I’m typing this from the Smart Mouth Cafe in Vancouver, wondering how there’s a cafe THIS cute, THIS close to the ship (in Gastown, a few blocks away), WITH free internet, and it’s not even crowded! Score.

Today is embark day, when all the guests (and some of the crew) leave the ship, and their replacements come on. From now till the end of the summer, my ship will be doing two-week loops out of Vancouver: one week north, one week south.

It’s been a hectic cruise, with my parents and three ship-friends leaving today. Lots of “firsts” with the new cast and new party band, but lots of “lasts” also. I just dropped my parents off at the subway to the airport. Also, some turnover in the entertainment department made it necessary for me to switch cabins last night, cause there’s no longer a girl-musician to put me with. So I spent the night gathering up the last six months of my life and moving it down the hall. It’s technically an upgrade, a shared dancer-cabin with a porthole and two single beds, but I’d grown fond of my windowless cave with its curtained bunks. Plus the move made me realize I have WAY too much stuff.

(Aww, the barista just came over, took my empty coffee cup, and offered to fill my water bottle! I officially like this place.)