I Belize in MAGIC! MITSUGIRLY revisits the Western Route. My Novel.

[mindy2]

Wow, Sakari took some great pictures. Enjoying your ongoing review, it's fabulous!

[JillL]

Loaded with those towels they keep reminding you of your duty to think long and hard about reusing the towels to save the world. I'm sorry but being in an interior room seems to have no way to dry a towel if you hang it up. It's not like at home where you can hang it up and there's a vent in there. It would take days to dry in the bathroom there and therefore, on the floor they go when I'm done with them. I usually take 2 showers a day and I'm not drying off with a wet towel.

My bathing suits take days to dry in there and although the whole pull out clothes line thingy across the shower is a great idea for dripping bathing suits, it gets really aggravating to constantly take the bathing suits off so that you can take a shower and then put them back up again...over and over and for 3 people ugh. I end up using every available area to hang them...towel racks, door knobs, whatever is available within my reach. They still don't dry so it's pointless. (Not to mention this shower had a constant drip and you could only use half of the line to begin with because it would keep your clothes wet).

 

 

So that completes our room tour. I hope you enjoyed your stay with us and please come again. Mi casa es tu casa. :D

 

 

 

 

We take magnetic hooks, so we can hang stuff outside the bathroom to dry... works much better... but gets a bit tight in an interior room

[packerpegster]

Sakari ROCKS! Your pics are great! And you are a MIGHTY girl ! Keep swimming and diving ...

 

 

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[Crusin Karen]

Have not been on the computer in a few days and just spent a bit over 2 hours getting "caught up" on another of your FANTASTIC adventures. And now you are keeping me hanging! Can't wait to read the rest! You and Sakari are simply AMAZING!

[ncklhaus]

Thank you Kim for another one of your fantastic reviews!

I need to make you laugh because my daughter Melissa asked Santa for a Mermaid fin "just like Sakari's" 😁 It's ordered and I will bring it on our cruise in 2 weeks all wrapped up as an early Christmas present. That and the snorkel gear. So far Melissa doesn't realize that snorkeling and scuba are 2 different things but once she does, I'm sending you the bill for scuba lessons. Just kidding.

Looking forward to more of your review.

[mitsugirly]

Just a FYI, the fan you took pictures of and mentioned, is called a Big Ass Fan. Big Ass Fans are a very popular fan for sporting venues and industrial settings.

 

Haha. Love the name. I love my fan and can definitely understand the name. Mine throws out so much air.

 

Those B&W photos are so well done. Gorgeous family.

 

They did do a decent job at the black & white. Thanks for the comments.

 

 

Really enjoying your review, and especially your pictures.

 

Since we are to do the Magic, you never know what kind of questions I might ask here.

 

I believe I saw the miniature golf area? If so, is the hot dog stand in the same area, or another deck? I can eat hamburgers, but I am really a hot dog fan.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Yes, the miniature golf area is up on the sports deck and under the ropes course. The hot dog stand is also there (but only open certain hours).

 

 

 

Hi Kim,

 

I have been silently following since the start and it has turned out to be another amazing review. Thanks!

 

I am thrilled to be introduced to Kam, what a doll! The first picture in the review of her Sakari showed their resemblance so much.

 

It seems B has matured and Kendra’s family and yours of course, is beautiful.

 

Now I am on pins and needles suspecting beautiful Sakari has a broken arm or something and she is about to be going Scuba diving. Yikes.

 

Anxiously awaiting more

 

Aww thanks so much for breaking your silence and commenting.

 

 

B maturing....well....I was thinking so too for awhile, but then I spent tonight with him and I just wanted to disown him. Ugh. That boy is embarrassing sometimes and tonight was the old B coming out.

 

 

 

Another FABULOUS review!

 

Curious, what program do you use to place your "mistygurl" watermark on your photos?

 

Susan

 

Aww thanks. I made the copyright stamp myself and place it individually on each photo.

