Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
We is on vacation and having a ball!
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
We were abruptly awoken by a polite yet overly enthusiastic knock on the door, only to find a cheery chap standing there with an offering of coffee and orange juice. Morning wake-up calls have never looked this bright!We swung open the sliding glass door and were greeted by a faceful of the astonishing 85-degree 8:00 am morning, accompanied by a whopping 90% humidity. It felt like nature’s way of saying, “Good morning, here’s a tropical vacation!” We, of course, promptly decided we preferred our climate-controlled indoor paradise and promptly retreated, hoping for a more polite weather greeting next time.
We looked out the now-closed door to see the harbor.
We have arrived.
We casually sipped on some coffee and took our sweet time getting dressed because we didn’t need to show up at the rendezvous until a very civilized 11:00 am.
The bay was sheltered from the sea.
Mark’s face lit up like a kid in a candy store when the Honduran Navy showed up in their latest submarine to say hi! I think he might have found his new ride to work!
The Honduran Submarine Service greeted us.
We slurped through the coffee, finished the daily diary, and headed to our dining room for a light breakfast.
The steakhouse dining area is top-secret, reserved only for suite passengers. It’s so quiet in there; you could hear a potato drop! Perfect for discussing the day’s adventures or debating the proper way to exit the ship.
Breakfast at the Grill.
We checked out through the ship’s security and walked the gangplank toward Mahogany Bay. Mahogany Bay is the cruise ship port owned by Carnival Corporation, located on the island of Roatan. Roatan is a popular cruise ship stop in the Western Caribbean, typically on the same itinerary as Belize and Cozumel.
Mahogany Bay, Honduras, here we come.
The port can hold two ships at once, and the piers are first-class and compete with air-conditioned tourist traps!
Lined up!
We walked around the shops, and Mary bought me an SPF 80 long-sleeved shirt, complete with a hoodie. I asked her about the hoodie, and she said, “On your bad hair days, you can wear the shirt backward!” She is always thinking.
Mary took a quick potty break before we got suited up, and she announced the potties were air-conditioned! Wow.
Getting ready for the thrill of a lifetime. A 2 in 1 jungle adventure of off-roading on a muddy & dusty trail, then zipping through the Sky trails with zip lines of up to 1600 ft long of unforgettable views, untouched jungle, mangroves, and lagoons. Xplore Roatan is locally owned and operated, and it offers high-quality products. They pride themselves on customer service, hard work, and dedication.
Waiting to get harnessed up.
We are harnessed up and await our executive limo to the top of the hill. Well, the “limo” was a mini-pickup truck, and we would have to ride in the back. The operator took one look at the two of us and put us in the cab with the driver. It’s good to look old and, in my case, decrepit.
Your limo awaits!
We are strapped in and ready to go.
We are ready to hang precariously from a single thread.
After a comically strenuous drive up a trail that felt more like a mule’s path, we finally conquered the mountain peak at a staggering altitude of 15,454 feet. Thank goodness we packed oxygen – it saved us from passing out! From the top, we could practically wave to Ft. Lauderdale.
Wait, I’m coming.
OK, it was NOT that tall, but it was 1500 feet above the port, and the bay is spread out below. There was a little breeze, or we would have died because of the humidity.
It was a great view from the top.
The first station was the easiest. I kept the camera in a button-up pocket because we were moving fast! Station #4 had a top speed of 45 miles per hour, and we had to use our asbestos gloves to slow down before hitting the station! Oh my!
Here we go!
Have you ever noticed that every station has trees all dressed up with splat protectors? It’s like the trees are going to a fancy tree party or something!
Getting the harness adjusted.
Hold on, we are supposed to be doing DOWN, not UP! I kept looking for the elevator or escalator, but we had to walk, crawl, or otherwise navigate to the next station. Dr. Mary was like a mountain goat, and I was like a beached whale.
Oh my, the adventure was part hiking in the jungle.
Just as we were about to reach our final destination, I put my superhuman X-ray vision to good use and spotted our ship. The Grill Bar had our name cards ready at table #3 before we even got there. It’s like they knew we were coming, or maybe they just sensed our alcohol cravings from a mile away!
The ship; the ship!
Each station had at least one and sometimes two guides to ensure our safety. They did an excellent job.
Our guide was delightful.
We were almost done, so we took a break to catch our breath. The next zip line was a whopping 1600 feet long and landed us on top of the beach bar! Talk about living life with a splash!
We made it; the next trip is 1600′ to the local bar at the beach!
We had a beer at the bar before starting our walk back to the beginning. It was so hot we stopped at the security checkpoint and asked for a cab. The guard knew the zipline people, called them, and asked for a ride back to the start. The little red truck showed up a few minutes later.
We strolled for a bit and then hopped on the good ship, where we knew we’d find cool vibes and abundant liquid happiness!
Only a few more feet before alcohol and air conditioning, our two favorites, “A’s”
I was so hot that I soaked a hand towel and applied it in an appropriate place.
Paul plopped!
We crawled to the 14th floor and crashed for an hour before getting ready for dinner. We departed the cabin at 4:35 and headed to O’Malleys for a pre-dinner drink! The Irish entertainers were playing, so we stayed and tapped our feet for thirty minutes.
Time for dinner!
Sharing the day!
We did not realize this was Colleen’s first zipline adventure. She was brave!
Colleen’s first zipline adventure.
After dinner, we hit the spa for some relaxing couples massages. The poor operators who drew the short straw and got Mark as their patient were even given asbestos gloves!
Next, the couple’s massages!
After the massages, we all headed to our rooms to rest for tomorrow’s adventures.
BTW, we walked over 7500 steps or almost four miles today!
