Caribbean

Dear Caleb,

I thought a lot about you this week as we were on the Cruise ship and snorkeling. You would've loved it. Dad probably gave you the rundown of our week already but I'll give you my take on it. Miami was such a better port to board a cruise ship. It's terminal seemed cleaner too. Maybe it's just because Miami isn't as rundown and deserted looking as Galveston is.

Our first two days were sea days because it took so long to get down to the Virgin Islands. The first stop on Wednesday was at St. Thomas. We took a Ferry to St. John because we had heard that this island had better beaches and was mostly a national park. It was the most beautiful beach I have ever walked on barefoot and the sand was as soft as the "moon sand" that you got for Sariah... I'm not kidding! I wish I could've bagged some of it up to take home. We snorkeled and dad was lucky enough to see two sea turtles.

The next day was at a British owned island, also in the Virgin Islands called Tortola. We created our own excursion by finding our own boat captain to take 9 of us to a smaller island called Virgin Gorda 45 minutes away. It was there that we took a small hike to a place with s beach called "the Baths." It was covered with gigantic round boulders in and out of the water. To get to the main beach where we'd snorkel, we had to hike through some of these piled up boulders where there were some hidden pools (the baths) where we were told that a lot of famous enough fashion photo shoots for popular magazines were located. The snorkeling was awesome there too.

Thursday was a sea day, then our last day was in the Bahamas. We were docked at Nassau but again found our own excursion. We found a small boat which took 9 of us to a beach next to the famous hotel & water resort called "Atlantis." Then, Brent, Jen, Dad & I got into a smaller boat to go to a snorkeling spot. As we were headed there, the water was so clear, our driver, or "captain," flipped around to show us something. He showed us going right over a huge shark! (probably an 8 footer) It was a Lemon shark. We continued over a few minutes further next to a smaller island which Eddie Murphy own with a partner. We had some great snorkeling there too. Our beach time afterwards was cut short as a storm rolled in over he Bahamas and it was freezing, especially after being wet.

The next morning after getting off the ship, we rented s car and drove down to the Florida Keys. I have always wanted to see this place. We first stopped to see same alligators and an alligator farm. It was there that we saw over 50 alligators swimming g and sunning themselves. Then we took a ride on a fan boat out over parts of the famous and vast Everglades. We actually stayed in a motel in the keys and today, Sunday, we drove to the southernmost tip of the United States. Now we're in the airplane flying home to cold and snowy Utah. It'll be good to get home and eat normally again, although the food, as you know, is amazing on the cruise ship.

I'm sorry for the travel log but I don't have much information from home other than the kids did a very good job looking out for each other while we were gone.

I hope things start to pick up for you here soon. It sounds like you're heart and mind are in the right place though. I sure do love you and think of you lots!!

Love,
Mom

p.s...I have no pictures on my phone but I think Dad sent you some good ones already.

Sent from my iPhone