Six months into my contract just Three to go! This week dragged, Tuesday I felt like it should have been Friday already… I'm trying to not be in such a hurry to get home because my dad told me to relax and enjoy my time here, I'll miss it when I'm gone but it's a little hard to get through the days when all I'm doing is working.

WEEK 25- Sunday I woke up with a sore throat, worked half day. Once I got off work I ate lunch at Aloha and then did laundry and grocery shopping then started my blogging at Ruby's diner during my dinner. That entire day was so gorgeous out, I wish I was laying out on the beach but I unfortunately didn't have time for that… you would think being in hawaii I would have lots of time to spend napping and laying on the beach but with all the work and other adventures I really don't get time for that.

Monday I just worked in the salon all day, Aaron from excursions, came in for a haircut and I asked him what excursion I should take this week, thinking I had a half day off in Kona. Technically I was initially suppose to have all day off on Sunday but because we had a couple brides coming in, my boss had me come in for a half day and then gave me half a day off on another island. I wanted time off in Kona because I rarely get a chance to get out there but I messed up my schedule and accidentally marked my half day off in Hilo! I was so sad I did that and didn't realize it until Monday night. Later Aaron stopped by the spa after going to the gym and I asked what I should do in Hilo instead, he said he might have a spot left on the volcano tour and kept going back and forth on the idea. Every week I tell myself I wish I had time in Hilo to go on the volcano tour but I never had a chance to, but then I'd be going on a tour with all these elderly passengers by myself and they'll probably want to ask me all these questions about the ship and it's my day off and I really don't want to be talking about my work on my day off, and the fact that I had a cold I needed to get over I figured it might be a good idea to just stay in bed till I had to be at work at 3pm. With all of that, Aaron said well call me in the morning and let me know if you change your mind.

Tuesday- I wake up feeling even more sick, so I'm laying in bed still debating what to do with my time off because I really hate to put my time off to waste. I came to the conclusion I could stay in bed all day and be tired from doing nothing or I could go on this Volcano national park tour and be tired from the tour, either way I would still be tired and still have to be at work later… then I realized who in the world wakes up in the morning and contemplates seeing a volcano?!? I am incredibly spoiled with this job. So I wake up and call Aaron and tell him I changed my mind and he says, ok, I have to see if we still have availability I'll call you back in 15mins. He was still able to get me on the tour so at 8:20am I hopped on the bus. The driver told us all the history about the island, first we drove down this road near the ship where all these famous people had planted banyan trees, people like; Richard Nixon, Amelia earhart, Babe Ruth… just to name a few. The next stop was a little hike through the Fern tree rain forest where we walked through this giant Lava tube! Its was a pretty cool sight. After the lava tube our tour guide drove us to the lava grounds, it was insane to be driving along the rain forest with tons of trees and then along the road there was absolutely nothing. I sent my friend Brady a picture and he said it kinda looked like the apocalypse, I agreed. It was so crazy. When we were finished there we stopped at this look out of the crater, there I was able to shoot with my new lens, you could see smoke coming up from a distance it was really interesting. Then we drove and stopped at the museum which is closer to the side with all that smoke rising. The last thing we did was stop at the Island candy shop, this is the only candy shop which is at the factory and usually you have to order online to buy from them, there I got some yummy goodies.The tour ended and I made it the entire tour without having to say a word to anyone, the main reason I didn't want to speak was because I was sick, on the bus ride back I texted Alana to pick me up some cough medicine.

That evening between clients, the ship almost tipped over it leaned quite a bit to the port side (left side) we had no clue what was going on but soon enough we straightened out. Later I found out that we almost hit a fishing boat that didn't have their lights on, we were literally 50ft away from them and that would have been terrible news if we hit them. yikes!

My last two clients of the night were hilarious. James is one of the contractors on board, while I was chatting with him and cutting his hair this blonde guy comes up to my window with a beer in his hand trying to ask me if I take walk-ins. Well my boss marked me off work early at 9pm so I told him through the window, No. He came to the front desk anyway and pretty much begged Jessica to get him in for an appointment so she walks over and asks if I wanted to go ahead and take him and I saw who it was and just laughed and said sure, since technically I was suppose to work till 10pm. This guy's name was nick, he was a character… he's from Australia and I was having a hard time understanding him with his drunken accent. He was on holiday with his wife and inlaws and brother. He kept trying to talk to me about boys, he noticed that the contractor that got his hair cut before him was kind of lingering around after and he asked me if I was interested in him and I said nope then he kept asking me what I look for in a guy so he could try and find someone for me I couldn't help but laugh because I never had a man try and be a match maker. I got a kick out of him, I gave him his first american hair cut and he loved it, I just hope he remembered getting it in the morning. haha.

Wednesday Just work

Thursday after work I went to Cagney's, the new steak house that use to be Lazy J's… they pretty much just changed the name, with Alana and Brendan. Brendan is back on board from his vacation in New Zealand.

Friday on my lunch break I found myself in my cabin watching the news which never happens and I learned it was national grilled cheese day, so that night in Aloha I went to one of the cooks who usually makes me grilled cheese and said "did you know that today is national grilled cheese day?" and he laughed and said, "so in honor of this sacred holiday I assume you'd like me to make you a grilled cheese?", "yes, indeed!" Earlier that evening I had a guest come in named Diana, from NY. She was on her honeymoon.. her and her husband looked like they were 12. Turns out she was 17 and he was 18! I colored her hair an auburn color and straightened it for her because I could tell she never really does anything with her curly hair, it turned out great and I told her she looked older with her hair that way and she appreciated the compliment. They were an interesting couple.

Saturday Embarkation day! I had to be at work at 11:30am to handout raffle tickets in the terminal with our new massage therapist, Eric. I woke up early so I could go to starbucks for a little bit and then I tried to tango/ video chat with my niece before her birthday party because I would be at work later during the party but it was too early and she was sleeping. Before leaving I remembered I wanted to buy Paramore's new album so I figured I'd download it real quick and it wasn't very quick, I was getting really antsy with all the coffee I drank. I hurried back to the ship so I could get ready for work. It was Eric's first time in the terminal so I showed him the ropes. I got a text message from my boss saying "step away from the photographer, the hotel director called me and said you were talking to Alex more than talking to the guests." so I wrote her back saying tell Alex to stop talking to mee! haha I had remembered that morning that Alex had his birthday over dry dock and I never told him happy birthday… he was like that was almost a month ago now.. I asked him how his vacation went since it was the first time I had seen him since he got back on the ship, and well he talks a lot. Before we left the terminal, Tina, the new esthetician came to relieve Eric and I, and I jokingly told her not to talk to Alex, later Alex said she didn't talk to him at all. Eric generously helped this lady in the terminal, that makes leis for the passengers to buy, put away her table set up and she gave him two frangipani leis which he kindly gave to Tina and myself. They were so pretty and smelled so good! For dinner, Silvia went to Gordan & Birsch. On the walk over there I tangoed with my sister asking her how the party went it sounded like it turned out very well. I wish so much that I could have been there! I was able to get off work early that night and around 9:30pm Amber and I did Zumba for the first time with Michelle, apparently she's doing a class later this week, I'm a terrible dancer but it was fun.. a good workout for sure. I could tell Michelle loves it.

I'm already a few days into my 26th week on board, it's been a pretty good week but I'll tell you all about it on saturday:] Just 13 weeks left!

"The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory." -Psalms 97:5-6