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Jason's Blog

This morning we work up and headed to Walgreens to pick up a few last minute items. Afterwards we walked to the library across the street so we could use their internet access and a printer. We checked at the front desk for information and realized that we didn’t bring our ID which we needed to sign up for a library card. A card we would use once for about 3 minutes. Oh well, so we headed back to our hotel which we must now explain isn’t just across the street, but rather it is across a grassy park which is a block in distance. Seriously our legs were going to fall off before we got back. With only about 30 minutes before we were to check out of our hotel, we proceeded to figure out their computer setup and print the fastpass for our cruise. I can’t believe how difficult it was to get a dumb piece of paper (which by the way, we never needed!).

Back at our hotel we looked up the bus route once again to ensure we were headed the right way to get to the port or Miami. Checking out took a while as there were several people waiting and only one clerk working the counter. Thinking about it now, I don’t think I ever saw more than one person working up front.

The bus stop is only about a half block from our hotel, so not a big deal to walk even in the heat. We sat and made conversation with a nice guy who happened to work at the library. Lucky for us we mentioned that we were venturing to the port to take a cruise. Turns out there are no buses that run to the port of Miami on the weekends. Uh, excuse me? Isn’t this when all the cruises depart? That was just fantastic. He advised that we actually take a cab to the port, but maybe take the bus as close to the port as possible. Mandy was getting hot and hungry; I could tell she was done. She was ready to take a cab right from out location which would have been about $32.00.

Within a few minutes the bus we needed arrived and was jam packed with riders. We pressed our sweaty bodies into the front of the bus and paid our $1.50 each. Now remember we both have backpacks on and large suitcases with us. The other riders on this bus were definitely not happy to see us. With the bus driver yelling for us to get behind the line ‘or else’ we inched further and pressed up against at least 6 other passengers. I turned to the rest of the crowed and proudly announced ‘this is what happens when gas is $4 a gallon’. No one even cracked a smile or acknowledged I was breathing; they were definitely thrilled to be alive. I had completely forgotten that most of them didn’t speak English, or at least pretended not to.

Once the bus started to empty out, we took our seats and I removed my butt from the faces of two frail looking old ladies. I could tell by their faces, they seemed quite bitter with the whole ordeal. Just be grateful I hadn’t eaten anything offensive recently. The bus driver was very nice and helped us to exit at the correct stop, right across from the bridge to the port. We stepped out of the bus with our luggage and continued on our quest for the cruise ship.

Mandy and I crossed the street to get to the correct side where a taxi could more easily pick us up. Then the rain began to fall. I am grateful that Mandy looks so cute standing on the corner with her suitcase in the rain, as within about 20 seconds a cab stopped and offered us a ride. By now it was starting to downpour, what perfect timing. I asked him if we got a deal since we were smashed in the cab like sardines, and he said just $3 each would do it. Well worth the price for the 5 minute ride across the bridge in the pouring rain.

The port of Miami is nothing like I remember it. I remember everything being so dirty and run down, just like an old shipping yard. Carnival had just built a new building and the unloading area was all new and very clean looking (by comparison). We filed into line inside the building, ready to have our passports examined and our bags scanned. The line seemed like it took forever but was probably only a 30 minute wait total until we were on the ship. Ah, the relief.

We arrived to our stateroom at about 1pm, so about an hour after we left our hotel in South Beach. Nessa and Korban were already on the ship and relaxing in their room. Mandy and I were starving and with free food just feet away, we hurried to the dining areas on the Lido Deck. Apparently everyone else was hungry too; the line for hamburgers and fries was huge. As we stood in line, the rain came down even harder. Looking out the windows you couldn’t see across the waterway (about 500 feet). Exhausted from yet another day of public transportation, we napped until dinner time. In the dining room we enjoyed New York strip steak, the infamous chocolate-melty-cake, fresh fruit and chocolate milk.