 

 

Yay!! I've been super excited for this review, as we have the Magic booked for May (Eastern though). I was even more excited when we learned about Kam! I am contemplating taking my almost 4-yr old son on the cruise with us (me and my 2 friends, who are both moms). He is full of energy and often needs to work on his "listening skills", so I'm not quite sure he'll be ready just yet. So I'm looking forward to hear how Kam did, especially handling the crowds and the ship!

For the taxis, did she just sit with you or on your laps?

 

Thanks for the excitement. Now I'm excited for your cruise. :D

 

 

Remember...(well, depends how long you've been around reading my reviews), we started Sakari cruising when she was 3 (or 3 years and 5 months) and she has been cruising ever since. She did fine back then and you just have to learn to sometimes compromise with little ones. They are use to a routine (at least Sakari was) and we had to create a routine for her on the ship. We ate breakfast at the same table (believe it or not) each morning. There was only 1 day that someone else was sitting at "her" table and she was a little upset, but we sat next to it I believe. For her after kids club routine, we always went and got her favorite foods (I can't remember but I think it involved a lot of fruits and cheese) and bring it back to the room for her to eat. She knew this routine for the week and it helped with her. By the next cruise when she was 4, she was hooked and did great. She's been going strong since then and is addicted. :')

 

Kam did great. No problems at all. She got a little grouchy toward the end when Kendra wanted pictures (but that's later in the review).

 

 

For taxi's she just rode in a seat the same way we did.

 

 

You really could turn this into a novel! I have it open all day on my desk at work. I do a task and then come back and refresh hoping to find out if you survived. I feel like there is a good chance you did, since you are writing this review after the events. But since I can't be positive, I don't want to lose to much focus by wasting time on work!!

 

OMG...you just totally cracked me up. Maybe I should hire you as my side-kick. I was laughing as I was reading this. :')

 

That Olympus TG-4 takes good pictures out of water and under water doesnt it? I take it most of the out of water pictures your posting where taken with it? nice sharp vivid colors. I have the TG-4 also and now the new TG-5. Had to get another because wife claimed it as hers after our last cruise and saw how good it takes pictures so now for our next cruise in April to western Caribbean on Glory we bought a another Olympus TG camera. We even got the lens cap adapter for them so we can use a lens cap and filters. Makes me nervous with an exposed lens and nothing to protect it from getting scratched when not using it. Yes its still waterproof with the lens cap adapter if your considering one. My other camera isnt too shore excursion friendly when it comes to water. I also have a Nikon D5200 DSLR with several lenses. It usually stays on the ship. But now wife and I have our own waterproof Olympus cameras. Cant wait to take more snorkeling photos at West bay in Roatan next April. Awesome pictures though.

I took this last time we were in Roatan with our Olympus TG-4. I've had several requests of the digital file so they can make a print or use it for computer desktop back ground.

 

 

Absolutely LOVE my cameras and especially the TG4. All of my pictures were taken with the TG4 with the exception of when my battery died and I used Sakari's 620.

 

 

Way to go wife! Claim that camera. hehe It's always good to have extra camera's as back up and getting different perspectives. We officially have 4.

 

 

I'm not sure what a "lens cap adapter" is? I have a fish eye. Both the fish eye and the camera came with a cap for protection that can be put on to keep it from getting scratched. I'll admit though...I never put them on unless I am traveling and they are in my little case I carry all the equipment in or the fish eye is being stored and not used. Otherwise, my camera is in my hand and ready to snap a picture at any moment. So for me, caps just get in my way.

 

 

Love the picture!

 

Lion fish?????

 

Nope, we see lionfish everywhere we go.

 

 

And...we already have a lionfish. Her name is Mango (named by Sakari of course). She has quite the personality and likes to follow you around and stare at you with her big long "eyelashes". She's so cute.

 

 

 

 

Sakari's pictures are amazing. I cannot believe a 9 year old girl took those pictures. She is unbelievable! I can't wait for the rest. Tell her good luck tonight although it is obvious she's got this!

 

Thanks. She has an amazing eye for things, both drawing and composition in pictures.

