Where it all began...

On the 28th of February 2015 I set out on this amazing journey as a tour escort on cruise liners.
You know that feeling you have when you take a leap and start something you have no idea about. Well i was more scared than expected at most part.

The whole flight was slightly stressful, you sit there for hours just wondering about life on a ship, just creating stories in your head on what will happen .
Then it eventually happens, you land at your destination, you get your luggage and walk out to meet with your transport to the ship.
 It rarely is not a mess. In my experience, embarking is never a short story, it is literally one of the longest process ever.
Waiting for everyone at the airport, driving to the ship, waiting out of the gangway to be able to pass security that will search every single inch on your luggage as if you are a criminal. Once past all of this, you have to wait for someone to walk with you to the purser's office where, guess what, you have to once again stand in-line to get all your documents checked and get all the necessaries you will need on board to work. All of this done in automation by all the persons you meet along the way, which makes you feel slightly disorientated and is so tiring.

Luckily for me, the first person i met coming in the gangway was the only nice security officer on board, he was only there for 2 weeks on his first contract, he was, as i like to call it, still innocent and sweet. They do all get corrupt at some stage believe me. But he, at that time and later, would be the only thing that would make me survive most of the ordeals you have to go through working on a cruise ship. As i came in he smiled and was nothing but friendly and encouraging, he made me feel like it was all going to be alright and nothing could go wrong. This stranger made me smile and feel at ease in such an strange environment.
After meeting him and feeling better about all of this, i was lucky enough to only spend 10 minutes at the purser's office, i was the first one embarking that day.
From there, as a first time employee you get to drop off your luggage in your room which to me was bigger than what i expected, so bonus... From luggage, you get to the uniform store and grab all you need, get changed, go eat, meet your team, get told a few things about the office and then get to go shower and unpack. Once that is done, you get to go back to the office and work there until the office closes. Yes, no time to think or worry, no time to understand anything either, i went the wrong way about a thousand times, no honestly, left or right, right or left, no idea where's what for the first few days. The Minotaur had more chance of getting out of his labyrinth than you do finding your way around the ship the first few days. kept on walking towards the bar to eat and the plumbing workshop to do my laundry. But hey eventually you get the hang of it, and once you know one boat, it is easier to get your barring which ever boat you're on next.

So my first day all happened in a flash forward way but i knew for sure that it was the beginning of a great and unforgettable adventure.

hello

It's been a year since I started this journey and should have started the blog ages ago. But you'll quickly learn that I am an idiot. So better late than never they say.

I wanted to start writing about my travels but i told myself, if I do this I need to write what comes to my mind. Just need to put the words down that come out of my head. No filter, no holding back. I remember many things, many feelings. I wrote many things down, I am a little bit of a freak when it comes to that. I don't tell anyone but I write things down. I remember.

So I will talk about my travels and the places I've been. I will share what I enjoyed and what I did. But mainly I will just write about what comes out. I met many people that affected my experiences aboard and played an important role in the outcome of many situations. I cherish each and every one of them. They all came in at a time where they were needed and they all brought something back in me. I might have loved and lost this year, I might have lost myself for a minute at moments, I might have made decisions that were unlike me but I regret none and might have learnt some lessons the tough way but they were all worth it.

I love my job, I cannot wait to go and discover more of the world all joined with meeting new amazing people. Ship life really is something different. It is tough, it is tiring, maybe not physically at most part but it drains you mentally. You have no idea the amount of stupid questions that can be asked and eye bobbling complaints. For real people, stay home.... Some of you should not be mixed with other human beings. Already be glad you found a mate!!! But when you are getting screamed at because it was raining, it kinda makes you reevaluate your life. So being able to travel the world makes this shit all worth it!

I am still single and over 30, my mother did kindly ask me the other day if I was alright. I was then told it didn't matter who I was happy with as long as I was happy which in her language means, are you a lesbian, because if so, it's also alright. Well I am not. But as it turns out, having a relationship on a ship, funny enough and even with one word containing the other in it, they do not go together at all.  It is like chasing a fairy tale. It happens for some of them and they are the lucky exceptions. But let's be honest, life on a ship makes crew members pretty much pirates most of the year. Whether they would like to admit it or not, I found that people pretty much have that all I'm at sea kinda attitude. Like Vegas, what happens there stays there.
And having a relationship on land, I don't really see the point. You are gone 5 to 6 months and back for 2. You see them 2 months out of the year... Get out of here. That's not a relationship. So solution is pray you are one of those lucky exception and find someone on board that could embark when you do... Oh hell, I am going to need a lot of cat. Which funny enough I love but am starting to realize that I am seriously allergic to. When the cat sleeps in the bed with me, in the morning, I have golf ball instead of eyes. None of that nonsense on the ship. So maybe just many dogs for the old days, or maybe seeing my level of responsibility in most case and my mental age in most situation, Maybe just gold fishes. I can always sit there stare at them and speak to them. I suspect catching Parkinson at a quick and efficient rate with that plan. I don't know, maybe one day I'll stop joking about it and actually try and make an effort about. I also figured out that I've become a little of a recluse. I do not do much. I mainly spend my time at home when I am not working. I could make more effort to go out. Make new friends who aren't that boring! God damn it people, we only leave once! YOLO yourselves! Naaa, it;s cold here, I am fine in my bed!

So you will get to follow travel around with me on all my new and old adventures and discover the world and what life holds for me together!