No Pass Outs

Something really cool happened this week – it’s summer holidays in the US and there are heaps of kids and young people on board.

I am in charge of running events just for the 18-20 year olds. We call them the grey zone because for some insane reason, Americans have set their drinking age at 21.. So these poor kids can’t go to the bars on board, or to the kid zone. I think that having the drinking age at 21 is absolutely retarded. Can you imagine? 20 years old and can’t go to a bar? I did all my best drinking between the ages of 18-20… it would be a shame to miss all that.

Anyway, the 18-20’s this week have been awesome. They are a crazy bunch and have been organising their own events all week on top of the ones I am running. They made signs and put them up all over the ship.

However, we got off to a slightly rocky start when I FAINTED at our first meeting. Now, you have to understand that when you are “off” in fort Lauderdale, it is not a relaxing experience. You have exactly 2-4 hours to get EVERYTHING you need for the next week- and use fast internet to upload photos and videos. Then you have to factor in travel time and the terror that you will miss the ship. I skipped breakfast and lunch due to extreme running around. Also It was really really hot.

The first 18-20’s meeting is held on deck 16 at the sail away party. In full sun. And I was talking A LOT to avoid awkward silences amongst the 18-20’s. suddenly I realised I was seeing auras around things and my hearing started to go. I went to the bar to get some water but they were really busy and they wouldn’t give me any. So I passed the “18-20’s get together” sign to one of the boys and went to sit down in the Lotus Spa.

But I didn’t make it – I fainted on the door of the lotus spa and hit my head. Fell on my face. So embarrassing. I was totally disoriented and had no idea where I was. It was the worst ever. Also worst ever = crying in front of passengers. Anyway I was sent to the medical center and all my vital signs were fine – so I’m ok. But everyone teases me about fainting now. Including the 18-20’s.

Another cool thing this week is my charm bracelet. I am collecting all the diamonds international charms – they are free and you end up with a cool bracelet – you just have to go to diamonds international in every port and collect your charms. I am IPM today in Grand Turk, but I’m getting Liz (the port and shopping guide) to collect today’s for me. So far I have Diamonds International, Sunglasses (St Maarten), Shopping bag (St. Thomas) and an Ammolite (from the Ammolite gallery in St. Thomas).

Liz has given me lots of fab stuff this week – she is the best and alsothe most extreme shopper in the world. It is her job to help everyone on board with their shopping questions about each port, promote various stores and … help people shop I guess? It is serious business this cruise – she has a line at her desk that snakes along deck 7 forward, all the way around the Piazza some days.

This week she gave me a shirt from Cariloha, which is made entirely out of bamboo (and is so comfortable). She also gave me a crazy straw hat and a heap of things from Del Sol. Del Sol is a store that sells a plethora of random items that all change colour in the sun. I have the nail polish (clear in the dark to pink in the sun), hair clips, rings and two cool tote bags that I’m pretty sure I’ll be giving to mum and Alison when I get home (they are PERFECT bags for teachers).

At the moment I’m just hanging out in my room – but I have a board games get together at 2pm… then off to decorate club fusion for fright night tonight. Then Library from 4-6pm. There is something random on tonight called “gameshow”. I have no idea what that is yet.