 

 

Wow, Sakari took some great pictures. Enjoying your ongoing review, it's fabulous!

 

 

Thanks so much!

 

We take magnetic hooks, so we can hang stuff outside the bathroom to dry... works much better... but gets a bit tight in an interior room

 

That's an awesome idea, but just wondering...don't that mean the wet bathing suits drip onto the rug/floor? What do you do about that?

 

Sakari ROCKS! Your pics are great! And you are a MIGHTY girl ! Keep swimming and diving ...

 

Thanks, thanks and haha, I will. :D

 

 

Have not been on the computer in a few days and just spent a bit over 2 hours getting "caught up" on another of your FANTASTIC adventures. And now you are keeping me hanging! Can't wait to read the rest! You and Sakari are simply AMAZING!

 

I missed you Karen! Glad you are back my friend! Thanks

 

Thank you Kim for another one of your fantastic reviews!

I need to make you laugh because my daughter Melissa asked Santa for a Mermaid fin "just like Sakari's" It's ordered and I will bring it on our cruise in 2 weeks all wrapped up as an early Christmas present. That and the snorkel gear. So far Melissa doesn't realize that snorkeling and scuba are 2 different things but once she does, I'm sending you the bill for scuba lessons. Just kidding.

Looking forward to more of your review.

 

This world needs more mermaids indeed! Melissa will love it. I can't wait to see pictures! She'll get to practice all next summer in that awesome new pool too!!! Sakari has 6 mermaid tails and now all we need is to get a pool to go with them. :D

 

Wait until she decides to scuba...hehe

 

Such a fantastic review! Thanks so much for taking us along on you trip!

 

Thanks and glad you are here.

Edited December 2, 2017 by mitsugirly

[mitsugirly]

****Ok, before I go on with the review, I just have to share all the good things that happened today/tonight***

 

Sakari had her last scuba class to complete her PADI Seal aquamissions. SHE IS OFFICIALLY A MASTER PADI SEAL!!! I'm so proud of her. I honestly wonder if any of the other students have completed all of them before because the instructor didn't quite know what to do from here. He said he would have to ask the manager how she goes about getting her "master" PADI seal dive card to replace her current card.

 

They were also so very excited, knowing she was coming to her last class tonight, that they took her in the dive shop and had her pick out a "completion gift" from a list of things. She ended up picking out this dive necklace and it has a pewter shark on it.

 

We discussed her getting her junior dive certification next and there is going to be another boy in her class that will be ready for it around the same time Sakari is (March-April) and they said if they can get enough kids around that time that they would like to do a "kid" class instead of them mixed with the adults because it's such a long class.

 

So....we'll see in the future months what she wants to do.

 

He also mentioned just how good she is. She dives with confidence, ease, and just all around does a great job with her diving, safety and instruction. I'm so proud of her. She easily picked it up and did it with passion and heart and it just came easy to her.

 

 

 

NEXT UP....more good news. I have to share with my cruise friends....

 

I received this in the mail today from the gifted program Sakari submitted her portfolio to:

 

 

 

She did it! She scored the highest scores possible. They labeled her as gifted in art! I'm so proud of her. I would like to say that she has worked so hard for this but in reality, she hasn't at all. It just comes natural. It's just what she does.

 

She usually draws some really WEIRD stuff and sometimes very MORBID stuff and it worries me at times. However, according the the judges notes (above on the letter), there's actually a "word" for that type of drawing and I had no idea: drash! After I looked it up with examples...wow, yep, that's her totally. All the weird things in her head have a name...and it's a good thing.

 

I'm just on cloud 9 at the moment and she has already went to bed after a long day of school, a field trip and diving. I can't wait to share it with her when she gets up tomorrow.

 

One proud momma here!!!

[JillL]

 

That's an awesome idea, but just wondering...don't that mean the wet bathing suits drip onto the rug/floor? What do you do about that?

 

.

