Preparations and Anticipation

In the summer of 2020, I realized that the pandemic wasn't going to be over quickly. So I made two reservations for cruises in 2021 and later I made a reservation for a cruise in Feb. 2022.

May 2021 - a Chesapeake Bay cruise.

Opening the blinds to see the Bay Bridge

I thought that had the best chance of actually happening. It was a small ship and did not go out of the US and I could get a single cabin so I wouldn't have to pay a single supplement. Bob drove me up to Baltimore and I went on that cruise by myself. I found that I could handle the ship itself on my own, but I needed help getting to embarkation. American Cruise Lines cruise

The other was a Galapagos cruise.

I have wanted to visit the Galapagos ever since I read "The Voyage of the Beagle" in college when I was taking Evolution class in 1957. And I happened to mention this to my son and daughter-in-law Kathy. Kathy immediately said that she would go with me since she had always wanted to see the blue footed booby's courtship dance. My son Rob said he would go too.

After we discussed when they could get off work, we decided to go in in September 2021. I picked Silverseas Cruise Line. I had to pay a single supplement, but it was less than on other ships I could have booked. While the Silverseas price is very much more than other cruise lines on the surface, the price included gratuities, wi-fi, all tours, all drinks, and airfare. I was concerned about my ability to do the excursions from the ship but the Silversea travel agent assured me that I would be able to do everything, and that I would be able to snorkel.

I have been holding my breath to see if this cruise would actually happen.

Non-cruise trips - granddaughter M's graduation from the University of RI (I took both the scooter and the rollator),

Graduation photo

and grandson J's wedding (I took only the rollator).

L-R Son Rob, wife Kathy, daughter B, son-in-law Dave, daughter D, two sisters of the groom, bride, Groom J, his mother E, his father Bill, Bob and me

These trips showed me that I needed the scooter in addition to the rollator. But the rollator is very large and impossible to fold very much. So I found a smaller one and ordered it - it comes in a box which is reasonably small to ship. My plan now is to use the scooter in the airports, and in places where there are some type of pathways, and use the little rollator on the ship and such shore excursions as I can do. The ship does not go in to the dock except for embarkation and dis-embarkation. All of the other shore visits are by Zodiac.

I have been working to get in shape for this cruise. When we stopped being able to go to the pool, I gained some weight and my stamina deteriorated. I found that Novacare in Leonardtown had a pool so I started therapy there. But I did not make enough progress for them to bill Medicare so they cut me loose just before the trip to RI for M's graduation. When I got back I found that the Great Mills pool was open and I could do water aerobics there and also I practiced snorkeling. My old snorkel and mask leaked, so I had to get new ones. I also decided to resume respiratory therapy at the hospital. I do that two days a week.

I realized that the Humboldt Current from Antartica comes up to the islands and that it might be chilly. So I asked the Silverseas people what equipment they supplied for snorkeling. They said they supplied the mask, snorkel and fins and wetsuits, but that they might run out of large wetsuits. This was bad news for me. Snorkeling was the one type of excursion that I was pretty sure I could actually do. So I started out to try to get a wetsuit. I ordered a 2xx woman's suit, but the upper arms were too small. There were no 3xxx women's suits to be found anywhere. I tried ordering a pair of pants, but the 2xx waist is too small to go over my hips. I finally found a 3xxx man's vest which (since there are no arms) I can wear.

I found a review of a cruise that was taken on this ship in July - it was very helpful. I found that the ship does not come in to the dock at all - even for embarkation.

I am mostly packed - I added another pair of jeans for embarkation. I have a carry-on, a checked bag, the box with the rollator to check, and the scooter and I will carry a cane. I have contacted all three airlines to tell them that I have had a hip replacement and will be on a mobility scooter. I will have my hair cut today.

My son Rob and Kathy will be down on the first and we will drive up to the airport - leave his car at a motel (Park, Fly, Stay) and take a shuttle to the airport to fly to Quite on Sept 2nd. My daughter B suggested I use the WhatsApp app to contact a guy in Quito for a tour. So I did that yesterday. Francisco Ati is picking us up at the hotel on the 3rd - he has a van.