Nov 2019 Mexican Cruise

Grandpa and I had a great time on our trip together. This year our trip was a Mexican cruise on Carnival Cruise Lines. We had a seven day cruise  and spent an extra night in Long Beach, CA after our cruise. I had a couple of extra days with Grandpa because I wanted to fly on small airline from Sacramento, CA to Palm Springs, CA and back. I did not want the 8 hour drive from Sacramento to Palms Springs.  In all it was a fun trip. 

While on my trip, I kept a journal of what each day that we were on the ship and when we were in Long Beach. I thought this would be the best way to recap the important parts of the trip. I will also share in greater detail about my flights on Contour Airlines, my stay at the Sunrise Hotel and the Hilton Long Beach, and my thoughts about Carnival Cruise Lines in the near future.

Nov 9, 2019 - Day 1 of cruise - Embarkation

To day was a busy day. Grandpa and I got on our ship. Getting on was not too bad, had lunch, and got settled in our room. In all it was a good day.

Getting up and started was no problem. I think Grandpa and I were excited about our cruise. The breakfast room at hour hotel was ok. I made sure to eat until I was full. Then it was time for us to get ready to checkout and leave for our cruise. I made sure my phone was setup to work while we are in Mexico. Since we were the only guest going on a carnival cruise, we got a private shuttle ride to the ship terminal for our Carnival cruise.

After getting off the shuttle, we got a porter and we were off to get on the ship. We were able to get Grandpa a wheelchair and go us checked in. It was just like flying, a lot of hurry up and waiting. After getting to the waiting area, we were there for only about 45 minutes before we were able to board the ship. The first order of business was lunch. Since we were still waiting for our room to be ready we had lunch. Once we were full we need to kill someone time so we explored the ship.

Finally when our room was ready, we got to checked it out. While we were waiting for our luggage, Grandpa wanted to see what TV station we had. For me, it was nice to be able to sit down and take my backpack off. My suite case was first and I got myself unpacked. Next came both of our garment bags. After a long wait, Grandpa got his suite case. To our surprise, they took out the wine he had packed. I tired to talk to see if it was something we could get back and they said no. This really upset both of us because at no point, there was nothing or anyone to tell us how we could bring our wine on board. After our safety drill and Grandpa getting settled in we went to dinner.

The food itself was good. I was kind of disappointed that we were seated at a table with just the two of us. One thing I liked about our cruise last year is that we got to sit with different people and got to know some of our shipmates. Grandpa and I both ended up having the same dinner and both really enjoyed it. After dinner, Grandpa wanted to explore the ship more before heading back to our room. I have to admit it that I might be doing some cloths shopping on the ship. They have Quicksliver cloths that I like that are the same prices as if I were to buy them at home and, here there is no sales tax. The nerd in me is thinking I could get 3x points on the purchase since I think this would just a Carnival Cruise purchase and code as a travel purchase on Sapphire Reserve card from Chase.

After getting Grandpa settled in, I went out for a night on the ship. Walked around some to kill sometime. I found were I could get an ice cream anytime I would like. As I ate my ice cream cone, I made my way to the lounge on Deck 1 for the adult comedy show. It was really fun and I thought the guy did a good job. Afterward I had more time to kill so I did some more exploring. At 10:30p I made my way to the bar where the LGBT mixer was happening. I was kind of shy at first but finally introduced myself. There was about a group of about 8 guys there. I am the youngest one there. I had a good time and contributed to the conversation when I wanted to.

So its been fun so far. I know its kind of late but I wanted to make sure I keep on my daily log. Tomorrow is a Sea Days and then we have 3 days we are in port and then 2 more Sea Day before we return to Long Beach. I am looking forward to seeing what the ship has to offer and our days in Mexico. I will keep you posted on way we do. But for now, it is time for me to call it a night.

Grandpa and I getting on the ship.

Nov 10, 2019 - Day 2 - Sea Day

Today was your first full day on the ship and my birthday. Grandpa and I had a relaxing day. We did some exploration and relaxed. We also had an amazing dinner. Afterwards I had a fun evening on my own.

