And so it begins ...

A very early start to our holiday; a 6.40am flight to Barcelona. It seemed preferable to wake up at Gatwick rather than Reading but our choice of airport hotel was less than ideal. It's not quite the country house the photo on the website led us to believe; more like a downmarket holiday camp. Our room didn't even have a window. But it was 70miles closer to the airport than our house so that alone made it preferable.

So the first day of our holiday began at 4am rather than 2am, which was definitely still too early as far as Alex was concerned. The flight was fairly uneventful and we foumd our way to the cruise terminal by taxi, but arrived too early to check in. We dropped our bags off and took the port shuttle to the Columbus monument.

We are on familiar ground in Barcelona; our previous med cruise stopped here. That was in April though and one difference is immediately noticeable - it's VERY hot. Having made sure we saw all the key sights on our last trip, we're content with a stroll along the promenade and a beer (ice cream for Alex) at a pavement cafe.  There seems to have been a cycling boom since our last visit, too. The cycle lanes are well marked and there seems to be a Boris Bike scheme.There are also quite a few people on electric scooters and Alex wonders why we don't have those at home.

Travelling back to the dock it's remarkable how small Norwegian Spirit looks against its neighbours; it's dwarfed by the Norwegian Epic. It's got a capacity of 2,000 guests and 1,000 crew but that's much fewer than Ventura and Celebrity Eclipse so it will be a different experience. Check-in takes a while and it's 2.30 by the time we get to our cabin. It's pretty compact, and there's no fridge. But Alex is impressed by the balcony.

It takes us a while to find a restaurant that's open, as the staff don't seem to know. We end up in the buffet which has plenty of choice including dishes prepared to order. After lunch we begin to explore but Alex finds the wet and wild kids pool where we stay until the emergency drill. That is a real chore; being translated into about 17 languags takes ages while we stand in rows on deck.

I unpack after that, while the boys play cards and then we watch from our balcony as we leave Barcelona. This is 'freestyle' cruising, so we can eat dinner when we like in a choice of two a la carte restaurants. The dress code is pretty informal too - even formal night is optional. We opt for the Garden Room; the food is excellent and our waiter is really friendly.  But even Alex can't manage dessert and we have a fairly early night. It's been a long day.

Grand Mediterranean Cruise on the Norwegian Spirit

That's the cruise line's description, not ours - although the itinerary is pretty comprehensive:

Sunday 26th August - sail from Barcelona, Spain
Monday 27th August - Toulon, France: meet up with Simon's sisters and brother-in-law
Tuesday 28th August - Iivorno, Italy: visit Pisa and Florence
Wednesday 29th August - Civitaveccia, Italy: a chance to revisit Rome
Thursday 30th August - Naples, Italy: visit Pompeii
Friday 31st August - sea day (and a well-deserved rest!)
Saturday 1st September - Mykonos, Greece
Sunday 2nd September - Istanbul, Turkey: a chance to show Alex where we were stranded by the dust cloud! No tour guide required ...
Monday 3rd September - Izmir, Turkey: visit Ephesus
Tuesday 4th September - Piraeus, Greece: visit Athens
Wednesday 5th September - another sea day
Thursday 6th September - the first of two days in Venice, Italy
Friday 7th September - disembark and late night flight home

This blog will be updated whenever I can find a 3G signal, but I'll be relying on my trusty Kindle so photos won't be uploaded until we get back.

The Everglades

For some reason our alarm call doesn't arrive this morning but it's OK as Simon and I are already awake; the Equinox has docked and probably the change of rhythm disturbed us. Since our flight isn't until the afternoon we've taken the opportunity to book onto an excursion to the Everglades, and after breakfast we meet in Equinox Central. There's a bit of waiting around, but the process is very smooth - we walk off the ship, scanning our cruise cards for the last time as we leave, and collect our bags from a numbered holding area. There's a pretty long queue for passport control then we join our coach just outside the terminal and drive south. The scenery is very distinctively American, with large malls and condo complexes arranged neatly and spaciously along the highway.

