Lunch with Friends

After a wonderful night’s sleep where I didn’t wake up until 10:00 am, I finally began to feel like my old self. Although we missed breakfast, coffee was still available, and Tim was so sweet to bring up a cup for me.

My friends Herbert and Margaret drove up from Miami and picked us up for lunch at the Islamorada Fish Company. The coconut crusted shrimp was delicious, as was the warm loaf of bread.

Margaret, Herbert, and Tim Indulged Me with a Cheesy Shark Photo

It was great to catch up with them and compare recent cruise stories. Herbert loves to cruise as much as Tim and I do, and Margaret often sails with him. Unlike us, however, they usually sail with Oceania. As we were leaving the restaurant, I committed to visit Miami sometime this winter so we could spend more time together.

Margaret, Sarah, Herbert, and Tim

After returning to the hotel, I amazed myself by sleeping for much of the afternoon. I was finally able to completely relax, and I guess more sleep was just what I needed. Now, I can board the ship tomorrow completely refreshed. It turned out to be a perfect day.

We Made It to Fort Lauderdale

Happy Anniversary to Tim and me!!! It’s been 16 wonderful years, and today, we begin another adventure.

Our wonderful neighbor Steve drove us to the Northern Colorado Regional Airport where we caught a Landline bus to the Denver International Airport. The Denver airport was very crowded, and it was a long walk to our gate, but we made it with time to spare. In fact, we even had time to enjoy a snack at the United Club, which happened to be next to our gate, before boarding began.

Our flight to Fort Lauderdale left a few minutes early, and we arrived on time. The nighttime view of the city just before we landed was very cool.

Our Flight Path from Denver to Fort Lauderdale

Flying Over Fort Lauderdale

We checked into the Hyatt Place, where we will stay for two nights. It’s been a very hectic and stressful week, and I’m so looking forward to relaxing and seeing friends tomorrow.

What’s Next on Our Agenda?

The blog has been silent since Tim and I returned from our World Cruise in June, but that doesn’t mean that time has stood still. Adjusting to “real life” was difficult for me, and it took me quite a while to feel somewhat “normal” again, whatever that means. I know that I wasn’t alone in feeling this way. In fact, our friends who disembarked in London experienced the same thing. The fact that Tim and I arrived home to a hotter-than-normal summer didn’t help my outlook!

I had hoped to finish the final few blog postings (as well as the ones for the British Isles) this summer, but that didn’t happen either. However, I did kick myself into semi-high gear this month and completed the postings for June and all but four of the ones for May in the British Isles. Having a new cruise to get ready for is a good motivator, and I almost succeeded. (I promise, I will finish the final four!)

Yes, Tim and I will be on the move tomorrow, and I’ll provide a quick update here. I’ll add more detail in the next week or so.

We will fly from Denver to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where we will spend two nights and visit with friends from Miami. On October 11, we will board Viking Octantis for our cruise to South America and Antarctica, dubbed “The Americas, Chile & Antarctica.” We will sail for 46 nights and then embark on the five-night “Gateway to Patagonia” extension with Viking.

Our Next Cruise - The Americas, Chile & Antarctica

When the extension ends in Santiago, Chile, we will fly to Cusco, Peru, where we will begin our 16-night private, guided tour, “A Private Journey to Peru.” We will finally return to Colorado on December 19, 2025. We are so excited.

A Private Journey to Peru

Tim and I have been trying to figure out what to pack, since the weather will range from the tropics to frigid Antarctica. We are also limited in the luggage we can carry. I’ll write more about that when we’re on the ship.

In the middle of packing this week, I noticed an issue with the area above my right ankle. It was swollen, painful, red, and hot to the touch, and I wondered if I had developed edema, which I’ve been diagnosed with in the past. When my leg didn’t get better in a couple of days, I did a little research, and the consensus was that I needed to see a doctor.

Yesterday, Tim drove me to Urgent Care, and the doctor there said that I needed an ultrasound to rule out the possibility of a blood clot. That is not what I wanted to hear. He advised me to go straight to the Emergency Room, since that was the only way to get an ultrasound before our scheduled departure tomorrow.

Although there was no wait at Urgent Care, the Emergency Room was extremely busy, but I was finally taken back to a very friendly technician, who seemed amused that I wanted to take photos. After waiting for the radiologist to read the images, I finally received the good news that I did not have a blood clot, thank goodness. The doctors could not tell me the cause of the swelling and simply advised me to keep an eye on it.

My Trip to the Emergency Room - Pretty Pictures of My Leg

It appears that I am now continuing a tradition that began last summer. A visit to an Emergency Room seems to be a new rite of passage before I embark on a cruise. I really, really, really don’t want to make a habit of this, however!