Today was very relaxing. From walking the ship after breakfast to hanging out by the pool and getting in the hot tub. There was not any ship activities that excited us other than the chain by the inch event. While walking the ship, Grandpa and I played the mini golf course and Grandpa won. It was more about having fun and laughing with each more than anything. After a big lunch we spent sometime in the hot tub. After wards it was time for the one of the formal nights.

One thing that we did before lunch was to go to Guest Services so that Grandpa could let staff of the ship know that he was upset about them taking out the wine out of his suit case. We got a very nice young name Mr. Singh who took down our information and said that he would look into it for us. I was still very upset about it and so was Grandpa but it was all we could do. I think Grandpa was happy that we did not get the kid who just brushed me off on Saturday.

Dinner was a lot of fun. I have to admit, I am happy that one of our formal nights was on my birthday. I was excited about putting my suit on and getting my picture taken with Grandpa. When waiting for dinner, I became the unofficial photographer as people wanted their picture taken in front of the door of the dinning room after taking Grandpa’s picture there. We had a really nice looking table. Grandpa surprised me with a bottle of wine from the wine list since we did not have the wine he brought on board. The wine I picked was a merlot from the Dry Creek area of Sonoma County. It was a really good bottle of wine and we both really liked it. The food was amazing and we just had the best time talking. I also got a small birthday cake and some of the weight staff sang birthday to me. They had a very festive birthday cake for me. As I was finding up, there was about five other people celebrating their birthday as well. It was just a lot of fun.

I was feeling stuffed when we got back to the room to change my cloths into something more comfortable. It was just a great night and I am happy I got to spend it with Grandpa. Our room attendant stopped by first to give us the sheet with tomorrow’s activities and announcements. Then about 30 minutes he came back with a special delivery for Grandpa. He had brought us the wine that was in Grandpa’s suit case. We both were very excited. We decided to wait to open the wine since we both really full and I wanted to go out to see one of the shows.

Tonight’s show was a great show. It was a collections of popular songs from the 80s. It was a great show and I knew all the songs. They had great backgrounds and use some good walls, projectors, lights to creat 80s effects and colors. I think because I remember era and songs, I was really able to enjoy the show.

I am getting back to the room late because I have come across a great group of gay men. We have been getting together 10:30p and we just starting talking. Last night I was comfortable to even introduce myself and tonight I was kind of early but met one of the guys and we just started talking. In a short time, everyone showed up and we had about 3 conversations going at point. There is about 5 or 6 of us. It’s not a big group but its been fun getting together and just visiting. I feel lucky that they are gay guys who want together just for the social aspect.

Today was a lot of fun. From just hanging out to an amazing dinner to a great night life. I am also excited we got the wine back as well. Tomorrow we will be in Cabo San Lucas so I am sure I am going to have a lot to tell you. Until then, have a good night

My birthday cake.

Nov 11, 2019 - Day 3 - Port Day

Today was our first port day. I was able to get a walk in, had a good excursion, and had a relaxing evening on the ship. I am having a good time and I think Grandpa is too.

Today I started my day off with a walk around Deck 10. I did a total of 14 laps for a total of 4  miles. The first a half of my walk was in the rain. I was not going to allow some water to stop me from my workout. I was happy I did it and would like to do it for the rest of the tip. It’s not like I cant use the exercise. 

Getting back to the cabin, Grandpa was still asleep so I thought I would get in the shower and start my day. While I was in the shower, Grandpa got up so we got ourselves ready to go have breakfast. After walking around for a bit, we came back to our cabin to get ready for excursion. We had picked a Tequila tasting excursion.

Once we were packed and ready, we made our way to the Mad Hatter’s Lounge to wait for our tour to be called. We got a late start due to the rain and the rough sees. After waiting an extra hour, we were finally called and made our way down to Deck A where we got off the ship on to a tender. One the way over, it stated raining and it rain on and off almost the time while we were in Cabo. After finding the right group, we were lead on to a bus to our first top. A glass blowing shop was our first stop. There we go to see the scuppers bring animals live as the worked the hot glass. Our second stop was the tacos and tequila tasting.  The food was really good and the tequila was amazing. It was inserting getting a small education in tequila. On the way back we did some shopping before returning to the area where the pier is for us to get on the tenders back to the ship. Grandpa scared me a bit because I asked him for to wait for me while I was looking for a shirt and he walked back to the pier. Thankfully with the help of my shipmates, they told me he was safe and waiting for me to get on the tender. 

