USA -UK

I've been so busy the last six weeks I sometimes wonder how it could be so when I was hardly even traveling! In early April I arrived in Florida alone. That means my luggage didn't make it. I was really upset about this as I'd had plans to spend several days in that very cool and funky Art Deco area of Miami called South Beach. It was my first time there and after four months in SA I felt like I was seeing the U.S. for the first time--and what a wild and crazy place it was! A city where anything goes and that freedom and eccentricity is flaunted everywhere: Obese people (or men) in skin-tight gold lame shorts and tank tops, or dining in only a bikini, earrings the size of dinner plates or two-inch long finger nails with rhinestones. I found the place to be loud and a bit in-your-face but there was an undeniable friendly charm about it at the same time. I loved it! But without my luggage I was limited in what I could do in my only outfit so on the third day, after spending several frustrating hours on hold with Avianca Airlines, I left the city with so much unseen, and hopped on a bus for Tampa to spend some quality time with my folks and get some things done--like my taxes, and laundry until my bag arrived.

Three weeks there flew by and I hardly went anywhere. I cherished my early morning walks with my father, greatly appreciated going to the gym with my sister and just visiting with my (step)mom. There were so many things I needed to do, coordinate and organize in my life, plus just hanging out with them that the time seemed short. I suppose there was also a turn of events that helped fill some of my time as well...

Scheduled on my second weekend in Florida was a college reunion of sorts--a circus reunion for those that had participated in the '80's was privately organized during alumni home show weekend. I took the bus up to Tallahassee and had a great weekend meeting new people and connecting with people that I had never really spent much time with before. One of these new people, Clay (not my son) and I hit it off well. So well that before the weekend was over, it was arranged that I would meet him in Nice, France in mid-June. Then a few days later, during one of several phone calls that week, he asked me on a date for the upcoming weekend. He drove two hours to pick me up for our first date (in Sarasota) which was three days long but entirely too short. I was treated like gold while having loads of fun. A tour of the Ringling house and circus museum was a nice touch in keeping with our circus-themed commonality. I've never met anyone I got along with so perfectly and with whom I have so much in common! So I invited him to join me in my cabin on the Queen Mary 2, due to depart in two weeks. I was ecstatic when he accepted! First, however, was a trip to the Pacific Northwest to see my son, dog and friends.

Flights to Seattle are much cheaper than flights to Portland even when you include the train fare to get to Portland so that's what I did. My son, Clayton, hitched up to meet me and it was a tearful reunion-well on my part anyhow. So happy to see him!! We spent three fun-filled days exploring the city before taking the train together to Portland where we enjoyed walking around the Saturday Market and getting Voodoo Donuts before going back to his apartment so I could see my awesome puppy that I miss so much! I thank my stars for all the good people in my life, I am truly fortunate! My girlfriend Heather picked up me and Bear as we were staying at her boyfriends place an hour away. It was a fun reunion and an evening filled with delicious food, wine, laughter and games. The next day I was reunited with my car and Heather and I spent a great day hiking waterfalls in The Gorge and meeting a mutual friend for dinner in the evening. In fact, the rest of the week went the same way...spectacular hikes in The Gorge with friends, meeting up with different friends in the evenings and lots and lots of laughter. Aside from special mention Robb-who was a most gracious host and Heather- who continues to be a great friend, I'd like to thank everyone that made an effort to see me in those five days: Clayton, Duane, Garth, Justin, Cassie, Gary and Brian. It was really great to see you!

Returning my dog and saying good bye to my son was as gut-wrenching as I thought it would be but what surprised me was how much harder it was to say good bye to my friends as well. Perhaps if I hadn't had so much fun... But it was wonderful to see how much their lives have evolved in the last five months and I'm very happy for them. So it was with mixed feelings that I went to the airport. Excited for New York where I would spend a day in Brooklyn with my awesome niece whom I seem to meet up with every few years in exotic places, and for the evening arrival of Clay. It was strange to me how much I missed him even though we'd had only one-albeit amazing-date. My last meal in the USA was a very romantic and delicious dinner at a small, authentic Italian restaurant not far from our Brooklyn hotel. The next day we boarded the QM2 for our second date--a seven-day transatlantic voyage.

The Queen Mary 2 is everything I expected it to be... a massive ship 1,132' long, exquisitely decorated in Art Deco style with white-gloved afternoon tea, an impressive library, planetarium, loads of activities, pleasant and professional staff, lovely shipmates and lots and lots of food. I think one of the most impressive things about it is, although there are over 2,000 people on board, you don't realize it. We were often alone in the elevators and in the stairs and corridors you may pass a couple people. The shows filled up but the only time I felt crowded was when I was in the queue for a tour of the galley. And that was quite impressive! The absence of uncontrollable children did not go unnoticed either. It was my first time on a ship and I loved it! Of course, being able to share it with Clay changed it from something that would have been an amazing experience to a magical one. And it started the moment we entered the room. (Actually it started in NY but...) I had been upgraded from an inside cabin to a window one and when we walked in there was a complimentary split of champagne on the coffee table and on the desk there were flowers, a bottle of Champagne and white chocolate truffles with a sweet note wishing me a Happy Mother's Day, "Love, Clay". Of course this was from Clay, not Clayton, because the only thing my son gave me was a private FB message, late in the afternoon, wishing me a happy Mother's Day. But I did appreciate the play on names. We watched the ship leave port with champagne in our hands and excitement all around us. The Statue of Liberty slowly got smaller as the waterway opened up before us. It was going to be a great week!! We explored the ship from top to bottom--all 13 decks. Clay also treated me to a spa package which gave us access for the week to a therapy pool, saunas and steam bath. We exercised in the gym, played shuffle board on the 12th deck, ping pong, numerous games of cribbage, drank wine, champagne and ate caviar. We dined and danced, watched theatrical performances, movies and listened to lecturers. We sat in a hot tub outside and on deck chairs watching the world go by and in those seven days of being nearly joined at the hip not one cross word was said, annoyed look given or feeling hurt. Not even when I kept waking up Clay at the ungodly hours of 7:00 or 8:00 every morning. And when he begged to be allowed to sleep until 9 I let him. Needless to say I was impressed when he jumped out of bed at 5:15 on the last day to watch the ship dock and the sun rise (in our bathrobes nonetheless!) We got along famously and in fact, were occasionally asked if we were on our honeymoon. And since the spa guy 'married' us (he gave me Clays last name when issuing the card) we would say yes. Hahaha! We both wished the journey was a few days longer and when our time drew to an end there were more than just a few tears shed. We docked in South Hampton and said goodbye in the train station as he had an afternoon flight back to The States and I was going on to Bath. At least we have Nice to look forward to...