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Chapter One
Last night my dad came home
and had tickets in his hand. We are going on a Mediterranean cruise! My
dad says the ship is huge and we’ll be gone a week. I have so many things
to do to get ready. Mum is trying to lose weight because she wants to look
good in her swimsuit. Dad is trying to get a suntan. Alec wants to take
video games with him but Mum said no. He is taking books instead. We’re
even taking Ethan with us. Mum says there is a nursery on the boat for
him. I plan to take a pad of paper and pencil so I can keep a journal and
some paper to draw pictures of things we see.
Chapter Two
We took an airplane ride
and got on the ship. It is huge, just like dad says. Our room is called a
cabin. We have to sleep in bunk beds. Mum and Dad have their own room, but
it connects with ours. Ethan is sleeping in a crib. Our cabin is small,
but there is a porthole in the wall so we can look out and see the water.
Ethan loves looking outside. When we eat meals, we get full because there
is so much food. I can have anything I want. Mum said that and so did Dad.
I can eat all the biscuits and pastries I want, but only after I eat a
good, nutritious meal. Mum loves to eat shrimp and Dad loves the steak.
Alec eats hamburgers and chips and Ethan eats lots of bananas.
Chapter Three
Today we explored the ship.
Dad and I walked right up to the front looked over the edge. I saw
dolphins swimming along the side of the ship. I even saw some flying fish
too. The ship has two funnels, which are big chimneys. The captain and his
crew are in a room up at the top of the ship and they can look out over
everything. It would be fun to be a captain of a big ship like this. Our
ship is called the Whistling Serpent. That’s a funny name for a ship, but
it sort of looks like a serpent. There are rooms for dancing, rooms for
movies, rooms for eating, plays, and even gambling. Ethan goes to the
nursery. He loves it there. He can play with toys, swings, and blocks, and
even ride in a wagon.
Chapter Four
Last night we were invited
to sit at the Captain’s table. He wore a uniform. The waiter brought us
drinks in wine glasses, though Alec, Ethan and I had water in ours.
Someone carved a whale and mermaids from ice and it sat in the middle of
the table. The Captain told us tomorrow we were going to dock at an island
and we would have to take a small boat to get to it. The Captain gave me a
chocolate bar with a picture of the ship on it. He gave Alec a miniature
ship made of metal and it looked just like the Whistling Serpent. Ethan
got a rattle with a picture of the ship on it. It was fun sitting with the
Captain. He told me his name was John and he’d been on this ship for
twenty years. That’s a long time to be on a ship. I wonder if he sleeps
here all the time? Maybe I will ask him tomorrow.
Chapter Five
We got on the small boat
and went to the island. When we got there all these women came running
towards us, trying to sell us things. One woman had her arms full of
flowers. They smelled so nice and sweet. After we got off the little boat
we walked around the village. There were lots of shops that sold junk, at
least that’s what my dad called it. I wanted to buy some pencils and a
necklace to take home to my friend, Sally. Dad took Alec and Ethan and
went to get ice cream cones and Mum and I looked in the shops. It was fun
to be with my mum. We tried on clothes and bought matching tee shirts.
Mum’s was baby blue and mine was lime green. They both had pictures of
whales on the front. Mum said it was okay to buy pencils, so I did. I
bought a plastic dolphin too.
Chapter Six
We stayed on the island all
day. We ate lunch at restaurant called “Big Bob’s Crab Shack”. I’d never
had crab before. Mum and Dad had lobster. They dipped it in melted butter.
I tried the crab and I liked it. Alec didn’t, so he had chips and a fish
sandwich. Ethan ate applesauce and mashed up lobster. Dad drank a blue
drink with a paper umbrella in it and Mum’s drink was pink. Alec and I had
to drink milk. After lunch we walked along the beach. We picked up shells
and splashed in the waves. There were some men surfing. Alec said he
wanted to do that when he was older. Dad laughed at him and Mum shook her
head. We took the little boat back to the Whistling Serpent at night. I
was so tired and went right to bed.
Chapter Seven
We stopped at other places
during our cruise. We did a lot of sightseeing, but I was bored most of
the time. I don’t care about fancy buildings and architecture, or pretty
scenery. I had the most fun when we were on the ship. After our cruise
ended, Mum started to cry. She wanted to stay on the ship for another
month. Dad said we couldn’t. Mum hugged everyone and said goodbye and we
took a taxi back to the airport. Our suitcases were heavy because we
bought a lot of souvenirs. We flew home and I called Sally and asked her
to come to my house. I gave her a pencil and showed her all the things I’d
bought. Mum and Dad took a lot of pictures and video so I can watch it any
time I want. |