After getting to the ship it was time to relax. We watched a part of the end of the first half of the 49ers game and then end of the 4th quarter and the overtime. A lot of the Seattle Seahawks fans were being obnoxious and I hope they don’t gloat too much for the rest of the cruise.

I think it is time for me to crash. Only one of the guys from the LGBT group showed up. We talked for about 45 minutes before all it a night. Tonight we have to set our cloths back one hour so I am going to sleep soon. I want to walk tomorrow. Since we have to be back on the ship at 4:30p tomarrow, we will see when I can get a walk in. It was a fun day and having a great time with Grandpa. Talk with you soon!!

Grandpa and I having our tacos and tequila.

Nov 12, 2019 - Day4 - Port Day

Today was a really fun day. Mazatlán was a lot of fun and we had a great tour. Even when we were done, I had a good afternoon on the ship.

Today was our day in  Mazatlán. Today we had a city tour and got to see some neat stuff. I loved that our tour guide sang "Happy Birthday" to Grandpa in both English and Spanish. Our first stop was some shopping. We were taken to a new part of town and walk around. Grandpa was first to get a couple of tee shirts. I found a tank top I liked and got a magnet. Then on the way back to the tour bus, one of the guys at a jewelry store got Grandpa to go in. He saw a pendent that he liked and after some good negotiating, Grandpa got the guy to take off $89 and got the pendent. I made sure that someone was keeping on the time so we did not miss our bus. Next we went to a cathedral. This cathedral was built back in the 1840s. One thing I thought was interesting, was that it was financed by a Jewish business man. In exchange to get the money and cathedral build, the business man asked if the father of the congregation would incorporate 28 stars of David in the design. Next was off to the a big rock where guys dive into the ocean a long one of the highways. When we got there, there was a diver that was just about ready to jump off this big rock into the ocean. There was also a lot of guys trying to sell cigars and other crafts. Then we went to a look out where we could see the local light house. I wish we could have gotten closer but its at the top of a steep hill and would have been hard to get to. After that we were taken to the ship terminal were we did some shopping. I found a gift for a special friend, and Grandpa got some gifts. After that, it was back to the ship.

I was happy we got back to the ship with a few hours to spare. After having lunch, Grandpa wanted to head black to the cabin. Here, he started to pack the gifts and then was going to take a nap. This was a good time for me to go do my walking workout. I was able to do my 14 laps or 4 miles on Deck 10. I was worn out and know of sore when I was done. I was happy that I was able to get in. When I got back to the cabin, we started to get ready for dinner. Dinner and desert was amazing again. Grandpa wanted to get another bottle of wine that we had on my birthday. After dinner we look at some of our pictures and Grandpa was ready to call it a night. I went in the hot tub to help with my sore legs. It was nice and hot and I felt so much better. When I was done, I came back to the room and showered and went to meet up with guys. Tonight’s LGBT group was the biggest its been all week long.

In the end it was a lot of fun. I really liked Mazatlán. I got some great pictures and got to learn about this costal town. I got some great pictures from around the area. Back on the ship was fun too and productive. Tomorrow we are in Puerto Vallarta. Hopefully Grandpa and I will get to see some close family friends and spend the day with them. I am sure when we back, that will be fun too. Until next time…

Grandpa and I in Mazatlán.

Nov 13, 2019 - Day 5 - Port Day  - Typed in the Buffet area

Today was such a fun day for Grandpa and myself. We were able to meet up with our friends Linda & George. We had a lot of fun in Puerto Vallarta. We got to see the different parts of the town, see Linda & George’s house, and got to see a lot of the old part of town.

