At Sea and Acapulco

10/3/07, At Sea Zihuantanejo to Puerto Vallarta

Whoosh. Yesterday was amazing. We got off in Acapulco and took a taxi out across the bay to this bar called Paradise. It’s a beach bar with bungie jumping. A whole bunch of people kept accosting us and asking us to buy their shit. I was not happy with this but some of the other people in the cast got REALLY perturbed by it. So we walked down the beach and found a secluded rock area and set up camp there. We swam in the water which was so warm that I could walk in without any hesitation or wincing and it felt like bathwater after 20 minutes in it. I got out, broke out the guitar and we sang a couple of Beatles songs together…then I just tanned and read 1984. After awhile the rest of the guys peeled off so me Holly and Rachel went back to the bar and ran into a bunch of JARs and Youth Counselors so I decided to stay with them while the ladies went to a movie.

We started drinking, Anna bought me some chicken fingers so I got her a couple of beers and we talked for a long time…eventually a bunch of other JARs showed up and it was Chris’s birthday so we had a ridiculous time together…we ate Red Snapper and drank tequila and coronas and mai tais. I got drunk and went into the water…the waves were not huge but they were pulling back and forth really strong so I was able to just let the waves take me to their break and push me back out to everyone. I picked up Libby and threw her in the water which was entertaining too. Afterwards we went upstairs and I danced with a bunch of the spa girls, Justin and chris and some other people…then we went back to the ship.

The ship helipad party was more amazing than I could have imagined. It happens on the back top deck of the ship where the helicopter can land. Last night there was like torrential downpouring and lightning and we were all still out there – free beers and hot friends getting soaked and dancing together while the music fought the thunder and wind for aural dominion. I had a nirvanic moment where I looked around and walked over to Keith and said “it doesn’t get any better than this” and I actually meant it. I was standing there, watching the Christmas-tree light hills of Acapulco fading away behind me, feeling the wind of the black expanse of sea rushing at my face with water that no longer felt cold or wet just slightly prickly, and realized without a doubt that it was one of those moments people live for.

After that I found my way to a crew room with some musician guys and spa girls. Hung out with them til I was too cold and wet and soggy to stand it, went up to my room and passed out. Overall it was perfect.

Today I made friends with a passenger, Desiree, who was one of the audience participants in last week’s improv show. We were sitting next to each other in a restaurant and just started talking, and we decided we’ll go see the show tonight together. I didn’t expect to make passengers friends but it seems possible after all.