Travels inTime: November 2011 - Road Trip--Pearl Cruise part 10 (end)

FRIDAY, 12/2/11 COZUMEL

I was up at 6:30am (well, 5:30 with the time change) and turned on the tv to the BOW camera and soft musak playing, Mark read and I got this caught up.

We will have to go get a ‘cruise reward’ today, as we have decided that we definitely need a ‘do-over’!! Sharkbait show is again tonight with the 4 Seasons, sharing the show time. Nice couple of shows we wanted to see, but missed. Will be nice to get to see a little of each.

And this is where my journal ends. The rest of this will be from memory (and it’s getting cloudy already!) Actually the rest of the cruise was about the same. We ate at Blue Lagoon, and did the buffet again. We went to that show. It was pretty good. I think we went to the casino for a little while afterward. It was rather crowded with the wheelchair, so we didn’t stay very long.

There were several other ships in Cozumel this day. I saw 3 other NCL ships, I think! We were docked at a different pier that I am used to in Cozumel. That was interesting. We were parked right next to another ship ( I don’t remember which it was) Was nice seeing the other ships at night with their lights on.

I went and got our Cruise Reward. Have to book and sail within 4 years. I don’t think that will be a problem!

I think we had room service for late dinner and watched another movie, although I don’t remember what it was.

SATURDAY, 12/3/11 Sea Day

Lazy day today. We sat poolside for awhile and ate from the buffet there. Mark enjoyed being out of the room, people watching, reading his book, listening to people at the next tables. Definitely helped to take his mind off his leg for a little while, anyway. I went down to the casino for awhile. He enjoyed hanging by himself. I think he snoozed! LOL

I really don’t remember too much else that we did. I know we went to Harold’s restaurant again for dinner. It was not as eventful as the previous time…but a good dinner. J

Seriously, the rest of the day is a blur. I have no idea what we did, when or where! I know I must have sat on the balcony for awhile. And I had to get everything all packed up and in the hallway. My most least favorite thing to do on ANY cruise!! Other than that…no clue!

Talk about ‘forced restfulness’ this was it!

SUNDAY, 12/4/11 end of cruise

Well, all things must come to an end. Whether good or bad! We ordered room service for breakfast. Got showered, dressed and ready to go. We had priority passes and were able to leave whenever we were ready to go. The sooner, the better. We were ready to get some crutches and get headed for home.

It took forever to get through customs – as usual. We had an escort off the ship – and another ‘driver’ once in the port building. We had a guy handling our luggage. Nice with wheelchair that we didn’t have to do the whole line, but still quite a wait.

Mark called our ride and told him we were in customs line. We got through the line. Our driver kicked someone off a bench outside, and deposited Mark there. Our luggage was taken off cart and sat on the curb next to us. And that was that. Our driver had trouble getting in the correct lane – the port police were not letting him next to curb – until I yelled at the cop that my husband had a broken leg and could not possible walk across 2 lanes of traffic to get into van! “Oh, calm down ma’am, I didn’t know…” blahblahblah from cop. Finally our driver was allowed to come to curb. Mark had difficult time getting in van, but finally made it.

Back to our hotel where we left the car. She was still there, ready and waiting for us! I transferred the luggage and got the car ready. Mark was able to get into the car and we were off for Walmart for crutches.

Made it there – I parked and went in – had to use bathroom, suddenly I was not feeling well.

Guess what – no crutches! Pharmacy said only place in Miami to get crutches was a medical supply place – and none were open on Sundays! Great… now what??! I talked some guy in a Walmart vest to bring out an electronic cart to the car so that Mark could get in to use the bathroom.

Then we were off. I felt more like crap the longer the day went on. I had a bug of some kind. I would have paid good money to be able to lay down and just sleep the day away! Ugh, I felt like crap.

Headache, flip flop stomach. We had to stop for me to take a short rest. I could not keep my eyes open. I think I slept for about a ½ hour in the car in some parking lot.

We started another book on tape on the way. We were headed to South Carolina to a Knight’s Inn for the night. Mark called ahead to see if we could be moved to a handicapped room. I’m sorry, sir, we don’t have no handicapped rooms. Oh well

At one point, we stopped at a rest stop and there was a security guard sitting in a pickup truck.
I went and asked him if they had a wheelchair available to get Mark into bathroom. He said no, but there was a ratty dirty old desk chair on wheels…would that work? He then proceed to wheel Mark into the bathroom and back out to car. He was awesome! J

We stopped someplace else, later, to get gas and food and I slept again in the car for awhile.

I did have a bit to eat, as I really hadn’t had much to eat all day. Ever onward. I remember wondering if this day would ever end! LONG DAY!!

Finally made it to the hotel – actually a motel and if you are a traveler, you know the difference. ;-) I brought out the chair from the room for Mark to use as a walker to get into room and move around while in room. I remember asking him “is there anything else I need to do for you?” and falling on bed to absolutely die for the night!

Monday, 12/5/11 – Road Trip, Day 2

There was a little breakfast area – I brought back toast, cereal & juice to room. We called around to find crutches. Finally made contact with Walgreen’s in Diamond Head. NO rush this am. Took our time getting ready – then we were off again. Noticed that it had rained overnight.

Thank GOD, I felt soo much better today! I seriously didn’t think I would make it another day like the one before!

We found the Walgreen’s – and I snagged the very last pair of crutches on the shelf! Got Mark situated with them, and then back inside so he could use the bathroom.

Okay, now we were ready to do the rest of our road trip!

Mark called ahead to the Knight’s Inn in W. Virginia that we were staying at tonight to see if they had a handicapped room. Nope. So, we cancelled and he called Holiday Inn and we got a room at an Express in Charleston, WV for the night – in a handicapped room.

By this time, it was nearing lunch time. We found some family style restaurant and decided to stop there. The mgr was in the parking lot (on the phone) when we got there. He then came over and helped Mark with tips no using the crutches. That was very nice of him to help. We had a nice lunch. We both used the bathroom. We were then on the road again.

By afternoon we ran into rain / drizzle. Dreary grey day. Nice for listening to book on tape! At one point at night ti was very very foggy and difficult to see driving in the hills of Virginia, or West Virginia. Stopped at a rest stop…Mark had hard time, but had to go. No place to pull over for him to water the grass. (like we did the night before) Very slow go with the crutches and it was drizzling and I couldn’t get any closer with parking.

Finally we made it to hotel. It was busy. Some guy was trying to be overly friendly ( we think he was drunk) to helping Mark – more help than we wanted / needed! Crazy thing about this handicapped room. You had to walk ½ way down hallway to elevator, then ½ back down hallway when getting off elevator. Long walk to handicapped room. Okay if you’re in a wheelchair, not so great on crutches! Oh well. Preaching to the choir.