Because of the time change before getting to Mazatlán, I was kind off and had a hard time getting up. I was able to get up around 7:16 am  ship time, I took a shower and got Grandpa up so we could get to breakfast. By this time the ship had docked and I was able to turn on the cellar part of my phone so that I could see if Linda had sent me an email or any message. Due the weak cell coverage in the ship, I did not get a text from Linda until after we had breakfast. We had made plans to meet up at the Walmart across the highway from the dock. We had to do this since there was no formal area where we could meet them.

Getting to Walmart was an adventure in itself due to the crazy traffic and how far it was from the ship. I can tell you it was a long trek for Grandpa. We made it and since there was good court right inside the store, he waited there while I walked around. I wanted to see how a Mexican Walmart was similar to an American Walmart. After waiting for us a few minutes, I got a text from Linda and and I told her that we were on our way out. I rushed to get Grandpa and right out Linda and George. They took us to their car and we were off.

After getting in and getting some gas, our fun day with them began. We took a drive though the Marina area that was north of where the ship docked. We found it was a very white part of town. Then we went to the southern part of Puerto Vallarta. There we took a drive up the side of the local mountains where we got to see some great views of the area. From there we went to see their house. George took on this way on a long and narrow road to their drive way. It was a real adventure since only one car could pass going down this road and if you had an oncoming car, someone would have to backup to let the other person pass.

Both Grandpa and I were amazed by Linda and George’s house. They have three floors above their garage. What I really liked is that it opens up and is really airy. I also loved the roof top patio. I could see it being a great place to live. We had a beer and talked some. My mom called and talk to use via the phone while we were there. After visiting for a while, Linda and George wanted to take us to lunch.

Not sure where we were going, we ended up at the small place a long the main highway for lunch. I loved that we had to go to the convenient store next door to get our beer. I tried a local craft beer. Grandpa and I both got a fish taco and a ship taco. These tacos were great. I was really happy to have some real authentic Mexican food. After doing a little driving we were back in the main part of old Puerto Vallarta to do some shopping.

I was on the hunt of a tank top and magnets and I wanted to get something in the old part of Puerto Vallarta. After walking around this building that had a much of little shops, I found a shirt I liked and got myself and a co-worker a magnet. We lost Grandpa again but able to find him. It was then we realize he left his cane at one of the shops. George went with him looking for the cane. Linda took me to out to the little island and then we walked around to meet up with George and Grandpa. While walking the shops, Linda and I keep telling everyone we were looking for Grandpa when asked what we were looking for. One lady said that they were looking for Grandpa because she had his cane. We were able to his cane and then out came Grandpa and George.

After getting in the car and getting some amazing churros, Linda got dropped off on the island because she had some plans for the evening and needed to get ready. George took us back thought the newer part of Puerto Vallarta to get us back to the ship. On the way George asked if we wanted to get a margarita since there was a place where we could get a really good dollar margarita. I said that sounded like a great idea and Grandpa was cool with it. It was great to spend sometime with just the guys and was able to get a picture of the three of us having our drinks. When we were done, it was off to the ship. George was able to find a place close to the entrance to the port to drop us off and get on the ship. Once on, I dropped off my backpack and went to Walmart to get something I saw earlier in the day. When I got back on the ship, it was time for dinner.

After all the fun and excitement of the day, were looking for dinner. As always the food and service in the dinner room was awesome!! We both left full and satisfied. I think Grandpa was worn out because he wanted to head back to the cabin and be in for the night.

I went up to Deck 9 and was able to get some great pictures are we left port. After getting the pictures I went back to the cabin and grabbed my iPad because I was going to write before meeting up with the guys to visit. As I was looking for a place to hang out for a bit, I ran into one of the guys and we played a game of Jega before meeting up with the other guys.

I am really tired as write this and not sure what I have shared with you before but I feel have come quite the social butterfly. On the first night of the cruise, I went to the LGBT Mixer and met a cool group of guys. We have met up for everything except the night the time changed on the ship. It seems like we all get together share what we did during the day and from there, the conversation would then take a life of its own. I have really enjoyed having a group to meet up each night.

