No, I Didn’t Take The Tour Because The Guide Was Cute

It’s not a phobia, just a very strong dislike:  I do not like my face in water.

So, good friends were very curious when I went on a snorkeling tour.

In Alaska.

As Travel Guide, I was a resource for guests who wanted to travel with ship tours and for those who wanted to venture ashore on their own. As such, I became very familiar with the ship's offered tours, volunteer escorting many of them.  I would put in my requests each cruise and, space available, Shore Excursions would add me to the tour.

Each cruise the Shore Excursions (SHX) Manager and I gave a presentation highlighting the various tours.  We’d develop our script and rapport, and you knew pretty much knew how the presentation would land (no pun intended). If I knew what tour(s) I would be that cruise I would chirp in that I would be on them. Ingrid was one of my first SHX Managers and she and I had a lot of fun each week with the talk.

When it came to the Ketchikan, Alaska portion of the talk, Ingrid would say "Did you know you can go snorkeling in Alaska?” This would be met with audience gasps and chuckles. After the laugh, she would describe the tour and move on to the next. By nature the snorkeling tour was a small-group experience, and if memory serves, it was actually pretty popular, so it was not a tour I would ever request. Score one for the water on the face dislike.

Then there was the cruise when after describing the tour, Ingrid happily adds “Christina doesn’t know this yet, but she is on the snorkeling tour this cruise!” 

To which I wailed in response “WHAAAT?!!!”

This got an even bigger laugh from the audience.

Ingrid did not know about my water thing - I think she was just proud that she could get me on a coveted tour. I did go on the snorkeling tour and the guide was super kind - not only giving me noodles, but also prescription googles. I had no idea those existed.

I posted my pix from the tour on social media, and friends in the know about my intense dislike (and that I was single) posted “you went snorkeling and put your face in water?! The guide must have been really cute!”

Ok, he was cute. But I would never know that before the tour.

Fast forward a few years later to when Dirk and I were heading to Venice on our first vacation together.  As part of the trip, I booked us on a kayaking tour.  (Side note: this is the most unique kayaking tour I have ever done and I highly recommend it.)

Dirk did not yet know about the face in the water thing and he joked about tipping over the kayak.  My good friend Jeremy, who knew about my face-water dislike AND that I had finally found a good egg, did not want the relationship in trouble over some kayak tipping.  He concernedly asked if he should have a word with Dirk. I don’t remember who eventually told Dirk, but there was no tipping of that kayak.

This summer I escorted the Cetina River canoe tour in Split, Croatia.  The tour used  two-person canoes, and some participants would need to ride with the guides.  I was fine with that - there were quite a few rapids in the river, and I was content to be in the canoe with the guide as I was pretty sure we wouldn’t tip.

Unfortunately, it didn’t mean our faces didn’t  get wet. But it was a great float. And, ok, the guide was cute.

And, no, I did not take the tour knowing that. No need - always happy to return to the ship and my Dirk. 

Wellness Round Up

Nutrition - has been pretty good. I've been noticing more alternatives- whether it's that the cruise line is now offering more or if they have been there before and I hadn't noticed them because I was not looking for them, I do not know. Coconut milk yogurt - yum.

Hydration - overall pretty good. It’s been a typical hot August in the Med, so hydration is a must.  

Movement - Gym - only once. Pool workout -once. But again, it's the Med, so lots of walking daily. I've been enjoying the movement challenges and today I was excited to see that I have passed the 20% mark on the Sydney to Melbourne challenge, so a tree has been planted!  So cool!

Stress - there was a flurry of last minute work stress but now on I am enjoying a two-week break.  All good

Sleep - Overall pretty good.

Today is Indonesian Independence Day. As the majority of the crew are from Indonesia, this is a celebration day onboard. A special dinner is served by officers and staff; it's a small but important way to say thank you to those who provide such great service onboard.

So that’s it for now - heading to the crew mess.

Bon Voyage & Bon Appétit!