Bahama Mamas

In the past, whenever someone has said to me, "I wish I were in the Bahamas right now," I've always had to stop and think about my 7th grade geography, picturing the first pod at CY Junior High and Mrs. Hamman's 3rd row rear seat in my head, until I could grasp some vague concept of where the Bahamas were.

Tropical island travel has never really been my "thing".

I'm kinda pale, you know? And I like that about myself.

But when I was beginning to plan the post-apoca-audit vacation 2010, I realized Greece was off the table due to a lack of vacation time and New York was off the table due to lack of funds. But! But! I must have a post-apoca-audit vacation and I must take it with my mom! WAH!

Cruises are relatively cheap. It's costing about a 1/3 of what it would cost to go to New York City for the same length of time. So, armed with information, I pitched the idea to Blind Betsy (Mom). She was a soft sell and agreed immediately with a resounding YES!

So we're getting ready to go.

It occurred to me a couple of days ago that I've never taken a vacation anything like this before. Most of the time, when I've taken time off to go somewhere, it's to see family or a friend or, in the case of Montreal, the Kinetik Festival.

I've never taken a destination vacation with the sole purpose of just relaxing.

Now, if you recall, the last bit of my trip to Washington last year about this time, was spent on Orcas Island with the Drs. Conroy. No phone, no television, and plenty of Puget Sound water, sunrises, sunsets, and beach fires...and s'mores.

This, I believe, is going to be an awful lot like that...except with no spiders in the shower (one can hope). There is literally no agenda but to get on the ship and then get off again on the last day. We may or may not get off at the ports.

Frankly? I barely know where the Bahamas are and really know nothing about them except there is blue water and white beaches. I also find it hard to believe that what we will see in port is anything close to authentic Island living. It's difficult to get a sense of native culture when what you're experiencing is tainted by the throngs of tourists in and out every day.

Plus, sunshine = sunburn and uhm no. Just no.

Truthfully? This cruise isn't about the destination.

It's about relaxing. It's about looking out at the water, drinking wine, and talking to my mom.

The other night, I was telling Mom about some of the things we needed to know about the cruise. Part of the conversation went like this:

J: Oh! And you know what's cool? If we buy a bottle of wine and don't finish it...not that that's a problem for us but...they will totally re-cork it, save it, and bring it to us at the next meal.

BB: That's fantastic! So, if we don't finish it for breakfast, we can get it again at lunch?

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why we (meaning me) love my mom.

Chances are very good we'll be in bed by 10 and up at 6. We will order coffee delivered to our room each morning. We will sit out on our balcony and watch the water and watch the ship as it ports. We'll wander up to breakfast and maybe sit at the pool.

I'll write. She'll read.

I will order fruity cocktails in coconuts with umbrellas at every opportunity.

I might...MIGHT...get in the pool or the hot tub...or not. I may just sit in my lounge chair, dressed in yoga pants and long sleeve cover up, with floppy hat and sunglasses on, slathered in 70 spf sunscreen.

I'll take terrible photographs and post them on this blog.

And I'll miss my kitty and my Lex but not enough to want to come back until it's time.

Yes, folks. I do believe this may be the vacation I've always wanted but never knew existed.

It's one off the bucket list for sure.

I wonder what it's like to be that relaxed?

photo courtesy of Bahmas Yacht Charter Guide