Day 25- January 24

I felt so much better today after all the rest I got yesterday! Hurrah for the cold being on the way out the door. Plus I decided to have another go at no sugar (harder than ever in my life on this boat surrounded by very yummy desserts) and healthy eating to try and say adieu to some boat weight before my contract is over. I woke up with time to spare before work which was nice.

Was supposed to book my travel today but got stalled. That’s okay though because I do know now that I AM going to Florida! I’ve become a winter wimp and don’t know that I’m ready for what Mom says is 5 degree weather. Hmmm. No. I have family there that I would like to see and I’m very excited to get to go.

Post contract Baby tour USA looks like

La Paz to LA- nothing to do with babies, I just want to check out the city because I’ve been curious for a long time. Hoping to see John Kirby’s studio and check out a couple of other actor specific things.

LA to St.Louis - to meet my nephew, Abel! Kaelen’s beautiful baby boy. I haven’t seen Kae since the wedding over a year ago and I’m so glad that I’ll get to stay with her for about a week.

St. Louis to Florida - where hopefully my cousin hasn’t already set off for New Zealand because I want to meet her beautiful baby girl.

And eventually home to see my darling twin cousins and niece Cora.

*note-niece and nephew terms here are aunthood by friendship. Though they feel like sisters*

And of course to see their respective parents and my own. There’s a little boy on board right now, his name is Luka and he’s adorable. He makes me think of my brothers - though they aren’t that little anymore- and of my cousin Tyler.

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Today we were at Los Islotes in the morning. Los Islotes is like a large aquatic puppy kennel. Perhaps I have written about this before. It’s the home and mating ground of a LOT of noisy, fighting, playful, funny, smelly sea lions. Also pelicans, blue and brown footed boobys, yellow footed gulls and jellyfishlike stinging pink rainbow things. When we get to Los Islotes you can hear it and smell it. The sea lions bark and bark, at each other and for no reason in particular too I’m sure. They lay on the rocks, some lazily actually sleeping. Some of these are lovely to see. Some of them are blonde and look truly golden. Some lay with their babies on top of them and they are just adorable. Then there are the noisy fighting ones- mostly males with large ugly shelves for foreheads. They are pretty funny to see. Then there are the babies. A few weeks ago I took a zodiac tour around the island with our naturalist William and some guests. A baby sea lion came up to our boat playfully. He was so close I could have kissed him. I wanted to.

The highlight of Los Islotes is swimming with the sea lions. I have only done this once, on New years eve, which was a fabulous day that I’ve yet to write about. It was a very neat experience. They brush by you, swimming so gracefully. I’ve heard of them becoming curious, of them nipping at flippers, and skin, but I didn’t have any come that close. They did swim in close proximity though and I squealed quite often. In delight, wonder and amusement, not fear. It was really cool but once you take off that snorkel mask and get a whiff of the rocks you’re ready to get back in the snorkel boat. J And you try not to think too much about WHAT you’re swimming in. Particularly because this is where we joke about the ‘Christmas Miracle’ of snow covered rocks that are actually Pelican poo. Lots and lots of pelican poo.

Even watching the sea lions from the Sea Bird is fun though. They are so curious and funny.