It is to time for me to call it a night. Tonight we put our clocks and watches back one hour so I want to get in time to do my walk in the morning. The next two days are sea days so its mainly just hanging out on the ship and taking it easy. Have a good night.

Lunch with George and Linda.

Nov 14, 2019 - Day 6 - Sea Day

Today was our second  sea day and we have one more sea day before returning in to Long Beach. Today was about relaxing and just enjoy what ship has to offer. Tonight was also our second formal night. 

I was up at 6am this morning wanting to go walking again. I have found that power working is the best way for me to exercise while on the ship. I am not comfortable running. There are  different surfaces on Deck 10. I am not too keen on running on official track on Deck 11 because it is windier and it is much smaller. If I remember correctly, 11 laps on the Deck 11 track is one mile were as 3.5 laps on Deck 10 is one mile. And while there is more people on Deck 10, I feel it is easier to keep track on the number of laps walked. Today I did my 4 miles. I have to say it was a good way to start the day It was not until after breakfast that I was feeling it in my legs but I feel it is a good sign. Hector, one of the guys in the LGBT group was up and saw how fast I was walking was impressed.

After getting backing to the room and showing, I got Grandpa up and we got ready for breakfast. After we talked the ship some, we decided that we were going to the adult area of the ship so that I could go in the hot tub and Grandpa would read his book. After spending sometime in the hot tub, I went up to the aft part of Deck 11 and checking out the water slide. I have to say that I was disappointed in the water slide. I think the water slide needs to have the surface redone because there were parts I had to push myself to keep moving. After spending sometime in the pool and just hanging out, it was time to move to Midship on Deck 9 for the Hairy Chest contest. This was a great show from the men that participated and I took a lot of pictures. Grandpa ate his lunch during the show and I had my afterwards since I was taking pictures.

After lunch we hung out for a little bit before heading back to the cabin. After playing a windy fun round of mini golf on the forward part of Deck 11, Grandpa went back to the adult area of Deck 9 to hang out while I went to check out Deck 12, the Sky Deck. It was really windy up there. I tried to take a selfie but it was just too windy. After leaving Deck 12, I stopped and got us something to drink while we hung out. Grandpa read and I played backgammon on my phone. I was feeling a little tired but thought I was ok and something told me Grandpa was ready to head back to the cabin. After showing to get the pool chemicals of me, I lied down on my bed and just crashed. I took an unplanned nap before needing to get ready for dinner since it was our last formal night.

Once I was up from my nap, we got ready for dinner. We were not too late past the normal time we would go to dinner. That was after getting our picture taking behind of the backgrounds. We had an amazing dinner. Grandpa wanted another bottle of wine that we got on my birthday. We drank about 1/3 of and will finish it tomorrow night. After dinner we went down to Deck 2 to check out the score on the Thursday Night football game. Grandpa was happy that I reminded him about the game before we left. After walking through the casino we made back to our cabin. We both changed out of our formal wear and got comfortable. We watched the news for a bit before I was ready to head out for time on my own.

One thing that has amazed me is that I am old enough that songs I knew growing up and now being used in shows. There was a lot songs I knew in tonight’s show. I just amazes me. Thankfully they said that we were welcome to sing a long if we wanted to. Some of the sings, they would have the audience sing parts of the course. After seeing the show I ran into one of the guys from the LGBT group and we talked for a little bit before joining the rest of the guys. We talked about what we did around the ship today. It was a nice way to end the day.

Now that its past midnight I wam ready to call it day and get to bed. After having a full relaxing day, it is time for me to sleep so that I get up and go walking in the morning. While tomorrow will be our last day on the ship and I am sad that it is almost over, I keep reminding myself that Grandpa and I have most of the weekend in Long Beach before we drive back to Palm Springs. So on that note, I am going to say good night and look forward to share about my last on the ship soon.    

Nov 15, 2019 - Day 7 - Sea Day

Today was our last day on the ship. Tomorrow morning will disembark in the morning. Since this was the last day on the ship, it was the chance for me to relax on the ship. I think this weekend will be fun for Grandpa and me.