 

The magnets can be quite strong. We have one set that allows up to 12 pounds and one for up to 25 pounds. They'll hold suits or towels. But rotate based on degree of wetness... dripping stuff in the bathroom... we're doing a 9 day on the Pearl just before Christmas, and we're using one set for Christmas lights! A search for "magnetic hooks" on Amazon will find you a bunch.

[JillL]

****Ok, before I go on with the review, I just have to share all the good things that happened today/tonight***

 

Sakari had her last scuba class to complete her PADI Seal aquamissions. SHE IS OFFICIALLY A MASTER PADI SEAL!!! I'm so proud of her. I honestly wonder if any of the other students have completed all of them before because the instructor didn't quite know what to do from here. He said he would have to ask the manager how she goes about getting her "master" PADI seal dive card to replace her current card.

 

They were also so very excited, knowing she was coming to her last class tonight, that they took her in the dive shop and had her pick out a "completion gift" from a list of things. She ended up picking out this dive necklace and it has a pewter shark on it.

 

We discussed her getting her junior dive certification next and there is going to be another boy in her class that will be ready for it around the same time Sakari is (March-April) and they said if they can get enough kids around that time that they would like to do a "kid" class instead of them mixed with the adults because it's such a long class.

 

So....we'll see in the future months what she wants to do.

 

He also mentioned just how good she is. She dives with confidence, ease, and just all around does a great job with her diving, safety and instruction. I'm so proud of her. She easily picked it up and did it with passion and heart and it just came easy to her.

 

 

 

NEXT UP....more good news. I have to share with my cruise friends....

 

I received this in the mail today from the gifted program Sakari submitted her portfolio to:

 

 

 

She did it! She scored the highest scores possible. They labeled her as gifted in art! I'm so proud of her. I would like to say that she has worked so hard for this but in reality, she hasn't at all. It just comes natural. It's just what she does.

 

She usually draws some really WEIRD stuff and sometimes very MORBID stuff and it worries me at times. However, according the the judges notes (above on the letter), there's actually a "word" for that type of drawing and I had no idea: drash! After I looked it up with examples...wow, yep, that's her totally. All the weird things in her head have a name...and it's a good thing.

 

I'm just on cloud 9 at the moment and she has already went to bed after a long day of school, a field trip and diving. I can't wait to share it with her when she gets up tomorrow.

 

One proud momma here!!!

 

 

She is an amazing kid! I can't believe how much she has grown and matured since your last cruise. Talented, intelligent, and beautiful! I know you are a proud mama!!

[#55worktoplay]

Well congratulations to Sakari on both accounts. I have watched her since the beginning and that girl is simply amazing. I think she will excel in anything she tries. You are very proud of her which is to be expected but you should be proud of yourself too, you are a great mom and Sakari has been led by a great example. How many people go back to school in their adult life to earn a degree while raising a family and working full time, not many! For that, you are also amaziing.

 

Time for another cruise to celebrate

[Crusin Karen]

Well congratulations to Sakari on both accounts. I have watched her since the beginning and that girl is simply amazing. I think she will excel in anything she tries. You are very proud of her which is to be expected but you should be proud of yourself too, you are a great mom and Sakari has been led by a great example. How many people go back to school in their adult life to earn a degree while raising a family and working full time, not many! For that, you are also amaziing.

 

Time for another cruise to celebrate��

Very nice thoughts and I agree 100%. (y)(y) to both of you!

[RogueMonk]

One proud momma here!!!

 

Awesome!

[LUVMYGSDOG]

Loving the review and pics! Thanks for taking the time to write it!

 

 

Kim

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[kpark895]

Congrats to Sakari for her two great achievements! And congrats to her Mom and Dad for raising such a great girl!

 

Does this mean she gets into the special arts program?

[luvcruzing]

Congratulations to Sakari on both of her amazing achievements at such a young age. And a thumbs up for a job well done to mom for her dedication.

[mitsugirly]

We take magnetic hooks, so we can hang stuff outside the bathroom to dry... works much better... but gets a bit tight in an interior room

 

The magnets can be quite strong. We have one set that allows up to 12 pounds and one for up to 25 pounds. They'll hold suits or towels. But rotate based on degree of wetness... dripping stuff in the bathroom... we're doing a 9 day on the Pearl just before Christmas, and we're using one set for Christmas lights! A search for "magnetic hooks" on Amazon will find you a bunch.

