Hey Mon! Continued

Here's the second installment about my cruise on the M.S. Carnival Valor, the flagship of the Carnival Cruise Line. More information and reflections will come, and I have more photos too, so keep tunin' in.

February 13, 2003 8:30 am.

So we made it to the airport in time, but man am I tired! I had set the radio and the light to go off at about 4:30 and the timer was working great. Unfortunately what was on the radio was some really bad church choir and that was enough to start me out of a really good sleep. Albeit a short sleep.

My contacts are so screwed up and cloudy I could barely see to drive to the airport, but we got to the terminal in time, and we got on the bus from remote parking. I am really looking forward to getting away from DC for a week. Life in this city would make Saint Francis curse. But sunshine and palm trees and warmth await me. So here we go.

Aboard USAirways Flight 1456.


Do you believe this?! USAir is charging for the snacks on this flight! That is news to me. I mean the Cokes and the coffee are still "complimentary" but the stale sandwiches and the pretzels set you back five bucks! And this from an airline that is in bankruptcy protection!?

Cornelia is playing peek-a-boo with some little girl two rows up. The baby cant' be a year old, and has on overalls and a turtleneck sweater. And she has PINK cheeks. She's getting a little fussy, so maybe playing peek-a-boo with a stranger will give her parents a break. It's really kind of funny how parents never notice how loud their kids scream or how obnoxious they might be. Everything they do is cute. High-pitched squeals, laughter at full volume, crapping their Pampers - all are greeted with the same sense of loving adoration. Well not by all parents, but that's just an observation on this flight.

The purity of parental love doesn't seem to notice the squeals, the shrieks or the crap; it just notices the kid. But a middle-aged white guy who has no kids and has had only about 3 hours sleep notices them. But soon all that will be somebody else's problem. Parents and their kids cannot come into my stateroom unless I invite them, and believe me, vacation does not involve parents and their children in my stateroom. Vacation is a time to relax; if I wanted to be bothered I would have stayed at home. But relaxation and enjoyment are what I am looking forward to.