This morning I was up and moving around 6am and made it up to Deck 10 to start another walking workout, or at least that was the plan. I was able to get six laps in before they closed the front of the ship due to the wind. It was really windy between the normal wind and the movement of the ship. When it was all said and done, it was about 1.7 miles I did 25 minutes. I was ok with shorten walk as my lower legs were in real pain and this was my fourth workout of the week.

Just after walking in to the cabin, Grandpa woke up and we got ready for breakfast and our morning started. Like we have all week, we made our way up the buffet on the aft part of Deck 9 and had a filling breakfast. Then we made our way to Deck 2 forward to the Phantom Theater for the Debarkation Presentation. We were over a hour early but Grandpa wanted to get a good spot. After playing games on our phones, the time passed and it was an informative presentation. I went up to mid ship on Deck 2 so that we could get our luggage takes since were going to need to check our bags since Grandpa needs a wheelchair getting off the ship.

Lunch is what was next on the agenda for the day. We went to midship on Deck 9 since Grandpa wanted a burger from Off The Grill. We got our lunches as we watched the beginning for the fundraiser St. Jude’s Children Hospital. After we were done eating, we made a donation and got our tee shirts. Then we went down to Deck 3 to look at the photos that were taken by the ship during our trip. Grandpa got the pictures he liked from the first formal night and I got the pictures I like of us as we got off the ship on our excursions. It was a pretty penny but it was worth it to us and we made sure to get the digital copy’s too. After all this my legs work sore and I need to soak in the hot tub.

I was at the hot tub a lot longer than I had planed on. Grandpa wanted to finish a game he was playing before he was going to back to the room and then start packing. After getting our photos, I went to the room to change and was in the hot tub. I was there for over two hours. I met some nice people and was feeling very sociable. I was feeling very relaxed and my legs felt much better.

When I got back to the room, I showered and started to get myself packed as well. It was something that needed to be done so that when we got back from dinner, we could put our bags out and have them pick up to be taken off the ship. When I was done, it was time to get ready for our last dinner on the ship.

Like all the dinners we had on the ship, this was a great meal. I would say the food in the dinning room on the ship was great. Also the wait staff was great too. I made sure to get everyone’s name because we wanted to leave great feedback for them. Tonight we like most nights at dinner, we got a little show from the wait staff. They all seemed to be so into it and even got us up too. After dinner, we got our pictures that we bought and then Grandpa want to see the end of the show in the Phantom Theater. When it was over we went back to the room and Grandpa was in for the night.

After a little bit, I went out and walked round the ship to see if I could see any of the guys who I would hang out with in the evening. After getting some hot coco, I found a spot I liked and listen to music while I played on my phone. One guy, William, found me and we talked for a little before he was ready to return to his room. I got a second hot coco and here I am.

While I am sad the cruise is over, I do have to say we had a great time. I am happy I got to see more of Mexico and I got to do it with Grandpa. We laughed a lot and just enjoyed each other’s company. I am sure we were have fun in Long Beach this weekend. But it is time for me to go bed, I am about to crash. Until tomorrow, have a good night.

Nov 16, 2019 - Day 8 - Debarkation

Today, we had to leave the ship. While I was sad that our cruise had come to an end, it was not the end of my time with Grandpa. Today was another fun day for us.

This morning was an busy morning. We got up and had breakfast as usual for us. But after we ate, we had to pickup our bags that we were carrying off the ship and met in the dinning room on Deck 3. What seemed to be something that was going to take a while, went really quick. This was the debarkation process. After a wait of what seemed like a half hour, we were off the ship. Grandpa was in a wheelchair from the dinning room to curb wear we were going to get the shuttle back to the car. We had to wait a little bit for the shuttle but it was quicker than what the main at the hotel told me. Once back at the car, we had the luggage and our bags packed in the car and we just had to decide where we were going.

Since we were back to the car around 10 am or so and our hotel room at the Hilton Long Beach was not going to be ready until 3pm, so we need to do something in the mean time. I suggested that since we had planned going to the aquarium or to see the Queen Mary, we do one of those today and then do the other one tomorrow before driving back to the desert. Grandpa said that he wanted to do the aquarium today so that is what we did.