We turn off earlier than I was expecting, into a holiday park where we are divided into groups for the airboat ride. The flat bottomed boats skim the surface, driven by two huge fans at the stern, and we power slide round corners at speed to get out to the area known as Alligator Alley. Altogether we spot two alligators, both quite close but obscured by the water plants and lying perfectly still. There are numerous birds as well, including several enormous vultures. Our guide explains about species, habits and habitats and speaks with a kind of lilting drawl which makes him hard to understand and seems to focus primarily on plants and animals that cause pain or death to humans.

On our return there's an alligator show, just one guy doing death defying stunts with a large but rather docile looking alligator. The highlight for Alex is the chance afterwards to hold a small alligator, even more so when the guy takes off the band that is holding his jaws together.

Then it's back to the coach for the journey to Fort Lauderdale airport. For the first time we have a truly terrible driver; although we deduced from the way our luggage was loaded that there would be drop offs at different terminals, he makes no attempt to communicate with us and one of our bags is offloaded too soon. Luckily we notice and get it put back on. When we do reach our terminal, the bags are literally thrown out of the bus on to the pavement. No tip for him, which will probably make him more bad-tempered still with the next group.

Despite careful allocation of items between bags one of them is a few pounds over, but the check-in assistant is too interested in the Royal Wedding to notice. We have a few hours to kill before our flight but find a Chilis and settle down to enjoy fajitas and quesadillas. We leave planty of time for security, but just as we reach the conveyor everything shuts down and a metal grille is pulled across the entrance behind us. Apparently, there is a "situation". We're held for 10 minutes but never do find out what the problem is.

The flight home is uneventful - even the tight transfer at Dallas is not a problem - and after a long and uncomfortable night, we're home. On the final leg, Simon asks Alex to list his top 5 moments but he finds it hard to narrow it down to just 5. It has been a remarkable trip, full of "once in a lifetime" experiences, and it seems like much more than two weeks since we were at Universal in Orlando. And now we have the whole Easter weekend to unpack, catch up on our lost night's sleep. Better still, we return to blue skies and sunshine - what a bonus!

Grand Cayman

Our last port of call today, Grand Cayman. We anchor just off Georgetown, alongside 3 other cruise liners. We have to assemble on the quay at 9.45, so we have time for a leisurely breakfast before taking the tender across.

There are excursions for all the other ships, too so it's pretty chaotic and it takes us a while to find the meeting point for our turtle and stingray adventure. We have to hang around for a while and it seems more disorganised than we have been used to.

Finally we are led to a small bus and set off along the only road that runs the full length of the island. Our route takes us along seven mile beach and past swanky hotels and luxury condos. The first stop is the turtle farm where we see turtles of all sizes, and are allowed to hold some of the smaller ones, including some very cute six month old youngsters. Alex is thrilled by the tiny ones.

We stop briefly at a rum cake shop and then continue on to Hell. The settlement was established on the site of a dramatic black rock formation and has a post office where you can send postcards postmarked from Hell.

From here we are taken to meet the boat that will take us out to Stingray City, a sandbar where stingrays gather in large numbers and tolerate visits from humans. We have a longish wait while they fill the boat with people from 3 or 4 buses and there isn't enough shade for everybody. Simon is a bit pink so he stays below but Alex and I grab a spot up front which turns out to be a great choice when we finally set off, as we are cooled by the spray. We can see the group of boats at the sandbar from some way off, and the water is clear and shallow, turned brilliant turquise by the sand beneath.

When we arrive the skipper drops anchor and the guide gives us a quick briefing about how to avoid damage to either the rays or ourselves, then leads us down the steps off the back of the boat. It's very shallow, even Alex can stand comfortably, and it's immediately apparent that the rays are intentionally swimming so closely past us that they brush our legs with their wings. We really have no option but to touch them, or rather be touched by them - in both senses. Although they pack a nasty sting I don't feel threatened at all and feel sure I have a silly grin on my face as I enjoy the sensation of these majestic wild creatures playfully tickling my legs.

