning, when a harbor pilot navigates the vessel into its berth and we get off the ship at our assigned times. 

Thanks to the strategies needed to reclaim frequent flyer miles Jan and Laura are departing first with a connection Chicago.  Matt and Eva leave a few minutes later, direct to Boston.  Jesse and I leave a couple of hours later with a 3 hour layover in Las Vegas.  Woo Hoo!  I might grab the left over quarters for laundry and use them in the slots.

It will be time to return to normalcy once we arrive back at 14 Ashford Lane, well cared for by our live in pet sitter while we’ve frolicked.  The fall semester begins in a matter of weeks and there is plenty to do before that happens.  Jesse also moves into his own apartment in September.  Apparently there is painting to be done. 

Life in the real world is always busy for us.  Vacations are a chance to re-rack, refresh, relax and, as Princess likes to promote, escape completely.  Jan puts a great deal of energy into planning our getaways.  The payback is they go flawlessly.  We see incredible things and do, indeed, escape completely.  Having family along (plus one special family member) makes the trip even more special.

This is my 60^th birthday present.  Facebook friends are now feverously checking their events to see if they missed mine.  You haven’t.  It’s in October, but this was the best time for everyone to gather and recreate.  I am certain we will miss being waited upon for the past two weeks.  I know I will miss sitting out on the balcony while sailing through the Pacific and typing these.  However, life dictates a certain balance be achieved in order to enjoy it.  Plus the Visa bill arrives in two weeks.