DAY 18: THE LAST MILE -- All good things must end, and we’re rapidly approaching that point here on the Ryndam. Packing has begun, accounts are being settled, books
returned to the library, but we still have a few more meals to go! This company (Holland American) has an interesting solution to the question of tipping: they add $10 per person per day to your bill, and that's the tip for all the crew. It seemed like a lot when I first read it, but when you analyze it it's reasonable. A whole lot of people wait on us, and having to tip them all individually would be a mess, so this seems fair.

We’ll spend this whole day crossing the Gulf of Mexico, docking early tomorrow morning in Tampa, where we’ll disembark and shuttle to the airport for a flight home. (As it turned out, that part was a cinch: we breezed through customs without slowing down, and our flight from Tampa to Raleigh was right on time. All the details of this trip have worked out perfectly, which may set some sort of record!)

It’s been fun, but we’re ready to let go of the cruise ship life and get back into
the familiar routine of Wilmington and Holly Glen! Nineteen days of this has proven to be a bit much, and while it's been interesting it's also been, well, boring. Rather like a horse race: two minutes of excitement followed by 30 minutes of waiting! Also, if we ever do undertake a cruise, it will be on a smaller, less elegant ship.

So we say an earnest goodbye to the Ryndam, to Mexico and Central America, the Panama Canal, and all the sites we've visited and people we've met along the way. We're ready for Home Sweet Home! (pictured above)