We hand feed them pieces of squid and a docile female seems content to be handled by a succession of people and even curls up her lip to be kissed. There's plenty of time to watch the rays, and some other fish, too. During the journey back to shore we have the chance to buy photos of our experience at a very reasonable $30, which includes all the photos of us with the rays plus some great wildlife and scenic shots from the island, all on a CD with no copyright restrictions. Back at the jetty there's no sign of our driver and we're running late. The other bus drivers have to rescue us and we get back to the quay with only about half an hour to spare.

There's little time for shopping but I leave the boys at the bar and walk along the main street which is lined with jewellery shops, just to get the feel of the place. This is a popular stop for Americans who have the opportunity to buy familiar brands duty free, but by this time the shops are deserted as the serious shoppers went ashore first thing and have long since returned to their ships.

Back on board I join in a dance class on the pool deck, which is fun but hot work. Alex has agreed to eat with us tonight which will make a nice change but he goes to kids club until then.. We will lose an hour tonight but it's a sea day tomorrow so we can sleep in.

Cartagena

The approach to Cartagena takes us through a narrow channel between fortifications built on small islands, and we can see its skyscrapers from quite far out. It looks like a larger and more prosperous place than we have been used to recently. The pier is too short for our ship so the stern line gets passed to a guy in a dinghy who passes it to a chap on a concrete platform to secure.

We have decided to explore independently today but it doesn't start well. It's a long way to the port exit and we don't notice the courtesy bus until we've walked it. But finally Alex sets foot on his sixth continent. We set off on foot and are beseiged by taxi drivers and guides touting for business. One of them kindly points us in the direction of the old town.

It's so hot, especially by the port where there are many heavy lorries, but the traffic thins as we enter a residential area. There are some pretty big houses here, in an attractive villa style, many with gardens around them.

Above, builders dangle precariously on suspended platforms painting newly built blocks of flats.

It takes more than an hour to reach the old town, passing the fort on the way, and we approach via a bridge where fishermen appear to be walking on water. There's a bar on top of the city wall but it's closed, so we walk around the corner to another bar. The prices are in pesos which makes them look expensive as there are 1820 to the dollar. The bar, bizarrely, has a German theme, complete with wall-mounted lederhosen but it feels like we are well off the tourist track. I have ever enjoyed a beer so much.

Suitably refreshed, we continue following the walls of the old town, along Arsenal Street and past the junction with Gethsemane. At the conference centre we turn towards the centre. The city has a really good atmosphere; it's modern and prosperous but has kept its character. We found a university centred around a beautiful shady courtyard and then found ourselves in an open space with statues and a park to the right.

Ahead of us was the gate to the inner fortifications that have been declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. In here the streets become narrower and there are more people. We work our way to the cathedral, where there are street vendors and beggars as well as a colourful lady with a basket of fruit on her head. We head deeper into the citadel in search of lunch.

We find a restaurant tucked away down one of the little streets and order lunch. It takes ages to arrive and we begin to worry about running out of time. At least it has wifi so we catch up on emails and facebook.  We pay up and set off for the citadel, across a different bridge, past a broken pipeline and a slum. It's quite a climb to the top, it costs to go in and we're hot and tired, so we decide to admire it from the outside and then get a taxi back to the port. It has yellow fur on the dashboard.

There's a smart souvenir shop at the port with a parrot exhibit next door, so the boys take a look while I shop. Then we go back to the Equinox for a well-earned swim before dinner.

Panama

This morning we arrive in Panama where we are booked on the Gatun Lake Eco cruise at a fairly leisurely 9.30. We're on deck to watch the ship arrive at a very short berth where the lines have to be passed to the dock by dinghy. The colourful buildings at the port look welcoming. After breakfast we assemble in the theatre ready for the tour. It's a 20 minute drive to the hotel where we will meet our boat, the Sol Panama Canal. The Gatun Lakes provide the water for the canal's locks and were manmade for the purpose. Former mountains now form islands which we will pass by on our boat trip.

