64 DAYS TO GO . . .

     FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2011

     NOW THAT YOU'VE DECIDED TO GET A LITTLE EXERCISE, OR MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T, WHAT ABOUT ALL THAT EATING YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING ON YOUR TRIP.  THIS IS MY FIRST CRUISE AND THEREFORE MY FIRST FORAY INTO CRUISE SHIP RESEARCH.  YOU KNOW WHAT COMES UP ACROSS THE BOARD WHEN YOU START READING ABOUT CRUISES?  FOOD!  NO MATTER WHERE YOU TURN, THE TALK IS ABOUT THE FOOD AND THE STAGGERING AMOUNTS OF IT.
     ALL DIFFERENT CRUISE LINES CHARGE FOR ALL DIFFERENT THINGS.  BUT THE ONE CONSTANT IS THAT YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH EAT TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT 24 HOURS A DAY FOR THE INCLUSIVE PRICE OF YOUR CRUISE.  YES, THERE USUALLY ARE SOME PLACES ON BOARD WHERE YOU MAY HAVE TO PAY EXTRA TO EAT, BUT THEY CERTAINLY AREN'T A NECESSITY FOR ANYONE, JUST A CHOICE.
     SO IF ALL THIS FOOD IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, HOW DO YOU PREVENT GAINING 10 POUNDS WHILE ON BOARD, AND WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU DO GET PLUMPER WHILE CRUISING? 
     WELL IF THIS HASN'T CROSSED YOUR MIND YET, BE GLAD YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT NOW, BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST HARD TO BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CRUISED BEFORE THAT ALL SAY THE SAME THING.  "OH I ATE SO MUCH".  SO DON'T THINK THAT YOU'RE THE FIRST, OR BE THE LAST, OR THAT YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE DOING IT NOW, OR THAT YOU'RE EVEN IN THE MINORITY.  IT'S, WHAT NOW? 
     WELL PLAN FOR IT.  DON'T TRY AND LOOK SLIMMER BY PACKING CLOTHES THAT ARE TIGHTER ON YOU ALREADY.  YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE EVEN TIGHTER DAY BY DAY.  CLOTHING ON CRUISES IS CALLED "CRUISE CASUAL".  I DON'T THINK IT'S A COINCIDENCE THAT CLOTHES UNDER THIS CATEGORY ARE USUALLY BIG AND BAGGY.  COME ON, YOU'VE SEEN THOSE UGLY AND LOUD HAWAIIAN PRINT SHIRTS.  THEY'RE PRACTICALLY MOOMOOS.  THAT CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE.  PANTS ARE USUALLY LIGHT AND BAGGY FOR COMFORT TOO.  I USED TO THINK THAT HAD TO BE BECAUSE OF THE TEMPERATURE, BUT NOW I'M NOT SO SURE.  I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF PEOPLE WERE WEARING MC HAMMER PANTS BY THE END OF A CRUISE! 
     YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK RIDICULOUS TO BE COMFORTABLE ON YOUR CRUISE, BUT PACKING CLOTHES THAT ARE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIGGER OR LOOSER MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA IN PLANNING AHEAD.  HECK YOU CAN EVEN BUY THOSE WAIST EXTENDER THINGS JUST TO BE SAFE.  YOU KNOW THOSE BUTTONS NEXT TO A BUTTON THING.  I'M SURE THERE'S AN INFOMERCIAL FOR THEM.  I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY'RE CALLED.  IT'S A BUTTON THAT CLIPS THROUGH YOUR PANTS NEXT TO YOUR ORIGINAL PANT WAIST BUTTON, THEREBY GIVING YOU AN EXTRA INCH OR TWO IN THE WAIST.  SILLY PERHAPS BUT TRUE.  AND NOW YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HOW SOME MAY NEED IT!  IF YOU'VE BEEN TO A LOCAL BUFFET, YOU'VE SEEN PEOPLE THAT JUST CAN'T ENOUGH.  NOW IMAGINE NOT HAVING TO FORK OVER ANY MONEY AND HAVING ACCESS ALL DAY!  YIKES!  SO BE PREPARED.  (THIS IT THE BOYSCOUT MARCHING SONG.)
     SEE YA REAL SOON!   ºOº