Dominica, West Indies

This amazing 33-day grand adventure couldn’t have wrapped up at a more beautiful place than Dominica!

Paradise . . . .

Think prehistoric rainforest. Think Jurassic Park. Think living in the most lush botanical garden on the planet.

Think Garden of Eden.

That’s Dominica.

And, as if that isn’t enough, think the friendliest people on the planet.

Okay, now you have an idea of how much we oooohed and aaaahed our way around this wonderful island. Well . . . at least Bill and I did and, separately, Dianna and Rick did. Charlotte and Richard had already been here so they just stayed close to the ship.

Originally, the six of us were booked on a “Wacky Rollers” shore excursion together. I got nervous about it last week because my ankle was still swelling up daily and I thought it would be too strenuous for me. So Bill and I cancelled and then Charlotte and Richard cancelled. However, by the time we arrived at Dominica, my ankle was almost as good as new and I was really sorry we had cancelled the excursion. When we got off the ship with Charlotte and Richard, Bill and I were only too happy to grab an opportunity to join a private excursion for a drive into the rainforest and a trip to the magnificent Trafalgar Falls.

I can’t even describe it. Words don’t do this place justice so you’ll really just have to wait for the photos to be posted. The best part . . . the part that made us feel as if we were part of a scripted Disney experience . . . was when we arrived at the trailhead to Trafalgar Falls. Before we had a chance to start walking, the sky opened up and a deluge came down like nothing we’d ever seen before. The amazing thing about this place is that one minute the sky is absolutely gorgeously blue and suddenly dark clouds roll in FAST and the sky opens up and it POURS.

We were in a sheltered area and our guide told us that it would end in a few minutes. We had been good scouts and had brought along ponchos and umbrellas but they had been left in the van. (Heh! Heh!)

So we waited it out and decided to leave our stuff in the van. (Heh! Heh!)

Then we started hiking up the trail.

Halfway to the falls, the sky opened up again.

It was WONDERFUL!!

You can’t imagine what an experience it is to be walking through a dense rainforest in a tropical downpour. Okay, maybe some of you are shaking your heads thinking I’m nuts. But, I’m tellin’ ya, it was magnificent.

Not only is this island covered with the most beautiful vegetation I’ve ever seen, but it’s also dotted with volcanic whatever-you-call-‘em and there are wispy fingers of steam floating around here and there. It’s beautiful and mysterious and breathtaking.

Now, our little lapse of leaving our rain gear in the van is NOTHING compared to Dianna and Rick’s little lapse of leaving their bathing suits on the ship.

Their tour tickets clearly stated “wear a bathing suit.” So, of course, they didn’t.

And the reason they were supposed to wear bathing suits is because their excursion included a trip to a wonderful lagoon where they were given the opportunity to swim through a wonderful cave which led to another lagoon where they would be able to swim behind a wonderful waterfall.

Now, you don’t suppose a lack of bathing suit would stop them from experiencing THAT, would you?

So, Rick took off his shirt and dove in wearing his shorts. No big deal, right?

Well, so did Dianna.

Took off her shirt, that is.

And I’m desperately trying to nab the classic photo of them, soaking wet straight from the swim . . . . Rick showing off his muscular chest . . . . and Dianna grinning from ear to ear wearing her shorts and bra.

If I get that photo, you can betcha it will be posted on the blog.

At one of their stops, they were given complimentary drinks and their tour guide told them that the drink was an aphrodisiac. Rick asked if the affect would last until he got back to the ship. Must have . . . they weren’t seen for hours after they got back . . . supposedly drying off their clothes. Right!

So, this is the last port of this magnificent 33-day cruise for the California 6-Pack. Bill and I will be continuing for another five weeks or so . . . . first with a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise on the Ruby Princess beginning on the very day that the Grand Princess arrives in Fort Lauderdale . . . then followed by 2+ weeks in various places in Florida . . . and then wrapping it all up with a 14-day cruise through the Panama Canal all the way home, this time with our dear friends Liz and Bud Lantzy.

Those of you who have been following our blog because of your connection to the Rices or Johnsons can opt out of receiving further update notices simply by hitting “reply” to this notice and typing “remove” in the subject line. You’ll still be able to use the link on your last update notice to get back into the blog sometime in early January, by which time I’ll have posted many many photos to each of the blog pages. However, you’re all welcome to stay with us and follow us through the rest of this stunning trip.

Following today’s posting you’ll find individual postings for each of the 6-Pack couples. I’ve asked everyone to write down their final parting thoughts . . . to wrap it all up in a neat little package . . . . to tell all of you what they got out of this trip, what it meant to them, whatever it is they want to say about it. Until now, the words have been all mine. It’s now time for everyone else to have a voice.

Dec 10, 2008

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