After a short drive to Long Beach, we got to the aquarium. We were there for just over 5 hours. There was a lot to see and learn. I got some selfies of me in my San Jose Sharks hat with some sharks in the background. That I liked is that there was a lot focused on Southern California. There was also a lot on the Gulf of California. It was interesting what is down there in the water. I also liked how they showed the damming of the Colorado River has affected the Gulf of California. One of the main messages of the aquarium is the effect of climate change on our waterways and the oceans and why the need for change is so important. I felt I left with a better understanding of why people are freaking about climate change.

When we were done walking around, we had a small lunch at the café at the aquarium, then we made our to hotel to checking and see the room we have for tonight. Tonight we are staying at the Hilton Hotel Long Beach. We are using a free night I get with of my Hilton credit cards. After getting checked in, we went up to the room to check it out. I also went walked around the hotel taking pictures after going with Grandpa to get our suitcases. We had some wine we brought before going to the restaurant for a light dinner. Neither of us was hungry after all of the eating we have done the past week. We got a medium pizza and shared it. It was really good. Once we were settled in our room, we called my parents and was on the phone for 1 hour 40 minutes. I think my parents were excited to hear from us and to hear about out trip. We got caught up and was a great talk.

Since it's getting late and we are both worn out, we both got ready for bed. Grandpa is reading for while I worked on this. I think we both are tired from just how much we had done. I think we both had a great time on this trip. I am going to have to wrap this up because I feel my eyelids wanting to close. I am looking forward to seeing what breakfast is going to be like since I have not had one at a Hilton Hotel. We also have the Queen Mary and the drive home so I don’t think I am going to be up much longer. Have a good night from Long Beach, CA.

Grandpa and I at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Day 9 - Last Full Day with Grandpa

Sunday was my last day full day with Grandpa before I fly home. He had a full morning on the Queen Mary and then we drove back to his house near Palm Springs.

Since we stayed at the Hilton Long Beach we had breakfast there. I upgraded us from the complimentary continental breakfast to the hot breakfast. We both at like kings and made sure we were stuffed since it was so good. I was not sure we were going to have a lunch so I did not want to be too hungry when dinner rolled around.

Before leaving Long Beach, Grandpa and I wanted to go check out the Queen Mary. After getting our tickets, we hung out since we were a little early for a tour. The tour was really informative and gave a lot history about the ship. When the tour was done, Grandpa and I went to forward lounge for a beer and take in the ship.  After talking some pictures and walking around Grandpa was ready to head home. 

The drive home was smooth for the most part and I think Grandpa was happy I was driving. It took us about two and half hours to get home. The only major backup we encountered was on I-605 (The San Gabriel River Freeway) about two miles south of I-10 (The San  Bernardino Freeway). It looked like three vehicles hit one another and the California Highway Patrol had the right lane closed. Once we got passed that, it was smooth sailing to Palm Springs. 

Once we got home, we unpacked the car. We also talked with Grandpa’s neighbor and got his mail from her. I knew she wanted to hear about our trip.  We hung out the house for a while before going to dinner. Grandpa wanted to do a 2 for $25 at Applesbee’s. He had me drive and I did not mind. We had a good dinner and did some people watching and kept an eye on the Sunday Night Football game. When we got home, we just hung out. 

We both worn out from a fun trip. Grandpa also loved having the extra night in Long Beach. I think he loved that we could spend the extra time together. I also think Grandpa likes having me drive him around. In all we had a fun Sunday.

The Bell Boys having a beer on the Queen Mary 🍻.

So in all and all, it was a very fun trip. You can see more pictures from trip on my travel Instagram page: instagram.com/cabear81/. I am feeling lucky that I am not only visiting such great places but that I am seeing the world with my grandfather and having these special memories. I know that Grandpa has had some work done on his motorhome so I think next year's trip going to be a road trip. Grandpa has talked about visiting Oregon. If we go, I just hope it is not too cold when we go. Also I am looking forward to leaning how to drive the motorhome.  Until next time…