Current location: Sanremo, Italy
Sanremo is a small town on the northern coastline of Italy, closest big city is Nice, France. Right at the French/Italian boarder on the Italian Riviera. I am only about a ten minute train ride away from Nice, France; five away from Monte Carlo and Monaco and my old stomping grounds - Antibes is about a 45 minute train ride. Though we have been docked in Sanremo for about three weeks now I haven't made it back to Antibes yet. I'm dying to go and reminisce on my life changing study abroad spots and experiences.
While August is slowly approaching, we still have not had a charter this season. Hard to believe coming from a very busy Caribbean season with nine charters, two boss trips and countless amounts of tips....to nothing at all, I'm going a bit stir crazy. I love seeing money flow into my bank account and now that it's not flowing as much as I would like it, I'm ready to move on and ready for a change. I know what I want and I'm going to try my hardest to get it.
We have had a very interesting last few months though, two new chefs, new chef stew, new stew, two new deckies and the list goes on. People are on and off all the time, doesn't seem to bother me much anymore. When the first crew member said they were leaving I was shocked and didn't want them to go but now that I've been on Big Eagle for eight months nothing is a surprise. People in and out isn't always a bad thing, getting to meet new people, making connections here and there in the industry isn't always a bad thing. Having three chefs in an eight month period is somewhat impressive because everyone cooks so differently. My palate has opened tremendously since arriving on Big Eagle. Willing to sample and try most anything that is put in front of me. Which actually isn't working in my favor. I'm going to see Dave for the first time in almost four months and I want to look fit, but "trying out my new recipe" is my enemy one liner right now. But the great thing about getting new crew is that I now have another stew, Cara, who loves to work out as much as I do so we will do all types of workouts together, morning and night on some days. She's so tiny and english, I love her! We work well together and have a lot of the same interests but are able to do things on our own.
So fun being able to be in all these small towns all over the world, it really opens my eyes to what I had my whole life, what I want in the future, and also what I don't want later on down the road.
Spain was less thrilling and entertaining than Gibraltar and Italy but Italy has been an experience just enough to know that I would only want to visit here. Breath taking coast line, enthusiastic people every corner you turn, and the typical city scene; narrow corridors, colorful laundry hanging on the lines outside a little flat, and people up all night talking in the echoing streets. But as I age, I seem to find the little things I can or cannot live without. Being so far away from home and only being able to speak to my family a few hours of the day is very frustrating. Not being able to jump on a "quick" and "cheap" flight home is tough. Even though a flight from Salt Lake City was never really quick or cheap it was better than my situation now if I really needed to just go home and recharge, which is what I'm thinking I need right about now. I think being almost completely shut off from my life at home so quick has really opened my eyes and made me realize all I have at home. I am in love with my job and know this is the perfect place to be in life at this moment, but I have matured vastly in these last ten months of being far away and need a small holiday to be able to stand back and see all that I have.
Today, Saturday July 19 and Sunday July 20 will be the last few days of freedom for me. We are headed to Pisa, Italy (leaning tower of Pisa) on Tuesday to pick up for a charter on Wednesday. Right after that charter finishes we will have a two day turn over and right into the next 10 day charter which will leave me mid to late August and Big Eagle will maybe have only one more boss trip before they cross back over to the States.
Days off are very rare but I am so thankful each and day we get one. Hopefully I'll be able to blog again soon.
Cheers to a great rest of the Med season!
