I have a massive hangover when I wake up so the only thing to do is sweat it out.  I head to the gym, and it’s crowded, but I feel better when I’m done. 

Bobbie is a sixty something grandmother with the body of a twenty something and she’s already in the hot tub when I go outside for the water slide fun we’d promised we’d all do the night before.  Everybody but Bobbie, that is.

I climb up at least 3, maybe 4 flights of stairs to reach the top of this thing wearing only my swimsuit, and it’s cold even by my standards.  The wind cuts through my bones like a knife and it’s sprinkling a little by the time I reach the top.  That would explain why no one’s out on deck right now.  We are the only crazy ones.  The guys manning the water slide look none too happy about their duty for our little party either.

I sit down in my tube and away I go, and this time people are taking my pix at 2 separate places, one inside of a giant “toilet bowl” drain, and the other one where you land.  By the time I get done, everyone’s gone at least once, and we enjoy each other’s company in one of the hot tubs.  It’s a tight squeeze but we manage it.

After, the crew puts on an international show featuring the mostly musical talent of different crewmembers.  The finale is the entire staff comes on the stage to a round of applause.  The captain confides that this was the roughest Atlantic crossing he’s had in this ship, but he enjoyed the challenge.  Reminded him of when he was in a fishing fleet.

Then there’s the karaoke.  We hot tubbers have decided we’ll sing “Proud Mary” as a five person group.  Two problems: there’s only 2 mikes, and we don’t practice.  It showed.  Pretty ugly, but we have some fun with it.

Then we participate in a Farewell Party that includes a stupid game that involves men wearing bras and lipstick, and simulating giving birth.  No, not really that funny even watching other people do it.

Finally we meet very late in the O’Sheehans bar and of course promise to keep in touch with each other the way people do when they probably really won’t.  Oh, we intend to, but life gets in the way somehow.

Tomorrow I have to leave the ship early.  It’s been a bon voyage!