 

 

Yes, I have a couple of these hooks at home, but never thought to bring them for bathing suits. My question pertained to your statement saying you hung "stuff outside the bathroom to dry". That's why I ask about it dripping on the floor/carpet. But great idea to hang them inside. Are the walls inside the bathroom magnetic too? I know the room is and we always hang out collection of refrigerator magnets on the walls in the room that we collect from each port.

 

 

 

She is an amazing kid! I can't believe how much she has grown and matured since your last cruise. Talented, intelligent, and beautiful! I know you are a proud mama!!

 

Thanks and I'm so proud!

 

 

Well congratulations to Sakari on both accounts. I have watched her since the beginning and that girl is simply amazing. I think she will excel in anything she tries. You are very proud of her which is to be expected but you should be proud of yourself too, you are a great mom and Sakari has been led by a great example. How many people go back to school in their adult life to earn a degree while raising a family and working full time, not many! For that, you are also amaziing.

 

Time for another cruise to celebrate

 

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your kind words. Tear Thank you!

 

Very nice thoughts and I agree 100%. to both of you!

 

Thank you!

 

 

Awesome!

 

Thanks!

 

 

Loving the review and pics! Thanks for taking the time to write it!

 

Thank you and glad you are enjoying it.

 

 

Congrats to Sakari for her two great achievements! And congrats to her Mom and Dad for raising such a great girl!

 

Does this mean she gets into the special arts program?

 

Thank you so much. Yes, she will be label as gifted and it will carry with her throughout her schooling and life and can get into any special arts program.

 

 

Congratulations to Sakari on both of her amazing achievements at such a young age. And a thumbs up for a job well done to mom for her dedication.

 

Thanks so much! I appreciate it.

[mitsugirly]

Ok, so when I left off....Sakari and B had just spotted something I have never seen snorkeling before...

 

A HUGE PORCUPINE PUFFER FISH!!

 

 

This was the only picture she managed to get and said it swam by really quick. I really wish I would have seen it! They are very curious fish with a funny personality and I had always wanted to see one in the ocean. Maybe some day I will.

 

 

 

 

 

We all would discover these guys out there. This is something we have never done before.

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

That would conclude Sakari's pictures that she took...other than one last one she took of me once our dive was over, but I'll save that for later...it's pretty funny.

Oh, she did take a couple of videos too. Here's one:

 

/5M0ardp6w0s

CONCLUSIONS ON SAKARI AND BRAYDENS DIVE:

 

We specifically booked with this place because they told us that since Sakari and B were certified PADI seals, they would be able to go out with us diving (up to the 12' limit for them) and we specifically decided to do the boat dive because they said we would all be together.

 

Nothing went as planned...nothing! Which is a little upsetting for me (and the kids).

 

Their instructor and the kids went down and took off before we ever finished our skills. They went the opposite way of us. We were NOT with them at all, which meant I would not get pictures of them diving...which is something I really like to do.

 

The other thing is, they only went down 6' according to their dive log book filled out by the instructor. If you don't have dive experience as a child, they do a bubblemaker class for them, which allows them to dive down to 6'. If you are a certified PADI seal with experience, you are allowed to dive 12'. They knew her history and previous dives (this would be her 4th ocean dive) and assured me that she would get to go down further. So, I'm not sure what happened there.

 

AND MOST OF ALL...this is the part that really gets me and is kinda upsetting to both me and the kids...she held them...THE ENTIRE TIME. She swam behind them and held on to both of them! Why would they do this??? Sakari said it was uncomfortable and made it hard for her to swim. It was hard for her to see things and she kept popping up in front of them and wouldn't let go. I just don't get it.

 

Also, Kendra said they weren't down there very long at all before she brought them up and got them on the boat. Their dive log says 30 minutes but Kendra swore it wasn't even that long.