We're on the water for just over an hour but see very little wildlife. There are loads of vultures and a possible sighting of a sloth but little else. It's still a pleasant trip, though. The real highlight is the visit to the Gatun Locks where we watch huge container ships transit through. It's quite surreal to see them towering above us and then dropping so we can see right over them. Small engines on tracks pull them throuh, there's very little clearance either side. A large container ship pays up to half a million dollars for the privilege. We drive past the site where new locks are being constructed which will both use less fresh water and recycle it. Then back to the ship for lunch.

After lunch Alex goes to kids club while Simon and I explore on foot. We very quickly realise that the billions of dollars raised by the canal don't benefit the residents of Colon. It's extremely run down, although it's possible to see the colonial elegance of former times in the dilapidated buildings. We don't venture far before returning to the port shopping complex, the contrast is quite startling. Colon is the second largest duty free port after Hong Kong and the former canal zone is occupied by rich Arab merchants but next to their huge warehouses people live in squalor.

The barrio has the feel of a place where people have given up. The supermarket on the quay, part of a chain owned by the president, displays a sign asking customers to leave their guns outside. I buy some spices there.

We spend the rest of the afternoon by the pool, where Alex joins us after kids club. He will go back when it re-opens at 7 but we're getting used to that. We have a pre-dinner drink at the lawn club. It's much windier tonight and the sea is quite rough.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica today, and I'm up in time to watch us berth at a dock only a few metres longer than the ship. It's a commercial port with containers and cranes but lush green countryside beyond. This morning's excursion is the sloth sanctuary and rain forest and we meet in the theatre to be assigned numbered stickers before being led out to our coach. Our guide is Kitty and she introduces us to the culture and history of Costa Rica as we drive. We pull over briefly to buy a bunch of bananas that are passed around for us to sample. and again to see a troop of Monkeys beside the road.

Arriving at the Sloth Sanctuary we first watch a video accompanied by a Flanders and Swann song I vaguely remember. Then the grandson of the founders introduces us to some of the rescued sloths, including one called Johnny Depp. They are incredibly endearing,with a rather vacant smile and gentle demeanour, mostly snuggling under blankies. Most sadly have injuries, some acquired crossing roads that have bisected their territory and others from climbing electricity pylons that they mistake for trees.

After the adults we are introduced to the babies, which are even cuter still if such a thing is possible. One is paraplegic and another was abandoned by his mother because he kept falling out of trees. Apparently he kept hanging on to his own limbs instead of branches! Next Kitty takes us for a nature walk and I'm astonished to see many land crabs. We also see a sloth, lizards and a massive spider.

We are taken in canoes onto the Tortuga Canals that run parallel to the coast. More crabs here, also birds and monkeys and most impressive of all a Jesus Lizard running on the surface of the water. Back at the sanctuary we enjoy fresh fruit and Costa Rican coffee and watch the colourful birds in the nearby trees. Back at the boat we grab a quick lunch then I go and check out the tourist market on the port side. It's very hot and crowdedand the prices seem very high, in fact everything seems to be $14. Some of the vendors are quite pushy and one tries to convince me that I remind him of a long lost love who broke his heart.I decide I want to see the real Costa Rico, not the tourist trap so I go back for Simon and Alex and we set off.

Porta Limon, named for the sole lemon tree that used to be a reference point, is a colonial style town that has seen better days. As we leave the port we follow the sound of druming to find a group of children and yoths apparently having an impromptu samba session in the park. Locals are oaying them no attention. There are many families and it seems to be a popular spot to spend free time at the weekend. From the other side of the park we can see the island where Colombus landed and named this country the rich coast. But there is rubbish all over the breakwaters. With 6% of the world's biodiversity in this country that occupies only 0.03% of its land mass, it's disappointing to see such disregard for the environment.

We stroll around the town and Alex and I share a fresh coconut, drinking the water through a straw. Then it's back to the ship. We decide to have a quick swim folloed by a drink at the sunset bar but sadly it's too cloudy for a scenic sunset. Night falls quickly. Alex and I watch the show, an excellent Cirque du Soleil type affair with astonishingly supple acrobats. By the time it finishes Alex is almost asleep and we have dinner while he goes straight to bed.