 

I felt bad...especially for Sakari who lives for this stuff. She felt cheated on her time and experience.

 

 

Sakari turns 10 in April, just 2 weeks after our next cruise. Hopefully she will only have to experience "young divers" maybe once more and then she'll be diving with us from now on and can do the DSD. No more restrictions limited to kids. She will be able to go down to 40' with us. I can't wait until this happens and we can always all be together.

 

 

[mitsugirly]

Oh, here's another one of Sakari's videos...It's a really crappy video because I have not explained to her how the video works (as in you have to move slowly and zooming with these camera's is the one fall back to them...they do not focus well when zooming). However, I just wanted to show this particular video because you will see in it, Sakari took a video of B swimming and a selfie of herself and you can see the instructor holding them in it. She's right behind and on top of them.

aN2i6Q_qDm8

Now it's my turn to dive.

 

This time around I felt a little more comfortable quicker than in the past. I think it might have been because the instant that I looked down, I could see coral and fish and the beauty. This usually distracts me from my thoughts and eases my mind.

They had us hold the rope and pull ourselves down to the bottom. That moment I let go of the rope, I took a deep breath and looked at the beauty surrounding me. My husband was keeping a close eye on me and I gave him the thumbs up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

It was absolutely stunning under there. So much coral and colors and just wow!!

 

 

 

When we went down, we headed to the left of the boat and toward the "wall" (where the kids went right).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had seen pictures of people diving and there's just nothing but a coral bed below them and barely any sand...but I never pictured it would be like this and so beautiful. Everywhere you looked...nothing but coral.

 

And plenty of bleached coral too.

 

 

 

 

 

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since we ended up only having the two of us, I pretty much stayed up in the front with Andrea and the hubby behind me and the other instructor behind him. It's too bad that it can't always be like this (2 instructors). It made me feel a lot more comfortable having someone keep an eye on us in the front and back.

 

 

[ABQrobin]

Now you understand why I was pushing you to do boat dives instead of shore dives!

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

Then I noticed where Andrea was headed...the wall. No, no, no...I will not do the wall! Turn around. I did not sign up for this. My heart was racing, I felt a little chest pain, my anxiety was kicking in! I couldn't see anything other than dark blue that dropped to no return. I didn't want to know what was down there or on the other side of that deep blue space.

 

 

 

She motioned me to come out. I shook my head NO violently. I did not want to do this. She motioned me out again.

 

 

 

Then she pointed off in the distance. It was a huge trigger fish (pictures do not show the size of this thing swimming out in the distance). I had never seen a trigger fish in the ocean before. It's another fish I plan on adding to my tank. They are so pretty and unique with the placement of their fins and how they swim. It had me in a trance....I went out over the wall.

 

 

 

 

And then I looked down....YIKES!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Brad1972]

This is the lens adapter that allows you to put filters and other lenses on.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0080DIYZW/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3QYTA7SJ83ZPO&colid=3IO4O4JOB29CH&psc=0

It comes with a lens cap too. then if you want to use filters like a circular polarizer you can put 40.5 mm filters on. we just got this for ours.

https://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-3-Piece-Multi-Coated-Filter-40-5mm/dp/B005VDWFQI/ref=pd_bxgy_421_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=B1X6CD2HT7MS5GVRQXY0

polarizer filters cut reflections and glare and deepen the blue color in skies. kinda makes colors truer and brighter. I use it all the time when shooting outside landscape scenes. then just take the filter off for underwater shots.

[mitsugirly]

I was there...over the wall, along side of the wall, there was nothing underneath me.

 

 

 

 

 

I was still hanging pretty close to the edge of the wall though...I wasn't going out too far that's for sure.

 

 

 

 

It was beautiful!!!

 

 

 

But don't get me wrong...I still wasn't sure about this and in the back of my head, I still wanted to go back up to the top where there was nothing below me but coral.

 

 

Some places had little ledges that hung out and I tricked myself into thinking that I was back above and this was the ocean floor bed...all flat and beneath me.